D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire – Game Recap
With the hosts coming with an MLS playoff ticket in their back pocket, and the visitors being as furthest away from Major League Soccer’s post season as they’ll ever be – there was a good chance of last night’s match being nothing to write home about.
And at the beginning of the evening it appeared to be just that: two sides that are no longer interested in this game, and pretty much just going through the motions.
Luckily however, things did start to pick up about half an hour into the match, with D.C. United gradually starting to apply pressure and create opportunities. Sadly, Chicago Fire did not pick up the pace, and the bottom-dwellers of Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference did very little to salvage anything from their MLS 2015 season.
D.C. United 1 – 0 Chicago Fire
United’s Chris Rolfe got the ball in Chicago’s half, and when blocked by Chicago’s midfielders passed it to teammate Chris Pontius. Pontius collected the ball just outside of the Fire’s box, and pushed through Chicago’s defense with a finish to the left, scoring the host’s first goal of the night (39’).
D.C. United 2 – 0 Chicago Fire
The second goal came in the second half, when United’s Fabian Espindola took a corner kick, and Bobby Boswell skilfully headed it in, flicking the ball to the back post of Chicago’s goal (67’).
D.C. United 3 – 0 Chicago Fire
A few minutes later, Espindola got his own chance to put his name on the scoring board. Receiving a ball from Nick Leon in the third half, Espindola manages to deflect three Chicago defenders and position himself on the left edge of the box, taking a wide shot into goal (71’).
D.C. United 4 – 0 Chicago Fire
The last goal of the evening was scored with a ball deflected off a Chicago defender, to find D.C’s Alvaro Saborio inside the goal area. Saborio received the high ball and gently tapped it in to give the hosts their last goal of the night (80’).
Both teams play their last match of this MLS season next Saturday, with D.C. United travelling to face Columbus Crew, and Chicago Fire hosting New York Red Bulls.
