The final moments before kickoff Saturday at Toyota Park are likely to bring a host of familiar handshakes and hugs for Chicago Fire goalkeeper Matt Lampson, but with a new twist.
“We’re shaking hands before the game but we’re not playing with each other, we’re playing against each other,” said Lampson of his impending encounter with Columbus Crew SC, the club with which he signed a Homegrown contract ahead of the 2012 season and where he remained for four MLS campaigns. “The emotion that I’m expecting more than anything is excitement and happiness to see those guys, because I spent four years with them. It’ll be fun, it’ll be a cool experience.”
Tickets: Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew SC
After performing well as a trialist throughout preseason camp, Lampson earned the nod in goal for each of the Fire’s first two matches, recording four key saves in last Friday’s shorthanded road draw vs. Orlando City SC.
The prospect of seeing Lampson square off with his former teammates Saturday (4 p.m. CT, CSN Chicago Plus) is viewed as a positive by Chicago Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic.
“I think it depends how you manage that emotion you may have in a game against a former club,” Paunovic said. “I’m sure he has a lot of friends there but first we are professionals. If you manage those emotions in the right way it can be helpful for you and the team. It can motivate in the best possible way to perform well for our team. I’ll tell you in my career almost every time I played against my former teams I scored goals, so for me it was very motivational, but obviously it’s important to manage.”
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So how will insider knowledge of Crew SC’s tactics and tendencies play into Lampson’s performance Saturday? For Lampson, the question is a premature one until after the final whistle blows.
“That would be a heck of a question to ask me after the game,” Lampson said with a smile Thursday. “I won’t see how it affects [the game] until after I get on the field. I would think, I would hope that it would be helpful but that is yet to be seen.”
Regardless of the opponent, Lampson has relished his fresh start with the Men In Red and is excited for each opportunity to play the game he loves, both on matchday and on the training ground.
"That's the first thing I've said to people is, I forgot how much fun playing soccer can be," he said. "When you go out and you're having fun, that's when you're playing the best soccer. The coaching staff has given me the utmost confidence and the opportunity to show what I can do. Hopefully the way I play and the results that we get are fruits of their trust."
