It seems like such an easy thing, but at times it can be so hard: concentration.
It’s what the Fire credits for its return to strong defense, after it had given up 13 goals in four games.
“Our concentration slipped,” Fire coach Bob Bradley said. “We’ve made a point that the games get bigger and we have to pick up our level of concentration.”
It seems to be working. The Fire has given up just three goals in its last two games, but one was an own goal.
“I think we got to the point where we thought we were going to win easily,” defender C.J. Brown said. “Then teams started scoring goals against us and it opened our eyes.”
Friday marks another big game, this time in Denver against the Colorado Rapids. A Fire victory would all but wrap up second place in the Western Conference. The Fire (14-10) enters the match with an 11-point lead over third-place Colorado (11-14) with eight games left.
The Fire’s magic number for a playoff berth is 11. Any combination of 11 points from Fire wins or Kansas City losses (loss of three potential points) or shootout wins (loss of two points) will put the Fire into the playoffs.
Colorado has given up a league-high 57 goals in 25 games and lost 4-1 Tuesday to the MetroStars. In two meetings against Colorado this season, the Fire has scored nine goals. The Rapids have lost five straight conference matches and are 4-11 against the West.
The Fire offense is struggling without midfielder Peter Nowak, who injured his knee July 25 but may be ready a week from Saturday at Kansas City. The Fire has won just one game, Saturday’s 2-1 victory over San Jose, with Nowak out of the lineup.
