Despite the disappointment and manner of the 2-0 opening day defeat on the road to the LA Galaxy on Friday, the Chicago Fire drew some positives from a game in which they were outplayed by the defending champions.
Frank Yallop’s men survived an early first-half onslaught to hold the hosts scoreless at the break, but a couple of defensive lapses presented the Galaxy with two clear-cut looks on goal in the second half to take the lead and all three points.
However, despite a lackluster opening period, new Fire Designated Player Shaun Maloney, playing in his first competitive game for the club, was upbeat about the team’s resurgence after the break, and sounded optimistic about regrouping and perhaps competing against top teams over the course of the season.
“We showed in small patches tonight that we could compete with the champions and I think with more hard work we can show we can match them over a far longer period,” the Scot told reporters after the game.
“We played a really good side tonight, we played the champions and I think that showed. They dominated the game for large parts, I think there were parts of the game where we started to get a little bit more possession and a little bit more control of the game, but in the end I think the Galaxy are champions for a reason,” he added. “It shows us the work we’ve still got to put in to get up to that standard.”
Chicago captain Jeff Larentowicz, whose unfortunate attempted clearance in the Fire's box rebounded off nearby teammate Lovel Palmer and into the path of Galaxy winger Jose Villarreal to put the Galaxy 1-0 up in the 65th minute, agreed that there were some positives to be taken from the defeat.
“The end of the game was good,” the center back said. “We got guys on the field that are comfortable and felt good moving the ball around. It’s always easier at 2-0, but the things we did towards the end of the game were good. It’s a long season, you’ve got to keep grinding, no team comes in at the beginning of the season in midseason form, it just doesn’t happen. We’ve just got to keep working on the things we want to do and push on.”
Despite all of the preseason hype about a 4-3-3 formation or variation thereof, Yallop opted for a straightforward 4-4-2 because of injuries to center back Adailton (concussion) and DP forward David Accam (groin), although the former did take his place on the bench. As such, there was little cohesion and fluidity to the Fire’s play as they struggled to compete with the Galaxy.
After the match, Yallop lamented an ignored penalty appeal moments before Villarreal’s opener when Robbie Rogers appeared to send Quincy Amarikwa to ground inside the box, but referee Jair Marrufo waved Fire appeals away.
Yallop said: “It’s a tough place to come and play, and win, and do anything, but I just felt that moments are everything in a game: we don’t get a penalty call that I felt was a penalty. I’ve got to look at it again but it felt like it was [a penalty] from where I was sitting, and then within a minute they go down the other end and score. That’s football.”
