Chicago Fire newcomer Kellyn Acosta scored a game-winning goal against CF Montreal on Saturday that could’ve only happened in the Windy City.
The 28-year-old was aided by a strong gust as he delivered the unreal tie-breaker from midfield in the last moments of stoppage time for the 4-3 home victory.
CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois grazed the ball with his fingertips before it bounced its way into the back of the net. He fell backward as he attempted to make the catch and stayed on the pitch while Chicago celebrated:
The goal marked the end of a series of mishaps for Montreal. Chicago was down 3-1 in the 82nd minute when Montreal defender Raheem Edwards, who used to play for the Fire, was hit with a red card for a violent elbow. Without Edwards, the team was down to 10 available players.
Two minutes later, Fire midfielder Brian Gutierrez converted a penalty kick. Teammate Hugo Cuypers followed up with a goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time to tie the game 3-3.
It took just four more minutes for Acosta and the wind to seal the game with the bending ball.
The unlikely finish came after Montreal’s Matias Cóccaro made good on two penalty kicks in the first half. Punctuating the strong start, Dominik Yankov scored in the 70th minute with a back-heel assist from Josef Martinez for a 3-1 lead.
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While some could argue that the goal should be credited to the lakefront conditions and not Acosta, there’s no doubt that it’s a fitting start to his time with the club. The United States men’s national team midfielder has played in 34 games for the U.S in a three-year span, making two appearances at the 2022 World Cup.
He arrived to Chicago last month after his deal with LAFC expired last season and made him one of Major League Soccer’s most sought after free agents. If his first goal with the club is any indicator, he’s set for an exciting time with the Men in Red.