In Toronto, the Chicago Fire triumphed over FC Toronto with a 2-1 score on Saturday, thanks to Hugo Cuypers’ decisive goal just before the halftime whistle. This victory improved Chicago Fire’s record to 2-1-1 for the season. Cuypers found the back of the net in the 44th minute, taking advantage of a precise pass from newcomer defender Leonardo Barroso, marking Barroso’s first assist and Cuypers’ fourth goal for the season.
FC Toronto started the match strong as Deandre Kerr scored in the 11th minute, aided by assists from Federico Bernardeschi and Jonathan Osorio. This goal gave Toronto (0-3-1) an early 1-0 lead, marking Kerr’s first goal of the season.
In response, the Chicago Fire equalized the score in the 30th minute through defender Andrew Gutman, who capitalized on a pass from rookie midfielder Jonathan Bamba. This marked Gutman’s second goal of the season and the 13th in his career, while Bamba increased his tally to three assists in four consecutive starts for the team.
Goalkeeper Chris Brady contributed significantly to the Fire’s victory with one crucial save, as the team moved up to a record of 13 wins, 14 losses, and 13 draws against Toronto historically. Meanwhile, his counterpart, Sean Johnson, made two saves for Toronto in the match.
Looking ahead, Toronto will seek their first win of the season in an away match against the New York Red Bulls, last year’s Eastern Conference champions, on Saturday. Simultaneously, the Chicago Fire will continue their journey with an away game against the Vancouver Whitecaps, marking the second stop in their three-match road trip.
