Counterrevolution: Chicago Fire 3, New England Revolution 2

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — The Chicago Fire met the New England Revolution in a must-win game and walked away with a 3-2 victory where the scoreline belies the performance shown on the pitch for a majority of the match.

The Fire scored early, were dominant throughout most of the game but, as has been the case on too many occasions this season, failed in individual moments. In this case, those moments added up to two goals that still saw the team get all three points – but still shows clear need for improvement as the team looks to make – and make noise in – the postseason.

For the first time, the Fire’s summer arrivals started filtering their way to the Starting XI, with André Franco making his first MLS start in the midfield for the Fire after a cameo in the team’s previous match, alongside Brian Gutiérrez and Djé D’Avilla. That pushed Sergio Oregel Jr. onto the bench. Sam Rogers made his return to the starting lineup for the first time since leaving with an injury against CF Montréal in July. The Fire’s other change was out of necessity, with Jonathan Dean coming in for Leonardo Barroso, called to the Portuguese U-21s on international duty.

Revolution Head coach Caleb Porter also had to deal with absences due to the international break, with team-leading goal scorer Leo Campana called to Ecuador for World Cup qualifiers. The team’s other likely top striker in the depth chart, new U-22 Initiative signing Dor Turgeman, meanwhile, also was unavailable, having been called up to Israel. Midfielder Mamadou Fofrana was also on international duty, called up to Mali.

The Fire got off to an ideal start. Brian Gutiérrez sent a pass over the top to Jonathan Bamba. Matt Turner went to challenge but Bamba took him out of play, giving the Fire Designated Player an empty net which he converted to his fifth goal of the season. The assist Gutiérrez earned for his work on the play gave the Fire homegrown his career-high 12th goal contribution, with eight goals alongside four assists.

Not long after a nervy moment for the Fire tested Chris Brady, the Revs were once again on their back heel. Franco did well to intercept the ball and work past the first Revolution defender, playing the ball off to Philip Zinckernagel, who shot it past Turner for his 12th goal of the season. The play gave Franco his first MLS assist less than 10 minutes into his first MLS start.

The Fire were in command for almost all of the first 45 minutes, but as regulation tipped to stoppage time, the Revolution woke up, testing Chris Brady twice in rapid succession early in the first minute of added time and once again moments later. On each opportunity, the Fire left Revolution attackers unmarked, but Brady was sharp.

With seconds left in the half, Jack Elliott hauled down the Revs’ Ignatius Ganago just as the striker was about to get a clear breakaway on Brady. The play was checked for a possible denial of obvious goal scoring opportunity, which would have sent Elliott off for the second half of the match and given the Revolution a penalty attempt, but on review it was ultimately judged that the Fire captain had short of the required interference. That sent the Fire back to the locker room at half up two goals and with all eleven men returning, but it was a close call.

On the restart, neither team made any changes – many of the more offensive-minded options that Porter would have wished for being called up.

Although the energy the Revs showed didn’t carry over to the second half, the Fire’s prowess from the first half also failed to rematerialize, as both teams seemed unable to find solid chances early in the second frame.

As the half wore on, however, the Fire once again gained the upper hand. Hugo Cuypers had several opportunities that sailed wide or high of the target, including an impressive aerial chance that didn’t miss by much. In the 69th minute, however, a clever pass by Franco found Cuypers on the overlap who buried it for his 16th goal of the season. The goal made it 3-0 for the Fire, putting them in the driver’s seat with just over 20 minutes remaining till stoppage time.

Down by three and with his side’s faint playoff hopes beginning to dim to black, Porter look towards his bench for the first time of the evening, bringing on two players, including former Fire fan favorite Wyatt Omsberg.

Just when it felt like the game was well in hand for the Fire, however, the Revs pulled one back. Playing off a quick counter, Payton Miller made it past Dean, one of several players to have slipped on the playing surface at SeatGeek on the evening. No other Fire defenders were able to close the gap with the New England fullback, and he sent the ball into the back of the net.

That pulled the Revs within two goals, but the goal failed to give the visitors much momentum, as the Fire’s pressure kept the play largely in the Revs half except on occasional counters as the 16,947 saw their team seem ready to proceed to victory as the clock ticked past 90 minutes.

Once again, however, stoppage time adopted a different tone from the half that preceded it.

Minutes after coming on for a stricken Sam Rogers, Omar González conceded a penalty. From the spot, Carles Gil calmly sent it past the Fire netminder, taking his team within one with moments to go.

Seconds later, the Revs once again tested Brady, who parried the shot wide but conceded a corner. In the dying seconds, Brady once again was tested – this time, off a header by Tomas Chancalay – and made a save preserving the result for his team.

The Fire were able to see the result out, the final minutes gave a nervy end to what had previously been a strong performance, where the Fire been in the driver’s seat throughout most of the match – failing in moments for what had been, otherwise, a strong performance.

The win finishes the Fire's regular-season series at SeatGeek with an undefeated record at their former home, as the team once again is in a postseason spot, taking control of 9th place in the East from the idle New York Red Bulls with Chicago retaining a game in hand.

The Chicago Fire return to Soldier Field next Saturday when they take on New York City FC in a match with real postseason implications for both teams.

PLAYER RATINGS