March 18, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Chicago Fire FC News Release
Chicago Fire FC’s Rafael Czichos and Kacper Przybylko
(Chicago Fire FC)
CHICAGO – Chicago Fire FC (0-1-2, 2 points) battled FC Cincinnati (2-0-2, 8 points) to a 3-3 draw on Saturday night at Soldier Field in the coldest match in Club history.
Despite holding a 3-1 lead for the majority of the second half, the Fire conceded twice in the final six minutes of the match, resulting in a point for each side in the first meeting between the two Clubs in 2023.
Cincinnati’s Junior Moreno scored in the eighth minute when Brandon Vázquez served a ball across the 18-yard box. Moreno’s shot deflected off Fire defender Miguel Navarro before finding the back of the net.
Chicago leveled the score in the 32nd minute via striker Kacper Przybyłko, who scored his first of the season with the equalizer. Midfielder Gastón Giménez cleared the ball out of danger to Homegrown product Brian Gutiérrez, who saw Przybyłko in space on the left side of the box. Przybyłko struck the ball with his first touch with power and precision, curling his effort into the top corner on the far side of the goal.
The Fire added a second goal when winger Chris Mueller made an inverted run into the box to shake off Cincinnati defender Yerson Mosquera, who then clipped Mueller on his heel to concede a penalty. Captain Rafael Czichos stepped up to the penalty spot and converted the spot kick with a shot straight down the middle and through Naperville-native Roman Celentano’s legs in the 45th minute.
Mueller scored a goal of his own just 18 seconds into the second half when defender Arnaud Souquet registered his first MLS assist, feeding him a ball from the right side to the top of the box. The speedy winger took one touch to settle the ball and blasted a powerful shot into the roof of the net to register his first goal of the campaign.
In the final stretch of the match, Cincinnati responded with two goals in the 84th and 86th minutes from second-half substitute Sergio Santos and Moreno.
NEXT MATCH: Chicago travels to face Inter Miami CF on Saturday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m. CT at DRV PNK Stadium. The match will be broadcast live on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+ and transmitted locally in Spanish on TUDN 1200 AM.
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Notes:
With an assist tonight, Brian Gutiérrez has tallied the most assists (three) against FC Cincinnati in…
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