CHICAGO (Sept. 18, 2023) – Chicago Fire FC goalkeeper Chris Brady has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 32 following his performance in Saturday night’s scoreless tie against CF Montréal at Stade Saputo.
The Chicagoland native finished the match with four saves, including several important stops late in the match, to record his career-high seventh shutout of the 2023 campaign. With seven shutouts to date, Brady, 19, has already posted the second-most clean sheets for a Chicago Fire goalkeeper in the last six seasons, following Gaga Slonina’s Club-record 12 shutouts in 2022. Overall, Brady’s seven shutouts are currently ranked in the top-10 in Club history, tied for the ninth-most in a single season.
Additionally, with six matches remaining in the 2023 regular season, the Chicago Fire Homegrown has tallied 82 saves in 24 League appearances (24 starts). His 82 saves match Slonina’s entire output in 2022 for the most saves in a single season by a Fire goalkeeper since 2014, when Sean Johnson notched 96 stops in 33 appearances.
Brady made his first big save in the team’s most recent match in the 15th minute when the Montréal attack broke through the backline, sending a low shot on target. Brady read the play, making a diving save to his right to redirect the ball out for a corner. However, it was the goalkeeper’s performance in the final minutes of the contest that kept the match scoreless, helping the Fire to earn an important point on the road.
In the 89th minute, a cross was sent into the six-yard box for second-half substitute and former Fire forward Chinonso Offor, who leaped above his defender to redirect the ball on frame with his head. Brady read it well, making the stop and bringing it down before smothering it. One minute later, Mathieu Choinière sent a cross into the box that Brady anticipated, breaking up the play before it could reach its intended target. The bounce fell to Bryce Duke, who sent a shot on goal that Brady sent out of bounds with his foot.
The action didn’t stop there for the Homegrown goalkeeper, who maintained his focus in the 92nd minute when Duke sent in a cross that was mis-cleared. Ariel Lassiter pounced on the rebound, firing a shot that was kept out of the net and sent over the crossbar by Brady.
Chicago will head to Ohio for a second-straight road match, facing the Columbus Crew at Lower.com Field on Wednesday, Sept. 20. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT, the match will be broadcast live and available to fans for free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. The match will also be transmitted locally in English on wlsam.com and in Spanish on TUDN 1200 AM.
