BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Shaun Maloney may have finally hit his stride.
After a slow start this season with little more on the stat line than a single shot on goal, the Scottish international struck his first MLS goal with the Chicago Fire on Saturday. He also provided a first half assist to Joevin Jones, as he pushed Chicago to a 3-2 win against visiting Toronto FC.
“I want to try to do as much as I can for my teammates. They expect me to score and assist,” Maloney said after the game. “It's a new league and a new country, but in sports you don't get any time to adjust. That's what you saw in the celebration, there was a lot of relief as well.”
Maloney had just returned earlier in the week from national team action with Scotland, starting for the first time alongside fellow DP David Accam, but it was his first-half combination with left back Joevin Jones that got Chicago on the scoresheet.
The Scotsman delivered a backheel pass to Jones, who had won the ball in the attacking third of the field. The pass allowed Jones the chance to take the ball back in stride, and place a perfect strike with the outside of his left foot past Toronto goalkeeper Joe Bendik.
He would factor in again during the second half, as Chicago pressed for an equalizer after going down 2-1. A good first touch off a Harry Shipp cross gave him the space to take a shot that beat Bendik and ended up in the back of the net. It was the precursor to Jeff Larentowicz's game-winner for the club's second consecutive victory after starting the season with three straight losses.
"We're starting to improve," Maloney said. "I think [today] was a really good result, a good show from the team. When we go 2-1 down, to come back and win the game is a good sign for the personnel on the team. There's definitely been an improvement with each game we've played.
"We started off in LA very slowly," Maloney continued. "There were reasons for that, but each game since the LA game I think we've improved as a team. I think our team shape and making ourselves harder to beat was a big improvement over the last four games or so."
Maloney's slow start had largely mirrored that of the Fire until Saturday. Chicago know that if they're to succeed in 2015, they will need more performances like today's out of Maloney.
“It's difficult for some players to settle. I thought Shaun played well today. He stuck to it, and obviously getting a goal is going to boost his confidence,” Fire head coach Frank Yallop said after Saturday's win. “He's a great teammate. He works hard and wants to do all the right things. That's the reason why we give him chances and keep going with him. He's going to turn the corner for sure, and today was a great way to do that with a goal.”
