San Jose, Calif. (July 7, 2024) – Chicago Fire FC (5-11-6, 21 points) fell 1-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes (4-16-2, 14 points) on Sunday night at PayPal Park.
With the result, the Fire remains in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, four points away from a Playoff Wildcard position.
Chicago started off on the attack, with Maren Haile-Selassie breaking through the backline in the first minute of the match, but the Swiss winger was called offside as his shot went just wide. Just three minutes later, forward Hugo Cuypers received the ball, turned and took a shot that goalkeeper William Yarbrough reacted to save.
It was San Jose who struck first just after the start of the second half. Winger Cristian Espinoza served a free kick in the 48th minute over the Fire backline. Midfielder Hernán won the footrace, setting himself up with a first touch and sending it into the goal with his second.
The Fire appeared to have leveled the score in the 71st minute, when midfielder Brian Gutiérrez served a ball into the box that forward Tom Barlow headed toward goal. The attempt hit the crossbar and bounced back into play, where Cuypers headed it into the goal. However, the Video Assistant Referee review determined that Barlow was in an offside position and the goal was disallowed.
Notes:
- Chris Mueller appeared in his 50th match for the Chicago Fire. The Chicago-area native returned to the starting lineup for the first time since May 18 against the Columbus Crew.
- Gastón Giménez donned the captain’s armband for the first time in 2024.
- Defenders Chase Gasper (leg), Andrew Gutman (leg), Tobias Salquist (leg) and Carlos Terán (leg); and midfielders Xherdan Shaqiri (national team) and Federico Navarro (leg) were unavailable for today’s match.
NEXT MATCH: Chicago returns to the lakefront for its second and final home game of July, hosting New York City FC on Saturday, July 13. Kickoff at Soldier Field is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass and transmitted locally via 890 WLS-AM (English) and WRTO 1200 AM (Spanish).
Social: Twitter - @chicagofire, @vamosfire (Hashtags: #CF97 #VamosFire) | Instagram - @chicagofire | Facebook
Box Score:San Jose Earthquakes 1:0 Chicago Fire FC
Goals:
SJ – López (4) (Espinoza, 11) (WATCH) 49’
Discipline:
CHI – Czichos (Yellow Card) 24’
CHI – Acosta (Yellow Card) 37’
SJ – López (Yellow Card) 62’
SJ – Skahan (Yellow Card) 87’
CHI - Herbers (Yellow Card) 90+5’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Souquet, D Czichos, D Omsberg, D Arigoni, M Haile-Selassie, M Mueller (Barlow, 64’), M Gutiérrez, M Acosta (Koutsias, 88’), M Giménez (Herbers, 63’), F Cuypers
Subs not used: GK Richey, D Pineda, D Dean, D Konincks, M Casas Jr.
San Jose Earthquakes: GK Yarbrough, D Beason, D Munie, D Rodrigues, D Costa (Thompson, 85’), M Gruezo, M Yueill (capt.) (Morales, 82’), M López (Skahan, 82’), F Espinoza (Judd, 82’), F Ebobisse (Pellegrino, 88’), F Kikanovic
Subs not used: GK Jackson, D Marie, M Baldisimo, F Richmond
Stats Summary: SJ / CHIShots: 12 / 11
Shots on Goal: 3 / 1
Saves: 1 / 2
Passing Accuracy: 77.5% / 80.8%
Corners: 7 / 5
Fouls: 7 / 11
Offsides: 3 / 2
Possession: 43.8% / 56.2%
Referee: Ramy Touchan
Assistant Referees: Jeffrey Greeson, Diego Blas
Fourth Official: Victor Rivas
VAR: David Barrie, Peter Balciunas
