Nine-Man Chicago Fire FC Fall 2-1 to New York Red Bulls at Soldier Field

CHICAGO (April 30, 2022) – In a match that included a lengthy weather delay, two penalty kicks and two ejections, Chicago Fire FC (2-3-4, 10 points) fell 2-1 to the New York Red Bulls (5-2-2, 17 points) at Soldier Field on Saturday night.

The Fire took an early lead when midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri scored his second goal of the season to lift the team to a 1-0 advantage. Chicago earned a penalty kick when defender Boris Sekulić fired a powerful shot that forced a handball in the box. Stepping up to the spot, the Swiss midfielder carefully placed his shot down the middle of the goal, sending goalkeeper Carlos Coronel the wrong way to secure the lead for Club in the 17th minute.

As the match approached halftime, the tightly contested battle was paused for a weather delay and resumed 80-minutes later. After struggling to find any clear opportunities for the majority of the match, the Red Bulls managed to level the score when second-half substitute Patryk Klimala collected a pass from midfielder Luca Linhares and slotted it past goalkeeper Gaga Slonina in the 75th minute.

Four minutes later, the match would take a turn when Chicago forward Jhon Durán received a controversial second yellow card and was ejected from the match. The Fire would then be reduced to nine players shortly after Durán’s ejection when captain Rafael Czichos also received a second yellow card. With the Fire playing two men down for the final seven minutes of the contest, Klimala managed to add another goal to his tally, converting a penalty kick in the 91st minute.

The result marked the Fire’s first defeat at home in regular season action this season.

NEXT MATCH: The Fire will play its fifth away match of the season against Atlanta United FC on Saturday, May 7 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Beginning at 5:00 p.m. CT, the match will be broadcast live on WGN-TV, CF97 Live and transmitted locally in Spanish on Univision Radio.

Notes:

• Today’s match was the first meeting between the two teams this season.
• With forward Kacper Przybyłko sidelined due to injury, 18-year-old striker Jhon Durán made his first career MLS start in tonight’s match.
• After scoring two goals in Chicago Fire FC II’s most recent match, forward Chinonso Offor earned his first MLS start of the 2022 campaign tonight.
• Defender Carlos Terán made his first regular season appearance in 2022.

Box Score:
Chicago Fire FC 1:2 New York Red Bulls

Goals:
CHI - Shaqiri (2) (penalty kick) 17’
NYR - Klimala (2) (Luquinhas 2) 75’
NYR - Klimala (2) (penalty kick)90+1’

Discipline:
NYR - Fletcher (Yellow Card) 15’
NYR - Tolkin (Yellow Card) 27’
CHI - Czichos (Yellow Card) 37’
CHI - M. Navarro (Yellow Card) 45+1’
NYR - Klimala (Yellow Card) 65’
CHI - Durán (Yellow Card) 71’
CHI - Durán (Second Yellow, Ejection) 80’
CHI - Czichos (Second Yellow, Ejection) 83’

Chicago Fire FC: GK Slonina, D Sekulić, D Omsberg, D Czichos ©, M. Navarro, M Pineda, M Giménez (Bornstein, 66’), M Offor, M Shaqiri, M Gutiérrez (Terán, 90+2’), F Durán

Subs not used: GK Brady, D Espinoza, D Burks, M Monis, M Ivanov, F Bezerra, F Rodríguez

New York Red Bulls: GK Coronel, D Edwards, D S. Nealis, D Long ©, D Tolkin, M Amaya, M Morgan (D. Nealis, 63’), M Fernandez (Klimala, 46’), M Casseres Jr., F Fletcher (Barlow, 56’), F Luquinhas (Yearwood, 90+4’)

Subs not used: GK Meara, M Edelman, F Ryan

Stats Summary: CHI / NYR
Shots: 7 / 14
Shots on Goal: 3 / 4
Passing Accuracy: 64.0% / 70.0%
Saves: 2 / 2
Corners: 4 / 6
Fouls: 23 / 16
Offsides: 2 / 2
Possession: 44.2% / 55.8%

Attendance: 11,108

Referee: Jon Freeman
Assistant Referees: Jason White, Meghan Mullen
Fourth Official: Chris Ruska
VAR: Victor Rivas, Peter Manikwoski