HARRISON, N.J. — The Chicago Fire's winning streak is over. Somehow, it doesn't feel like the end of the world.
Despite a heavily rotated lineup, the Fire went to Harrison, New Jersey with the expectation, not hope, of taking three points from the New York Red Bulls. At least they came away with a point amidst a Robert Lewandowski-centered craze.
Seeing the obvious marketing opportunity, the Red Bulls branded Saturday's game as "Polish Heritage Night." At least 95% of those in attendance appeared to be there for one player, so there was probably widespread disappointment when Gregg Berhalter's lineup was named without Lewandowski.
It was also named without seven other starters from the 2-1 win over Orlando City on Wednesday. Most notably, there was room for midfielder Sam Williams – a product of the Red Bull Academy and North Jersey native – who is currently in the midst of a one-week cameo appearance in Chicago halfway through his loan at the Colorado Spring Switchbacks.
Williams missed the Fire's first noteworthy chance of the game, blasting a shot wide from the edge of the box in the 10th minute. Another Sam – Rogers, who rotated into the lineup for Jack Elliott – came to the rescue at the other end, relaying a 23rd minute Red Bull cross into the palms of Chris Brady.
The worst miss of the half came in the 30th minute. Robin Lod was starting as the Fire's most advanced forward, nominally in place of the rested Lewandowski. Jonathan Bamba teed up a great cross, but Lod's shot was easily saved by Ethan Horvath. In the 34th minute, Haile-Selassie, nominally a second striker, missed a similar chance, failing to make clean contact.
Haile-Selassie, however, provided the magic in the 38th minute. The Swiss forward ripped a shot into the top corner from outside the box, opening the scoring shortly before halftime.
Given that the crowd was largely neither Red Bull nor Fire supporters, Harrison supplied a fairly timid atmosphere for the first hour or so. Occasional chants broke out in support of one of the Fire's substitutes, and there was a sizable reaction when Haile-Selassie gave the visitors the lead. They finally got what they wanted in the 64th minute, however, when Lewandowski made his way onto the pitch as a replacement for Zinckernagel.
On the Fire's defensive end, it was a good night for Brady. The USMNT goalkeeper made several stops, including some challenging ones in the second half. The Red Bulls had some good chances, and Michael Bradley used all five substitutes before the hour mark. The Fire couldn't do themselves any favors to make the game slightly more comfortable, and they provided little second threat.
The Red Bulls got their equalizer late. Cameron Harper scored his first goal of the season, fortuitously getting on the end of an Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting cross. The goal ended the second-longest winning streak in the Fire's history at six, though they remain seven games unbeaten.
Starting XI (4-2-4) – Brady (8) ; Radojević (7.5), Waterman (7.5), Rogers (7.5), Barroso (7); Pineda (6.5), Williams (6.5); Bamba (6.5), Lod (6), Haile-Selassie (8.5), Zinckernagel (7)
Substitutes – Salétros (6.5), Lewandowski (6.5), Dean (6), Elliott (NR), D'Avilla (NR), Dithejane (NR)
