CHICAGO (Sept. 14, 2024) – Chicago Fire FC (7-14-8, 29 points) earned three points at home with a 2-1 win against the New York Red Bulls (10-6-13, 43 points) on Saturday night at Soldier Field. The victory closes out a three-game homestand for Chicago and puts the team within four points of the playoff line.
Tom Barlow scored his first goal of the season in the 31st minute and became the sixth MLS player this season to score his first goal against his former club. New York leveled the score in the 47th minute with a goal from second half substitute Dennis Gjengaar.
Chicago pulled ahead in the 75th minute when Georgios Koutsias scored his second goal of the MLS Regular Season and his fourth in five games across all competitions in 2024. With the victory, the Fire hold a 5-1-2 record when scoring the first goal this season.
NEXT MATCH: Chicago heads south to face Nashville SC for a midweek match on Wednesday, Sept. 18 at GEODIS Park. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass, and transmitted locally in Spanish on WRTO 1200 AM and in English on wlsam.com.
Notes:
- With the win tonight, the Chicago Fire are undefeated against the New York Red Bulls in their last five matches. Chicago is 2-0-3 against the Red Bulls since May 18, 2022.
- Gastón Giménez made his 100th overall MLS Regular Season start for the Men in Red, wearing the captain’s armband for the 10th straight match. Giménez is the first Argentine-born player to record 100 starts with the Club.
- Tom Barlow made his third start of the 2024 MLS regular season, scoring his first goal for the Chicago Fire against his former team. With the goal, Barlow became the sixth MLS player to score their first goal of the season against his former club in 2024. Additionally, Barlow is the first Fire player to do so since 2018 when Tony Tchani scored against Vancouver.
- Georgios Koutsias scored his fourth goal in five matches across all competitions this season against New York, and his second goal of the 2024 MLS Regular Season.
- Additionally, Koutsias recorded his second career game-winning goal against the New York Red Bulls. His first came in the 1-0 road victory over the Red Bulls on Sept. 30, 2023 at Red Bull Arena.
- WIth his save tonight, Chris Brady recorded his 95th stop of the 2024 campaign. Brady surpassed his single-season career high 94 saves from the 2023 Regular Season.
- Following his assist on Koutsias’ game-winning goal, Kellyn Acosta recorded his third assist of the 2024 season. His three assists with the Fire rank as the most in a single season for the midfielder since the 2022 campaign.
- Defender Wyatt Omsberg made his seventh start of the season, replacing defender Rafael Czichos in the starting XI after Czichos sustained an injury during warmups.
- Ariel Lassiter earned his first start for the Men in Red since joining the Club in August. Lassiter recently returned to Chicago after joining the Costa Rica National Team for the Concacaf Nations Cup in which he scored a goal against Guadeloupe.
- Defenders Chase Gasper (leg) and Andrew Gutman (leg), and midfielder Brian Gutiérrez (leg) were unavailable for today’s match.
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Box Score:Chicago Fire FC 2:1 New York Red Bulls
Goals:
CHI - Barlow (1) (WATCH) 31’
NYR - Gjengaar (2) (Vanzier, 10) (WATCH) 47’
CHI - Koutsias (2) (Acosta, 3) (WATCH) 75’
Discipline:
CHI - Mueller (Yellow Card) 16’
CHI - Lassiter (Yellow Card) 58’
CHI - Haile-Selassie (Yellow Card) 87’
NYR - Vanzeir (Yellow Card) 90+7’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Souquet, D Terán (Salquist, 53’), D Omsberg, M Haile-Selassie, M Herbers (Navarro, 80’), M Giménez (capt.), M Mueller (Acosta, 72’), F Lassiter (Dean, 80’), F Barlow (Koutsias, 72’), F Cuypers
Subs not used: GK Richey, D Arigoni, D Reynolds
New York Red Bulls: GK Carlos Coronel (capt.), D Eile, D Reyes (Burke, 88’), D Nealis, D Tolkin, M Stroud (Gjengaar, 46’), M Morgan, M Harper (Nogoma, 73’), M Carballo, M Edelman (Hall, 81’), F Manoel (Vanzeir, 46’)
Subs not used: GK Meara, D O’Connor, M Zakrzewski, M Donkor
Stats Summary: CHI / NYRShots: 12 / 14
Shots on Goal: 5 / 2
Saves: 1 / 3
Passing Accuracy: 78.5% / 81.8%
Corners: 3 / 7
Fouls: 12 / 10
Offsides: 2 / 3
Possession: 48.2% / 51.8%
Attendance: 22,188
Referee: Mark Allatin
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Kieso, Jose Da Silva
Fourth Official: Gerald Flores
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
AVAR: Brian Marshall
