CHICAGO (March 11, 2023) – Chicago Fire FC (0-1-1, 1 point) fell 1-0 to the Philadelphia Union (2-1-0, 6 points) on Saturday evening at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa., after conceding a 90th-minute goal from striker Joaquin Torres.
The Fire began the match with a new formation, as head coach Ezra Hendrickson made five changes to the starting lineup from the team’s home home opener last weekend, with midfielders Federico Navarro and Jairo Torres sidelined due to injury.
After controlling the run of play in the first half, the Fire were forced to play down a man for the majority of the second 45 when midfielder Fabian Herbers was sent off after receiving a second yellow card in the 50th minute. The Fire ultimately finished the night with nine players after forward Kei Kamara was sent off in second-half stoppage time with a second yellow card.
Facing a Union side that entered the match with 12 straight wins at home dating back to June 2022, Chicago came close to scoring the fastest goal in Club history within the first 30 seconds of the match when midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri created a goal-scoring opportunity for team captain Rafael Czichos. The chance occurred when Shaqiri sent in a dangerous free kick that found Czichos inside the 18-yard box. Following a scramble to recover the ball, the German was able to get a shot off that narrowly missed the target.
It was a back-and-forth affair in the first half with Philadelphia earning a free kick, followed by a corner kick in the 13th minute. Defender Kai Wagner sent in a corner that forward Julian Carranza fired on goal, but Chicago midfielder Gastón Giménez was on the goal line to clear the shot away from danger.
Just four minutes later, Chicago once again proved dangerous as forward Kei Kamara got behind the Philadelphia backline and scored a goal that was eventually ruled offside by VAR. In the 30th minute, Kamara teamed up with defender Miguel Navarro, winning the ball in the middle of the field and passing it up the left flank. Navarro drove down the left wing and sent in a cross that forward Kacper Przybyłko anticipated perfectly, but his header was saved by Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake.
Philadelphia was forced to make a substitution in the 33rd minute after Blake left the field with an injury. Chicago finished the first half with 56.1 percent possession and a 73.3 percent passing accuracy to Philadelphia’s 43.9 percent and 63.7 percent, respectively.
The breakthrough goal for Philadelphia came from second-half substitute Torres, who received a ball outside of the 18-yard box and squared up against the Fire defense. His shot through traffic went just inside the right post in the final minute of regulation.
NEXT MATCH: Chicago returns home for Matchday 4, hosting FC Cincinnati on Saturday, March 18, at 7:30 p.m. CT at Soldier Field. The match will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+ and transmitted locally in Spanish on TUDN 1200 AM.
Notes:
- Defender Jonathan Dean made his Major League Soccer debut, coming on for Arnaud Souquet in the 55th minute.
- Forward Kei Kamara made his first start for the Club and the 314th start of his MLS career.
- Defender Kendall Burks recorded his first start of the season and his third professional start in tonight’s match, playing the full 90 minutes.
- Tonight’s 1-0 result marked the Fire’s first loss of the 2023 campaign.
Box Score:
Philadelphia Union 1:0 Chicago Fire FC
Goals:
PHI - Torres (1) (Martinez 1) (WATCH) 90’
Discipline:
CHI - Terán (Yellow Card) 12’
CHI - Kamara (Yellow Card) 37’
CHI - M. Navarro (Yellow Card) 42’
CHI - Herbers (Yellow Card) 45+2’
PHI - Martinez (Yellow Card) 45+2’
CHI - Herbers (Second Yellow, Ejection) 50’
PHI - Bedoya (Yellow Card) 74’
CHI - Kamara (Second Yellow, Ejection) 90+3’
CHI - Sullivan (Yellow Card) 90+6’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Burks, D Czichos, D Terán, D Souquet (Dean, 55’), M Giménez (M Pineda, 65’), M Herbers, M M. Navarro, M Shaqiri (Casas Jr., 74’), F Kamara, F Przybylko (Mueller, 55’)
Subs not used: GK Richey, D Omsberg, M Haile-Selassie, M Gutiérrez, F RodrÃguez
Philadelphia Union: GK Blake (Bendik, 33), D Elliott, D Glesnes, D Mbaizo (Sullivan, 83’), D Wagner, M Martinez, M Gazdag, M Bedoya ©, M Flach (McGlynn, 61’), F Uhre (Torres, 61’), F Carranza
Subs not used: D Real, D Lowe, D Harriel, M Perea, M Bueno
Stats Summary: PHI / CHI
Shots: 14 / 12
Shots on Goal: 3 / 2
Saves: 2 / 1
Passing Accuracy: 75.4% / 70.5%
Corners: 6 / 2
Fouls: 19 / 10
Offsides: 3 / 2
Possession: 54.4% / 45.6%
Attendance: 18,520
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.
Assistant Referees: Kathryn Nesbitt, Matthew Nelson
Fourth Official: Logan Brown
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr., Gjovalin Bori
