The Chicago Fire secured a dominant 3-0 victory over CF Montréal in their home opener on Saturday at Soldier Field, according to multiple reports.
Key Takeaways
The Chicago Fire secured a dominant 3-0 victory over CF Montréal in their home opener on Saturday at Soldier Field.
- Jonathan Bamba scored in the first half to give the Fire a 1-0 lead.
- Hugo Cuypers and Robin Lod each scored in stoppage time to seal the win.
- The Fire dominated with an 18-4 advantage in shots and an 11-2 edge in on-target shots.
- Montréal managed just 0.1 expected goals and rarely threatened.
- The win extended Chicago's unbeaten streak against Canadian opponents to six matches.
Jonathan Bamba scored in the first half to give the Fire a 1-0 lead, finishing from the center of the box in the 27th minute. The Fire controlled the match throughout, generating steady pressure and limiting Montréal's chances despite playing the final 34 minutes a man down following a red card to Jonathan Dean in the 56th minute.
In stoppage time, Hugo Cuypers converted a penalty in the 90th minute to make it 2-0, and Robin Lod added a third moments later with a finish from close range. The Fire dominated the attacking numbers, finishing with an 18-4 advantage in shots and an 11-2 edge in on-target shots while producing 4.0 expected goals. Montréal (0-2) managed just 0.1 expected goals and rarely threatened.
Goalkeeper Chris Brady made two saves for the shutout, while Thomas Gillier kept the visitors within reach for much of the afternoon with seven saves.
The win extended Chicago's unbeaten streak against Canadian opponents to six matches dating back to 2024 and marked the Fire's first victory of the season after opening with a road loss at Houston. The Fire (1-1) will next face Columbus on Saturday, while Montréal faces New York on March 8th.
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