Chicago Fire FC ground out a valuable 1-0 victory at Charlotte FC on Saturday night, taking all three points from Bank of America Stadium after Luca de la Torre’s 58th-minute own goal separated the Eastern Conference sides.
There was little to divide the teams in a scoreless first half, though Chicago gradually established control through possession and set-piece pressure. The Fire finished with 59 percent of the ball, six corners and 18 attempts, forcing Charlotte to spend long stretches defending their own penalty area.
The match’s decisive moment arrived 13 minutes after the restart. De la Torre turned the ball into his own net in the 58th minute, handing Chicago the lead in a fixture that had offered few clear openings before that point.
Charlotte responded with greater urgency and created 11 shots overall, but only two tested the Chicago goalkeeper. The hosts could not find the final pass or finishing touch needed to rescue a point, despite pushing for an equaliser late on.
Chicago registered eight shots on target from their 18 efforts and managed the closing stages effectively, even as the match became increasingly physical. Sergio Oregel was booked for the visitors in the 23rd minute, while Charlotte’s Djibril Diani and Allan Saint-Maximin saw yellow cards before half-time. Pep Biel was cautioned in the 74th minute, with David Poreba and Ashley Westwood also booked during a tense final stretch.
Charlotte’s Tim Ream was shown a yellow card and then a red card in the 90th-minute stoppage time, leaving the home side to finish the match with 10 men. Chicago saw out the remaining moments to secure the clean sheet and the 1-0 result.
The victory moves Chicago Fire FC’s record to 12-6-8, while Charlotte FC fall to 12-7-8. Following the international break, Charlotte host FC Dallas on October 10, while Chicago Fire FC welcome New York City FC on the same day.
Goal
- Chicago Fire FC: Luca de la Torre own goal, 58′
