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Saturday, March 16 (St. Patrick’s Eve) will be remembered as one of the wildest soccer games you’ll ever see. It also could be the day that changed the course of the Chicago Fire’s season. Chicago Fire FC entered the game seeking their first win of the season. On the other side of the pitch was the team that hasn’t lost a game this season, CF Montreal.
It was a blustery day with the wind moving trash all over the stadium and field. The game ball didn’t get a break from the wind either. The Fire couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start two early penalties in the box, one in the 7th minute and the other just five minutes later lead to a very early 2-0 lead for Montreal, courtesy of Matias Coccaro.
Instead of the team shriveling up and waiting painfully for the next 80 minutes to expire, the Fire picked up their play and answered with tenacity and urgency. They dominated possession from that point on (62%), but they struggled to find their way to the final third.
The winds of change appeared when the referee added an unprecedented 10 extra minutes to the first half. Awarding the extra time due to injury stoppage and penalties. The stoppage time proved advantageous to the attacking Fire FC with a smooth finish that found the back of the net from Maren Haile-Selassie in the 45+8′ minute of the game.
Going into the locker room that had to have been a big boost of team morale.
Coming out of the locker room the Fire remained in control of possession and on the attack. They did have shots on target, but couldn’t connect. The crowd of nearly 15,000 could see the wind twisting the ball and changing direction on every Xherdan Shaqiri corner.
In the 69′ Fire head manager Frank Klopas decided it was time to add another striker to the attack and Shaqiri was substituted for Georgios Koutsias. A minute later Josef Martinez set up Dominik Yankov for a pretty give-and-go score. CF Montreal go up 3-1 at that point and seemingly put away the Fire for good. Unbeknownst to them things were about to get wild.
The next big turn events occured when Montreal defender Raheem Edwards received a red card send-off in the 82nd minute. Down a man, the Fire quickly capitalized with a confident penalty kick from Brian Gutierrez in the 84′.
Pressing and pushing for more, the Fire still couldn’t connect. Montreal parked the bus with their stout defense, but they Fire got another break when the referee signaled an additional 9 minutes of stoppage time. The game flipped on its head when when new marque signee Hugo Cuypers found the ball pinballed in the Montreal box and hit it with force to the back of the net. Incredibly the Fire equalized in the 95′.
HUGO CUYPERS (Forward):
In the press box, fellow media members were in disbelief. I remember looking over to the media member sitting next to me and saying, the Fire, will gladly take a point from this game. Silly me. That’s not where the story ends though. The Fire kept pushing and the savvy vet Kellyn Acosta noticed Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois lingering far off-the line. So what does Acosta do? He floats a long shot from behind the midfield line and catches Sirois taking a step forward then as the ball carries he attempts to backpedal. Sirois get his fingers on the ball but it carries over his extended hands and floats to the back of the net.
Incredible! Acosta scores in the 99′. The Fire players erupt in celebration running across the field in pure bliss. Montreal players stand stunned in disbelief. The crowd pauses and attempts to process what just happened before they erupt in cheers. It was a moment that froze in time for a few seconds. Shock. Disbelief. Ecstasy. We had all witnessed something improbable.
The Fire somehow win 4-3. Resilience and effort was what gave them the opportunity. The wind is what pushed them (literally and figuratively). Good fortune and consistent refereeing gave them the extra time needed. That’s how all these things had to come together to pull-off one of the greatest comebacks in team history, potentially ranking at the top of MLS history also.
The Fire escaped with three much needed points that can mark a wind (pun intended) of change to their season. First win in style. Montreal leaves with plenty of regrets and their first loss on the season.
Notes:
Big free agent additions Kellyn Acosta and Hugo Cuypers score their first goals as members of the Chicago Fire.
Fun Facts:
- The win marked Frank Klopas 50th win with the club
- This is the only matinee afternoon home game on the schedule this season (all evening/night games remain)
POSTGAME:
FRANK KLOPAS (Head Coach):
KELLYN ACOSTA (Midfielder):
Next Fire FC game is against the New England Revolution on Saturday, March 23
The next Fire FC home game is against the Houston Dynamo on April 6th
