With six matches left, things are getting tight for Sandro Schwarz and his men. Although they are currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and on the verge of clinching a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the fifteenth consecutive season, the urgency to pick up points to solidify their position took significant importance.
In the 31st minute, the Fire got on the scoreboard first after a defensive error by Noah Eile, who was trying to head the ball toward the offense but wound up going the opposite direction. Hugo Cuypers charged towards the net and took a shot. Although Carlos Coronel saved it, Tom Barlow tapped in the loose ball for his first goal of the season.
At the end of the first half, the Fire’s centrebacks did a great job blocking the middle of the pitch, preventing the Red Bulls from getting any good chances. The Red Bulls were held without a single shot on goal. Head Coach Sandro Schwarz was unhappy with his team’s performance and went into the tunnel to talk sternly with his players.
The second half began with Coach Schwarz changing his lineup, replacing Elias Manoel with Dante Vanzier and Dennis Gjengaar with Peter Stroud. The changes paid off just two minutes later as Dante Vanzier delivered a great pass across the box to Dennis Gjengaar, who did not miss from close range, leveling the match at one goal apiece.
Just as the Red Bulls received an instant impact with a substitution, the Fire did the same in the 76th minute. Giorgos Koustias headed the ball from close range after Kellyn Acosta delivered an excellent ball from a corner kick, helping his team retake the lead.
The win for the Chicago Fire was a massive one for a side looking to keep their season alive. Yet another opportunity to separate their rivals in the standings is wasted for the Red Bulls. While they lost the match, they didn’t lose any ground for the moment. They must now head home to pad their precious lead against Atlanta United FC, yet another desperate team looking to keep their season alive.
Starting Lineups:
Chicago Fire FC: Chris Brady, Arnaud Souquet, Carlos Teran, Wyatt Omsberg, Maren Halle-Selassie, Fabian Herbers (Federico Navarro ’80), Chris Mueller, Gaston Gimenez, Ariel Lassiter (Jonathan Dean 80′), Tom Barlow (31′)(Kellyn Acosta 72′), Hugo Cuypers
New York Red Bulls: Carlos Coronel, John Tolkin, Noah Eile, Andres Reyes (Cory Burke 88′), Dylan Nealis, Peter Stroud (Dennis Gjengaar 46′ (47′)), Daniel Edelman (Julian Hall 81′), Felipe Carballo, Cameron Harper (Serge Ngoma 73′), Elias Manoel (Dante Vanzier 46′), Lewis Morgan
Scoring Summary:
31′ – Chicago Fire FC – Tom Barlow, unassisted
47′ – New York Red Bulls – Dennis Gjengaar, assisted by Dante Vanzeir
75′ – Chicago Fire FC – Giorgios Koutsias, assisted by Kellyn Acosta
Disciplinary Summary:
14′ – Chicago Fire FC – Chris Mueller – Yellow Card
57′ = Chicago Fire FC – Ariel Lassiter – Yellow Card
87′ – Chicago Fire FC – Maren Haily-Selassie – Yellow Card
90′ – New York Red Bulls – Dante Vanzier – Yellow Card