BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (June 22, 2019) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club (4-6-7, 19 points) extended its home unbeaten streak to seven games (4-0-3) after battling Real Salt Lake (6-8-2, 20 points) to a 1-1 draw at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday night.
Attacking RSL early in the game, the Fire found the back of the net from a free kick in the fifth minute to take an early 1-0 lead. After midfielder Dax McCarty was brought down outside the 18-yard box, Katai stepped up and curled a free kick into the far corner (WATCH).
Despite the Fire’s strong start to the match, the visitors managed to equalize in the 33rd minute after midfielder Mo Adams was called for a handball inside the 18-yard box. On the ensuing penalty kick midfielder AlbertRusnák converted from the spot to bring RSL level.
The Fire created a strong opportunity to once again take the lead in the second half when McCarty cleverly slipped the ball inside the box for forward Nemanja Nikolić. While running onto McCarty’s pass, Nikolić attempteda shot but it was blocked by a strong challenge from RSL midfielder Kyle Beckerman in the 60th minute.
In the final 10 minutes of the match, the Fire created two solid opportunities to score the game-winning goal. In the 82nd minute, Katai found space on the right side of the box and fired a low effort that just missed the far post. Six minutes later, Bronico recovered a poor clearance from the RSL defense and clipped a cross to the back post to midfielder Przemysław Frankowski, who ran into the box unmarked. Charging at the goal, Frankowski powered a header on target that forced a strong save from Rimando, who preserved a point for RSL with his diving parry (WATCH).
Looking ahead, the Fire’s next match will take place on the road against the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena on Friday, June 28. Scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. CT, the match will be televised nationally on UniMas (Spanish) and Twitter (English) and transmitted locally in Spanish on Univision Radio WRTO AM 1200.
Box Score:
Chicago Fire 1:1 Real Salt Lake
Scoring Summary:
CHI - Katai (4) 5’
RSL - Rusnák (Penalty Kick) (6) 33’
Misconduct Summary:
CHI - Adams (Caution) 15’
RSL - Everton Luiz (Caution) 34’
RSL - Rimando (Caution) 90+3’
CHI - Schweinsteiger (Caution) 90+3’
Chicago Fire: GK Kronholm, D Bronico, D Marcelo, D Schweinsteiger, D Corrales, M Adams (Frankowski HT), M McCarty©, M Herbers (Gutjahr 78’), M Gaitán, M Katai, F Nikolić (Sapong 63’)
Subs not used: Ousted, Moreno, Lillard, Campos
Shots: 7 Shots on goal: 2 Fouls: 18 Offsides: 3 Corners: 5
Real Salt Lake: GK Rimando, D Herrera, D Glad, D Onuoha, D Toia, M Beckerman© (Besler 83’), M Everton Luiz, M Baird (Johnson 76’), M Rusnák, M Saucedo (Lennon 70’), F Kreilach
Subs not used: Putna, Silva, Mulholland, Schmitt
Shots: 7 Shots on goal: 2 Fouls: 17 Offsides: 1 Corners: 2
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Assistant Referees: Philippe Briere, Kyle Longville
Fourth Official: Joe Dickerson
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
Attendance: 15,609
