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MLS Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire Fall 2-1 at Montreal Impact

August 18, 2018 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


MONTREAL, Quebec - Forward Nemanja Nikolic scored his 11th goal of the regular season, but the Chicago Fire (6-15-5, 23 points) fell by a 2-1 score against the Montreal Impact (10-13-3, 33 points) at Stade Saputo on Saturday evening.

The Impact opened scoring in the sixth minute courtesy of a penalty kick by Ignacio Piatti.

The Fire equalized in the 70th minute. Nicolas Hasler sent in a cross from the right flank and found Nikolic for a snap header that forced a one-handed save from Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush. The ball popped back out to Nikolic, who pounced on the rebound and sent his low, right-footed shot into the back of the net.

With the score remaining 1-1 late into the match, Montreal's game-winning goal came in the first minute of second half stoppage time, when Daniel Lovitz put a shot from distance past goalkeeper Richard Sanchez.

Fire Homegrown midfielder Djordje Mihailovic earned the start and played 59 minutes, marking his return from a right Anterior Cruciate Ligament rupture suffered on Oct. 25, 2017.

The Chicago Fire return home to host Columbus Crew SC at Toyota Park on Thursday, Aug. 23 at 6 p.m. CT (ESPN+/Univision Radio WRTO AM 1200). Coverage begins at 5:45 p.m. CT with a live pregame show on ESPN+ presented by CIBC.

Veljko Paunovic - Head Coach, Chicago Fire

On the match:

"We had a great opportunity to get at least one point today. We lost it and it's a disappointment like the whole season was. We just have to turn to our next game and that's all we have. We have to try to move from the bottom and try to not be the worst team in the league. And I think we have to show more pride from now on. Just training and doing preparations it just doesn't get better. We're trying hard but it's just not coming. We will try to stay consistent with the work we do, but it has to come from every side and I think today we tried hard. The team had a good shape despite the first goal. And after that, the first half, we played well. The second half we had a lot of opportunities. We scored, we tied, and we even had the opportunity to take the lead. So, there are some positives but when we have the opportunity to score goals, we have to be ready."

On what has been lacking in the performances:

"It's self-pride. When we're in the final minutes of the game that is when we have to realize, especially when we have a good result, that we have to put more. That is when you have to defend better and not just give up. I think we defended the corner on the second goal well but what came before that, that is the issue. It's a falling domino and nobody stops the domino, so it just goes down and down so deep until we break down. It's been the whole season like that."

Bastian Schweinsteiger - Midfielder, Chicago Fire

On the result:

"It's not going in our direction. If I think about last weekend against the New York Red Bulls, one of the best teams, we played really well. We lost 1-0. We make one mistake, goal. Even today, after the 1-1, we had chances to score 2-1 and at the end they score. We lose. It's not easy for us because we put a lot of effort in. Of course, we made mistakes on the field, but we always try to give our best. We don't reward ourselves for our effort. We gave away a lot of points in a very simple way. But the standings are how they are. But I'm convinced that the coach and his staff do a great job and the players give their best. Of course we also had many injured players and that also plays a part in the circumstances.

This team actually has a good character, so we always fight until the end and we come back. The only thing is we just cannot keep the score or make the score 2-1 for us. The whole season started with the first game against Kansas City and it's the same as today, so that's the biggest point in our season. Otherwise, we would have 10-12 points more for sure and we would be in a different position in the standings."

Chicago Fire 1:2 Montreal Impact

Aug. 18, 2018 - Stade Saputo

Attendance: 18,831

Scoring Summary:

MTL - Ignacio Piatti (penalty kick) 6'

CHI - Nemanja Nikolic (unassisted) 70'

MTL - Daniel Lovitz (unassisted) 90+1'

Misconduct Summary:

MTL - Rudy Camacho (caution) 24'

CHI - Jorge Corrales (caution) 41'

MTL - Bacary Sagna (caution) 68'

CHI - Dax McCarty (caution) 80'

Chicago Fire: Richard Sanchez; Nicolas Hasler, Johan Kappelhof, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Brandon Vincent, Jorge Corrales; Dax McCarty ©, Djordje Mihailovic (Michael de Leeuw 59'); Raheem Edwards, Nemanja Nikolic (Drew Conner 88'), Aleksandar Katai (Brandt Bronico 64')

Subs not used: Stefan Cleveland, Christian Dean, Daniel Johnson, Alan Gordon

Shots: 6; Shots On-Goal: 2 Fouls: 17; Saves: 0; Offsides: 6; Corners: 2

Montreal Impact: Evan Bush, Rod Fanni, Rudy Camacho, Daniel Lovitz, Bacary Sagna, Ken Krolicki (Micheal Azira 67'), Samuel Piette, Saphir Taider, Ignacio Piatti ©, Alejandro Silva (Jeisson Vargas 82'), Matteo Mancosu (Quincy Amarikwa 62')

Subs not used: Clement Diop, Jukka Raitala, Chris Duvall, Shamit Shome

Shots: 12; Shots On-Goal: 2; Fouls: 7 Saves: 1; Offsides: 4; Corners: 4

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