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New York City FC arrived on a steamy and muggy Saturday night in Chicago. The last game in Soldier Field until August 31st (Leagues Cup and Olympic break). If you missed the first 30 minutes of the game between NYCFC and the Fire, you didn’t miss much. The game got off to a dull start. Both teams lacked creativity and an attacking sense. The only worthwhile news was an injury substitution for NYCFC in the 8th. Where Andres Perea was subbed out for Justin Haak.
The Fire mustered up a bit of an attack less than 10 minutes before the half. A corner was won by Chris Mueller, but failed execution in the box. Dangerous situation for the Fire when NYCFC had a few fortunate bounces go their way. One of them that ended up as a cross to the box where a diving slide grab by Chris Brady saved a potential goal.
Cuypers had a chance with a turnaround shot in the box, but that went a few feet wide of the far post.
The best way to describe the half for both clubs…stagnant. A hot muggy midsummer night was a nice parallel for how the game was.
There was something definitely in the air in the 64th when Mitja Ilenic shot in the box goes off the opposite post and across the goal line and STAYS out of the goal! Unreal break for the Fire. Unlucky for NYCFC.
A moment of scare for the Fire in the 86th when a shot from outside the box went wide but a flying tip in by NYCFC puts it to the back of the net. However, the sideline referee held up the offsides flag immediately. No goal. It wasn’t the tip in that was offsides, it was Rodriguez coming back back to the ball and was offsides when he took the shot.
Fire had a shot in extra time where Kellyn Acosta got the ball in the box that he hesitated on and made contact with, it pinballed around the NYCFC defender who somehow didn’t end up touching it. That’s the sort of game it was. Not much happened, maybe it was the heat, maybe a lack of execution, or maybe a lack of aggressiveness, either way it lacked excitement.
After 90 plus minutes the final score 0-0. No goals on the game, and little threat of any.
It wasn’t the worst result for the Fire to take a point away from a team in NYCFC who has been on a roll. The Fire will now head on the road for an extended trip. They are still within shot of the final playoff spot, so a lot to still play for at the halfway point of summer and the All-Star game approaching.
It doesn’t get easier, heading into Leagues Cup play, the final two opponents for the Fire, Cincinnati and Miami back-to-back!
Notes:
- Tonight’s result marked the Fire’s third clean sheet of the season.
- The Fire are unbeaten in their last two matches at home against NYCFC, with both matches ending in a point for each side.
- Tonight’s match marked the first of two regular season matches between the two sides in 2024. Chicago will travel to face New York at Citi Field on Saturday, Aug. 24.
- this season and donned the captain’s armband for the second consecutive match in 2024.
- Defenders Chase Gasper (leg), Andrew Gutman (leg), and Carlos Terán (leg); and midfielders Fabian Herbers (yellow card accumulation) and Federico Navarro (leg) were unavailable for today’s match.
NEXT MATCH: Chicago will travel to Ohio to take on FC Cincinnati on Wednesday, July 17. Kickoff at TQL Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass
