Chicago opened the scoring in the 15th minute, capitalizing off a mistake from Montreal goalkeeper Clément Diop. Fire midfielder Djordje Mihailović intercepted a pass from Diop and immediately played the ball to forward Robert Berić. Berić took one touch, turned around and fired a right-footed shot that beat Diop to the far post (WATCH).
Montreal equalized seven minutes later when midfielder Bojan cut inside and struck the ball on frame, requiring a save from Fire goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth. After the initial shot was blocked, Finnish midfielder Lassi Lappalainen was able to slot home the rebound to make it 1-1 (WATCH).
Montreal took the lead in the 67th minute when defender Zachary Brault-Guillard took a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that deflected off Fire defender Miguel Navarro and fell to a streaking Maximiliano Urruti. The Argentinian forward redirected the ball into the bottom left corner of the net (WATCH).
The Impact were only able to hold the lead for six minutes as the Fire scored the game-tying goal in the 73rd minute. After Montreal was able to clear the ball from a Fire corner kick, Chicago regrouped as Ignacio Aliseda switched the ball across the field to Alvaro Medrán. The midfielder delivered a cross inside the six-yard box that was tipped and found its way to the head of Fire captain Francisco Calvo. The defender calmly headed it in for his first goal of the season (WATCH).
Shuttleworth finished the match with six saves, including a diving fingertip save in the 85th minute to lock in a point on the road (WATCH). The Fire won the possession battle 55-45 tonight.
Next on the schedule: Chicago Fire FC will travel to Kansas City on October 7 to play Sporting KC in their second consecutive road match. The match will take place at Children’s Mercy Park and is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. CT. It will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and transmitted locally in Spanish on 105.1 WOJO-HD2. The pregame show, presented by CIBC, will begin at 7:15 p.m. CT on ESPN+. Note: The game will not air on WGN-TV as Channel 9 will be airing the Vice Presidential debate that night.
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Notes:
- Berić scored in his fifth-straight match and leads the team with seven goals on the season. The five game goal streak is tied for the longest in Club history (David Accam, 2017).
- Calvo notched his first goal of the season and eighth of his MLS career as he was named the Heineken Man of the Match. The Fire announced yesterday that the Club exercised the contract option for the team captain for the 2021 season.
- Defender Johan Kappelhof returned from injury tonight, playing his first game since a 1-1 tie at New England Revolution on March 7. He subbed on in the 87th minute. Kappelhof started and played 90 minutes in the first two games of the season (at Seattle and at New England).
- The Fire controlled 54.5% of the possession in the match.
- The Fire have scored first in three consecutive matches (HOU, ATL, MTL).
- As a player, Fire Head Coach Raphael Wicky played against Impact Head Coach Thierry Henry in the opening match of group play at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Wicky and Switzerland took on Henry and France in a 0-0 draw. That game took place June 13, 2006.
- Gastón Giménez (Paraguay) and Miguel Navarro (Venezuela) have been called up to national team duty for a pair of CONMEBOL 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. The Fire teammates will face each other on Tuesday, Oct. 13, when Paraguay travels to face Venezuela at 5:00 p.m. CT at Metropolitano de Merida Stadium in Merida, Venezuela.
- Game highlights can be viewed here and here.
- Every Fire broadcast starts with an original feature, The Open. Tonight’s version, “My First Love,” featured WGN-TV sports anchor Jarrett Payton. You can watch it here.
Goals:
CHI - Robert Berić 15th minute (WATCH)
MTL - Lassi Lappalainen 22nd minute (WATCH)
MTL - Maximiliano Urruti 67th minute (WATCH)
CHI - Francisco Calvo 73rd minute (WATCH)
Box Score:
Montreal Impact 2:2 Chicago Fire FC
Scoring Summary:
CHI - Berić (7) (Mihailović 4) 15’
MTL - Lappalainen (3) 22’
MTL - Urruti (4) (Brault-Guillard 2) 67’
CHI - Calvo (1) (Medrán 4) 73’
Misconduct Summary:
MTL - Brault-Guillard (Caution) 75’
MTL - Piette (Caution) 79’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Shuttleworth, D Sekulić (D Kappelhof 87’), D Pineda, D Calvo ©, D Navarro (D Bornstein 72’), M Mihailović (F Collier 73’), M Giménez, M Medrán, M Aliseda, F Herbers (F Sapong 72’), F Berić (D Bronico 87’)
Subs not used: M Azira, D Omsberg, D Reynolds II, GK Sparrow
Montreal Impact: GK Diop, D Camacho, D Fanni, D Brault-Guillard, D Raitala ©, M Wanyama, M Piette, M Shome (M Bayiha 86’), M Bojan, M Lappalainen, F Urruti (M Sejdic 86’)
Subs not used: D Waterman, D Yao, M Giraldo Ortiz, GK Sirois, GK Pantemis
Stats Summary: MTL / CHI
Shots: 12 /11
Shots on Target: 8 / 3
Saves: 1 / 6
Corners: 6 / 7
Fouls: 7 / 10
Offsides: 1 / 3
Possession 45.5% / 54.5%
Referee: Guido Gonzales, Jr.
Assistant Referees: Adam Garner, Adam Wienckowski
Fourth Official: Kevin Broadley
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
Chicago Fire FC Quotes
Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Raphael Wicky
On the importance of the team battling back and earning a point against Montreal…
“It's never easy on the road. You all know that. It's never easy when you get, out of nothing, get a goal like this and then there was a really good reaction of the team. I think in general they pushed well. We pushed, could have gone both sides, but at the end of the day we take the point. But it was a good reaction, which is important.”
On Robert Berić's form and what it means to the team to have a person in that kind of goal-scoring form…
“That's what every team needs, right? A guy who scores, who knows where the goal is. And we knew that when we brought Robert in. I think it wasn't an easy year overall for everyone, for sure not for him as well. He had a little bit of a dry period. But I think it's important that you always keep believing and always keep working. And he's a striker who has proven goal-scoring records over the years. They know where the goal is. If they have a little dry period, they don't have to doubt. It's important to work, keep working. And yeah, I'm very happy for him and I'm happy for the team.”
On how he rates Francisco Calvo’s performance against Montreal…
“Yeah, I mean, I have to see the game again and see the details, but overall the feeling I have now from him, and I also told him that on the way back in, is that this is what I want. I want you to be that solid defender, that defender who wins these challenges, who steps in front players, who win the headers. And I think he has done a good job in that. Then obviously, I have to look at certain details he can probably do better, but I think that was a strong performance with the ball. Like I told him as well, keep it simple with the ball. I think there is just one or two moments where he can improve, but I think that was, again, that was a step in the right direction for him and I'm happy with his performance.”
Chicago Fire FC Forward Robert Berić
On dealing with the upcoming quantity of games, both physically and mentally…
“I mean, like you said, it's going to be challenging. We have to be professionals. We have to be able to take care of our bodies. We have to make a good regeneration after every game, have a good sleep, rest at home, and going from game to game to try to be in the best shape.”
On keeping his confidence when he wasn’t scoring to now have scored in five consecutive games…
“I mean, it's always nice to score a goal, but I always say, it's even nicer to win, you know? So I mean, when I’m scoring goals it’s the work of the whole team, so I'm thankful for that, that the team is helping me, that I'm helping the team. So we just have to try to keep winning and being good, having a good energy for every next game that's coming.”
On whether he has done anything differently to now be on a scoring streak…
“As I say, I think, well, we as a team, we progress. We feel each other much more on the pitch. I think we get to know, get to slowly know each other more. And then I also know what to expect in the moments on the pitch, what kind of ball, where to move. So I think it's the progress of the whole team and as you can see also how we play, I think we are making progress from game to game and I think this is the main reason.”
Chicago Fire FC Defender Francisco Calvo
On the Chicago Fire picking up his contract option for another year and his impact on the team both on and off the field…
“Well, to start with the option that they give me for one more year, I'm just really happy, really happy, really excited to be back next year with the team. The Chicago Fire, since I came here, they opened the doors like I'm part of the family. So this club shows that it’s family, just like everything is together, everything is getting better and better. I'm really happy to be part of this amazing club.”
“I think I just try to do my best every time I step on the field. Outside of the field, I just try to push my teammates, try to keep the team always together and just fight for our goals. But first of all, it's to get to playoffs and then we'll see what happens.”
On the importance of earning a point against Montreal knowing there is a tough upcoming trip against Sporting Kansas City…
“It's important. It's important always when you get on the road (to get a point). It's not easy to travel. You don't have too much time to rest. It's not easy to get points on the road. But when you get one, it's good. It's good. I mean, we're taking some good points at home, but when we travel we need to stay compact, try to play our football. We had a couple of chances that we could win the game. But football is how it is, and now we need to rest and go to Kansas.”
On his goal…
“It was a corner kick and then the play just kept going and then I just stayed in the area. And then it was a good cross, the keeper touched the ball and I got a header. Actually, I thought it was going out in the beginning, but then thank God it just got in and then we could tie the game.”
On how head coach Raphael Wicky has helped him with his game…
“I mean, about Rapha I just have amazing words for him because, first of all, he's a fantastic person. He's an incredible coach, and he just wants me to improve, I mean, to get better day by day. He pushes me because he knows that I have a lot of things to give personally and to the team. So I just appreciate every word, every push he gives me, even if he screams at me, I really appreciate that. So I just have a lot of respect for him and I think together we can do a lot of good things for this club.”