Kicking off a three-game homestand, the Fire twice erased a one-goal deficit Saturday to finish level at 2-2 with the visiting Portland Timbers, earning their first point of the young 2018 season in the process.
Look back at some of the key facts and figures to emerge from the matchup.
- One day shy of the 1-year anniversary of his on-field debut for the Fire, Bastian Schweinsteigerleft an unmistakable imprint on Saturday's game, often anchoring the Fire back line while also earning assists on both Fire goals -- first with a solo run on the ball to find Brandon Vincent on the wing, then with an expertly lofted service to Vincent for the late equalizer.
- Schweinsteiger, the game's Krakus Polish Ham Man of the Match, now has three assists in two games played this season and nine for his MLS career.
- After receiving his 2017 MLS Golden Boot trophy in a pre-match ceremony, Nemanja Nikolic added to his remarkable MLS goals total with his 50th-minute finish to get the Fire on the board. It was Nikolic's third in three games this year and his 27th in 36 regular-season games with Chicago -- moving past Peter Nowak and Marco Pappa and into sole possession of fifth on the club's career record list.
- Brandon Vincentnotched both his third career MLS goal -- his second against the Portland Timbers -- and his 10th career assist on the evening.
- Rookie midfielder Diego Campos made his MLS debut as a halftime substitute, replacing Aleksandar Katai and proving influential over the course of his 45-minute shift. Campos was a late second-round SuperDraft selection by the Fire (No. 39 overall) after a standout career at Clemson University. Campos was part of a well-worked sequence that resulted in a left-footed shot attempt for him in the 79th minute.
- All six goals scored by the Fire this season have come in the second half.
- Chicago was denied a first-ever MLS regular-season win against Portland, moving to 0-4-5 in nine all-time meetings. The last three fixtures in the series, and five of the last six, have ended in draws.
- Luis Solignac was absent from the matchday roster and is likely to miss 6-8 weeks with a quadriceps injury.
- Rookie Homegrown defender Grant Lillard made his first appearance in the matchday 18 after overcoming a knee injury suffered in preseason.
- After opening 2018 against three straight Western Conference opponents, the Fire are now set for their first Eastern Conference match of the season when they host Columbus Crew SC next Saturday (April 7) at 7:30 PM. They'll then go back out of conference to take on the new-look LA Galaxy on Saturday, April 14 (2:30 PM) at Toyota Park. (TICKETS)
- Last but not least, Homegrown midfielder Drew Conner contributed an energetic 30-minute shift, one that included this cool maneuver near midfield:
