Chicago Fire FC Defeats Toronto FC 4-1, Extends Unbeaten Run to Four Matches

June 15, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release

Chicago Fire FC celebrates win
(Chicago Fire FC)

Toronto, Ontario – Chicago Fire FC (4-8-6, 18 points) secured its first road win of the season, defeating Toronto FC (7-8-3, 24 points) 4-1 on Saturday night at BMO Field.

The Men in Red received goals from four different players – attackers Hugo Cuypers and Maren Haile-Selassie, defender Allan Arigoni, and defender/midfielder Mauricio Pineda – as the Club extended its unbeaten run to four matches in MLS regular season play (2-0-2). The result also marked the second time that the Fire have scored four goals in a match this season.

The Fire created multiple shots on goal early and often throughout the match against Toronto. After a close chance from Cuypers in the eighth minute, Chicago followed up with another dangerous opportunity just two minutes later when Arigoni cut inside and struck a curling, left-footed effort that had goalkeeper Luka Gavran beat, but went just high of the target.

Moments later, the Fire continued to put pressure on the Toronto backline and came close to scoring on two separate occasions in a two-minute span. In the 16th minute, midfielder Kellyn Acosta and Haile-Selassise combined on a short corner, creating space for Acosta to curl a well-placed cross to an unmarked Cuypers who just missed the inside of the near post with a first-time volley. Two minutes later, after receiving the ball on the left wing, Haile-Selassie confidently cut inside on his right foot and hit a powerful effort on target, which was denied by another strong save from Gavran.

Chicago eventually found the opening goal in the 41st minute from a Haile-Selassie header. The Fire pressed Toronto deep in their own half and midfielder Fabian Herbers was able to recover the ball, before clipping a cross into the box for the Swiss attacker, who made no mistake with his header to give Chicago a 1-0 lead going into halftime.

However, the Fire’s lead was short-lived as Toronto managed to find the equalizer just three minutes later when Homegrown goalkeeper Chris Brady was unable to hold onto midfielder Lorenzo Insigne’s deflected right-footed shot.

Despite conceding just before the break, the Fire continued their strong play in the second half and added two goals in three minutes to take a two-goal lead. In the 57th minute, Cuypers dispossessed defender Kevin Long on the right wing and charged toward goal. The Belgian striker held off his…