Minnesota United 2-2 Chicago Fire
ST. PAUL, MN—It looked odds on that the Fire will get their first away win of the season, goals from Jose Aja and Robin Lod meant that the Fire dropped two more points in a 2-2 draw with Minnesota United and finish the away season at 0-6-5. The Fire need a win on Sunday against New York City FC to clinch a playoff spot (2:30pm, WGN-TV).
It started brightly for the Fire as Przemyslaw Frankowski sent a pinpoint cross to Robert Beric who headed home in the 17th minute for his 11th goal of the year. The Fire had chances to add to their lead and finally did in the 52nd minute as a Alvaro Medran cross found its way to Mauricio Pineda scored from close range to make it 2-0.
However, Minnesota would come back. First Emanuel Reynoso sent a free kick that went right to Jose Aja who headed in to make it 2-1 in the 64th minute. It would be another defensive breakdown nine minutes from time as Roman Metanire’s cross found an unmarked Robin Lod for the equalizer.
The Fire thought they had a winner in stoppage time through Pineda off a corner, but VAR found that Robert Beric was offside on the play and disallowed the goal.
“I look at the end of the day, it’s a lot of the same mistakes throughout the whole season,” said Fire head coach Raphael Wicky. “First, we create a lot of chances; we miss those big chances. Missing a big chance alone in front of a goalie is like making a big mistake as a defender, as a goalkeeper. So we do mistakes on both ends of the game, and that goes throughout the whole year. And then on the other side, we give up often similar goals. We give up often set piece goals. We had a 2-0 lead and I know they have some big guys, but again, we gave a set piece goal away again in Nashville, so it’s a lot of similarities almost in every game.
“Yeah, what is it? Is it focus? Concentration? Is it bad luck? Is it quality? I cannot tell you. I can’t give you the answer. I’m obviously happy that we create so much. That is obviously a positive, but I’m obviously not happy that we don’t score these goals.”
The Fire now go into Decision Day on Sunday at Soldier Field against New York City FC. Kickoff is at 2:30pm on WGN-TV and ESPN+.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Robert Beric (Frankowski) 17
CHI-Mauricio Pineda (unassisted) 52
MIN-Jose Aja (Reynoso) 64
MIN-Robin Lod (Metanire) 81
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Francisco Calvo (caution, tactical foul) 23
MIN-Bakaye Dibassy (caution, reckless foul) 41
CHI-Ignacio Aliseda (caution, reckless tackle) 78
MIN-Jose Aja (caution, tactical foul) 90+5
MINNESOTA UNITED FC (4-2-3-1): #97-Dayne St. Clair; #19-Roman Metanire, #4-Jose Aja, #14-Brent Kallman, #21-Bakaye Dibassy; #8-Jan Gregus, #94-Marlon Hairston (#41-James Musa 86); #17-Robin Lod, #13-Ethan Finlay (#10-Emanuel Reynoso 60), #7-Kevin Molino; #16-Kei Kamara (#12-Aaron Schoenfeld 60)
Subs not used: #30-Adrian Zendejas, #99-Fred Emmings, #2-Noah Billingsley, #44-Raheem Edwards
CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-3-1): #1-Bobby Shuttleworth; #2-Boris Sekulic, #22-Mauricio Pineda, #5-Francisco Calvo, #3-Jonathan Bornstein (#6-Miguel Angel Navarro 86); #30-Gaston Gimenez, #10-Alvaro Medran; #11-Przemyslaw Frankowski, #14-Djordje Mihailovic (#7-Ignacio Aliseda 70), #21-Fabian Herbers (#28-Elliot Collier 70); #27-Robert Beric
Subs not used: #24-Connor Sparrow, #4-Johan Kappelhof, #20-Wyatt Omsberg, #23-Carlos Teran, #16-Micheal Azira, #40-Brian Gutierrez
TOTAL SHOTS: MIN 18-13 CHI
SHOTS ON GOAL: MIN 7-4 CHI
FOULS: MIN 11-9 CHI
OFFSIDES: MIN 1-2 CHI
CORNER KICKS: MIN 8-3 CHI
SAVES: MIN 2-5 CHI
Referee: Victor Rivas
Assistant Referees: Jason White, Matthew Nelson
4th Official: Fotis Bazakos
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez
Weather: Clear and 59º
Man of the Match: Mauricio Pineda (CHI)
