Overwhelming disappointment was the overriding sentiment emerging from the Chicago Fire locker room Saturday night. Playoff rivals the Montreal impact led them to a narrow, enthralling 4-3 road reversal, and the loss particularly stung.
There are proverbial six-pointers, and then there are games like this: a match that could set the victor up for a potential march towards the playoffs and consign the loser to thoughts of, “What if?” Now, it seems Frank Yallop’s Fire may be asking themselves that question--the truth is, the playoffs are probably beyond them.
With 21 points still to play for, the Men in Red are still mathematically capable of climbing above their Eastern Conference rivals and clinching that cherished sixth and final playoff spot. But as their search for their first road win since July 12, 2014 continues, and with four of their remaining seven games away from Toyota Park, it would take an optimistic observer to suggest that MLS’ bottom club is capable of going on the kind of run needed to vault them back up the standings.
However, Yallop and the players offered a united, determined response to questions on how the team can approach the final seven games.
“We've got to [regroup],” head coach Yallop told reporters. “We have seven games, and you have to keep fighting until the end. It's just disappointing with Montreal winning in this game and we couldn't get it done. So just all around, all the guys and staff, are upset with the final result tonight.”
The disappointment was heightened given the Fire’s impressive attacking display, which saw captain Jeff Larentowicz convert a penalty, Gilberto score his first goal for the club and Kennedy Igboananike continue his recent fine form with Chicago's third. That put them in front for the first time on the night.
However, Didier Drogba showed everyone watching why he was so sought-after by both sides this summer. During a virtuoso performance, he tallied a hat trick to ensure victory in his first start for the Impact.
“I don't know where to start,” Yallop said when asked for his thoughts on the game. “We score three goals away from home; one is a penalty but the other two are good finishes. To come away with no points is very disappointing.”
- READ: Hat-trick hero Didier Drogba hails Montreal Impact fans, but sees "room for improvement" in team
Gilberto’s all-round play and first goal was one of the main positives of the evening for the visitors. But the Brazilian insisted the team needs to change its mentality ahead of next Friday’s trip to conference title challengers the New York Red Bulls.
“I'm happy to score my first goal, but I'm not happy because we didn't get a win today,” the former Toronto FC striker said after netting his first goal in four appearances and 224 minutes. “The team had a great performance and it's a group of good people. I think the next game, the team needs to be mentally different. It was very, very close today, so it's disappointing.”
Igboananike stressed a similar message.
“Right now it's all about mental focus,” said the Nigerian. “We have to take it one game after the other. We've got to keep fighting, pushing hard to see what's going to happen. We still believe that we can make it.”
