Chicago Fire FC opened their path through Leagues Cup 2023 with a 3-2 come-from-behind road victory against Minnesota United on Thursday night at Allianz Field to earn the Club’s first three points of the tournament.
Chicago currently leads the Central 2 standings having tied Minnesota United with three points but with one less game played.
Minnesota pressured from the outset but Spencer Richey was up to the task, making two key saves in the first half to keep the score at zero. The Loons broke through in the 62nd minute when Pukki passed the ball from the left side of the box to Hassan Dotson, who in turn laid it further right for Bongokuhle Hlongwane who sent it into the net.
Chicago responded in the 69th minute with a finely executed penalty kick by Xherdan Shaqiri just three minutes after entering the match. Midfielder Brian Gutiérrez was taken down in the box and the Swiss international took the kick from the spot, sending a blast into the lower left corner.
Hlongwane added a second goal for Minnesota in the 73rd minute but Chicago responded with a goal from defender Arnaud Souquet. Shaqiri collected a ball on the left flank that he passed off to Miguel Navarro, who sent a low ball across the goalmouth. The ball traveled across the entire box, where Minnesota goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair managed to get a touch on it, redirecting it slightly onto the path of an on-rushing Arnaud Souquet who sent it into the net from the right side of the 18-yard-box.
Kamara opened his Leagues Cup scoring account in the 83rd minute. The play began on the right side with Souquet passing the ball to Shaqiri, who saw Mauricio Pineda further inside. Pineda lofted the ball into the box for Kamara to strike with his head, powering it past St. Clair.
Richey came up with one last major save in the 90+3rd minute when the ball fell to Kervin Arriaga on the right side of the box. Arriaga looked up and blasted it to the near post, but Richey had been following the play and reacted well with a dive to his left to make the stop.
NEXT MATCH: The Fire returns to Chicago to host Puebla in the second and final group Central 2 match of Leagues Cup 2023 at 7:30 p.m. CT at SeatGeek Stadium on Monday, July 31. The match will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+.
Social: Twitter - @chicagofire, @vamosfire (Hashtags: #CF97 #VamosFire) | Instagram - @chicagofire | Facebook
Notes:
- Ivorian midfielder Ousmane Doumbia made his Chicago Fire FC debut when he entered the match in the 66th minute for midfielder Fabian Herbers.
- Kamara scored his sixth goal of the season across all competitions for the Fire, and his third game-winner of the season.
- Defender Miguel Navarro registered an assist for the second-straight game, having also set up Kacper Przybyłko for the game-winner against Toronto FC on July 15 at Soldier Field.
- Goalkeeper Spencer Richey returned to the net to start for the eight time across all competitions this season, including four MLS regular season matches and three 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup games.
- Defender Wyatt Omsberg (left lower leg), midfielders Javier Casas Jr. (right upper arm), Chris Mueller (right upper leg) and Federico Navarro (right lower leg) were available for tonight’s match.
- Midfielder Arnaud Souquet tallied his second goal across all competitions with his second half equalizer.
- Chicago Fire FC moves to 9-0-3 across all competitions when leading past the 75th minute. They are currently 5-0-3 in league play, were 3-0-0 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament, and move to 1-0-0 in Leagues Cup play when leading past the 75th.
- Tonight’s victory marked Chicago’s first comeback victory of the 2023 campaign across all competitions, marking their first win when trailing past the 75th minute of play.
- With the win, Chicago claims their first road victory against Minnesota in franchise history across all competitions, and picks up their second victory over the Western Conference side this season. (2-1 victory over Minnesota on April 8 at Soldier Field)
- Minnesota is the second team the Fire has claimed multiple victories over this season. Previously defeating the Loons in regular season play. The Fire have also accomplished the same feat over St. Louis CITY SC earlier this season.
- Chicago moves to 7-1-0 against Western Conference opponents this season across all competitions, with the Fire boasting a perfect 4-0-0 record against Western sides in league play.
Box Score:
Minnesota United 2:3 Chicago Fire FC
Goals:
MIN - Hlongwane (Dotson) (WATCH) 62’
CHI - Shaqiri (Penalty) (WATCH) 70’
MIN - Hlongwane (WATCH) 73’
CHI - Souquet (M. Navarro) (WATCH) 79’
CHI - Kamara (Pineda) (WATCH) 83’
Discipline:
MIN - Tapias (Yellow Card) 45+2’
CHI - Herbers (Yellow Card) 58’
MIN - Arriaga (Yellow Card) 58’
CHI - Giménez (Yellow Card) 72’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Richey, D Souquet, D Terán, D Czichos (capt.), D M. Navarro, M Herbers (Doumbia, 65’), M Giménez (Pineda, 74’), M Haile-Selassie, M Gutiérrez (Koutsias, 77’), M Torres (Shaqiri, 66’), F Przybyłko (Kamara, 66’)
Subs not used: GK Brady, GK Gal, D Aceves, D Burks, D Dean, M Monis, F Rodríguez
Minnesota United: GK St. Clair, D Valentin, D Tapias, D Taylor (García, 88’), D Dibassy, M Reynoso, M Trapp (capt.), M Dotson, M Arriaga, F Hlongwane, F Pukki (Fragapane, 70’)
Subs not used: GK Irwin, GK Dick, D Padelford, M Marques, M Rosales, D Kallman, F Dunbar, M Iwe
Stats Summary: MIN / CHI
Shots: 16 / 10
Shots on Goal: 5 / 4
Saves: 1 / 3
Passing Accuracy: 84.7% / 88.7%
Corners: 3 / 4
Fouls: 16 / 11
Offsides: 0 / 0
Possession: 45.3% / 54.7%
Attendance: 18,419
Referee: Nima Saghafi
Assistant Referees: Jeremy Kieso, Kedlee Powell
Fourth Official: Okeito Nicholson
VAR: Benjamin Whitty, Erick Miranda
Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Frank Klopas
On the team’s resilience in earning another win…
“I mean, I think for me the team again tonight showed a lot of character. We had a slow start a little bit in the game but then I think we picked up in the second half but even falling behind and against a really good team, difficult place, we stayed in the match. We found ways to score three goals on the road. That's massive.
The guys that came in really had a big impact in this game. I think staying grounded is always the focus. I think this is another big win for us and we have to enjoy the moment. Obviously, the guys deserve a lot of credit. And then, like I always said, we have to stay grounded. We still have a long way to go. And I think it's important that we continue to play well as a team and improve and get better with every match. It was great today that we were able to get minutes to guys like Jairo (Torres) and Carlos Terán, that has been out. But also a guy like (Ousmane) Doumbia now integrating into the team and you can see his quality and what kind of impactful player (he is) and how he's going to help this team. It was huge. And then you know, the guys that came in brought a lot of energy and had a big impact in the game.
So I think we enjoy this moment. And, you know, and then we're back on the drawing board tomorrow. And, for us, we know what the goals are in the end. That's where we need to be and it's continuing to work extremely hard. We cannot think that we've achieved anything yet.”
On the strong play of wingbacks Arnaud Souquet and Miguel Navarro…
“Yeah, I think they're both guys that are comfortable getting forward. Technically they’re very sound. I think it's an asset on both sides that they have the ability now to make those really good runs from deep, good service in the box, good decision-making and picking the right moments and finding the right balance. You know, when Souquet goes, then Miguel’s role kind of changes a little bit, but I think when they get in good spots, I think their ability now to continue to provide good service in the box, finish off plays like Souquet, that's great, because it's really hard to watch players that come from the deep positions, especially when they have the ability to make those great runs from deep. Those are the kind of things that are both strengths of those players, especially when you have big target guys in the box. We have guys that you can play to feed but also are very dangerous on crosses and I think they’re key guys to our team.”
On the performance of forward Kei Kamara…
“Yeah, I mean, he came in, you know, Kei’s an experienced player and I think when he's on the field we really have to try to play to his strength. He's a killer in the box and if you provide good service, he's a big threat. He's not easy to mark. You know, he's got great ability in the box with his movement, but also if we give a good delivery, you know, he becomes really dangerous. And I tell him very often I think sometimes you see him drifting out wide in areas because he wants to help in other ways, but I think he's most dangerous and most beneficial to our team when he stays centrally where he's a reference point for us. And then when we get a ball in good areas out wide, especially with the players that we have with (Arnaud) Souquet that we talked about earlier and Miguel Navarro, they have really good quality and good delivery. So you know, when he stays centrally, he's definitely a big threat. We just have to continue to provide service for him. So, you know, I think that whether he scores or not, I think the important thing is that he finds ways to be impactful and help the team and that's that's the key.”
Chicago Fire FC Goalkeeper Spencer Richey
On tonight's win…
“It was a big win to come back. Down 2-1, says a lot about the guys in that locker room, the resilience we have as a team. It wasn't our best game tonight but that's what successful teams do is you find ways to win games, when you know, maybe you don't have your best stuff that night, and we did that tonight.”
On the team’s mentality of being down early in the second half…
“For sure, it's just such a different team. It feels like at times last year, maybe when we gave up that one goal, you know, it would have slipped away from us.
But I think it says a lot about the group, not just to come back once, but to come back twice and then to take the lead with the third goal. It's a resilient group and guys like playing with each other. Guys like fighting for each other and that showed tonight.”
On the heading into the next Leagues Cup match versus Puebla…
“Yeah, it's a quick turnaround. So we'll be in tomorrow, probably half the group will be doing a little regen recovery day and half the field group will get out on the field and train a little bit. It's a quick turnaround and Saturday we'll start to get into Puebla and how that's going to look.”
On the Club’s start in the Leagues Cup 2023 tournament…
“It's been fun. Obviously tonight was an MLS v. MLS matchup. We didn't get that sort of intraleague feel but we'll certainly get that Monday.
It's been fun to watch some of the other games from around the tournament. When we are always playing on Saturday night in League play we don't always get to watch other games around the League.
So it's been fun to tune in, obviously with Messi being involved, that's been fun to watch, and you know, it's just a fun tournament.”