Harrison, N.J. (Sept. 30, 2023) – Chicago Fire FC (9-12-10, 37 points) defeated the New York Red Bulls (8-13-10, 34 points) 1-0 at Red Bull Arena on Saturday night with a goal from Greek forward Georgios Koutsias.
Midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri provided the assist on Koutsias’ game-winning goal, tallying his fifth of the 2023 season. With the victory, the Fire moved just below the playoff line in the Eastern Conference and are level on points with CF Montréal, who occupy the ninth and final playoff berth.
Homegrown goalkeeper Chris Brady and the Chicago Fire defense were tested early in the match, with the home side producing 12 shots in the first half. Brady’s first big play of the night came in the 16th minute when he came out to deflect a cross with a two-fisted punch.
Brady had two more important saves in the first half. In the 34th minute, Elias Manoel collected a pass sent into the left side of the box before placing a shot to the near post, where Brady reacted to make the save. One minute later, a pass was lobbed over the defense for striker Tom Barlow, who was making a run inside the area. Barlow headed the ball cleanly, but Brady was prepared and deflected the attempt out for a corner.
Chicago found themselves at an advantage in the 62nd minute when defender Hassan Ndam took down defender Jonathan Dean on the right flank and was sent off after being shown a second yellow card. Shaqiri lined up for the ensuing free kick, curling a precise cross on the edge of the six-yard box, where Koutsias rose up to meet it with a powerful header that sent the ball straight into the net. The goal was Koutsias’ third of the regular season.
NEXT MATCH: The Fire will return to the lakefront on Wednesday, Oct. 4 as the Club hosts Inter Miami CF at 7:30 p.m. CT at Soldier Field. The match will be broadcast on Apple TV, and transmitted locally in English on 890 WLS-AM and in Spanish on TUDN 1200 AM.
Two of the Fire’s final three matches of the regular season will take place at home, against teams who are all competing with Chicago for the final playoff positions in the East. In addition to facing Inter Miami, the Fire will battle against Charlotte FC at Soldier Field on Saturday, Oct. 7, before playing its 2023 regular season finale against New York City FC at Citi Field on Saturday, Oct. 21
Social: Twitter - @chicagofire, @vamosfire (Hashtags: #CF97 #VamosFire) | Instagram - @chicagofire | Facebook
Notes:
- The Fire recorded its fourth away win of the 2023 season, tied for the most road victories by the Club in a single season in its last 11 campaigns (2013, 2017, 2022 and 2023). Additionally, Chicago is now tied for the fourth-most away wins in the Eastern Conference this season.
- Midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri tallied his 16th assist for the Fire since the start of the 2022 season.
- Midfielder Fabian Herbers started his 100th career MLS match against the New York Red Bulls. Herbers joined Chicago in 2019 and is the longest-tenured Fire player on the current roster.
- Goalkeeper Chris Brady registered his career-high eighth shutout of the regular season, tying current goalkeeping coach Zach Thornton (1998, 2003) and Matt Lampson (2017) for the sixth-most clean sheets in a single season in Club history.
- The Fire have posted 20 shutouts in League play since the start of the 2022 season.
- Chicago has not lost in the team’s last three visits to the Red Bulls, winning twice and drawing once.
- The Fire defeated the Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena for the first time since Aug. 28, 2021.
- Chicago’s all-time regular season record against the Red Bulls now stands at 31-21-15, including a 14-15-4 mark on the road.
Box Score:
New York Red Bulls 0:1 Chicago Fire FC
Goals:
CHI - Koutsias (3) (Shaqiri, 5) (WATCH) 64’
Discipline:
CHI - Doumbia (Yellow Card) 17’
NYR - Ndam (Yellow Card) 48’
CHI - Koutsias (Yellow Card) 59’
NYR - Ndam (Second Yellow, Ejection) 62’
CHI - Brady (Yellow Card) 82’
NYR - Tolkin (Yellow Card) 90+3’
CHI - Dean (Yellow Card) 90+5’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Dean, D Omsberg, D Terán, D M. Navarro, M Doumbia (Gutiérrez, 71’), M Giménez. M Herbers, M Shaqiri (capt.) (Czichos, 90’), M Torres (Haile-Selassie, 52’), F Koutsias (Przybyłko, 71’)
Subs not used: GK Richey, D Aceves, D Souquet, M Casas Jr., F Kamara
New York Red Bulls: GK Coronel (capt.), D Reyes, D Duncan, D Tolkin, D Ndam, M Amaya, M Fernandez (Burke, 77’) M Edelman (Yearwood, 77’), F Manoel (Hall, 81’), F Barlow (D. Nealis, 68’), F Luquinhas (Harper, 68’)
Subs not used: GK Meara, M Stroud, M Carmona, F Hurtado
Stats Summary: NYR / CHI
Shots: 18 / 5
Shots on Goal: 3 / 2
Saves: 1 / 2
Passing Accuracy: 75.5% / 78.9%
Corners: 8 / 1
Fouls: 20 / 5
Offsides: 0 / 3
Possession: 44.3% / 55.7%
Attendance: 20,347
Referee: Filip Dujic
Assistant Referees: Nick Uranga, Brooke Mayo
Fourth Official: Rubiel Vazquez
VAR: Greg Dopka
Assistant VAR: Jonathan Johnson
