Match Recap

Match Recap: Chicago Fire FC Falls 3-1 at New York City FC

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NEW YORK (May 25, 2025) – Chicago Fire FC (5-5-4, 19 points) fell 3-1 at New York City FC (7-5-3, 24 points) on Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. Winger Philip Zinckernagel scored the opening goal of the match in the 19th minute, scoring in back-to-back league games for the second time this season.

The hosts took the initiative in the first half, winning much of the possession early on. But Chicago exploited New York’s numbers up front in the 19th minute, as Andrew Gutman sparked a counter-attack on the left wing. The left back then switched the ball to Jonathan Dean on the right wing, who laid the ball off to Zinckernagel outside the box. The Danish winger struck a well-placed one-timer that short-hopped into the far post for the opening goal and the lead for the Fire.

Zinckernagel continued causing the New York defense problems, nutmegging a defender on a through ball to Gutman in the 25th minute that the defender turned into a shot and a goal. But the flag went up indicating Gutman was offside, and the Fire could not generate many more chances in the first half.

New York continued looking for an equalizer in the second half and finally got it in the 58th minute. Justin Haak found Hannes Wolf in the box, who played the ball back to Haak to cross into the six-yard box, where Monses Bakraf headed to tie the game for the hosts.

Playing with a man advantage since the 32nd minute, City took the lead in the 70th minute. Maxi Moralez passed to teammate Julián Fernández on the right wing, who whipped in a cross to Wolf. The Austrian footballer settled, turned and struck a curveball that knocked into the far post for the 2-1 lead. New York drew a penalty in the 84th minute, and Alonso Martínez tallied his eighth of the year to clinch it for his side.

NEXT MATCH: Chicago’s road trip continues, with the Fire traveling to Florida to take on Orlando City SC on Saturday, May 31. Kickoff at Inter&Co Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. CT. 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:

  • Philip Zinckernagel tallied his fifth MLS goal of the season for Chicago. His 19th minute strike was also his third in as many matches across all competitions, scoring last Saturday at Charlotte FC and on Tuesday in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match against New England Revolution in Rhode Island.
  • Midfielder Mauricio Pineda reached the 10,000-minute mark in regular season play for Chicago Fire FC shortly before leaving the pitch in the 41st minute. Pineda became the first Homegrown player to reach the milestone with the Fire, and only the 15th player all-time for the Club.
  • Defender Andrew Gutman recorded an assist on Zinckernagel’s opening goal, making it two consecutive league games with an assist after an MLS Team of the Matchday performance in Charlotte. The Chicago Fire Academy graduate also reached 10,000 minutes of league play on Saturday afternoon, earning those minutes with five different teams in his seven-year career.
  • Leonardo Barroso played his first minutes of action since March 29. The Portuguese defender checked into the match for Zinckernagel in the 58th minute, contributing to the attack at right back.
  • Defenders Carlos Terán (Lower Body) and Chase Gasper (Lower Body); and midfielders David Poreba (Lower Body) and Chris Mueller (Not Due to Injury) were unavailable for selection on Sunday.

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Box Score:

New York City FC 3:1 Chicago Fire FC

Goals:
CHI - Zinckernagel (5) (Dean 1, Gutman 4) (WATCH) 19’
NYC - Bakrar (1) (Haak 2, Wolf 2) (WATCH) 58’
NYC - Wolf (4) (Fernández, Moralez) (WATCH) 70’
NYC - Martínez (Penalty) (WATCH) 89’

Discipline:
NYC - Haak (Yellow Card) 14’
NYC - Moralez (Yellow Card) 28’
CHI - Gutiérrez (Red Card Ejection) 32’
CHI - Dean (Yellow Card) 45+1’
NYC - Martins (Yellow Card) 56’
CHI - D’Avilla (Yellow Card) 60’
CHI - D’Avilla (Second Yellow Card, Red Card Ejection) 84’

Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Dean (Glasgow, 76’), D Rogers, D Elliott (capt.), D Gutman, M Oregel, Jr. (Haile-Selassie, 76’), M Pineda (D’Avilla, 41’), M Gutiérrez, F Zinckernagel (Barroso, 58’), F Cuypers, F Bamba (Kouamé, 46’)

Subs not used: GK Gal, D Cupps, M Acosta, F Barlow

New York City FC: GK Freese; D Birka, D Martins (capt.), D Haak (Parks, 90’), D Gray (Ilenic, 46’); M Moralez, M O’Neill, M Shore (Bakrar, 46’); F Fernández (Ojeda, 79’), F Wolf, F Martinez (Cavallo, 90’)

Subs not used: GK Ranjitsingh, GK Romero, D Tanasijevic, M Carrizo

Stats Summary: NYC / CHI

Shots: 21 / 8
Shots on Goal: 8 / 3
Saves: 2 / 5
Passing Accuracy: 84.5% / 76.5%
Corners: 11 / 2
Fouls: 12 / 19
Offsides: 2 / 2
Possession: 63.8% / 36.2%

Attendance: 18,524

Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Assistant Referees: Adam Wienckowski, Brian Poeschel
Fourth Official: Thomas Snyder
VAR: Jorge González
AVAR: Joshua Patlak