Schweinsteiger Leads Way for Huge Fire Victory

Chicago Fire 3-2 Montreal Impact

BRIDGEVIEW, IL—Off to a great start scoring goals, Chicago scored twice in the first 19 minutes, but needed the most important goal of the night late in the match as Bastian Schweinsteiger knocked in a header near the back post off a corner kick from Djordje Mihailovic in the 88th minute.

Chicago went on to take a 3-2 victory over the visiting Montreal Impact on Saturday night at SeatGeek Stadium.

“We know that we could’ve scored a goal at the end,” Schweinsteiger said. “We’re happy that it came on a set piece again. It was definitely an important (goal). I think when we played a couple of seasons ago, when we played away in Montreal and we won 1-0. I scored that goal that saved us for the playoffs. If you talk about this season, I think it was a very important win for us at home. It gives us confidence for the next game.”

While Schweinsteiger scored the game-winner, he also helped out in the two early goals for the Fire. Dax McCarty scored his first Fire goal in the eighth minute of play up top after taking a pass from Schweinsteiger near the end line. That scoring opportunity was set up on a corner kick.

Nemanja Nikolic scored his eighth goal in the season Saturday night against the Impact (Photo credit: Amanda Cortese)

The Fire added another off a combination play in the 19th minute when Francisco Calvo fed the ball over to Aleksander Katai who set up Nemanja Nikolic kicking the ball into the back of the net. Schweinsteiger again set up the goal on a counterattack in the middle of the field.

Montreal got back into the match with a penalty kick. Saphir Taider converted the penalty in the 34th minute after he was taken down in the penalty area by Chicago Fire goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm on a goal scoring opportunity.

The Impact evened the match in the 76th minute on a header from Bacary Sagna getting his first goal of the season. Ex-Fire defender Jorge Corrales assisted off a corner kick and served the ball in front of the goal.

Chicago with the victory improved its mark with 7 points over its last 3 matches and second straight victory for only the second time this season.

“We had fought to the end and it was a great feeling to see the guys coming back to get the three points,” Chicago Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic said. “We’re going to keep humble, work hard and be prepared for the next game. We know that we’re getting closer and still have a long way to go.”

The Fire are now making its playoff push seeing its mark at 7-10-9 at 30 points and are just 3 points out of the last playoff spot with 8 matches left on its schedule.

They will have a tough run in its next two matches on the road in Portland at Providence Park on Wednesday night followed by a home match hosting Eastern Conference rival Philadelphia on Saturday night.

“We play for every point in every game with the mindset to win,” Paunovic added. “We know that we can’t fail and we know that we always have are guard up. There’s nothing to change and we keep pushing forward.”

Montreal with the loss falls to 10-13-3. and currently sits in the final playoff spot with 33 points having now lost their sixth league match in their last seven.

“We had the objective to get out of here with three points and it wasn’t the case.” Montreal Impact midfielder Samuel Piette said. “We came back to even the score at two-two, and with fifteen minutes left we tried to push to get that win because we felt pretty confident but unfortunately I think set pieces hurt us today. It’s a tough one.”

SCORING SUMMARY:

CHI-Dax McCarty (Schweinsteiger) 8

CHI-Nemanja Nikolic (Katai, Calvo) 19

MTL-Saphir Taider (penalty kick) 33

MTL-Bacary Sagna (Corrales) 76

CHI-Bastian Schweinsteiger (Mihailovic) 88

BOOKING SUMMARY:

CHI-Kenneth Kronholm (caution, tactical foul) 32

MTL-Zakaria Diallo (caution, reckless foul) 67

CHI-Dax McCarty (caution, tactical foul) 74

CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-3-1): #27-Kenneth Kronholm; #4-Johan Kappelhof, #31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, #5-Francisco Calvo, #3-Jonathan Bornstein; #13-Brandt Bronico, #6-Dax McCarty; #10-Aleksandar Katai, #20-Nico Gaitan (#14-Djordje Mihailovic 75), #9-CJ Sapong; #23-Nemanja Nikolic (#11-Przemyslaw Frankowski 54)

Subs not used: #45-Richard Sanchez, #2-Marcelo, #15-Grant Lillard, #16-Michael Azira, #17-Diego Campos

MONTREAL IMPACT (4-4-2): #1-Evan Bush; #33-Bacary Sagna, #5-Zakaria Diallo, #4-Rudy Camacho, #26-Jorge Corrales; #18-Orji Okwonkwo (#10-Ignacio Piatti 79), #28-Shamit Shome (#9-Bojan 62), #8-Saphir Taider, #6-Samuel Piette; #37-Maxi Urruti, #29-Mathieu Choiniere (#21-Lassi Lappalainen 62)

Subs not used: #23-Clement Diop, #22-Jukka Raitala, #3-Daniel Lovitz, #13-Ken Krolicki

TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 8-12 MTL

SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 4-3 MTL

FOULS: CHI 9-8 MTL

OFFSIDES: CHI 2-1 MTL

CORNER KICKS: CHI 2-1 MTL

SAVES: CHI 1-1 MTL

Referee: Chris Penso

Assistant Referees: Mike Rottersman, Felisha Mariscal

4th Official: Allen Chapman

VAR: Sorin Stoica

Weather: Partly Cloudy and 76º