SEATTLE, Wa. — The Chicago Fire hoped their Saturday trip to the Pacific Northwest would provide a much-needed bounceback after suffering Leagues Cup heartbreak earlier this week. It wasn't quite that, but it could have been worse.
Despite twice falling behind to the struggling Seattle Sounders, largely due to some debut magic from Dejan Joveljić, the Fire responded twice, largely thanks to Robert Lewandowski and Maren Haile-Selassie, and escaped with a 2-2 draw in a stadium they have never won at.
With only long-term absentees Mbekezeli Mbokazi and André Franco out of the team, the Fire went into the game at near full strength. The only slight surprises in the lineup were the inclusions of Sam Rogers and Maren Haile-Selassie over Joel Waterman and Jonathan Bamba, with the Fire's DP winger starting from the bench for a second successive game.
Though the Fire entered the game without a loss in MLS for a month, and the Sounders came in without a win since before the World Cup break, the home team started on the front foot. Brian Schmetzer's team appeared re-energized after adding star Serbian center forward Joveljić from Sporting Kansas City, a move that also added extra excitement around Lumen Field.
Almost instantly, Joveljić made his mark. 11 minutes into the game, the striker pounced on some space in the penalty box and quickly opened the scoring. For a team that was in desperate need of goals, Joveljić made the best possible introduction to the home fans.
That rapid start was something of a shock to the Fire, who were unable to gain any sort of foothold in the first half. The game really started to turn around the 27th minute, when the ball fell in open space to in-form U-22 Initiative midfielder Djé D'Avilla outside the penalty box. Philip Zinckernagel also had a shot saved following a Haile-Selassie-fuelled counterattack.
The Fire's best sequence began in the 37th minute and resulted in the equalizing goal. Sustained pressure for several minutes put the Sounders in a difficult spot, and Zinckernagel's shot rattled the crossbar in the 38th minute. However, shortly after, Robert Lewandowski combined with Haile-Selassie to level the score after a beautiful shot from the Swiss winger.
It was Haile-Selassie's fifth goal of the MLS season, and marked Lewandowski's first assist since joining the club this summer. It was also Haile-Selassie's second straight game with a goal, and a second successive trip to Seattle in which he has found the net. The goal restored order for a Fire team that looked taken aback by the Sounders' quick start.
However, the second half followed the first-half script. This time, it only took two minutes for Joveljić to find the net, punishing the Fire for leaving him in too much space and blasting the shot into the net from outside the box.
The first substitute introduced by the Fire was Puso Dithejane, shifting Haile-Selassie to a more central role in the 61st minute. The South African winger has been Gregg Berhalter's go-to super sub since the World Cup break, and he immediately injected an extra boost into the attack from the left side.
More changes came in the 73rd minute. Haile-Selassie was moved once again, this time to right back, as Jonathan Bamba finally entered out wide. It is the second straight game in which Bamba has been the fourth Fire winger to enter, with Zinckernagel, Dithejane, and Haile-Selassie all seemingly preferred at the moment. By the substitution, all four of the Fire's first team wingers were on the field together.
The Fire, clearly chasing the game at this point, were starting to push more numbers forward. Jack Elliott reached as far as the opposing penalty box and had a decent chance to score, but his shot was more or less straight at Andrew Thomas and easily saved.
Berhalter's team were clearly the protagonists for the final 20 minutes, and eventually got their reward. Haile-Selassie and Dithejane combined on the right side, with the South African providing a perfect cross for Lewandowski arriving at the back post. The Pole scored from an incredibly difficult position, heading home from inside the six-yard box.
The Fire had two big chances late to win it, and could not capitalize. Lewandowski, moments after tying the game, failed to find the net from point blank range; then, with the last kick of the game, Bamba nearly won it, but Thomas made a miraculous save to preserve Seattle's point.
The draw keeps the Fire third in the East for now. They'll have a full week to prepare for their next trip, and will head north of the border to take on a Toronto FC team slowly rounding into form.
Starting XI (4-2-3-1) — Brady (7); Gutman (7), Elliott (6), Rogers (5), Dean (6.5); D'Avilla (8), Salétros (7.5); Haile-Selassie (8.5), Lod (7), Zinckernagel (7); Lewandowski (8)
Substitutes – Dithejane (7.5), Bamba (7), Oregel Jr. (7.5), Barroso (NR)
