Mike Magee refused to comment about his five goals in five games after the Fire’s last win against the Colorado Rapids, for he claimed he would not reach six in six if he had. Apparently it all worked out as the Fire striker netted the game winner and pushed his record even further into the books. No Fire player had ever scored a goal in all of his first three Fire matches, but Magee has since tripled the previous record of two, and now has ten regular season goals between the Fire and the LA Galaxy this season.
It was the Crew that scored first after former Fire striker Dominic Oduro was taken down in the box by keeper Sean Johnson. Awarded the penalty, Federico Higuain moved to the spot and left Johnson guessing where the shot would go. Johnson guessed right, diving to his right and low, but Higuain’s placement was such that Johnson could not reach it, netting it perfectly in the lower corner of the net. The goal scored in the seventh minute put the Fire down 1-0 early, forcing yet another comeback from the resurgent Chicago side.
The Crew would carry the lead into half-time, but it would not stand much longer. Joel Lindpere threw the ball in to Magee, who passed back while being taken down by two Columbus defenders. Lindpere took it up to the side of the box before passing to former Crew Dilly Duka at the six-year box. Duka would put it in the top of the net on the touch, and the Fire drew level 1-1 in the fifty-second minute.
The Fire would not be content with one, and Lindpere crossed again from further out on the right side of the keeper Gruenebaum and Magee chested it into the net to take a 2-1 lead in the fifty-seventh minute. Magee’s goal tied him for the league lead with Marco Di Vaio and Jack McInerney at ten a piece.
The Fire were dwelling near the bottom of the standings when Magee came into the fold, but the team has since surged back into playoff contention. Undefeated in all competitions with Magee in the lineup, the Fire still sit in eighth place in the ten team Eastern Conference, where they have been for quite some time; however, now sitting just four points behind the Philadelphia Union for the final playoff spot, they are just two points behind both Columbus and the New England Revolution for sixth and seventh place, respectively.
The Fire move on to face Orlando City SC in their next U.S. Open Cup fixture on Wednesday and return to regular season action on July 3rd, taking on the San Jose Earthquakes at Toyota Park.
Fire Notes 6.26: Fire Advance to USOC Semis with 5-1 Victory Over Orlando City
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