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In the finale of the Fire’s 2024 season, 23,942 fans showed up. They came to say goodbye to Frank Klopas in his last game as the head coach of the Fire. Klopas wanted to reward many of the reserves. He gave them a start in the final game of the season against Nashville SC. Both teams have been eliminated from playoff contention. These are the games you find out who plays how and what their motivations are.
Chris Mueller made the start. He could have gotten the Fire on the board early with a one-timer in the box. However, Nashville keeper Elliot Joseph Panicco saved it.
To each teams credit, they came out aggressive and pushing it forward from the start. The Fire have been moving the ball toward their opponent. The challenge has been getting a shot off in the final third. On the other end Chris Brady has been sharp and on every ball in the box.
Nashville SC decided to change things up to start the second half with three substitutions. Nashville had their most probable opportunity to score in the 52nd minute. Hany Mukhtar found himself deep inside the box, dribbling around Chris Brady. Jonathan Dean saved the day in the scrum with a deflection from the empty net.
Nashville scores two minutes later. Alex Muyl gets a curious deflection off Brady. The ball spins above him and back into the net. Not a pretty goal, but still effective. Nashville leads 1-0. Minutes later, Kellyn Acosta makes an incredible bailout save. He kicks the ball out of the goal right after a mass substitution for the Fire.
Georgios Koutsias comes into the game, and right away makes a dangerous run. Koutsi passes it off to the top of the box. A Nashville defender deflects it out of bounds. Koutsias has been very active and imposing the second half of the season as he has gotten more playing time.
Koustias continued making noise on two more runs to the box, that he couldn’t quite finish. The aggressiveness of the player is something to note, especially going forward into next season. Hugo Cuypers had a chance one-on-one in the box with the goalie, but hit it right to him.
Sam Surridge puts the nail in the coffin in the 87th. He makes a nifty move to get past the last line of defense. He squeezes it past Brady and into the near post. Cool and composed, 2-0 Nashville SC.
Jacob Shaffelburg adds another one in additional time. The scoreboard will look a lot worse than the game actually was. The final whistle blows on the Fire season. It’s a 3-0 Nashville win, but the game and result really doesn’t matter in the scheme of things to come. Mercifully, the season ends for the Fire. They finish in last place in the East. It’s the second lowest point total in MLS, ahead of San Jose.
As bleak as this season has been, there is a sense of genuine hope and excitement for this team. Gregg Berhalter is taking over and big changes will be made. Fire fans hope this season was the last of the seven without the playoffs. Hopefully, the worst of it is behind the club.
Expect big changes to be made to the roster and many new faces to debut next season. I expect Berhalter to be proactive. The most exciting part is ahead still, the offseason. Stay tuned!
Notes:
- With his 33rd start, Chris Brady tied Sean Johnson for the most starts in a single season by a Chicago Fire goalkeeper. The Naperville native only missed one match during the 2024 MLS regular season due to international duty.
- Defenders Chase Gasper (leg), Andrew Gutman (leg) and Wyatt Omsberg (leg); and midfielder Fabian Herbers (leg) were unavailable for today’s match.
UP NEXT: Offseason for the Fire & MLS Playoffs
