CHICAGO (March 16, 2024) – Chicago Fire FC (1-2-1, 4 points) came from behind with three goals in 15 minutes, including two in second-half stoppage time, to defeat CF Montréal (2-1-1, 7 points) 4-3 and earn their first win of the season on Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field. Head Coach Frank Klopas became just the third manager to reach 50 victories in Chicago Fire history when midfielder Kellyn Acosta scored the game-winner from inside his own half to notch his first goal for the Fire in the 90+9th minute of play.
Designated Player Hugo Cuypers and midfielders Brian Gutiérrez and Maren Haile-Selassie each found the back of the net, marking the first goals of the 2024 season for Cuypers and Haile-Selassie. Haile-Selassie struck just before halftime to make the score 2-1 and cut into Montréal’s lead. With the Fire trailing 3-1 late in the match, Gutiérrez provided the team’s second goal, converting from the penalty spot in the 84th minute, before Cuypers found the equalizer in the 90+5th minute of play.
With Cuypers’ game-tying goal and Acosta’s game-winning finish in the 90+9th minute, the Fire became the first team in MLS history to score both a game-tying and game-winning goal in the 95th minute or later. Additionally, the Fire became the first team in MLS history to win a match in regulation after scoring two-or-more-goals in the 84th minute or later.
The last time the Fire overcame a two-goal deficit to win was against the Colorado Rapids on Aug. 23, 2009 at SeatGeek Stadium. With his goal in the final minute of today’s contest, Acosta etched his name in Fire history, tallying the latest game-winning finish during regulation of an MLS regular season match.
Montréal got off to an early start in the match, scoring twice in the first 12 minutes of play. Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady made a key save in the second minute of the match but in the play leading up to the ensuing clearance, the Video Assistant Referee judged a Chicago foul to be a penalty kick in favor of the visitors. Forward Matias Coccaro scored the penalty for the first goal of the match in the eighth minute. Two minutes later, the referee once again pointed to the penalty spot and Coccaro scored his second penalty-kick goal of the match.
The referee signaled a minimum of 10 minutes of stoppage time at the end of the second half and in the 45+8th minute, Chicago broke through with a goal from Haile-Selassie. Defender Rafael Czichos cleared the ball up, sending a lofted pass over the defense for Haile-Selassie to the left side of the box. The Swiss midfielder took a controlling touch before sending it into the near post for his first goal of the season.
Second-half substitute Dominic Iankov extended Montréal’s lead with a goal in the 70th minute but Chicago pulled one back in the 84th minute. The referee was once again alerted by VAR to an infraction, this one resulting in a straight red card to Montréal substitute Raheem Edwards. Homegrown midfielder Gutiérrez lined up to take the penalty, sending the ball to the right side of the goal with ice-cold precision for his second goal of the season.
With nine minutes of stoppage time added to the second half, Chicago scored the equalizer in the 90+5th minute after earning a corner kick. As the clearance fell back out to Acosta, he sent the ball back toward the top of the box where defender Carlos Terán headed it toward the goal. Cuypers collected the ball in traffic, turning to fire his shot past goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois.
As stoppage time was winding down, Brady sent a ball to Acosta in the Fire’s defensive end. Acosta looked up and sent a long ball to goal, catching Sirois off his line. The Montréal goalkeeper tried to get back and managed to get his fingertips on the ball but was not able to do enough to stop it from going into the net.
NEXT MATCH: Chicago travels to face the New England Revolution on Saturday, March 23, at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on MLS Season Pass. The match will also be transmitted locally via wlsam.com in English and WRTO 1200 AM in Spanish.
Social: Twitter - @chicagofire, @vamosfire (Hashtags: #CF97 #VamosFire) | Instagram - @chicagofire | Facebook
Notes:
- With the result, the Fire handed Montréal its first loss of the season, snapping a three-game unbeaten run (2-0-1) to start the 2024 campaign for the French-Canadian side.
- The Fire’s MLS regular season record against Montréal now stands at 9-12-7, including a 7-3-3 mark at home.
- Winger Maren Haile-Selassie, forward Hugo Cuypers and midfielder Kellyn Acosta scored their first goals of the season for the Chicago Fire.
- Defender Rafael Czichos registered his first assist of the 2024 MLS season and goalkeeper Chris Brady registered the first assist of his career.
- Defender Carlos Terán entered the match at the beginning of the second half to play in his first game of the season after recovering from surgery earlier this year.
- Homegrown midfielder Brian Gutiérrez tied his single-season career goal-scoring record by scoring his second goal of the season in the 84th minute. Gutiérrez’s goal was the first penalty kick goal of his career.
- Brady, Arigoni and Czichos have played the full 90 minutes in the Fire’s four games so far this season.
- Captain Xherdan Shaqiri, midfielders Gutiérrez and Haile-Selassie, and forward Hugo Cuypers started their fourth-consecutive match together of the 2024 MLS regular season.
- Forward Victor Bezerra (upper leg), midfielder Federico Navarro (upper leg) and defender Andrew Gutman (upper leg) were not available for today’s match.
Box Score:
Chicago Fire FC 4:3 CF Montréal
Goals:
MTL - Cóccaro (Penalty) (2) (WATCH) 8’
MTL - Cóccaro (Penalty) (3) (WATCH) 12’
CHI - Haile-Selassie (1) (Czichos, 1) (WATCH) 45+8’
MTL - Yankov (1) (Martínez, 2) (WATCH) 70’
CHI - Gutiérrez (Penalty) (2) (WATCH) 84’
CHI - Cuypers (1) (Terán, 1) (WATCH) 90+5’
CHI - Acosta (1) (Brady, 1) (WATCH) 90+9’
Discipline:
CHI - Salquist (Yellow Card) 11’
MTL - Cóccaro (Yellow Card) 16’
CHI - Gasper (Yellow Card) 45+4’
CHI - Herbers (Yellow Card) 78’
MTL - Edwards (Red Card) 82’
MTL - Choinière (Yellow Card)
CHI: GK Brady, D Arigoni, D Salquist (Terán, 45’) , D Czichos, D Gasper (Barlow, 76’), M Acosta, M Herbers, M Haile-Selaisse, M Shaqiri (capt.) (Koutsias, 69’), M Gutiérrez, F Cuypers (Pineda, 90+10’)
Subs not used: GK Richey, D Souquet, D Dean, M Giménez, M Mueller
MTL: GK Sirois, D Corbo, D Waterman, D Álvarez, D Ruan (Edwards, 65’), M Piette (capt.), M Choinière, M Duke (Yankov, 65’; Jabang, 88’), F Lassiter, F Cóccaro (Martínez, 45’), F Ibrahim (Saliba, 45’)
Subs not used: GK Breza, D Sosa, M Wanyama, F Toye
Stats Summary: CHI / MTL
Shots: 22 / 8
Shots on Goal: 13 / 3
Saves: 0 / 8
Passing Accuracy: 85.6% / 78.9%
Corners: 9 / 1
Fouls: 15 / 17
Offsides: 5 / 1
Possession: 59.7% / 40.3%
Attendance: 14,874
Referee: Deshun Beard
Assistant Referees: Wale Animashaun, Race Williams
Fourth Official: Mersid Turjacanin
VAR: Joe Fletcher
