Bitter home: Chicago Fire 0, Philadelphia Union 1

Chicago, Ill. — Sometimes, all it takes is one goal. And sometimes, the goal isn't yours. Kicking off the second half of their season, the Chicago Fire hosted the conference-leading Philadelphia Union at Soldier Field. After a first half that saw the Fire already match already match their win total, the team was still, incongruously, looking for their second home win of the season.

As a result, the Fire have now been held goalless for consecutive games for the first time this season, having lost 2-0 to Nashville last week. The loss also marks the first time that the Fire have been held goalless in consecutive home games since early in the 2024 season, when the team failed to find the back of the net four home games in a row from April 20 against Real Salt Lake to May 15th against Charlotte FC, as part of a nine game winless skid.

Both teams fielded improvised lineups with key players unavailable for this game. Several of the absences were due to the regional Gold Cup competition taking place during the league season, including the starting goalkeepers for both teams. That gave Jeff Gal another start in net for the Fire, and Andrew Rick another opportunity for Philadelphia.

While the Fire had most of their preferred attacking and midfield options available, the team was extremely short handed on defense, with right back Jonathan Dean and center back Sam Rogers the only options on the bench for the Fire. Rogers, however, was likely unfit to play the full extent of the match as he works his way back from injury, giving veteran Omar González his third consecutive start.

The Union, however, were significantly more depleted. MLS Golden Boot leader Tai Baribo was unavailable after difficulty making his way back from Israel. Forward Mikael Uhre was also unavailable due to injury. Both Nathan Harriel and Quinn Sullivan are with Chris Brady and the U.S. Men’s National Team. Overall, the Union were short seven regular starters, and were completely without an option at right back, with former USMNT player Alejandro Bedoya – normally an attacking midfielder, and 38-years old – deputized at right back for the Union.

That the Union's lineup was makeshift was not obvious based on the play on the pitch, however. From the kickoff, the Union were the protagonists, winning balls from the Fire and generating turnovers. The Fire had difficulties completing passes when they did have the ball, but that isn’t what first cost the home team.

In just the eight minute, Union midfielder Indiana Vassilev had almost free reign at the top of the Fire’s box, dragging defenders with him and making it easy to get the ball to Chris Donovan in the side of the Fire’s penalty area. Andrew Gutman got in the way of Donovan’s cross – but intercepted it with his hand.

On the ensuing penalty kick, Bruno Damiani sent it past Gal, giving the Union a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute. After the goal, the game resumed much as it had before the goal, with the Union looking to be in firm control and the Fire struggling to accomplish the basics: Clean passes, clearances and even positioning seemed to be beyond the Fire’s capability in the early going, with players more likely to collide with each other than complete a pass into the box.

"I didn’t like the start to the game at all," Fire Head Coach Gregg Berhalter said after the match. "They came in flying, and we didn’t match the intensity of the first opening stage of the game, and it cost us. They got the goal, and then they played really compact."

Over the course of the half, the Fire did start to more rhythm, but the Fire’s first shot on target didn’t occur until the 34th minute, when Philip Zinckernagel got off a relatively weak attempt on Rick. The newly minted All-Star also had the Fire’s best attempt of the half, receiving a pass from Jonathan Bamba and taking a shot from about 30 yards out. His effort ricocheted off the crossbar, however.

That was as close as either team would get in the remainder of the opening frame, with the Fire down by a goal but Union head coach Bradley Carnell’s side ultimately looking defanged with their absences.

On the restart, the Fire came out looking like a different team: The home team was winning its way to balls, completing sharper-looking passes and making its way through the Union’s makeshift lines. The Fire won a free kick 22 yards out just five minutes into the half, but ultimately it hit the scrum and was a Union goal kick. Moments later, Brian Gutiérrez – playing like a man revived – got the ball to Jonathan Bamba with time and space inside the box but his attempt ultimately sailed above the Union’s goal.

After that, the Fire continued to press, but they were unable to match those early chances throughout the half. Carnell was the first to his bench, bringing on Jesus Bueno for Ben Bender. Soon after, more subs from both teams followed, but the complexion of the match didn’t shift.

With the Union shorthanded and the Fire unable to play like the any kind of the dynamism that has characterized their offense in 2025, neither team seemed readily able to create many additional chances. In second half stoppage time, Brian Gutiérrez gave the Fire their best chance at an equalizer in over a half hour, but ultimately he, the 10 other men on the field along the 17,231 attendance were denied a goal.

Ultimately, the Union went on the road and, despite a lineup that is more notable for who wasn't playing than who was, got the job done. The Fire, short a few key players but with a full-choice attack, ultimately didn't create enough chances and didn't finish the opportunities they were given. The team struggled in particular to match Philadelphia's physicality.  "Philly is a really difficult team to play," Zinckernagel said of the team's performance. "They play in a physical, like chaotic way, which makes it hard to play a normal game."

The loss is the third at home for the Fire this season, giving the team an overall record of 7W-4D-7L and just one win at home, alongside three losses and four draws in eight league matches.

The Fire have a quick opportunity to try righting the ship: the team is back in action Saturday when they host Charlotte FC, still looking for their second home win of their 2025 campaign.

Player Ratings

Starting XI (4-2-3-1) — Jeff Gal (6); Andrew Gutman (4.5), Jack Elliott (7), Omar González (5.5), Leo Barroso (7.5); Mauricio Pineda (5.5), Sergio Oregel Jr. (6); Jonathan Bamba (5), Brian Gutiérrez (7.5), Philip Zinckernagel (6.5); Hugo Cuypers (5.5)

Substitutes — Kellyn Acosta (6.5), Maren Haile-Selassie (6.5), Tom Barlow (6), Jonathan Dean (5.5)