The Fire’s best overall team performance since early July helped clinch a playoff spot Wednesday for the first time since 2012.
A thorough 4-1 thumping of the San Jose Earthquakes, a team on the fringes of the Western Conference playoff chase, without Bastian Schweinsteiger, David Accam and Juninho illustrates the Fire are fully capable of exploiting certain matchups and can still compete at the level that they did earlier this season against teams that can’t stay compact defensively and pressure the ball.
San Jose has been successful at home (now 8-2-5), but it is a weak defensive side that has allowed the fourth highest total goals in MLS.
Five takeaways: Fire returning to the playoffs after rout of San Jose
