CHICAGO (April 16, 2022) _– Chicago Fire FC (2-1-4, 10 points) earned its league-leading fifth clean sheet with a 0-0 tie against the Los Angeles Galaxy (4-2-1, 13 points) in front of a season-high 30,282 fans at Soldier Field on Saturday night.
Although the Fire prevented LA from registering a shot on target, Homegrown goalkeeper Gaga Slonina was called upon to keep the game level in the 47th minute. A threatening ball was sent over the top for LA winger Douglas Costa, who took a touch to bring down the pass, but Slonina came off his line and smothered the chance.
In just his 17th professional start and appearance, Slonina finished the match by recording the ninth clean sheet of his career, which marks the most for any player under the age of 21 in league history.
In an end-to-end second half, forward Kacper Przybyłko had the best chance of the night in the 63rd minute when he was slipped in behind by midfielder Gastón Giménez for a one-on-one with goalkeeper Jonthan Bond. With the Polish striker charging toward goal, Bond read the play well to deny the Fire’s opportunity to break the deadlock.
The Galaxy appeared to take the lead in the 46th and 50th minutes, respectively, but goals from Costa and Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez were overturned following Video Review.
NEXT MATCH: The Fire will play its first away match against a Western Conference opponent in 2022 when the team travels to face Minnesota United FC at Allianz Field on Saturday, April 23. Beginning at 4:00 p.m. CT, the match will be nationally televised on ESPN and ESPN Deportes.
Notes:
- The 30,282 fans in attendance marked the Club’s second-largest crowd since 2004 and the fifth-largest overall in Club history.
- Tonight’s match was the first meeting between the two teams since opening day of the 2019 campaign.
- Prior to tonight’s contest, LA had only been held scoreless once this season - a 1-0 home loss to Orlando City SC on March 19.
- Tonight's match marked midfielder Gastón Giménez's 50th appearance for the Fire since joining the Club at the beginning of the 2020 season. Giménez was named Heineken Man of the Match for his performance.
- Captain Rafael Czichos returned to the starting lineup today after missing the last two matches due to health and safety protocols.
- Midfielders Xherdan Shaqiri (calf) and Fabian Herbers (hip) missed a second straight match due to injury.
- Today also marked midfielder Stanislav Ivanov’s 23rd birthday. Ivanov started and played 72 minutes in tonight’s match.
Box Score:
Chicago Fire FC 0:0 LA Galaxy
Goals:
None
Discipline:
CHI - Czichos (Yellow Card) 24’
LA - Williams (Yellow Card) 38’
CHI - Pineda (Yellow Card) 44’
CHI - Giménez (Yellow Card) 49’
CHI - M. Navarro (Yellow Card) 69’
LA - Coulibaly (Yellow Card) 76’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Slonina, D Sekulić, D Czichos ©, D Omsberg, D M. Navarro, M F. Navarro, M Pineda, M Ivanov (Reynolds II, 72’), M Giménez, M Bornstein © (Espinoza, 61’), F Przybyłko (Durán, 77)
Subs not used: GK Richey, D Burks, D Terán, M Casas Jr., F Offor, F Bezerra
LA Galaxy: GK Bond, D Araujo (Kljestan, 88’), D Williams, D Coulibaly, D Leerdam, D Edwards, M Raveloson, M Delgado, F Costa (Cabral, 72’), F Grandsir (Alvarez, 46’), F Hernandez ©
Subs not used: GK Klinsmann, D Zavaleta, D DePuy, M Aguirre, M Perez, F Joveljic
Stats Summary: CHI / LA
Shots: 9 / 7
Shots on Goal: 0 / 0
Passing Accuracy: 74.3% / 82%
Saves: 0 / 0
Corners: 6 / 4
Fouls: 10 / 12
Offsides: 0 / 2
Possession: 44.4% / 55.6%
Attendance: 30,282
Referee: Ted Unkel
Assistant Referees: Ian Anderson, Ryan Graves
Fourth Official: Lukasz Szpala
VAR: Alejandro Mariscal, Peter Balciunas
