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Sporting KC snaps Fire’s win streak with Nagamura header

Feilhaber vs. Chicago Fire

Nagamura vs. Chicago Fire

Photo by Matt Polster / USA TODAY Sports Images

By TATE STEINLAGE 

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The 50th meeting between Sporting Kansas City and the Chicago Fire was a breath of fresh air. The two sides traded what has been sluggish, defensive-minded play in recent years for pace and a flurry of chances.

In the end Sunday, it was Sporting KC who benefitted. Paulo Nagamura’s 75th-minute header was buried in the back of the net as the home side grabbed three points for the first time in nearly a month with a 1-0 victory. The win also snapped the Fire’s three-match winning streak.

Nagamura made quick work with his first chance after coming on in the 64th minute. The midfielder got on the end of a perfect cross from defender Jalil Anibaba on the right flank. Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson extended to make a play but the ball was out of reach and en route to the back of the net.

“I never doubt that he’s (Nagamura) going to come into the game and give everything he has,” Vermes said. “He’s 5-foot-nothing and he’s going up against a guy who’s 6-foot-4. That’s his first action of the game and he’s trying to win the header.

“That’s just the way he competes and it’s big for the rest of our players when he’s out there.”

Tim Melia, who earned the nod in goal over Luis Marin, looked the part throughout the game. The former MLS pool goalkeeper finished the game with three saves but played a part in directing stops on two or three more occasions.

“He’s (Melia) been working very hard,” Vermes said. “He’s very sharp, very confident, and I think he proved that tonight. It was important for us because I think he made a couple really big saves for us.”

Melia made consecutive diving saves in the first 20 minutes to preserve the deadlock, including a parry in the 18th minute on Eric Gehrig’s header.

On the other end, Sporting KC wasted two sure-fire chances in a span of two minutes. In the 32nd minute, Benny Feilhaber floated a ball to Dom Dwyer who headed it high over the bar. Two minutes later, Feilhaber missed out on another assist when his cross was headed at the underside of the bar and safely cleared.

Sporting KC finished the first half with 11 shots to the Fire’s five. However, only one chance was put on goal. The Fire completed just 58.7 percent of their passes in the opening 45 minutes.

The Fire continued to leave a gap between their backline and midfield in the second half, but Sporting KC was unable to take advantage despite consistent numbers pushing forward.

That changed in the 75th minute. Graham Zusi played the ball out wide to Anibaba who spotted Nagamura in space for the header, goal and 1-0 lead.

With Melia a force in goal, the Fire were unable create a chance in the final third. A corner kick in the 92nd minute that fell safely out of play produced their best chance late in the game.

The Fire were caught offside eight times in the match.

“I think the final ball and touch is what’s missing with us,” Fire manager Frank Yallop said. “Away from home, we haven’t finished off great moves. We’re not there to bury it, and I think that’s our Achilles heal.”

Sporting KC recorded a shutout, Melia’s first for the club, for the first time since April 11. The team had given up six goals over the last two games.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity that Peter (Vermes) gave me to change a goalkeeper like that, because there are not many coaches who would do that,” Melia said. “I was excited. There were some nervous, but I went out there and did my job.”

Both sides will be back in action next Saturday. Sporting KC (3-2-4) will travel east to play D.C. United. The Fire (3-4-0) will return home and play host to Real Salt Lake.

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