Vardar uses three first-half goals to take control against U-17/18

By Curt Herron

The last thing that the Chicago Fire U-17/18 needed to contend with in Sunday's match with Vardar was playing into a strong wind in the opening half.

After struggling in the first half of Saturday's 3-2 loss to Derby County, the Fire were hoping to avoid another rough start in Great Lakes Division play.

But the strong southerly wind gusts, coupled with an aggressive attack from Vardar resulted in another tough beginning at Toyota Park's practice field.

Vardar scored three times with the wind in the first half and only allowed a late score in its 3-1 win in US Soccer Development Academy play in Bridgeview.

While the Detroit-area squad lost most of their key people from last year's U-17/18 national champions, the win evens their mark at 2-2-2 in the division.

Meanwhile, the Fire are off to an 0-2 start in a rugged division, going through their first homestand without collecting any of the six available points.

Points will obviously be difficult to come by if the Fire keeps falling into early deficits, as it did on both days after yielding three first-half goals.

Joey Tinnion scored the first two goals for Vardar while Andre Kohli added the other score. Felipe Cortez got the hosts' lone goal in the late going.

"The effort wasn't as good as it needed to be and we deserved to be down to them," Fire assistant coach Tony Kees said.

"We dug ourselves into a hole again since for whatever reason they cannot get out of the gate and play a good first half.

"You can't afford to give away halves and be successful. So far, these guys haven't been able to put a whole game together."

Shortly after Victor Pineda was denied on a shot by keeper Sheldon Medici, the visitors put two scores on the board around the midpoint of the first half.

Tinnion connected on a liner for his first goal and then collided with keeper Sam Euler following a free kick and then put the losses ball into the net.

Vardar continued to apply the pressure as Fatai Alashe sent in a header and Tinnion was stopped on a short try before it struck shortly before the break.

With about five minutes left in the half, Kohli curved a free kick from just outside of the box into the opposite side of the net to make it a 3-0 score.

Although the Fire had the strong wind at their backs during the second half, they had a difficult time putting things together against Vardar's defense.

A good chance happened shortly after the break when Patrick Doody sent in a long free kick that Anthony Torres got to in front but put it over the net.

Brady Wahl, Pineda, Joey Calistri and David Caban all had shot tries as the half continued, but half were from long range and most weren't threatening.

Vardar looked like it might score again when Chase Jabbori went 1 v 1 against Euler, but the Fire keeper came up with a nice stop on the play.

The Fire finally found the net during the final five minutes when Cortez fired in a liner to provide the lone offensive highlight for the hosts.

Next weekend, the Fire hits the road for a Saturday match at FC Milwaukee and a Sunday meeting with Sockers FC at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn.