Photo by Derik Hamilton/USA Today Sports
By DAN KARELL
There’s little to no doubt that without Sean Johnson’s heroics, the Chicago Fire wouldn’t have left Philadelphia with a point in hand.
Late in the second half of the Fire’s 3-3 draw at the Philadelphia Union, Johnson made five saves in a six-minute period. Beginning in the 81st minute, Johnson single-handedly kept his team in the game and kept the scoreline from getting out of hand, as it easily could have.
Johnson first saved a long-range strike from Cristian Maidana and then stopped a point-blank header from C.J. Sapong. In the 86th minute, Johnson dove to his right to save a powerful Richie Marquez header off a corner, and then a minute later, Johnson parried away a low strike from outside of the box by Brian Carroll before deflecting another shot from close range by Sebastien Le Toux.
Here’s a clip of Johnson’s late heroics (watch here).
Johnson finished the match with eight saves and eight recoveries. Johnson’s made 45 saves this season, with a 1.31 goals against average and a record of 4-8-4 in 16 matches.
What did you think of Johnson’s performance? Do you see another USMNT call-up in his future?
Share your thoughts below.
The really quality save here, for me, was the one off the header from the corner kick. Other than that one, you’re right, they are fairly routine, just happened to have five of them bunched together. That’s what happens when you have no defense!
I do want to echo Mitch’s comment about Johnson, though. For non-Fire fans, who don’t see him day-in, day-out, Johnson seems to go through these phases when he’s really confident, good, and steady, and phases where he’s incredibly shaky, hesitant and bad. In the five (?) or so years he’s been with the Fire he seems to go through one of those bad spurts every year. He did at the start of this season and was rightly benched in favor of Jon Busch. No idea what is going on with him that it happens, but it is noticeable and probably prevents him from going to the next level.
It would be a great development for the USMNT if Johnson and Hamid really start to push Howard, Guzan and Rimando. I suspect Klinsman will view their performances in MLS as solid,…but not enough to overhaul Howard and Guzan while they are plying their trade in the EPL.
Also,…maybe Klinsman will have a hard time getting the Olympic qualifying debacle out of his head.
Lastly,…Robles has been excellent for Red Bulls. At this point, it might be better if he remains under the radar and focused on his club.
After re-reading my comment, even though I was intoxicated at the time of posting, it at least contributes to discussion. And I must say I stand by everything I said, and I’d be surprised if others did not agree. Conrad echoes my sentiment exactly.
I assume you were intoxicated because being drunk is the only way us Fire fans can make it through the last games of another failed season?
I think 2 Stepper just doesn’t understand why a fan of a team would spend so much energy complaining about the team. What he didn’t realize though, is that we wouldn’t spend so much time complaining if we didn’t care about the team, as only a true fan does.
2 stepper, I honestly have no idea what you attempted to convey with your comment. Care to elaborate? I don’t believe I used the word deuce , yet you chose to quote it. Your comment provides zero information and inconsistent use of quotations. It amounts to nothing.
Is it just me, or are many of these just kind of routine saves that he makes look dramatic? Except for the first shot, which was a brilliant save, the rest are kind of fired right at him. I mean, they’re blistering shots, but the amazing reaction save on Le Toux at the end — that’s Johnson’s fault for leaving the rebound right in front, no? He reminds me of Ochoa of El Tri. Remarkable reflexes, and he’s throwing himself all over the place, but…well, there’s probably a reason that Neuer’s highlight reel doesn’t have him sprawling all over the place….
He’s very very good. Don’t get me wrong. Just don’t understand why he’s the future and Luis Robles has had, like, one callup.
And that “deuce” was brought to you by Mitch…a Fire “fan”.
Wow!
Fire fan.
The best sequence was the double save, where he sprawled to stop letoux from burying the rebound. Other than that, I don’t think it’s unfair to say the other saves were good saves, but saves that a good goalie vying for a national team spot has to make.
The fire defense is one of the biggest jokes in any major professional league I’m aware of at the moment, across any sport. Gehrig reminds me of that out of control, try hard defender that gets slotted in aat RB that you’ll find on your son’s travel soccer team u-12, couldn’t start for any other team in the league at CB most likely. Jeff has his moments but is clearly a converted d mid, Palmer belongs in his countrys domestic league, maybe, and Jones is pretty quality to be fair. Up top? The joke continues, but it must be said they produce the occasional chance and at least try, sometimes, to play flowing attacking football. Yallop needs to go.
Back to topic at hand, Johnson is simply prone to gaffes. He makes some great saves, but don’t all top goalkeeping prospects? The difference I’m world football is consistency – the only thing Sean has proven is that he doesn’t have it. I sure as hell don’t want him between my national team pipes any time soOn. He’s young, but he’s not assertive, and not consistent enough at this juncture.