CARSON, CA. - Chicago Fire FC played the Club’s second of four California preseason friendlies on Saturday afternoon, a 4-2 defeat to the Colorado Rapids at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, Calif.
Forward CJ Sapong got the Fire started in the ninth minute. Midfielder Przemysław Frankowski got on the ball along the right wing as Sapong crashed the Colorado 18-yard box. With a low ball across the net, Frankowski found Fire FC’s 2019 Golden Boot winner for a sliding finish, his third in the last three matches.
Colorado got an equalizer in the 22nd minute. Midfielder Younes Namli played to forward Andre Shinyashiki running into the Fire 18-yard box on goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth’s right. Shinyashiki took a touch and curled a low shot across the net to level the score at 1-1.
The Rapids then took a 2-1 lead early into the second half. After earning a 53rd minute corner kick, a close-range attempt was initially denied by a well-positioned Shuttleworth. After another shot attempt was deflected, Colorado’s Sam Nicholson got his foot to a rebound and found the back of the net.
Kellyn Acosta extended the Colorado lead in the 61st minute, finishing off a counterattack sequence with a tap-in in front of net.
In the 79th minute, Fire forward Elliot Collier would up his preseason goal tally to three in as many matches with a coolly redirected near post header off of a Djordje Mihailović corner kick.
Colorado got the game’s fourth and final goal through Nicolas Mezquida in the 84th.
Wicky and his men are back in action on Wednesday, when they take on Toronto FC at the University of California-Irvine at 5 p.m. CT. Fans are invited to follow @ChicagoFire on Twitter for lineup and score updates throughout.
Chicago Fire FC Starting XI: Bobby Shuttleworth; Brandt Bronico, Johan Kappelhof, Francisco Calvo, Jonathan Bornstein; Micheal Azira, Alvaro Medran, Djordje Mihailović; Elliot Collier, Przemysław Frankowski, CJ Sapong.
Substitutes: Kenneth Kronholm (61’)
