CHICAGO (July 13, 2023) – Chicago Fire FC midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri was named to the MLS Team of the Matchday and winger Maren Haile-Selassie was named to the MLS Team of the Matchday bench for Matchday 25, following their performances in the 3-0 win against CF Montréal on Wednesday, July 12, at Soldier Field.
Shaqiri, Haile-Selassie, and Brian Gutiérrez started alongside each other for the third consecutive match. All three scored in the first half against CF Montréal. Shaqiri is now second on the team with four assists, behind Gutiérrez who has nine. The two Swiss midfielders assisted on each other’s goal, propelling the team to ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings and into a playoff position.
Shaqiri added his name to the scoresheet in the 11th minute with the assist, laying off a ball from Georgios Koutsias onto the path of an onrushing Haile-Selassie. Shaqiri’s fellow countryman didn’t think twice about sending the ball into the goal for the fourth time this season.Â
In the 34th minute, it was Shaqiri’s turn to score with a work of art. The Fire earned a free kick on the right side about 25 yards out. Gutiérrez ran over the ball and Shaqiri passed it to Haile-Selassie at the top of the 18-yard box. Haile-Selassie laid it back off onto Shaqiri’s path, and the Swiss maestro curled a long-range effort into the upper right corner. It was Shaqiri’s third goal of the season for the Fire.
The Fire will continue their homestand with the final of three consecutive home matches, facing off against Toronto FC at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, July 15 at Soldier Field. During Saturday’’s match, fans will go back in time to an era of big hair, bright colors, and bold fashion when the Fire host 80's Night. The match will be broadcast on Apple TV+, transmitted locally in English on 890 WLS-AM and in Spanish on TUDN 1200 AM.
