0
0
A rare early afternoon game for the Fire at Soldier Field. Atlanta United comes into town in a game where both teams are desperate for a win. Finally a good weather game in Chicago and sunshine!
Fire on the offensive early and with a brush of luck it pays off, handball inside the Atlanta box results in a Fire PK. Hugo Cypers steps up and nails it to the corner of the net for a 1-0 Fire lead. It’s a league leading 8th goal for the Fire striker.
Fire leading the way and controlling possession and opportunities. They managed four corners halfway through the first half. It’s puzzling what is going on with this very talented Atlanta team this season. Fire creating goal scoring opportunities.
Atlanta was able to muster up one shot on goal in he first half. Pretty uninspiring trend. They did something similar last week against Nashville where they managed one shot in the second half. Same story in the first half of this game. Need more attack.
Atlanta comes out more attack minded to start out the second half. Still problems with syncing up. They come up with a dangerous situation in the 56th with a great cross to the box and a turnaround shot that just goes past the far post.
Scary moment follows where an apparent head injury to Jack Elliott had the training staff come on the field and spend a good few minutes with him. Elliott had to step off the field for a few minutes after, but he returned and semed ok.
Sometimes you just need a little luck to start turning things around. After Sam Rogers made a spectacular sliding tackle save to prevent a goal, Atlanta United got the best of him minutes later, where a cross from Alexey Miranchuk goes off Rogers’ head and into the back of the net for an own goal. Atlanta on the scoreboard. It’s 1-1 in the 80th.
The desperation turned up for the Fire and Rominigue Kouame comes through in the clutch with a reactive goal in the box to give the Fire a late 2-1 lead. Atlanta had a moment in deep extra time where one shot went off the post and other was captured by Gal on the goal life. Fire survive.
Huge and much needed three points for the Fire, who almost seen it slip away from them again. Atlanta squander again. Kouame showed up big for the Fire today. His second game winning goal. He’s starting to become a key player, now that the injuries seem to finally be behind him.
Brad Guzan was very good and made some key saves in the game that prevented the Fire from taking over the game. Atlanta United has a lot to figure out, but Guzan isn’t one of their problems. Meanwhile, the Fire are back to their regular schedule after a three games in a week span.
Shout out to Jeff Gal who did fine in net and didn’t look rattled at any point in his first professional start. Pretty cool for a veteran journeyman to do it in his hometown in front of his family.
NEXT MATCH:
Chicago heads south to the Queen City to take on Charlotte FC on Saturday, May 17. Kickoff at Bank of America Stadium is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT and the match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
Notes:
- With his 14th minute penalty, Hugo Cuypers took sole possession of the league’s Golden Boot with eight goals this season, pending later results in Matchday 12. The goal was his ninth, and second this week, across all competitions.
- Rominigue Kouamé scored his second goal of the season off the bench in his sixth appearance for the Fire. The midfielder became the fourth player to tally a game-winning goal for Chicago, joining Cuypers, Philip Zinckernagel and Leonardo Barroso.
- Following his first goal with Chicago’s first team off the bench in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play, Omari Glasgow recorded his first goal contribution in Major League Soccer, assisting Kouamé’s game-winner. Playing as a right back for the first team, Glasgow is no stranger to the attack in Chicago, having recorded 15 goals and 12 assists across three seasons with Chicago Fire FC II.
- Goalkeeper Jeff Gal made his first start in Major League Soccer on Saturday, one week after making his debut in the 40th minute of the match against Orlando on May 3 at Soldier Field. In his second appearance for the Fire, the Bartlett, Illinois-native recorded two saves and a win in front of a hometown crowd of 22,741 fans.
- Goalkeeper Chris Brady (suspended); defenders Leonardo Barroso (Lower Body), Carlos Terán (Lower Body) and Chase Gasper (Lower Body); and midfielders David Poreba (Lower Body) and Chris Mueller (Not Due to Injury) were unavailable for selection on Saturday afternoon.
