Chicago, Illinois –CF Montreal extended their MLS unbeaten streak to eight matches, defeating Chicago Fire 2-0 at Soldier Field.
Just 65 seconds into the match, the Fire almost jumped ahead. Chris Mueller found Jhon Durán down the left channel and Durán took a few dribbles before unleashing a shot toward the near-post that was deflected away by Montreal keeper Sebastian Breza.
After a run of Chicago possession, Montreal had a chance of their own. In the third minute, Romell Quito’s pass across the field found Djordje Mihailovic at the edge of the penalty area. Montreal’s number eight took a shot from the penalty spot that was headed for the corner of the net before Chicago’s Gabriel Slonia tipped the shot away.
After controlling possession, Montreal gave themselves a chance right in front of net in the tenth minute. Lassi Lappalainen danced around the left edge of the penalty before finding Joaquín Torres at the penalty spot. Torres took his time and hit a hard shot that missed wide of the net. Not even a minute later, Quito had a header from point-blank range that went harmlessly into the arms of Slonina.
Slonina was again called into action in the 15th minute. Lappalainen made a 30-yard run through the middle of the Chicago defense before taking a shot from just inside the penalty area, which was saved by a diving Slonina.
Despite his best efforts, Slonina was not able to hold off the Montreal attack for too long.
After a Fire turnover in their own half, Montreal played the ball around the edge of the penalty area. Lappalainen passed the ball from the left edge of the penalty area to Ismael Koné in the center of the pitch. Koné took two dribbles and took a shot that beat Slonina into the corner of the goal, giving Montreal the 1-0 lead in the 19th minute.
After a Carlos Terán yellow card for a handball, the subsequent free-kick from 25 yards out was taken by Quioto that he bent around the outstretched hand of Slonina into the net, making it 2-0 Montreal in the 24th minute.
Montreal continued to control the run of play for nearly ten minutes, despite a yellow card being assessed to Koné in the 34th minute, before Chicago got a spell in the 38th minute. The ball bounced around the edge of the penalty area before it found the feet of Federico Navarro, whose shot from distance was deflected away by a Montreal defender, thwarting the Fire’s attack.
Despite the 2-0 lead, Montreal wouldn’t end the first half on the best note. Chicago’s Jonathan Bornstein was making a break toward the mid-way line before being taken down from behind by Koné, who was assessed a second yellow card and was sent off in the third minute of first-half stoppage time.
Chicago had a few chances before the break, but were unable to score and the game remained 2-0 in the visitor’s favor at halftime.
The Fire were the ones who came out firing in the second half. A through ball in the 50th minute found Fabian Herbers making a run at the edge of the penalty area and the Fire substitute’s strike was deflected off the hand of Breza and bounced off the far-post. After the ball was collected by Chicago, it eventually made it to Jairo Torres, whose shot was saved easily by Breza.
After failing to score for over 60 minutes, Chicago made an attacking change, bringing on forward Kacper Przybylko for defender Bornstein.
Just after the change, Przybylko connected with Terán on a give and go, giving Terán the space to unleash a shot that forced Breza into a diving save. Moments later, Przybylko again connected with Terán, whose cross into the penalty area deflected away from danger by Breza.
Chicago nearly broke through in the 80th minute when Durán tapped a loose ball into the Montreal net, but the Fire’s striker was called offside, nullifying the goal.
Despite repeated attacking chances for the Fire in the final 10 minutes of the match, Breza was able to maintain his clean sheet as the visitors secured the 2-0 victory, their third win in a row. For Breza, this was his second clean sheet of the 2022 MLS season.
Chicago outshot Montreal 12-10, though the visitors found the target six times to the hosts four.
Chicago’s Kendall Burks made his MLS debut in second half stoppage time, coming on for an injured Rafael Czichos.
“I came on, and obviously there’s a little bit of nerves there and stuff like that,” said Burke post-match. “Once I completed my first pass I felt good. No bad energy. I think there might have been a little adrenaline, but it was good.”
Montreal will look to extend their unbeaten streak to nine on Wednesday, August 31st when they host the New York Red Bulls.
The Fire’s next match takes them to Massachusetts to take on the New England Revolution, also on Wednesday evening at 6:30pm CT on WGN-TV.
