Chicago Fire Falls 2–1 to San Diego in First-Ever Matchup

Chicago Fire FC endured a narrow 2–1 defeat to San Diego FC on Saturday evening at Soldier Field, despite a late goal by striker Hugo Cuypers. The match marked the first-ever meeting between the two clubs and was played in front of 27,631 fans.

San Diego opened the scoring early in the first half with a precise cross from Luca Bombino to Hirving Lozano, who found Anders Dreyer for the finish. The duo combined once again before halftime, with Lozano assisting Dreyer’s second goal to give the visitors a 2–0 advantage heading into the break.

Chicago responded with greater urgency in the second half, creating multiple attacking opportunities. Midfielder Maren Haile-Selassie recorded his fourth assist of the season in the 86th minute, setting up Cuypers for his 12th goal of the campaign. Despite added pressure in stoppage time, the Fire couldn’t find the equalizer.

The match featured notable performances across the pitch. Goalkeeper Chris Brady returned to the starting lineup and made two saves in what was his 79th career appearance. Rominigue Kouamé also returned to action after being sidelined since early June.

The Fire’s roster was impacted by several absences, including Carlos Terán, Justin Reynolds, Christopher Cupps, Chris Mueller, and David Poreba, who were unavailable due to injuries or other considerations.

Referee Victor Rivas officiated the match, assisted by Oscar Mitchell and Eduardo Jeff.

Chicago will now hit the road for two consecutive away matches. They will face Atlanta United on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, followed by CF Montréal on Saturday at Stade Saputo. Both games will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass and local television networks.