CHICAGO (March 14, 2026) – Chicago Fire FC (1-2-1, 4 points) fell 2-1 against D.C. United (2-2-0, 6 points) on Saturday night at Soldier Field.
Forward Hugo Cuypers scored his third goal in as many matches prior to defender Viktor Radojević’s Major League Soccer debut in second half stoppage time.
Following a physical first half that ended without a goal conceded by the Fire for a fourth straight match, the referee awarded a penalty kick to Chicago following a handball in the box. Cuypers stepped up and finished cleanly to put the Fire in the lead.
The visitors answered quickly thereafter, however, as midfielder Matti Peltola collected a loose ball at the edge of the box and struck an equalizer in the 84th minute. The teams settled for a tense series of longballs late through the end of regulation until VAR called the referee over for a handball check in Chicago’s box, which gave D.C. a penalty kick that forward Tai Baribo scored to win the match,
NEXT MATCH: Chicago heads to the City of Brotherly Love to face off against the Philadelphia Union in a playoff rematch on Saturday, March 21. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. CT and the match will be broadcast globally on Apple TV and transmitted locally on wlsam.com, Uforia by TREBEL app and 106.7 FM HD2.
Notes:
- After missing the match in Columbus with a lower body injury, Hugo Cuypers started and tallied his third goal in as many matches this season. The Belgian striker’s three consecutive games with a goal match a similar streak in March 2025, one shy of his personal best posted in 2024.
- Defender Viktor Radojević made his Major League Soccer debut, entering the match in the fifth minute of stoppage time alongside another player making his debut last week in Dylan Borso.
- Defender Jack Elliott appeared in his 20th match against D.C. United, the most of any player on the Fire. The center back has two assists in 1,699 minutes against the Black and Red.
- D.C. United won the 74th regular season matchup against Chicago, the third longest rivalry for the Fire behind the 80 games with Columbus, and only one fewer than the 75 against the New England Revolution.
- Defenders Sam Rogers (Lower Body) and Andrew Gutman (Lower Body); midfielder André Franco (Lower Body); and winger Chris Mueller (Lower Body) were unavailable for selection against Columbus.
Social: Twitter - @chicagofire, @vamosfire (Hashtags: #cf97 #VamosFire) | Instagram - @chicagofire | Facebook
Box Score:
Chicago Fire FC 1:2 D.C. United
Goals:
CHI - Cuypers (3) (Penalty) (WATCH) 81’
DC - Peltola (1) (WATCH) 84’
DC - Baribo (3) (Penalty) (WATCH) 90+5’
Discipline:
CHI - Zinckernagel (Caution) 24’
DC - Hopkins (Caution) 34’
CHI - Elliott (Caution) 57’
CHI - D’Avilla (Caution) 64’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Barroso (Borso, 90+5’), D Elliott (capt.) (Waterman, 65’), D Mbokazi, D Dean (Radojević, 90+5’), M Salétros, M D’Avilla (Pineda, 65’), M Zinckernagel, F Lod (Haile-Selassie, 65’), F Cuypers, F Bamba
Subs not used: GK Cohen, M Oregel Jr., F Dithejane, F Shokalook
Head Coach: Gregg Berhalter
D.C. United: GK Johnson, D Hefti, D Bartlett (capt.), D Rowles, D Kurokawa, M Hopkins, M Peltola, M Servania (Nealis, 90+5’), M Peglow (Murrell, 87’), F Pirani (Clark, 78’), F Baribo
Subs not used: GK Bono, GK Farr, D Antley, D, M Stroud, M Kijima, F Turner
Head Coach: René Weiler
Stats Summary: CHI / DC
Shots: 16 / 11
Shots on Goal: 2 / 3
Saves: 1 / 1
Passing Accuracy: 84.3% / 66.1%
Corners: 3 / 5
Fouls: 12 / 11
Offsides: 2 / 3
Possession: 63.2% / 36.8%
Venue: Soldier Field (Chicago)
Attendance: 15,845
Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
Assistant Referees: Corey Parker, Mike Nickerson
Fourth Official: Atahan Yaya
VAR: Younes Marrakchi
AVAR: Rhett Hammil
