Chicago Fire FC Defeats Austin FC 1-0 at Coachella Valley Invitational Preseason Tournament

February 7, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Chicago Fire FC News Release

Chicago Fire FC celebrates win
(Chicago Fire FC)

CHICAGO – Chicago Fire FC defeated Austin FC 1-0 in a preseason match at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif., earlier today in the team’s first contest of the Coachella Valley Invitational.

Chicago took the lead in the 74th minute with a goal from draftee Laurence Wootton. Defender Allan Arigoni sent a cross in from the right side that the Austin defense headed out to the top of the 18-yard box. Wootton collected the ball and looked up, before placing his shot into the top left corner past the outstretched arms of Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver.

Both teams had gone into the half scoreless, but Chicago was not without attempts, getting in behind the defense and testing Stuver on several occasions. Chicago’s first attempt came in the 24th minute when Xherdan Shaqiri sent in a dangerous free kick that went just wide of the target. Four minutes later, Chicago Fire II forward Omari Glasgow had a look at the goal when Stuver miscleared the ball to his feet. Glasgow took a touch to his right to set up his shot, which was blocked at the lost moment by a defender.

Chicago looked to double the lead in stoppage time when forward Tom Barlow pressured the defense and forced a turnover. Brian Gutiérrez ended up with the ball at his feet and took a shot that was slightly deflected just wide of the goal.

NEXT MATCH: Chicago next faces 2023 MLS Cup runner-up LAFC at 2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday, Feb. 11 at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif. The match will be streamed live via lafc.com.

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Box Score:

Chicago Fire FC 1:0 Austin FC

Goals:

CHI – Laurence Wootton (unassisted) 74′

Discipline:

CHI – Arigoni (Yellow Card) 87′

Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady (Richey, 46′), D Dean (Reynolds, 46′), D Pineda (D Omsberg, 46′), D Czichos (Arigoni, 68′), D Gutman (Gasper, 46′), M Mueller (Haile-Selassie, 46′), M Giménez (M Casas Jr., 46′), M Herbers (Wootton, 46′), M Glasgow, M Shaqiri (capt.) (M Gutiérrez, 46′), F Koutsias (Barlow, 46′)

Subs not used: GK Gal, GK Los, M Navarro

ATX: GK Stuver, D Gallagher (Touré, 77′), D Cascante (Gomez, 60′), D Väisänen (Hedges, 46′), D Kolmanić (Jimenez, 46′), M Ring (M Valencia, 60′), M Pereira (Noël, 77′), M Driussi (capt.) (Wolff, 60′), M Rigoni (Obrian, 60′), M Finlay (Farkarlun, 77′), F Zardes (Garcia, 60′, Burton,…