CHICAGO(Oct. 24, 2020) - Chicago Fire FC (5-8-6, 21 points) extended their home unbeaten streak to six games, earning a point in a 2-2 draw versus New York Red Bulls (7-8-5, 26 points) on Saturday night at Soldier Field. Chicago is fighting to make the MLS Cup Playoffs and currently sit eleventh in the Eastern Conference standings, tied with tenth-place Inter Miami CF (6-11-3, 21 points) with a game in hand.
Chicago’s best chance of the first half came in the 25th minute. Forward Robert Berić delivered a pass from the middle of the field that was misplayed by French defender Jason Pendant. Midfielder Przemysław Frankowski took advantage of the mistake, beating his defender and just missing a left-footed shot to the lower left corner.
The Red Bulls scored the game’s opening goal in the 39th minute. Defender Kyle Duncan received the ball from midfielder Jared Stroud, took a touch, cut back and curled a left-footed shot past Chicago goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth to slot home his third goal of the year.
The Fire found the equalizer in the 51st minute, as they put together a beautiful team goal. Midfielder Álvaro Medrán switched the ball to Frankowski who headed the ball down to defender Boris Sekulić. The Serbian delivered a first-time ball on frame that ended up at the feet of Berić, who settled the ball down and buried his team-leading ninth goal of the season. Berić is tied for third in league scoring (LAFC’s Rossi 12, Crew SC’s Zardes 11).
Chicago would take the lead in the 72nd minute when Frankowski was able to connect on his first goal of the season. Midfielder Ignacio Aliseda played a ball out wide to Berić and the Slovenian delivered a cross to a diving Fabian Herbers. The German’s header eventually hit the crossbar after an initial save by Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara. The ball fell to Frankowski who was able to poke the ball into the net.
New York scored the equalizer in second half stoppage time. After a shot from 30-yards out by Marc Rzatkowski deflected off of Fire defender Mauricio Pineda, a header was saved by Shuttleworth. The rebound was pinballed around the six-yard box. An initial touch on the goalline by Red Bulls forward Tom Barlow was stopped by Sekulić but forward Brian White tapped it in to secure a 2-2 draw.
Next on the schedule: Chicago Fire FC will travel to Philadelphia on Wednesday, October 28 to play the Union. The match will take place at Subaru Park and is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. CT. It will be broadcast live on WGN-TV and ESPN+ and transmitted locally in Spanish on TUDN 1200AM. The pregame show, presented by CIBC, will begin at 6:15 p.m. CT on WGN and ESPN+.
Notes:
- Chicago controlled 55% of the possession and outshot the Red Bulls 17-9.
- Chicago remains unbeaten at Soldier Field in the last six matches (3-0-3).
- Chicago is now 4-1-3 since returning to the lakefront at historic Soldier Field.
- Since playing its first match at Soldier Field on Aug. 25, the Fire have scored 18 goals at home, which ranks as the third-most in the league. Only Seattle Sounders FC (20) and LAFC (19) have scored more home goals during that stretch.
- Berić scored his team-leading ninth goal of the 2020 season, which is currently tied for the third-highest total in MLS.
- Frankowski notched his first goal of the season and the sixth of his MLS career. The Polish international earned Heineken Man of the Match honors for his performance.
- Sekulić earned his second assist of the season. Sekulić is the sixth different Chicago Fire player to assist on at least one of Robert Berić’s goals this season.
- Defender Jonathan Bornstein earned his 150th regular season appearance of his MLS career, dating back to the 2006 season with Chivas USA.
- Defender Miguel Navarro returned to the field for Chicago as a sub in the 80th minute. The Venezuelan international returned from his call-up to the Venezuala National Team for a pair of CONMEBOL 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. Navarro last suited up for Chicago on Oct. 3 in a 2-2 tie on the road against Montreal Impact at Red Bull Arena.
- Fire Head Coach Raphael Wicky and Red Bulls Interim Head Coach Bradley Carnell played against one another in the German Bundesliga from 1998-99 through 2004-05.
- The Chicago Fire Foundation, the charitable arm of the Chicago Fire, hosted the Club’s first-ever virtual fundraiser, “RAISE for P.L.A.Y.S.,” on tonight’s WGN-TV and ESPN+ broadcast. More information on “RAISE for P.L.A.Y.S.” can be found here.
- As the Nov. 3 election nears, the Fire debuted a ‘VOTE’ jersey patch to encourage fans to get out to vote in the upcoming election. The patch is part of the 2020 Stand for Chicago patch series in which the Fire sport custom-designed patches on the jocktag location of the team’s jerseys.
- Game highlights can be viewed here.
Goals:
- RBNY - Kyle Duncan (3) (Stroud 2) 39’
- CHI - Robert Berić (9) (Sekulić 2) 51’
- CHI - Przemysław Frankowski (1) 72’
- RBNY - Brian White (3) 90+2’
Box Score:
Chicago Fire FC 2:2 New York Red Bulls
Misconduct Summary:
- RBNY - Yearwood (Caution) 54’
- RBNY - Long (Caution) 79’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Shuttleworth, D Sekulić, D Bornstein, D Calvo ©, D Pineda, M Medrán, M Mihailović, M Aliseda, M Frankowski, F Herbers (D Navarro 80’), F Berić
Subs not used: GK Sparrow, M Azira, M Casas Jr., D N. Slonina, D Reynolds II, D Terán, M Gutiérrez, F Collier
New York Red Bulls: GK Meara, D Duncan, D Pendant, D Parker, D Long, M Stroud (M Rzatkowski 78’), M Yearwood (M Casseres Jr. 70’), M Valot, M Davis © (F White 78’), F Tetteh (M Clark 56’), F Barlow
Subs not used: GK Jensen, D Tarek, M Fernandez, D Egbo, M Royer
Stats Summary: CHI / RBNY
Shots: 17 / 9
Shots on Target: 6 / 4
Saves: 1 / 4
Corners: 3 / 3
Fouls: 18 / 21
Offsides: 4 / 3
Possession: 55.4% / 44.6%
Referee: Ismir Pekmic
Assistant Referees: Frank Anderson, Peter Manikowski
Fourth Official: Nima Saghafi
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
