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Chicago FireFALL TO

MONTREALIMPACT

BEASTAWAKENED!

MANY MISSEDCHANCES

WELL-EARNEDPOINT

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Playing its second road match in five days, the Chicago Fire Soccer Club (2-4-3, 9 points) fell 1-0 to the Montreal Impact (5-3-2, 17 points) at Stade Saputo on Sunday afternoon.

The Fire came close to taking the lead six minutes into the match when midfielder Nicolás Gaitán’s volley from inside the 18-yard box forced a difficult save from goalkeeper Evan Bush, creating a flurry of chances for the Fire. Respond-ing to Bush’s save, forward Nemanja Nikolić’s follow-up attempt from close range rattled off the post and deflected to midfielder CJ Sapong, whose right-footed shot from inside the six-yard box was cleared off the goal line (WATCH).

In the second half, a clever combination play just outside the 18-yard box led to another close chance for the Fire. Receiv-ing a quick entry pass from midfielder Dax McCarty, Gaitán quickly slipped the ball through forNikolić, whose curling effort was saved by Bush in the 67th minute.

Despite controlling the tempo for the majority of the second half, the Fire fell behind in the 83rd minute when the Impact managed to score against the run of play. The goal occurred when forward Omar Browne’s cross was deflected into the back of the net.

Next up, the Fire will conclude its three-game road swing when the team travels to face Los Angeles Football Club on Saturday, May 4. Beginning at 9:30 p.m. CT, the match will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and transmitted locally on Univision Radio 93.5 Latino Mix.

Box Score:

Chicago Fire 0:1 Montreal Impact

Scoring Summary: MTL – Browne 83’

Misconduct Summary: MTL – Sagna (Caution) 79’ CHI – Kappelhof (Caution) 90+5

Chicago Fire: GKOusted, D Campos (Martinez 88’), D Kappelhof, D Schweinsteiger, D Corrales, M McCarty © (Bronico 88’), M Mihailović, M Sapong, M Gaitán, M Katai, F Nikolić (Frankowski 75’)

Subs not used: Sánchez, Lillard, Gutjahr, Adams

Shots: 7 Shots on goal: 3 Fouls Committed: 8 Fouls Suffered: 12 Offsides: 0 Corners: 0

Montreal Impact: GKBush, D Sagna, D Diallo, D Raitala, D Lovitz, M Azira, M Piette ©, M Taïder, F Bayiha (Browne 40’), F Urruti (Cabrera 89’), F Okwonkwo (Novillo 65’)

Subs not used: Diop, Camacho, Brault-Guillard, Jackson-Hamel

Shots: 10 Shots on goal: 3 Fouls Committed: 12 Fouls Suffered: 8 Offsides: 3 Corners: 7

Referee: Rubiel VazquezAssistant Referees: Andrew Bigelow, Matthew Nelson Fourth Official: Mark Allatin VAR: Caleb Mendez

Attendance: 15,758

CREDIT: CHICAGO FIRE SOCCER CLUB

Chicago Fire Soccer Club Falls 1-0 to Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo

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The New York Red Bulls longest tenured player came up with one of the club’s biggest goals of the 2019 sea-son Saturday night at Red Bull Arena.

Connor Lade, who was signed by the club in Dec. 2011, scored the lone goal to lift New York to a 1-0 win over FC Cincinnati, snapping the club’s five-match winless streak.

Brian White latched onto a lobbed ball just by Alex Muyl inside the 18-yard box and laid his header off to Danny Royer, who played a backheel that Lade ran onto and smashed under the crossbar from 17 yards out.

The Red Bulls scored the game’s first goal for the first time since a season-opening 1-1 draw against Columbus Crew SC with Lade capping a well-worked sequence in the 38th minute.

Darren Mattocks came off the substitute’s bench and nearly had a 65th-minute equalizer when he rounded Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles. But the Jamaican international put his shot off the near post.

Six minutes later, Roland Lamah ran onto a back-ward header by Michael Murillo and unleashed a half volley that caromed off the same post and then Kendall Waston headed off the crossbar after Robles went out to challenge a ball served into the box in second-half stoppage time.

Goals38’ — RBNY — Connor Lade

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: The Red Bulls can claim they weren’t a desperate team, but they played like one on Satur-day night, with Chris Armas shaking up his starting XI and lineup and his team responded in kind with a gritty much-needed win. FC Cincinnati had chances, especially after halftime, but they failed to score for a third consecutive defeat.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: The goal was a thing of beauty, a thunderous, well-placed blast. But the buildup was simply exquisite. MAN OF THE MATCH: When you score for the first time in nearly three years and it’s a goal that snaps a five-match winless streak, you deserve Man of the Match accolades. Take a bow Connor Lade.

CREDIT: Dylan Butler Contributor

New York Red Bulls 1, FC Cincinnati 0

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Minnesota United won its first match at the newly minted Allianz Field with a 1-0 victory over D.C. United Sunday afternoon. Angelo Rodriguez redirected a cross from Romaine Metanire with minutes remaining to clinch the three points.

D.C. appeared to take a lead after 20 minutes when Homegrown center back Donovan Pines skied to head in a cross from Wayne Rooney. However the goal was disallowed after Video Review determined that D.C. defender Frederic Brilliant impeded Minnesota goalkeeper Vito Mannone.

With both teams playing their third match of the week, neither could get enough quality in the final third and the match appeared headed to a scoreless draw. That changed in the 82nd minute.

Miguel Ibarra opened up the field with a pass out wide right to Metanire, who curled in a cross into the area. Rodriguez made the near-post run and got the slightest of touches to send the ball past Bill Hamid to the far side of the net for the winner.

Goals82’ — MIN — Angelo Rodriguez

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: Don't look now but Minnesota posted consecutive shutouts for the first time since joining MLS, and have taken points in four of their last five games. D.C. may question the referee's decision to disallow Pines' first half goal - as well as how that ball found the back of the net. Still, it's only their first road loss of the season, now 3-1-1 away from home.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: You can watch the non-goal here, and it very could have been the Moment. But the one that counted gets the nod in front of the Wonderwall: MAN OF THE MATCH: Metanire had a solid game getting down the right side, and his cross (was it his goal?) resulted in the game-winner.

CREDIT: German Sferra Contributor

Minnesota United FC 1, DC United 0

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The LA Galaxy maintained their roaring start to 2019 with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake at Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday evening, as Zlatan Ibrahimovic fired home a late winner to run their record to 7-1-1. The result also takes LA to 6-0 at home thus far, the first time they've done so since their inaugural season in 1996.

The Galaxy were dominant in the first half, bossing possession, creating chances and taking an early 1-0 lead via Uriel Antuna, the Mexican winger finishing into an empty net after a slick passing move keyed by Diego Polenta's jaunt for-ward and pass to Chris Pontius, with a helping hand from Ibra-himovic's clever dummy.

But RSL rallied dramatically after the break, mending their defensive shape and pulling level via Donny Toia, the left back alertly tapping in the rebound after David Bingham parried an Aaron Herrera shot into his path. It's just the sec-ond goal in Toia's MLS career (113 appearances), his first coming way back in 2015.

Just when it seemed the Galaxy had blown a clear path to three points, Ibra popped up with an angled close-range finish of a quality low centering pass from Sebastian Lletget, then celebrated by woofing at length at defender Nedum Onuoha, who he'd previously fouled to earn a yellow card as the two jousted throughout the match.

Goals16' – LA – Uriel Antuna 64' – RSL – Donny Toia 78' – LA – Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: Plenty for both sides to chew on here. LA looked unbeatable at times, yet failed to convert it into a hefty lead and had to be rescued by their fired-up captain. Meanwhile Salt Lake worked hard and frustrated Ibra for long periods, only to be undone by a late letdown.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Ibra's winner is the choice here, not only for its role in bagging the victory but also for the extended dressing-down of Onuoha, who might've awakened the beast through no fault of his own.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Jonathan dos Santos continues to be the engine at the Galaxy's heart, buzzing around the field on both sides of the ball and showing his silky passing chops. He misplayed just three passes all night.

CREDIT: Charles Boehm Contributor

LA Galaxy 2, Real Salt Lake 1

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Despite receiving two red cards, the Seattle Sounders held on for a 1-1 draw Sunday afternoon against LAFC at Century-Link Field.

The game, a rematch of last weekend’s 4-1 win for LAFC, was shaped by Cristian Roldan being sent off in the 18th minute for violent conduct. That left LAFC chasing a game-winner for 70-plus minutes, as a Christian Ramirez miss from three yards out in the 48th minute loomed large.

As blows were exchanged, Seattle clang onto a left-footed curler from Jordan Morris just 46 seconds in. The 1-0 lead arrived after a misplayed back pass from LAFC center back Ed-die Segura, gift-wrapping the center forward with a chance he didn’t miss.

But LAFC had Carlos Vela to lean upon, and he immediately drew the Black & Gold level in the 4th minute. Vela cushioned home a driven cross from Diego Rossi, giving him 11 goals through 10 matches, equalling Chris Wondolowski as the quickest in MLS history to reach that mark.

Late on, Seattle was reduced to nine men as Kelvin Leerdam was issued a straight red card after a Video Review decision. The right back took down Rossi deep-into second half stoppage time, setting up a free kick that Vela ultimately blasted over the net.

Goals1' – SEA – Jordan Morris4' – LAFC – Carlos Vela

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: As two of the Western Conference’s top teams came together, much focus centered around if Seat-tle could prove last weekend’s 4-1 win for LAFC was an anomaly. Consider that challenge half answered, as two Sound-ers’ red cards drastically shaped the outcome of the game. With a man advantage for about 80 percent of the match, LAFC must feel like points were left on the field.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: The decision to give Roldan a straight red card in the 18th minute drew debate among those at CenturyLink Field, as well as on social media. The moment of controversy – Roldan put his hands to the face of Edu-ard Atuesta, intentionally or not – dictated the game’s tempo from there on out. Seattle seldom ventured forward, and the onus of being a game-winner became LAFC's.

MAN OF THE MATCH: He didn’t score a goal or dish out an assist, but Nicolas Lodeiro’s role as a release valve for a shorthanded Seattle side can’t be understated. He also nearly found a shock go-ahead goal in the 75th minute, but his volley was a Tyler Miller hand away from dipping under the crossbar.

CREDIT: Jonathan Sigal Contributor

Seattle Sounders 1, Los Angeles Football Club 1

In a matchup between the bottom dwellers in each conference, Atlanta United's second half goal from Juiian Gressel was enough to edge the Colorado Rapids 1-0 in Week 9 action at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Despite dominating possession 70-30 percent, Atlanta struggled to find any creative play in the final third for at least the first hour of the match. Things started changing around the 70th with a couple dangerous crosses just out of the reach of Josef Martinez inside the six.

With a bit of momentum, Darlington Nagbe advanced a ball into the area and sent a short cross to the near post, where Gressel lunged in to get a foot in front of his mark and put the ball in off the post.

Hector Villalba nearly doubled the lead in stoppage time but his curling shot shot clanked off right post.

Colorado suffered their sixth consecutive loss and remain winless on the season.

Goals74’ — ATL — Julian Gressel

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: In their fourth try of the season, Atlanta finally won at home again, now 1-1-2 at Mercedes-Benz. And while their offensive struggles persist, they've also only allowed eight goals. Colorado came into the match having conceded a league-high 23 goals to date, so they may take some comfort in the solid defensive effort. And, 16-year home-grown midfielder Sebastian Anderson did not look out of place in making his profes-sional debut.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Gressel does well making the near-post run and finishing, but credit to Nagbe for the aggressive in his run forward:

MAN OF THE MATCH: Nagbe's key run resulted in the goal, and his overall simple play and passing allowed Atlanta to possess the ball all day, while rarely giving the ball away.

CREDIT: German Sferra Contributor

9WWW.LMDMAG.COMAtlanta United FC 1, Colorado Rapids 0

Kacper Przybylko scored his first MLS goal in the 66th minute of his maiden MLS start, and the Philadelphia Union left BC Place with a well-earned point from a 1-1 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday af-ternoon.

Jamiro Montero set up the goal, stripping Vancouver left back Ali Adnan in his own half and providing the through ball for Przybylko to run onto and finish coolly inside the far post.

Adnan was also in the middle of Vancouver's best moment, when his ins-winging corner kick found the head of Doneil Henry, who in turn found the net in the 41st minute to put the Whitecaps in front.

But the hosts failed to build on their advantage despite several promising opportunities. In his first career start, Matt Freese made four saves for the Union in place of injured first-choice keeper Andre Blake.

Goals41 - VAN - Doneil Henry66' - PHI - Kacper Przybylko

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: The Union continue to do a good job picking up points while waiting for the return of Marco Fabian from his ankle injury. They've lost just once in their last seven overall, and have now earned eight points from 12 possible when he hasn't played this season. Van-couver, meanwhile, will have to look at this at two points lost, even if stylistically they did play some of their more encour-aging soccer this season.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Only moments after Przybylko's equalizer, Freese sprung from his line to snuff out an initial chance for substitute Joaquin Ardaiz. But Ardaiz reached the ball again and thought he had finished into an empty net, only for Raymon Gaddis to make a last-second intervention.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Matt Freese. The 20-year-old looked unfazed throughout his first 90 minutes manning an MLS goal, and will be in the nightmares of Yordy Reyna, who alone was saved three separate times by the Union academy product.

CREDIT: Ian Quillen Contributor

Vancouver Whitecaps 1, Philadelphia Union 1 10 WWW.LMDMAG.COM

A surging New York City FC side was forced to split the points when hosting Orlando City SC on Saturday at Yankee Stadium, as goals on either side of halftime determined a 1-1 draw.

The scoring got underway in the 18th minute, as Nani capitalized on a wayward clearance from NYCFC center back Maxime Chanot. It was the Orlando Designated Player’s fifth goal in his last four games, continuing his smooth transition to MLS.

Chances then came clear as day for both teams — Orlando forward Tesho Akindele even thought he made it 2-0 until a Video Review decision deemed otherwise — and home side next found net. That moment arrived in the 51st minute, as Heber cleaned up the rebound of a Maxi Moralez shot which Brian Rowe parried onto his near post.

As both clubs searched for a winner, Orlando brought on Sacha Kljestan and Dom Dwyer, while NYCFC turned to Alexand-ru Mitrita and Valentin Castella-nos. The quest for three points, however, proved fruitless.

Each side was surely left ru-ing missed chances, too. Most notably, NYCFC winger Ismael Tajouri-Shradi couldn’t cushion home a first-half volley from 30 yards past an onrushing Rowe, while Dwyer missed an open header from four yards out in the second half.

Goals18' – Nani – ORL 51' – Heber – NYC

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: After Dome Torrent recently pronounced that he felt his managerial hot seat warming, New York City FC captured seven points from a three-game week, having already beaten D.C. United and the Chicago Fire. They're also unbeaten in their last five matches, but have won just once in five tries at Yankee Stadium. As for Orlando, inconsistency carried on in a match that could have been their second road win of 2019. The end product simply wasn't there.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: After conceding the first goal, the Citiyzens could have faced a steep climb back were it not for a Video Review decision negating an apparent Tesho Akindele goal in the 33rd minute. Nani, whose flick set up the sequence, came back from an offside position. That made the gaffed clearance from NYCFC center back Alexander Callens an afterthought, and not a spot on SportsCenter’s “Not Top 10 Plays.”

MAN OF THE MATCH: Heber is looking every bit of a striker who can lead the line for NYCFC. He now has two goals and an assist across the club’s last three games, and could have had another if not for Rowe staying alert. His equalizing strike wasn’t flashy, but it’s one you expect the Brazilian to knock home 10 times out of 10.

CREDIT: Jonathan Sigal Contributor

11WWW.LMDMAG.COMNew York City FC 1, Orlando City SC 1