While Friday’s 2-0 defeat at Sporting KC might have left you feeling a tad bit deflated, its important to remember what the Fire accomplished in the games leading up to that match.
Namely, a streak of seven wins in eight matches which started in early August, extended almost two months and saw the Men in Red move from teetering on the edge of the Eastern Conference playoff bubble to legitimate contenders for the top spot.
While the loss Friday gave a small blow to the notion of finishing first in the East, the Fire returned to training Monday with a focus on getting things back on track Wednesday against Philadelphia.
“We’re not going to win every game in a season,” said midfielder Patrick Nyarko. “We lost one game so we just move on to the next, the same as if we win a game, we move on as well. Recognize Kansas City is a good team that we may see again and move on.
Friday’s result combined with those on Saturday served to tighten the East playoff race. New York is back tied on points and ahead of the third-place Fire on the goals scored tie breaker, while just five points separate second place from sixth.
With a game in hand, the Fire still hold an advantage over the rest of the playoff field.
Simply put, a win on Wednesday against a lowly Union team at Toyota Park, where the Fire just happen to be 9-0-1 against Eastern foes this season, will go a long way to clinching the club’s 12th playoff appearance.
“There’s no added pressure,” continued Nyarko. “We’re still in a good position. We definitely go into Wednesday’s game with the mentality to get the win but we’re not nervous.”
While the team may not have nerves about Wednesday’s match, the game also kicks off the 15th anniversary of the club’s founding which occurred on October 8, 1997, then the 126th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire that ravished the "Second City" in 1871.
Fire legends Peter Nowak, Chris Armas and Cuauhtemoc Blanco will be honored at halftime ahead of the fan-driven star-studded 15th Anniversary Party that will occur October 8 at the Chicago History Museum.
“Frank’s been talking about it quite a bit and guys are getting more educated about the fact that the day is very special. We’ll have some guys that did quite amazing things here coming around and it serves as a motivation to honor them and the club by getting a win.
Tickets to Wednesday's Anniversary Match start at $20 and are still availble by clicking here or by calling (888) MLS-FIRE! Tickets to the Fire Anniversary Party featuring a host of guests including Ante Razov, Lubos Kubik, Jesse Marsch and current Fire players are available by clicking here.
