BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (April 8, 2017) – The Chicago Fire earned their second shutout of the season in a 1-0 win against Columbus Crew SC on Saturday at Toyota Park.
Nemanja Nikolic provided the lone goal while Jorge Bava picked up his second clean sheet in a Fire uniform. The result upped Chicago’s home record to 2-0-1 this season.
The Fire unlocked Columbus’ defense 22 minutes into the match. Dax McCarty played an incisive through ball that found Nikolic free on the run. The Hungarian striker finished with a powerful left-footed shot for his second goal of the season.
Bastian Schweinsteiger nearly doubled the Fire’s lead midway through the second half. After Drew Conner won a free kick 20 yards away from goal at the top of the box, Schweinsteiger sent a curling shot to the upper-right corner. However, Columbus goalkeeper Zack Steffen parried the shot away with a diving effort.
Bava made three saves to earn the shutout.
Postmatch Reactions | Paunovic | McCarty | de Leeuw | Nikolic
The Men in Red close their three-game homestand against the New England Revolution on Saturday, April 15 at Toyota Park. Kickoff is 4 p.m. CT on CSN Chicago Plus.
MLS Regular Season
Chicago Fire (2-1-2, 8 pts.) 1:0 Columbus Crew SC (3-2-1, 10 pts.)
April 8, 2017 – Toyota Park
Attendance: 16,434
Scoring Summary:
CHI – Nemanja Nikolic (Dax McCarty) 22
Misconduct Summary:
CLB – Alex Corgnale (caution) 84
CHI – Dax McCarty (caution) 86
Chicago Fire: Jorge Bava, Johan Kappelhof, Jonathan Campbell (Drew Conner 55), Joao Meira, Michael Harrington, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Dax McCarty ©, Brandon Vincent, Michael de Leeuw, Nemanja Nikolic, David Accam (Daniel Jonson 73).
Shots: 11; Shots On-Goal: 6; Saves: 3; Fouls: 8; Corners: 4; Offsides: 2
Columbus Crew SC: Zack Steffen, Jukka Raitala (Waylon Francis 73), Nicolai Naess, Alex Crognale, Hector Jimenez, Wil Trapp ©, Mohammed Abu (Niko Hansen 60), Ethan Finlay (Adam Jahn 79), Artur, Justin Meram, Ola Kamara.
Shots: 12; Shots On-Goal: 3; Saves: 4; Fouls: 12; Corners: 5; Offsides: 1
