0
0
In an odd schedule quirt the Chicago Fire faced the New England Revolution for the first time this season. The first meeting between the Eastern Conference foes comes at the start of September. It’s also seemingly the last time the Fire will play at SeatGeek Stadium this season, where a crowd of over 16 thousand was on hand.
Fire fans didn’t have to wait at all for something to cheer for. Two minutes into it Brian Gutierrez flicks a nifty ball to Bamba who patiently goes around Matt Turner and blasts it to the back of the net for a very early 1-0 lead. Well played by the Fire. The Revs defense completely got lost on the play. Fire took advantage of it and scored.
Apparently, this isn’t wasn’t going to be a night where the Fire let their fans sit and stay quiet. Andre Franco sets up a pass to Philip Zinckernagel who fires one from the right side of the box past the diving Turner. It’s 2-0 Fire, only 11 minutes into the game. Franco makes an impact in his first start for the team. Promising stuff and a fantastic start to the game for Chicago.
The Fire control of the game in the first 30 minutes. Sharp on the attack. Playmaking in the midfield. Look organized and focused. One of the best first half performances of the season for them. Fire could have added another one when Andrew Gutman got loose and had a one-on-one with Turner that was saved with a knee deflection from Turner.
In the 40th Revolution started pushing more on the attack, but the Fire countered. Zinc, who has been a menace for the Revs to contain, took a ball deep into the box, into congested area and instead of taking a shot on goal he tried flicking it for a header, but the ball was knocked away by the Revs defenders.
New England was relentless in stoppage time. A shot on goal was deflected, a follow-up was saved by the diving Brady, then the follow-up shot to that ricochet off Gutman. Three dangerous opportunities and the Revs couldn’t finish.
The Revs weren’t done making their first half push, in the dying seconds they ended up with a shot in the scrum in the box and Brady somehow ended up with it. Major chances spoiled by the Fire. Luck and good defense held up the avalanche in the final minutes of the half. Chicago heads into halftime holding onto a 2-0 lead.
Revolution showed life in the last few minutes of the half and almost had a goal. They almost deserved one, but no dice. Fire will need to revert to controlling the game and not allowing New England to go on the offensive spur they ended the half with.
Fire start the second half regaining possession and forcing the attack. They had to cool off the surging Revolution. Franco who has been the point man in the match. A long ball and a great touch by Franco to control the ball and start a fastbreak with a trailing Bamba on the other wing on the left. Franco sets a through ball to Bamba who takes control a few dribbles forward and lifts one above the goal. Poor shot, when a great opportunity presented itself.
Speaking of Franco, he receives the ball from Dje D’Avilla and gets in the box, draws three defenders and gently lays it off to the suring Hugo Cuypers on the right side who smashes the ball into the back of the net. 3-0 Fire and they put the nail down on this game.
Revs attempt to answer right after a goal where the attacker finds himself one-one-one with Brady and lifts it over the top of the goal. Dejavu to the Bamba play shot in the half. Brady does receive a yellow following the play.
Franco comes off in the 75th and Sergio Orajel Jr. comes on for him. Bamba exits for Maren Haile-Selassie, who finds an open shot on goal but it goes above the goal. Wasted opportunity.
The Revolution finally answers with Peyton Miller who gets one past Brady for New England’s first goal of the game. On the board, but still a lot of work left for them to get back into the game.
Omar Gonzalez comes on in relief for an injured Sam Rogers, and commits a bad foul in the box. Penalty in stoppage time for New England. Carles Gil steps up and nails the PK. Revs get the game within one, 3-2, Fire still lead. Nery moments for Chicago, who seemed to have had the game in hand.
A kid runs onto the field and runs past some security guards, halting play. More stoppage time will be added to this foolish incident. New England makes a final run and nearly equalizes it, but Brady makes a great reaction save to knock the ball away. Brady’s last second heroics was enough to secure the game for Chicago. Oof.
The Fire hold on to collect the all-important and necessary 3 points, but it was a nail-biter in the final 10 minutes. This was not only a big win, but it essentially eliminates New England’s hopes for overtaking the Fire in the standings and ending their playoff chances. The loss renders the last game of the season on Decision Day, making it rather meaningless for New England.
Notes:
- Philip Zinckernagel tallied his 12th goal of the season Saturday. His combined 12 goals and 13 assists in 2025 broke a tie with Ante Razov (24 in 2000) for second-most goal contributions for a Fire player in a single season. The Danish winger now trails only Nemanja Nikolić’s 28 goal contributions in 2017 as the most in one campaign.
- Forward Hugo Cuypers tallied his 16th goal of 2025 to finish off the scoring for Chicago. The goal also broke a tie with 2013 MLS MVP Mike Magee and Nikolić (2018) for the third-most scored in a single season. His sixth game-winning goal of the year also tied Ante Razov (2000) for second-most in one campaign.
- André Franco marked his first start and first home appearance with Chicago with his first two goal contributions for the team. His two-assist match was the first since Zinckernagel’s performance in a 2-2 draw against LAFC on Aug. 16., when goal-scorer Jonathan Bamba also tallied his last goal.
- Defender Jonathan Dean recorded a career-high 14th start of the season in place of Leonardo Barroso, who was unavailable due to international duty with the Portugal U-21 Men’s National Team. The right back played a full 90 minutes, nearly recording an assist with multiple crosses into the box.
- Besides Barroso, defender Joel Waterman (international duty) and midfielders Rominigue Kouamé (lower body) and David Poreba (lower body) were unavailable for selection tonight.
NEXT MATCH:Â Chicago returns to Soldier Field for a matchup against New York City FC. The match on Saturday, Sept. 13 is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
