The milestones were achieved fast and furiously by the Fire during their 4-0 dismantling of visiting Orlando City SC Saturday night, so let's waste no time in running down the highlights:
- Chicago extended its home MLS winning streak to seven games, tying the second-longest such streak in club history record and matching the mark held by the inaugural 1998 squad for the longest home winning streak in a single season. Next Saturday, the Fire have a chance to match the all-time club mark of eight straight set across the 2000 and 2001 campaigns when they host Vancouver at 6 p.m. (TICKETS)
- The Fire have now won three MLS games in a row and are unbeaten in their last nine league matches (10 including U.S. Open Cup). Going back to last season, Chicago is unbeaten in its last 12 home outings and has lost just once in its last 25 home games across all competitions.
- Chicago won its 10th game of the season Saturday, reaching double-digits in wins for the first time since winning 14 in the 2013 campaign. That year, the club's 10th win did not come until August 23.
- The win also was Chicago's first over Orlando City SC since the Lions joined the league in 2015. Previously, the Fire were winless (0-2-4) in six MLS matches against Orlando City, though they had bested the club twice in U.S. Open Cup play (2013 and 2015).
- The Fire posted a four-goal game for the second time this season (following the May 13 win over Seattle), giving them multiple games with at least four goals in the same season since 2008. The 2008 edition of the Fire had three such outings (4 on April 3, 5 on May 25, 5 on October 23).
- David Accam delivered a performance that statistically ranks among the most prolific in Fire history.
- After beginning the night having never scored two or more goals in an MLS match, Accam netted a brace within the first eight minutes of his 64th career MLS appearance and went on to complete his hat trick with a second-half penalty kick.
- Accam's effort marked the eighth hat trick in club history, achieved by seven different players. As you can see, Accam joins Chris Rolfe (2) and Harry Shipp (1) as the only Fire players to register at least one assist to go along with their hat trick:
DATE |
PLAYER |
OPPONENT |
GOALS |
ASSISTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
May 6, 2000 |
Ante Razov |
Miami Fusion |
3 |
0 |
May 19, 2002 |
Ante Razov |
New England Revolution |
3 |
0 |
June 5, 2004 |
Damani Ralph |
D.C. United |
3 |
0 |
June 4, 2005 |
Nate Jaqua |
Chivas USA |
3 |
0 |
Oct. 23, 2008 |
Chris Rolfe |
New York Red Bulls |
3 |
2 |
Sept. 28, 2011 |
Marco Pappa |
Real Salt Lake |
3 |
0 |
May 10, 2014 |
Harry Shipp |
New York Red Bulls |
3 |
1 |
June 24, 2017 |
David Accam |
Orlando City SC |
3 |
1 |
- With Saturday's three goals, Accam vaulted into a tie with Dema Kovalenko (1999-2002) for fourth on the club's career goal-scoring list across all competitions with 34. Accam also claimed sole possession of fourth in club history with 29 MLS regular season goals, just three behind Josh Wolff (1998-2002) in third.
- Accam's 10 goals this season match his MLS career best set in 2015 (24 games played) while his six assists already mark a new high for his three seasons in Chicago.
- Accam now has tallied six goals and three assists in seven career MLS regular season games played against Orlando City
- Not to be forgotten, Nemanja Nikolic added to his MLS-leading goal haul with a helper from Accam and now stands at 14 on the season. Nikolic's mark is three ahead of Houston's Erick "Cubo" Torres and four better than NYCFC's David Villa and his teammate David Accam.
- Nikolic's 14 goals are level with the 17-game totals of both Bradley Wright-Phillips and Chris Wondolowski en route to their MLS-record 27-goal seasons in 2014 and 2012, respectively, and ahead of Roy Lassiter's 1996 pace.
- At the club level, Nikolic moved into a tie with Razov for the third-highest single-season goal-scoring total in club history, a total (14) that Razov finished on in three different seasons with the Fire (1999, 2002, 2003). The only single-season sums left in front of Nikolic are Mike Magee's 15 in 2013 and Razov's club record of 18 achieved in 2000.
- At just the halfway point of 2017, Nikolic and Accam have given Chicago its first pair of double-digit goal-scorers in the same season since Ante Razov and Damani Ralph in 2003.
- Nikolic's goal also marked the 900th MLS regular season goal scored by the Chicago Fire (616 games played).
- In his 14th appearance with the club, Bastian Schweinsteiger recorded his fifth assist, one behind Accam for the team lead.
- Matt Polster also notched his second assist of the year, matching in just eight games his total in 27 appearances last season.
- The Fire posted yet another clean sheet, the fifth in their last seven MLS matches (all five coming with Matt Lampson in net). Orlando City SC did not register a shot on goal Saturday night, with only three total shots.
- For the year, Chicago is now 8-0-1 at home with 23 goals scored and only four against. The club record for fewest home losses in a season is two, achieved three times (2000, 2001 and 2014).
- Following their midweek visit to FC Cincinnati in U.S. Open Cup play, the Fire will host Vancouver Whitecaps FC Saturday night (6 p.m.). Chicago -- which sits one point back of Toronto FC for the top spot in the Supporters' Shield standings -- will enter the game with a 4-0-1 mark against Western Conference opponents this season.
