The game Saturday against Real Salt Lake was the Fire’s 17th of 34. Halfway through, the team has two choices.
The Fire can recover from their uneven start and return to the playoffs or they can fall prey to negative elements and have the second half turn into more of the same.
This 1-1 draw won’t help.
“I think we’re all a little bit disappointed, a little bit frustrated with the first half of the season,” captain Dax McCarty said. “We expect more. Let me put it as simply as I possibly can — we expect more out of ourselves in this locker room, and I know that there’s more out there for us.”
In their first league game since June 1, Aleksandar Katai scored early in the first half, but RSL’s Albert Rusnak answered with a 33rd-minute penalty kick.
Despite a late push, the Fire (4-6-7, 19 points) had their MLS winless streak extended to five games.
McCarty and the Fire were experiencing that feeling late Saturday that’s beginning to resemble past disappointments.
“Not the result we wanted tonight,” McCarty said.
“Definitely a frustrated locker room again, which has kind of been a little bit of the theme of the season.”
The theme of the Fire season has been underachievement.
They’re currently out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and already were eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup by USL club Saint Louis FC. And any stretch of strong performances has been offset by ugly or mediocre efforts.
It wasn’t the Fire’s worst game. But it was far from their best, and it did little to inspire confidence for a second-half run.
“We will continue,” coach Veljko Paunovic said. “There is no other recipe but stay focused, work together and focus on the next game, next opponent and, most important, focus on ourselves to get better and not lose the faith.”
The Fire have six league games in July, plus their Leagues Cup game against Mexican team Cruz Azul. After that stretch, the picture should be clearer for the Fire, who at least have the opportunity to turn the season around.
“Look, I know that there’s frustration in the locker room, outside the locker room,” McCarty said. “We expect more out of ourselves, and we have 17 games to make it better.”
Paunovic isn’t doubting things will get better.
“Keep [giving] effort and giving the best we can,” Paunovic said. “It’ll come. Just stay confident, it’ll come.”
NOTE: The Fire held Pride Night. The corner flags were the Chicago flag, with the four stars using Pride colors. The goal netting also had Pride colors, and both teams wore Pride-themed warmup tops.
