BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – The Chicago Fire’s three game home win streak came to an end on Saturday afternoon as Real Salt Lake produced a masterful road performance to win at Toyota Park.
The visitors (3-2-5, 14 pts) came into the game without a win in their previous five outings, but hit the Fire (3-5-0, 9 pts) with blows early in each half to take all three points back to Utah. Goals from Alvaro Saborio and Luke Mulholland put RSL in firm control before a late Jeff Larentowicz penalty gave the home side a glimmer of hope of salvaging something from a disappointing afternoon.
It was no more than RSL deserved as they defended with discipline and desire, limiting Frank Yallop’s men to half chances, and relying on the heroic efforts of Nick Rimando when they did get a clear look at goal.
Salt Lake raced to a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute when US U-20 international Jordan Allen broke down the left and squared for the lively Saborio on the edge of the box, and the Costa Rican striker finished with aplomb with a superb drive past the diving Sean Johnson. It was Salt Lake’s first goal in 34 days (510 minutes), not counting an own goal by San Jose's Victor Bernardez on May 1.
Aside from the goal, there was very little to report from both sides in a tepid opening 30 minutes, with the Fire’s best moments provided by the width of fullbacks Joevin Jones and Lovel Palmer, with the Salt Lake defense resolute in front of Rimando.
Palmer, who was proving to be an excellent outlet on the right, had a couple of decent looks to level before the half but pulled a volley wide off a corner in the 43rd minute, and skewed another shot wide before the halftime whistle after good approach work from Harry Shipp and Shaun Maloney.
The second half began in similar fashion to the first, with the Fire keen on attack and RSL happy to soak up the pressure. They struck for a second goal agianst the run of play, doubling their lead in the 56th minute.
A swift, incisive build-up from RSL split the static Fire defense and led to a through ball from Allen to Devon Sandoval, who squared a pass for Mulholland to finish under a challenge from Jones.
The introduction of forward Kennedy Igboananike for the ineffective Guly do Prado in the 58th minute gave the home side renewed impetus, and the Nigerian almost pulled one back 10 minutes later when Jones picked him out 12 yards from goal, but his first-time volley was met by an acrobatic save from Rimando.
The Fire pulled a goal back through Larentowicz’s clinically struck 88th minute penalty, but it proved too little too late as the hosts fell to their fifth defeat of the season, and second defeat at home.
Next up for the Fire is their first visit to Yankee Stadium to face New York City FC on Friday (7 pm ET, UDN), while RSL travel to Montreal to play the Impact a day later (4 pm ET, TSN).
