Fire can’t win at home

Bridgeview, IL – The Chicago Fire failed to beat archenemy Columbus Crew on a near perfect evening before a season high crowd of 18,123 at Toyota Park much to the displeasure of a bullish Fire Manager Denis Hamlett.

When asked at the post match press conference if he learned anything from tonight’s match he took several seconds to respond, pausing, asking for the question to be repeated, then said ‘I don’t really understand the question.’ When the question was repeated but slightly worded differently, the longtime Fire assistant coach, but only in his second full season as Manager said ‘I don’t know’, a cynical response to several reporters questioning the lack of wins at home.

The bizarre and strange responses continued when pressed further as to why the team recently could not win at home. ‘You guys worry about that,’ Hamlett said. "We go out there to win the game. Sometimes that happens, sometimes it doesn't.’

Even with 18 total shots, 11 of them on goal, it was the poor finishing by McBride, Blanco, Papa, and Rolfe that did the team in, failing to score on several key chances. Or the outstanding goalkeeping of William Hesmer that won out, depending on what side of the coin you flip.

Regular starters for Chicago Gonzalo Segares (Costa Rica) and Logan Pause (USA) were on international duty for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, while Columbus was without Chad Marshall (USA) and Robbie Roggers (USA), while striker Alejandro Moreno was also left off the team sheet.

In the 4th minute Garey found himself free on the left flat only to shank the perfect Guillermo Barros Schelotto cross off his shin. It would be a reoccurring theme for much of the first half as the tireless play of Eddie Gaven and Schelotto went unrewarded with the main culprit Garey failing to finish.

Shortly after, in the 5th minute, it was now Gaven working well down the right, only this time his cross was misplayed by the left midfielder racing in from the left and shot over the goal and out of play.

The Fire had yet another chance in the 17th minute, with good work on the right was played out for a corner. The resulting Blanco corner found the head of McBride but his was unable to find the goal and sent the ...