Fire overcome ‘difficult’ Toronto to win third straight

Chicago Fire 2-1 Toronto FC

CHICAGO, IL—Chicago Fire FC head coach Gregg Berhalter said Saturday’s match against Toronto FC was one that his club needed in terms of difficulty. At times, it was difficult for the Fire against Toronto FC, but they once again persevered and prevailed with a 2-1 win at Soldier Field. 

The Fire enter the World Cup break with three straight wins and third in the Eastern Conference table. Toronto will enter the break winless in nine matches in all competitions and will be 13th in the East following the Columbus-Atlanta match on Sunday. 

Hugo Cuypers didn’t score in this match—ending a 10-match scoring streak, but he would be part of the Fire’s first goal, and it was a great team goal. Mbekezeli Mbokazi sent a long ball to Cuypers who fed Maren Haile-Selassie, who laid the ball off to Robin Lod who beat Luka Gavran far post to put the Fire ahead on 22 minutes. 

However, Toronto’s speedy attack gave the Fire problems most of the first half and an equalizer came as Alfonso Coello sent a thru ball to Josh Sargent who blasted the ball past Chris Brady in the 34th minute. Toronto would finish the half the better of the two sides. 

However, TFC would wind up second best on a 65th minute set piece. Philip Zinckernagel’s initial corner kick was cleared, but right to him. Zinckernagel then sent another ball into the box and this one would be headed in by Andrew Gutman. 

“It was nice to finally get one,” said Gutman who netted his first of the season. “I’ve been close a few times this year. So, I always feel like getting the first one is the hardest and then the floodgates open. So hopefully, in the back half of this season, I can get a few more.”

Toronto did get a late corner kick in stoppage time and Gavran, who has one goal already this season came up for it, but the ball would be out of reach for Gavran to direct towards goal and as well as a point. 

As stated before, a difficult match, but one the Fire needed according to Gregg Berhalter.

“This was exactly the type of game we needed today because it was very difficult, a really difficult game,” said Berhalter. “Toronto, played really well. It’s hard to understand where they are on the table, based on how they

play. A very difficult team to break down, very compact, had good power in the back line and were able to create some chances. 

“So, for us it was a difficult game but we needed to overcome it. You have guys in different scenarios; some are preparing potentially for a World Cup; some are preparing for vacation. It’s always a difficult game but I thought the guys showed a great mentality to dig in, to keep grinding, keep fighting and in the end get a very important win.

“It’s a good 14 games but it’s only just a start. I told the guys that the second half of the season is going to be much harder. So we needed a mentality like that. Overall, proud of the guys.”

The Fire and TFC will spend the next 24 days off (apart from those heading to the World Cup) before training for the second part of the season. 

One of those players definitely heading to the World Cup is defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi for South Africa. The Bafana Bafana will open the World Cup at Azteca against Mexico on June 11th and will also play South Korea and Czechia. 

“We just need to put our best foot forward as this is the World Cup, the big stage,” said Mbokazi through an interpreter. “Our aim is to get a win and it’s going to call us to be unified as a team and to work together to succeed. We don’t know what the outcome will be as the World Cup is a big stage and it’s going to be hard. But we’re just going to try our best and hope for a positive result.”

For the Fire, that resumes Thursday, July 16th against Vancouver at Soldier Field (7:30pm CT, Apple TV), while Toronto will look to get back to winning ways at CF Montreal that same night (6:30pm CT, Apple TV).

Photos by Leslie Smith 

SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Robin Lod (Haile-Selassie, Cuypers) 22
TOR-Josh Sargent (Coello, Salloi) 34
CHI-Andrew Gutman (Zinckernagel) 65

BOOKING SUMMARY:
TOR-Malik Henry (caution, tactical foul) 14
CHI-Hugo Cuypers (caution, tactical foul) 40
CHI-Andrew Gutman (caution, reckless foul) 60
TOR-Walker Zimmerman (caution, tactical foul) 79
CHI-Anton Saletros (caution, tactical foul) 87
TOR-Theo Corbeanu (caution, endangering the goalkeeper) 90+1
TOR-Jonathan Osorio (caution, dissent) 90+1

CHICAGO FIRE (4-3-3):  #1-Chris Brady; #15-Andrew Gutman, #4-Mbekezeli Mbokazi (#16-Joel Waterman 62), #3-Jack Elliott, #24-Jonathan Dean; #17-Robin Lod, #22-Mauricio Pineda (#42-Dje D’Avilla 61), #6-Anton Saletros; #7-Maren Haile-Selassie (#12-Puso Dithejane 74), #9-Hugo Cuypers, #11-Philip Zinckernagel (#8-Chris Mueller 90+3)

Subs not used:  #44-Josh Cohen, #35-Sergio Oregel Jr., #8-Chris Mueller, #27-Dylan Borso, #20-Jason Shokalook, #14-Viktor Radojevic

TORONTO FC (5-4-1):  #1-Luka Gavran; #38-Jackson Gilman (#44-Raheen Edwards 86), #15-Nicksoen Gomis (#12-Zane Monlouis 46), #25-Walker Zimmerman, #19-Kobe Franklin, #78-Malik Henry (#99-Jules Anthony Vilsaint 86); #20-Daniel Salloi, #21-Jonathan Osorio, #14-Alfonso Coello, #11-Derek Etienne Jr. (#7-Theo Corbeanu 74); #9-Josh Sargent (#17-Emilio 61)

Subs not used: #23-William Yarbrough, #44-Raheem Edwards, #99-Jules Anthony Vilsaint, #77-Adisa De Rosario, #98-Stefan Kapor

EXPECTED GOALS:  CHI 1.3-1.0 TOR
TOTAL SHOTS:  CHI 14-10 TOR
SHOTS ON GOAL:  CHI 6-4 TOR
FOULS:  CHI 14-12 TOR
OFFSIDES:  CHI 0-0 TOR
CORNER KICKS:  CHI 3-4 TORSAVES:  CHI 0-0 TOR

Referee:  Sergii Demianchuk
Assistant Referees:  Chris Wattam, Kevin Klinger
4th Official:  Joe Surgan
VAR:  Michael Radchuk
AVAR:  Rhett Hammil
Attendance:  26,752
Weather:  Cloudy and 55º
Man of the Match:  Andrew Gutman (CHI)

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