Chicago Fire FC Defeats Minnesota United FC 4-0 at Coachella Valley Invitational Preseason Tournament

February 14, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Chicago Fire FC News Release

Chicago Fire FC’s Jonathan Dean
(Chicago Fire FC)

CHICAGO – Chicago Fire FC defeated Minnesota United FC 4-0 in a preseason match at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif., earlier today in the team’s third match of the Coachella Valley Invitational. Goalkeepers Spencer Richey and Chris Brady shared the team’s first shutout of the tournament and goals from Georgios Koutsias, Omari Glasgow, Xherdan Shaqiri and Maren Haile-Selassie earned Chicago its second victory in California.

After several very near attempts from Chicago, the Fire were able to break through in the 30th minute. Federico Navarro won the ball and passed it up the right wing where it was eventually passed to Jonathan Dean. Dean sent a pass across the goalmouth to where Georgios Koutsias was making his run, timing it just right to hit the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-0.

Chicago’s second goal came in the 55th minute, and this time it was Koutsias with the assist as the Greek forward won the ball on the left side of the box. His pass across the goal found Glasgow, who reached the ball a split second before the Minnesota goalkeeper and was able to redirect it into the goal.

The Fire gained an advantage in the 58th minute when defender Devin Padelford was shown a second yellow card following a hard tackle, leaving the Loons with 10 men. Both teams made several substitutions in the 71st minute and the intensity of the game continued, with the Fire scoring a third goal in the 75th minute. This time, it was second-half sub Xherdan Shaqiri who scored, expertly placing a free kick from the right side of the field directly into the top left corner of the goal.

Swiss winger Haile-Selassie scored the final goal of the contest in the 81st minute after Brian Gutiérrez passed the ball from the left up to Shaqiri in the middle. Shaqiri quickly sent it up the left side of the field again for Tom Barlow, who passed it across the six-yard box to where Haile-Selassie timed his run to send the ball into the goal.

NEXT MATCH: Chicago will play their final match of the Coachella Valley Invitational against the Portland Timbers at 2 p.m. CT on Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, Calif., before returning to Chicago.

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Box Score:

Chicago Fire FC 4:0 Minnesota United FC

Goals:

CHI – Georgios Koutsias…