CHICAGO (July 8, 2023) – Chicago Fire FC (6-7-8, 26 points) earned a 1-0 victory against Eastern Conference second-place squad Nashville SC (11-6-5, 38 points) at Soldier Field on Saturday Night.
Fabian Herbers provided the game-winner in the 33rd minute when he scored his third goal in the last four matches. With the victory, Chicago moves up to 11th place in the Eastern Conference, just below the playoff line tied with New York Red Bulls (10th place) and CF Montréal (ninth place) with 26 points.
The Fire would open the scoring in the 34th minute of play when Herbers carried the ball up the right flank and played a pass wide for Maren Haile-Selassie. The Swiss midfielder passed it back to the top of the box, where Herbers had continued his run. The German midfielder sent a laser toward the net, firing past goalkeeper Joe Willis for his fourth goal of the MLS regular season, and his fifth goal across all competitions in 2023 for the Fire.
Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady kept the score at zero in the 56th minute during a dangerous free kick opportunity just outside the Fire’s 18-yard-box. Second-half substitute Hany Mukhtar curled a well-placed ball just over the wall and toward the top left corner, but Brady stretched to swat the ball out of danger and secure his fourth clean sheet of the season.
With the result, Chicago has scored six goals in their last five matches, increasing the Club’s scoring streak to five-straight matches.
NEXT MATCH: The Fire will continue their homestand with the second of three consecutive home matches, facing off against CF Montréal at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, July 12 at Soldier Field. During Wednesday’s match, transport yourself to a galaxy far, far away as the Club hosts “Star Wars Night.” A special Stormtrooper bobblehead will be given away to the first 2,500 Jedi and Sith to enter the stadium, and throughout the match fans will be treated to special Star Wars-themed entertainment. The match will be broadcast on Apple TV+, streamed in English on wlsam.com and transmitted locally in Spanish on TUDN 1200 AM.
Social: Twitter - @chicagofire, @vamosfire (Hashtags: #CF97 #VamosFire) | Instagram - @chicagofire | Facebook
Notes:
- The Fire earned its seventh shutout across all competitions with tonight’s 1-0 victory.
- The Club has won three of its last four matches, including two wins on the road, securing nine out of a possible 12 points during that stretch.
- Chicago has lost just once in 10 MLS matches played at home in 2023 (3-1-6, 15 points).
- Tonight’s 1-0 victory marked the Club’s first-ever win over Nashville SC in MLS play through five all-time regular season meetings (1-2-2, 5 points).
- Fabian Herbers scored his fourth goal in League play this season. With the goal, the eight-year professional matched his career high for goals in a single MLS season, previously scoring four goals for the Fire in 2020.
- Herbers has now scored five goals across all competitions this season, including a finish in the Club’s U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 win over St. Louis CITY SC on May 9.
- Homegrown goalkeeper Chris Brady backstopped the team for the 18th time this season, making two big saves and earning his fourth clean sheet.
- Winger Maren Haile-Selassie tallied this third assist of the 2023 campaign. He ranks tied with midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri and defender Arnaud Souquet for the second-most assists on the team this season.
- Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Frank Klopas made four changes to the starting XI that took the field against Orlando City last Saturday.
- Mauricio Pineda returned to the backline in place of Carlos Terán, alongside captain Rafael Czichos. Miguel Navarro returned to the backline, and defender Jonathan Dean stepped in for Arnaud Souquet who was unavailable due to receiving two yellow cards in the previous match.
- Herbers made his fourth consecutive start, and 14th start in 2023, lining up in the midfield next to Gastón Giménez.
- Maren Haile-Selassie, Xherdan Shaqiri and Brian Gutiérrez started alongside each other for the second consecutive match.
- Greek forward Georgios Koutsias made his fifth MLS regular season match in a Fire shirt, leading the attack from the outset.
- Defenders Wyatt Omsberg (left lower leg) and Arnaud Souquet (suspension), midfielders Javier Casas Jr. (right upper arm), Chris Mueller (right upper leg) and Federico Navrro (right lower leg) and forward Victor Bezerra (right lower leg) were unavailable for tonight’s match.
Box Score:
Chicago Fire FC 1:0 Nashville SC
Goals:
CHI - Herbers (4) (Haile-Selassie, 3) (WATCH) 34’
Discipline:
NSH - Leal (Yellow Card) 37’
CHI - Kamara (Yellow Card) 81’
NSH - Lovitz (Yellow Card) 86’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Czichos (capt.), D M. Navarro, D Pineda, D Dean (Burks, 77’), M Haile-Selassie (Torres, 77’), M Herbers, M Giménez (Terán, 64’), M Gutiérrez, M Shaqiri (Aceves, 90+1’), F Koutsias (Kamara, 64’)
Subs not used: GK Gal, D Reynolds, F Rodríguez, F Przybyłko
Nashville SC: GK Willis, D Lovitz (Washington, 87’), D MacNaughton, D Maher, D Moore, M McCarty (capt.), M Leal (Zubak 87’), M Bunbury, M Muyl (Gregus, 71’), M Davis (Mukhtar, 46’), F Picault (Haakenson, 71’)
Subs not used: GK Panicco, D Bauer, M Anunga, M Wkye
Stats Summary: CHI / NSH
Shots: 6 / 18
Shots on Goal: 1 / 2
Saves: 2 / 0
Passing Accuracy: 80.8% / 83.9%
Corners: 2 / 10
Fouls: 8 / 12
Offsides: 1 / 1
Possession: 42% / 58%
Attendance: 22,348
Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
Assistant Referees: *Jason White, Adam Wienckowski
Fourth Official: Alexandra Billeter
*VAR: Kevin Stott
Asst. VAR: Emma Richards
