MIAMI (Feb. 26, 2022) – Chicago Fire FC (0-0-1, 1 point) opened its 2022 MLS regular season with a 0-0 draw against Inter Miami CF (0-0-1, 1 point) at DRV PNK Stadium on Saturday night. Goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina made four saves to keep his fifth career clean sheet for the Club.
The Fire outshot Miami 10-5 in the first half, including the best chance by either team when midfielder Stanislav Ivanov rattled the far post with a shot in the 31st minute. Chicago nearly grabbed one right before halftime when Designated Player Xherdan Shaqiri slipped in a ball behind the backline to Ivanov, whose attempt required a kick save by Miami goalkeeper Clément Diop.
The two teams exchanged chances late in the second half. In the 85th minute, Chicago second-half substitute and debutant Jhon Durán picked up a ball from 25-yards out and struck a shot with his left foot that touched the post and went out of bounds for a Miami goal kick. Two minutes later, Miami was on the attack when Ariel Lassiter unleashed a left-footed shot to the near post that forced Slonina to make his biggest save of the night when he dove to his left and parried it wide of the net.
NEXT GAME: The Chicago Fire will host Orlando City SC in the Club’s home opener on Saturday, March 5 at 5:00 p.m. CT, marking the earliest home opener in Club history. The match will air on WGN-TV, CF97 Live and transmitted in Spanish on TUDN Radio 1200 AM. Prior to kickoff, WGN-TV will air “No Little Plans,” a production by Fire’s in-house agency Second Star Creative. A behind-the-scenes look at the first team, chronicling the new faces and storylines for this season, the episode will begin at 4:30 p.m. CT, 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Tickets for the home opener are currently available for purchase here .
Notes:
- Saturday’s match marked head coach Ezra Hendrickson’s first game in charge of the Chicago Fire.
- The Fire’s 20-man roster featured six newcomers to the roster, including Designated Player and two-time UEFA Champions League winner Xherdan Shaqiri, who made his MLS and Fire debut this evening.
- Shaqiri started the match and played the entire 90 minutes. He led the team in key passes (5) and was named Heineken Man of the Match for his performance.
- Two additional new signings joined Shaqiri in the starting lineup, with MLS veteran Kacper Przybyłko starting up top and former Bundesliga center back Rafael Czichos leading the backline.
- In his debut for the Club, Czichos donned the captain’s armband after being named team captain by Hendrickson.
- Ten players on the Fire’s matchday roster were aged 23 or younger. Three of those players were named to Hendrickson’s starting lineup, including 17-year old goalkeeper Gaga Slonina, 23-year-old defender Miguel Navarro and 22-year-old winger Stanislav Ivanov.
- The 2022 campaign marks the first time Slonina has begun the season as the Club’s starting goalkeeper. The 17-year-old Chicago native, who signed with the Club at 14 years of age, made 11 appearances down the stretch in 2021, tallying four clean sheets.
- Jhon Durán, the youngest international signing in MLS history, made his debut for the Fire as a substitute in the 80th minute. The Colombian was announced on Jan. 11, 2021, with the move going into effect this season after Durán turned 18 years of age.
- The match marked the third all-time meeting between the Fire and Inter Miami, with the two teams now splitting a 1-1-1 record.
Box Score:
Inter Miami CF 0:0 Chicago Fire FC
Discipline:
IMCF - Yedlin (Yellow Card) 53’
IMCF - Lowe (Yellow Card) 74’
IMCF - Quinteros (Yellow Card) 77’
CHI - Durán (Yellow Card) 87’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Slonina, D Sekulić, D Czichos ©, D Omsberg, D M. Navarro, M Gimenez (F. Navarro 70’), M Pineda, M Herbers (Durán 80’), M Shaqiri, M Ivanov (Gutiérrez 80’), F Przybyłko
Subs not used: GK Richey, D Burks, D Bornstein, D Espinoza, M Casas Jr., F Offor
Inter Miami CF: GK Diop, D Yedlin, D McVey, D Mota, D Campana (F Lassiter 66’), D Quinteros, D Lowe, D Allen (Shea 78’), M Adams (Taylor 66’), M Silva ©, F Higuaín
Subs not used: GK Callender, D Mabika, M Rodríguez, M Acosta
Stats Summary: IMCF / CHI
Shots: 17 / 16
Shots on Goal: 3 / 3
Passing Accuracy: 75.1% / 82.4%
Saves: 3 / 4
Corners: 5 / 4
Fouls: 20 / 8
Offsides: 2 / 3
Possession: 40.8% / 59.2%
Attendance: 15,973
Referee: Lukasz Szpala
Assistant Referees: Brian Dunn, Charles Morgante
Fourth Official: Elvis Osmanovic
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic, Kevin Klinger
