CHICAGO (April 19, 2025) – Chicago Fire FC (3-3-3, 12 points) dropped its first home match of the season 3-2 against FC Cincinnati (6-2-1, 19 points) on Saturday evening at Soldier Field. Hugo Cuypers tallied his sixth goal of the year, while Brian Gutiérrez added his third of the season late in the match.
With over 60 percent of possession in the opening half, Chicago took the initiative early looking for an opener. Cincinnati dropped back and exploited the Fire’s high line in the ninth minute, when Sergio Santos got on the end of a pass and initiated a counter that found Evander. The Brazilian midfielder shot from outside the box, and a deflection flicked it over Chris Brady for the opening tally.
The Fire sought an equalizer immediately and would get it just past the half hour ball. After getting the ball in his own half, Jonathan Bamba shook off a defender on the left before hitting a perfectly placed through ball to Cuypers. The Belgian forward took a touch in the box before hitting a left-footed shot under the glove of Roman Celentano for his sixth of the year.
Cincinnati pressed as the half drew to a close, and Sergio Santos’ pressure paid off as he dispossessed a Fire defender near the corner flag. He spotted a wide-open Kévin Denkey in the box, who hit a clean shot to give the lead back to the visitors in the 42nd minute.
The visitors held on to more of the ball in the second half, making the possession count in the 72nd minute. Luca Orellano recovered a ball in the midfield, driving toward goal before laying off to Evander, who snuck a shot under the legs of Brady for his second of the match and sixth of the season.
Down two goals, Chicago struck five minutes before the end of regulation time. Cuypers found an open pocket of space on the left wing, dribbling into the box before a defender poked the ball away. A trailing Andrew Gutman recovered the rebound, but was taken down in the box for the penalty kick. Gutiérrez stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way for the goal. But the effort was not enough, and Chicgo dropped a match for the first time at home in 2025.
NEXT MATCH: Chicago heads south to take on Nashville SC on Saturday, April 26 at GEODIS Park. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT and the match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, and transmitted locally on wlsam.com (English), and Que Buena 105.1 via the Uforia app (Spanish).
Notes:
- Hugo Cuypers’ sixth goal of the season would briefly tie him for the top of the league in goals scored. Philadelphia’s Tai Baribo would score shortly thereafter to remain atop the Golden Boot standings, while Evander’s brace would have him tied with Cuypers for second.
- Jonathan Bamba added his fifth assist of the season, placing him second in the league in the category behind Charlotte’s Pep Biel.
- Brian Gutiérrez scored his third of the season, his first since the season opening match at Columbus Crew on February 22. His 13th goal all-time has him third in goals scored for the Fire among all Homegrown players behind Djordje Mihailovic (20) and Harry Shipp (22).
- After a one-match absence, defender Sam Rogers returned to the field in place of Carlos Terán in the 21st minute, remaining on the field for the entirety of his seventh match this season.
- Chicago repeated a starting XI for the second time in 2025 on Saturday, with the same lineup from last Sunday’s draw against Inter Miami CF taking the field tonight. The Fire last did this on March 29 against CF Montréal, after featuring the same XI a week prior in Vancouver.
- Defenders Leonardo Barroso (Lower Body) and Chase Gasper (Lower Body), and midfielders Rominigue Kouamé (Lower Body), David Poreba (Lower Body) and Chris Mueller (Not Due to Injury) were not available for selection tonight.
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Box Score:
Chicago Fire FC 2:3 FC Cincinnati
Goals:
CIN - Evander (5) (WATCH) 9’
CHI - Cuypers (6) (Bamba 5) (WATCH) 31’
CIN - Denkey (4) (Santos 2) (WATCH) 42’
CIN - Evander (6) (WATCH) 72’
CHI - Gutiérrez (3) (Penalty) (WATCH) 85’
Discipline:
CIN - Denkey (Yellow Card) 43’
CHI - Acosta (Yellow Card) 89’
CIN - Celentano (Yellow Card) 90+5’
CIN - Orellano (Yellow Card) 90+6’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Glasgow, D Terán (Rogers, 21’), D Elliott (capt.), D Gutman, M Oregel, Jr. (Haile-Selassie, 64’), M Pineda (D’Avilla, 64’), M Gutiérrez, F Zinckernagel (Acosta, 70’), F Cuypers, F Bamba
Subs not used: GK Gal, D Dean, D González, D Reynolds, F Barlow
FC Cincinnati: GK Celentano, D Yedlin (Powell, 86’), D Miazga (capt.) (Flores, 46’), D Robinson, D Hagglund, D Engel, M Bucha, M Anunga, M Evander (Valenzuela, 80’), F Denkey (Baird, 86’), F Santos (Orellano, 54’)
Subs not used: GK Louro, D Smith, M Jimenez, F Chirila
Stats Summary: CHI / CIN
Shots: 20 / 11
Shots on Goal: 4 / 7
Saves: 4 / 2
Passing Accuracy: 86.2% / 80.9%
Corners: 6 / 1
Fouls: 13 / 11
Offsides: 0 / 2
Possession: 56.2% / 43.8%
Attendance: 17,732
Referee: Lorenzo Hernandez
Assistant Referees: Andrew Bigelow, Nick Balcer
Fourth Official: Ricardo Montero Araya
VAR: Sorin Stoica
AVAR: Corbyn May
