O Captain: Chicago Fire FC 2, Toronto 2
In their first game back since clinching a postseason spot, the Fire found themselves in a tough spot – trailing for the first time in almost a month but worked their way back, finding energy despite playing midweek before conceding a last-minute penalty in a display and settling for a draw that showed both how far the team has come and how far they need to go to – a valuable lesson as the team looks towards postseason football for the first time this decade.
Faced with the team’s third game in a week, and midfielder André Franco out with an ACL tear, Gregg Berhalter rotated the lineup, returning the Fire’s homegrown midfielders Brian Gutiérrez, Sergio Oregel Jr. and Mauricio Pineda to the starting XI and playing Maren Haile-Selassie in a wingback role after a string of strong outings, including two assists last week against Inter Miami. Despite the loss of Franco, Greg Berhalter kept the team playing with three center backs, with Sam Rogers returning to the lineup after a one game suspension.
Toronto, knowing they were eliminated from the playoffs but playing for next year with the arrival of former Fire homegrown Djordje Mihailović over the summer came into the game both undefeated and winless in their past seven games, with seven draws.
Early on, the Chicago Fire had the bulk of the pressure but no real chances of note. Then Toronto were able to score without taking a shot. After recovering from the ball off a Fire corner – their third of the match – Toronto worked the ball to Derrick Etienne Jr. who sent in a cross with a number of Toronto players streaming into the box. Fire captain Jack Elliott, attempting a sliding clearance, instead directed the ball directly into the Fire’s net. Despite being outshot 5-0 at that stage of the match, Toronto FC found themselves ahead 1-0 in the only stat that matters in the 27th minute of the game.
The goal marked the first time the Fire have trailed since their loss against New York City on September 13th, capping off a stretch of four matches where the team never had to chase a game. It was almost poetic that the only way for the Fire to go behind after the strong form they’ve showed in recent weeks was to beat themselves – had the note not been such a sour one.
After the goal, Toronto grew into the match, including a series of corners, some of which looked dangerous, but neither team was able to generate great chances and the Fire went into half down 1-0.
Looking to energize an attack that came out flat in the first half, brought in Jonathan Bamba and Djé D’Avilla for Brian Gutiérrez and Sergio Oregel Jr. The move kept the Fire in the same basic shape but changed the midfield’s characteristics.
The subs did little to change the complexion of the game, particularly with Toronto more than happy to keep numbers behind the ball. As a result, Gregg Berhalter again went to his bench in the 60th minute, bringing on Rominigue Kouamé and Jonathan Dean for Mauricio Pineda and Sam Rogers. The moves finally broke the Fire out of playing with three center backs as the team reverted to the 4-3-3 formation that had served the team for most of the season.
After the changes, the Fire moved the ball quicker but still seemed to have difficulty penetrating Toronto’s defense initially, particularly with chances that challenged former Fire and U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Sean Johnson, but it suddenly felt like the team was on the front foot.
In the 69th minute, Jonathan Bamba gave the Fire a great chance on Sean Johnson’s net, winning a free kick just outside Toronto’s penalty area. The shot went off the wall but won the Fire a corner. Elliott connected with Zinckernagel’s ball from the flag and sent it past Johnson, finding the perfect way to make amends for his error in the first half.
Moments later, Jack Elliott made good again, tackling Deandre Kerr just as the Toronto forward was about to have a clean look at Chris Brady.
Elliott’s time in the fan’s good graces of the 24,653 strong home-crowd was almost suspended moments later when referee Timothy Ford pointed to the penalty spot, but after VAR called him to the spot, the call was reversed.
The Fire captain enshrined himself permanently in the fan’s good favor – at least for the evening – connecting off a cross from Zinckernagel’s free kick giving the Fire their first lead of the evening. With his assist on the play, the Danish attacker gained sole possession of the most goal contributions in a single season by a Fire player with 29, spread between 14 goals and 15 assists, beating the total Nemanja Nikolić accumulated for the Fire in 2017. The assist total is also a Fire single-season record for the team, and was also the first time in Fire history – and first time league-wide since 2023 – that a player has scored multiple goals in a game where they were also responsible for an own-goal.
Deep in the announced nine minutes of second half stoppage time when it looked like the Fire were about to leave their last home game of the season with a win, Jonathan Bamba’s play in the box conceded a penalty to Toronto. From the spot, Mihaliović sent the ball low and centrally but Brady was able to get to the ball, but not the rebound, allowing Toronto to level the game in heartbreaking fashion after the Fire’s comeback.
As a result of the draw, the Fire finish the regular season with a 6W-6D-5L record at home and at the end of the evening, remained in 8th place ahead of the Columbus Crew. That gives the Fire the opportunity, with help from results around them, to move out of the wildcard spots and directly into the first round proper, avoiding a single-game elimination match at the start of the postseason.
The Fire are off next week due to the October international break, with goalkeeper Chris Brady called up to the U.S. Men’s National Team and defender Joel Waterman. The final game of the regular season is October 18 when the team visits the New England Revolution, but for the first time in seven years, their season will continue afterwards.
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