La Vie En Rose: CF Montréal 0, Chicago Fire 2
MONTRÉAL, Qué. — Three more points to claim through customs.
The Chicago Fire are officially nine for nine in Canada this season, wrapping up their slate north of the border with a 2-0 win at CF Montréal’s Stade Saputo.
There was a surprise when the Chicago Fire’s lineup was announced as Jonathan Bamba, the team’s top earner, was dropped from the eleven for the first time this season in MLS play. Maren Haile-Selassie took his place after scoring off the bench midweek in a 2-2 draw at Atlanta.
There was a familiar face on Montréal’s side, too. Fabian Herbers was handed the start for the hosts, and was involved early on as the first chance of the game fell to the former Fire employee. However, he flashed the shot wide from close range, missing his best chance to score in his first match against his former club.
Seven minutes later, Montréal were punished. The Fire launched a counter attack through Philip Zinckernagel, Leo Barroso hit the post, and Hugo Cuypers pounced on the rebound to notch his 13th goal of the MLS season. Despite struggles in recent weeks, the DP has still managed to put the ball in the back of the net and leads the team in goals.
While the Fire were largely in control for the rest of the half, Montréal did have chances of their own. In the 21st minute, Chris Brady was forced into a big save against former U.S. U-20 teammate Brandan Craig, whose free kick seemed goal-bound from 25 yards. Canadian international Joel Waterman also came close to an equalizer in the 33rd minute, but lacked killer instinct in front of goal.
Beyond the chances, the story of the first half was one disrupted by injury. Two key players for Montréal – captain Sam Piette and the aforementioned Herbers – exited with knocks, while Chicago’s Sam Rogers was forced off in the 32nd minute. Rogers was replaced by Omar González, who, alongside captain Jack Elliott, is now the Fire’s only fit center back.
The second half started even better than the first, with the Men in Red storming out of the gates. Elliott came close to scoring from a free kick, but keeper Jonathan Sirois pushed the ball wide.
However, on the ensuing corner kick, Elliott got his reward. Zinckernagel whipped in another excellent set piece, and the center back found a way to get his head on it and notch his first Chicago goal. In earning the assist, Zinckernagel became the first-ever player in Fire history to record a 10 goal, 10 assist MLS season.
The win keeps the Fire in 10th but officially makes them MLS’ best team away from home. Three points also ensure that they have already surpassed their points total from 2024, reaching 32 points to last year’s 30. They now must figure out how to match their road form at home, as seven of their final 11 games in the playoff run-in are in Chicago.
Player Ratings
Starting XI (4-3-3) — Brady (8); Gutman (7.5), Elliott (8.5), Rogers (6), Barroso (7.5); Pineda (6), Kouamé (7), Gutiérrez (6.5); Zinckernagel (8), Haile-Selassie (7.5), Cuypers (8)
Substitutes — González (7), Dean (6.5), Acosta (7), D'Avilla (NR), Bamba (NR)
