Eric Gehrig admitted the Chicago Fire's upcoming US Open Cup semifinal at the Philadelphia Union “can’t come soon enough” after their road woes continued with a 1-0 defeat at the Portland Timbers on Friday.
The Fire (6-12-4, 22 points) remain without a win away from Toyota Park in 2015 (0-7-3) and without a win against the Timbers (0-4-2) in six meetings all-time, thanks to Fanendo Adi’s fortuitous 48th minute goal.
“I think everyone’s a little pissed off right now and I think that will help motivate us going into the game on Wednesday,” Gehrig told reporters after the game. “I think there was a little bit more to be had in tonight’s game and I think everyone in that locker room can’t wait to get back out there Wednesday. It can’t come soon enough.”
Frank Yallop’s team enjoyed 56 percent possession and restricted the Timbers to just two shots on target, but Adi’s goal off Diego Valeri’s cross proved decisive for the hosts.
“It was kind of unfortunate, a bang bang goal,” Gehrig added. “You work your butt off, you take pride in keeping a clean sheet back there and to lose it on a goal like that is pretty heartbreaking. We’ll take our medicine and bounce right back.”
Yallop insisted his side deserved more from the game and once again lamented his side’s poor execution in the final third, which has been a problem for the Fire throughout the season.
“I thought we did enough to at least get a tie tonight, I thought we had enough chances, we pushed on second half and [I’m] disappointed not to come away with the points,” he said. “It’s the way our luck seems to be going away from home but I thought our general play was pretty good with the final touch, which was lacking for us.
"Usually we’re pretty good around the box, but our final pass and finish was just not there tonight."
The Fire’s frustrating night was compounded by a concerning injury to top scorer David Accam, who left the field just before halftime wincing after pulling up on a run. Any time out of the lineup would be a big loss to the Men in Red, though the coach was not ready to make any definitive statements about Accam's status.
“(He’s got a) tight hamstring, “ Yallop added, “so I don’t know how he’s feeling but we’ll know more tomorrow.”
