October 1, 2022 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Chicago Fire FC News Release
CHICAGO – Chicago Fire FC (10-15-8, 38 points) defeated FC Cincinnati (11-9-13, 47 points) 3-2 at TQL Stadium Saturday night in the Fire’s final road match of the season. The match featured a brace by 18-year-old Colombian international Jhon Durán, plus a goal and two assists from 19-year-old Homegrown Brian Gutiérrez.
Fire goalkeeper Spencer Richey made the first MLS start of his Fire career in tonight’s match, as he faced off against his former team where he spent the 2019 and 2020 MLS seasons. Richey’s biggest save of the night came at the half hour mark, as Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta slotted the ball in for forward Brandon Vázquez who ripped a shot on frame which was denied by Richey diving to deny the attempt and keep the match scoreless.
Ten minutes into the second half, the Fire turned up the attack, putting away two goals just three minutes apart. Starting in the 56th minute, forward Jhon Durán was the first to strike, receiving a slotted pass from midfielder Brian Gutiérrez before firing off a left-footed shot past the diving attempt of Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano.
Three minutes later, Gutiérrez doubled the Fire’s lead with a finish from the top of the 18-yard-box in the 59th minute. The scoring play began with Fire captain Rafael Czichos winning a defensive battle and sending a long ball onto the run of Chris Mueller on the left flank. Mueller whipped an outside-of-the-foot pass on to the path of Gutiérrez who opened his hips and placed his finish into the lower right hand corner of the net.
The connection between the teenage duo of Durán and Gutiérrez continued to flourish throughout the second half as Gutiérrez set up Durán for his second goal of the evening. In the 75th minute, Gutiérrez volleyed a pass onto the run of the 18-year-old Colombian who lobbed a one-time shot from deep outside the 18-yard box, over the top of Celentano and into the back of the net.
With tonight’s brace, Durán leads the Fire in scoring with eight goals so far this season and is now the 12th player in MLS history to record at least 10 combined goals and assists in a single season at the age of 18 or younger.
With just over 10 minutes remaining in the match, the home side added a goal of their own with a shot from Acosta, assisted by Cincinnati defender Ronald Matarrita. Cincinnati then added a second with a goal from Vazquez in the 89th minute. However their…
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