Chicago Fire Academy Downs Montreal Impact, 4-2, to Advance to USSDA Title Game

And then there were two!
The Chicago Fire Academy U-18 team will play for the U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USSDA) national championship Saturday after knocking off No. 1-seeded Montreal Impact, 4-2, in extra time Thursday in Carson, Calif.
Twice in the second half the Fire (18-4-10) seized a one-goal lead only to have Montreal draw level shortly after, the second time in the game’s 87th-minute. But less than three minutes into extra time, a Fire free kick landed at the feet of Michael Jimenez, who placed his shot off the far post and in to give his time a 3-2 lead.

Chicago’s Djordje Mihailovic then netted his second of the night off a brilliant counterattack, and the Fire held on through the final whistle to earn a 4-2 victory and a berth in Saturday's USSDA championship game.
The Fire will now face Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy, which defeated San Jose Earthquakes Academy 2-0 in the other semifinal match. The title game will stream live via USSoccer.combeginning at 9:30 p.m. CT.
A fast and physical first half finished scoreless and gave way to a wide open second half, which the Fire capitalized on in the 61st minute. U.S. youth international Cameron Lindley found space on the right wing on a Fire counterattack and successfully beat his defender to the end line. He laid a pass across the box that was broken up by Montreal, but Lindley was there to bury the rebound and give the Men In Red a 1-0 lead.
READ: U-18 Players Take Ownership of Playoff Game Plans
The advantage was short-lived, however, with Montreal earning and converting a penalty kick when Fire goalkeeper Sawyer Jackman attempted to halt a breakaway near the top of the box.
Both teams created more quality scoring chances in the lead-up to Mihailovic’s first goal of the evening, a blast from 30-plus yards that took a slight deflection en route to soaring over the Montreal goalkeeper’s outstretched arms. Still, Montreal answered only five minutes later to send the game to extra time.
The Fire then struck twice out of the gates in the first half of extra time and goalkeeper Sawyer Jackman helped seal the victory with a diving penalty kick save in the game’s waning minutes.