RECAP: Chicago Fire Hold Strong to Defeat Toronto FC 2-1
Chicago Fire Football Club is on the rise. The team secured a second win of the MLS season on Saturday afternoon, defeating Toronto FC 2-1 at BMO Field.
It was a well-rounded performance from a side that has historically struggled to win on the road.
After mounting a comeback to defeat FC Dallas last week despite a lengthy injury list, the Fire again came into matchday shorthanded. Philip Zinckernagel and Maren-Haile Selassie returned to the squad, but several key players remained out of the fray.
Despite the crisis, the Men in Red played a tactically flawless game and came away with the victory.
A Topsy-Turvy First Half
Toronto dominated the early proceedings and took the lead 11 minutes in through Deandre Kerr. It was the striker who rose highest to meet a perfectly weighted cross from Federico Bernardeschi with a fine-headed finish. After Fire right-back Jonathan Dean was forced off with an injury, the match seemed to be a catastrophe in the offing.
PHOTO: John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images
The tide began to turn midway through the first half. Chicago started venturing into the final third with increased frequency, producing their first opportunities of the afternoon. In the 27th minute, Sergio Oregel, Jr. took a first-time shot from the edge of the box that ricocheted off the inside of the post. Toronto goalkeeper Sean Johnson got a finger to the ball just in the nick of time.
Two minutes later, Andrew Gutman made it 1-1 with his second goal in as many matches. Jonathan Bamba won possession inside Toronto’s half with a tackle on Bernardeschi. The ball trickled to Gutman, who took two touches before sending a powerful low-footed finish into the far corner of the goal.
Now, all of a sudden, Chicago had taken over the game. Leonardo Barroso, who replaced the injured Dean, looked like a constant threat down the right wing, as did Zinckernagel. Brian Gutierrez forced a fine save from Johnson with a well-taken free kick in the 43rd minute.
In the 45th minute, the Fire completed the first-half comeback. Hugo Cuypers played in Barroso, who cut the ball back to the striker in the danger area. Cuypers somehow bundled the ball into the back of the net. The goal was the Belgian’s fourth of the season. Barroso, meanwhile, notched the first assist of his young career.
Fire Hold Strong in Second Half
Toronto went on the hunt for an equalizer in the second half. The Fire’s backline was engaged far more than in the opening 45 minutes of the half, as Jack Elliott and Gutman both produced impressive tackles. Chris Brady became heavily involved as well, steady as ever.
The Fire had a major opportunity to make it 3-1 at the 63-minute mark. Oregel delivered a magnificent line-breaking aerial pass from well inside Chicago’s half that left Cuypers in a one-on-one situation with Johnson. The striker pulled his finish wide of the mark, keeping Toronto alive.
Controversy ensued in the 71st minute. Cuypers thought he’d secured his brace when he met a curling Gutierrez corner kick at the back post and headed the ball home. After a short VAR deliberation, the referee ruled that substitute Haile-Selassie had fouled Johnson and reversed the decision.
Luckily, the Chicago defense was up to the task of protecting the lead. Toronto couldn’t break down the Fire’s compact defensive setup, and the result never felt in doubt for the visitors. A scoreless second half meant that Chicago came away with a 2-1 victory and back-to-back away wins in MLS.
Berhalter’s Tactics Are Coming to Life
The Men in Red are quickly adjusting to new manager Gregg Berhalter’s vision for the team.
There were tactical inaccuracies in previous matches, but the squad seems to be gelling and getting better each week, particularly on the defensive end.
The win over Toronto was certainly the defense’s finest showing so far.
“I think we’re improving, and that’s good to see,” Berhalter said following the match.
“The center-back pairing is getting much more comfortable with each other, and individual performances of the back line are improving every game. Despite the impressive result, Berhalter is ever the realist. We have to take it and keep moving forward because we’re not there yet,” says the coach.
In this case, forward is another trip to Canada, this time to the west of the country. MLS’ best-performing side this season, the Vancouver Whitecaps, awaits the Fire next week.
With four wins from four games so far, the Whitecaps will be Chicago’s toughest test since Berhalter took over.
If there ever was a time to believe in a Fire win on the road, it’s now.
The Men in Red will look to make it a third-straight-away victory next week, a feat that recently sounded like an unattainable dream.
PHOTO: John E. Sokolowski/Imagn Images
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