Chicago Fire FC Remain Undefeated at Home with 3-3 Draw against Atlanta United FC at Soldier Field

CHICAGO (May 20, 2023) – Chicago Fire FC (3-4-6, 15 points) extended its unbeaten run at home to eight matches with a 3-3 draw against Atlanta United FC (6-4-4, 22 points) at Soldier Field on Saturday night.

The Fire went down to 10 men in the 26th minute when midfielder Federico Navarro was shown a second yellow card and Atlanta was awarded a free kick just outside of the 18-yard-box. Despite Chicago playing a man down for 45 minutes, Saturday’s match was a back-and-forth affair, with the Fire coming back from behind twice in a six-goal thriller along the lakefront to secure a point.

Goalkeeper Chris Brady got low to save the 29th minute free kick, but the rebound fell right to Chicagoland-native Andrew Gutman, who hit a one-time shot past the diving Brady.

It was Xherdan Shaqiri who pulled the team even in the 42nd minute from a Chicago corner kick. The Swiss international lined up to take the corner from the right side, curling the ball toward the net. The initial ball was saved by goalkeeper Quentin Westberg, but as he swatted it away, it hit defender Juan Jose Purata and went into the net to level the score.

Shaqiri once again sparked the attack four minutes into the second half, sending a long cross into the box for striker Kacper Prybyłko. The forward headed the ball down to the top of the box on the left side, where midfielder Maren Haile-Selassie was running into the space, sending a one-time shot into the goal.

Atlanta scored an equalizer in the 55th minute via second-half substitute Giorgos Giakoumakis. Giakoumakis scored again in the 65th minute to pull Atlanta ahead. Atlanta was then reduced to 10 men in the 71st minute, when winger Luis Araújo was shown a second yellow card.

In the waning moments, with the match on the line, Greek forward Georgios Koutsias buried the equalizer in the 88th minute of the match to score his first-career MLS goal. The striker was able to find the back of the net after converting a close-range pass from Haile-Selassie on the edge of the six-yard box.

NEXT MATCH: Chicago heads to the Lone Star state to resume its quest for the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against Austin FC at 8 p.m. CT on Wednesday, May 24 at Q2 Stadium. The match will be broadcast via the B/R App or B/R Football YouTube channel.

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Notes:

• Midfielder Maren Haile-Selassie scored his second regular season goal for the Fire, and his third in all competitions. The Swiss winger also tallied his second assist of the campaign.
• Greek forward Georgios Koutsias scored his first career goal in a Fire jersey. The 19-year-old became the eighth Fire player to score a goal in 2023.
• Xherdan Shaqiri tallied his second assist of the season, both of which have occurred in the last three matches.
• Forward Kacper Przybyłko started for the second-consecutive league match after scoring his third goal of the season against Charlotte FC on Wednesday. The Polish striker contributed to the scoresheet tonight with an assist, notching his second of the season.
• Only one change was made to the lineup that faced Charlotte FC in Matchday 13 of the MLS regular season on May 17 at Bank of America Stadium. Midfielder Fabian Herbers replaced Gastón Giménez, who was unavailable for selection tonight due to yellow card accumulation.
• Herbers partnered alongside Federico Navarro in central midfield. Navarro made his 49th MLS appearance for the Fire tonight, placing the 23-year-old one shy of 50 League appearances in a Fire jersey.
• The attacking midfield trio of Xherdan Shaqiri, Brian Gutiérrez and Maren Haile-Selassie lined up together for the second-straight match, with Shaqiri manning the middle of the park, Gutiérrez on the left flank and Haile-Selassie on the right.
• Captain Rafael Czichos once again led a backline of Arnaud Souquet, Mauricio Pineda and Miguel Navarro for a second-straight match.
• Goalkeeper Chris Brady once again backstopped the group, manning the net in his 11th start of the season.
• Defenders Jonathan Dean (left adductor) and Carlos Téran (right upper leg), midfielder Giménez (yellow card accumulation), and forward Kei Kamara (left adductor) were unavailable for selection tonight. In eight MLS matches at home this season, Chicago are unbeaten with two wins and six draws. The Fire are in the midst of an nine-match home unbeaten streak (2-0-7) dating back to October 2022 against New England Revolution. In League away matches this season, Atlanta United have one win, three draws, and three losses. The Five Stripes continue on a six-match away winless streak (0-3-3). The last time they earned a win away was March 11 against Charlotte.

Box Score:Chicago Fire FC 3:3 Atlanta United FC

Goals: 
ATL - Gutman (2) (WATCH) 29’ 
CHI - Purata (Own Goal) (WATCH) 23’ 
CHI - Haile-Selassie (2) (Przybyłko 2, Shaqiri 2) (WATCH) 49’ 
ATL - Giakoumakis (7) (Gutman 3, Hernández 1) (WATCH) 55’ 
ATL - Giakoumakis (8) (Almada 8) (WATCH) 65’ 
CHI - Koutsias (1) (Haile-Selassie 2) (WATCH) 89’ 

Discipline: 
CHI - F. Navarro (Yellow Card) 3’ 
CHI - F. Navarro (Yellow Card, Ejection) 26’ 
ATL - Ibarra (Yellow Card) 41’ 
CHI - Herbers (Yellow Card) 45+2’ 
CHI - Gutiérrez (Yellow Card) 58’ 
ATL - Araújo (Yellow Card) 69’ 
ATL - Araújo (Yellow Card, Ejection) 71’ 
CHI - Czichos (Yellow Card) 87’ 
ATL - Diop (Yellow Card) 90’ 

Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Souquet (Koutsias, 80’), D Pineda, D Czichos (capt.), D M. Navarro, M Herbers (Mueller, 73’), M F. Navarro, M. Haile-Selassie, M Shaqiri, M Gutiérrez (Torres, 80’), F Przybyłko

Subs not used: GK Richey, D Mueller, D Omsberg, D Aceves, D Burks, M Casas Jr., F Rodríguez

Atlanta United FC: GK Westberg, D Hernández, D Purata (Robinson, 62’), D Abram, D Gutman (capt.), M Ibarra, M Rossetto, M Almada, F Araújo, F Etienne Jr. (Chol, 62’), F Berry (Giakoumakis, 46’)

Subs not used: GK Diop, D/M Cobb, M Fortune, M Lennon

Stats Summary: CHI / ATLShots: 10 / 15
Shots on Goal: 3 / 7
Saves: 4 / 1
Passing Accuracy: 83.2% / 86.5%
Corners: 2 / 5
Fouls: 14 / 12
Offsides: 1 / 0
Possession: 44.5% / 55.5%

Attendance: 18,343

Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Kieso, Walter Heatherly
Fourth Official: Corey Rockwell
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez
Asst. VAR: Claudiu Badea