Nashville SC and playoff-chasing Chicago Fire got a goal apiece in the first half to finish with a 1-1 draw on Saturday night at Nissan Stadium.
Chicago’s right side struggled to slow down Nashville SC’s attack early in the first half, especially Designated Player Randall Leal. The midfielder created two very good chances for the Boys in Gold in the first 25 minutes and eventually connected with Daniel Rios in the 28th minute for a header that put the home side up 1-0.
After that first goal of the game, Chicago played with a renewed intensity, quickly firing off two shots. And Boris Sekulic broke through just before halftime with a smooth near-post finish past Nashville’s Joe Willis after a fine through ball from Mauricio Pineda to level things up.
Looking for as many points as they can get to stay above the playoff line as Decision Day gets closer, Chicago kept the energy high coming into the second half and dominated possession in the final third. Francisco Calvo blasted a shot in the dying minutes of the game, but it went right to Willis, and then Elliot Collier went even closer when hitting the woodwork shortly after.
In the end, Walker Zimmerman and the NSC defense held the Fire off to leave the sides sharing the points after a hard-fought battle.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: While Nashville SC punched their ticket to the playoffs earlier this week, the Chicago Fire are in 10th place in the East, barely hanging on to that last playoff spot. The Fire certainly wanted to gain three points and move up in the standings, but they should not be disappointed in a well-earned point on the road. With a draw tonight, Gary Smith’s Boys in Gold continue their solid form and they have only lost one of their last 10 games.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Chicago's Mauricio Pineda sent a perfectly timed pass into Boris Sekulic, whose silky smooth finish tied things at 1-1 going into halftime, a scoreline that stuck until the final whistle.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Nashville’s Joe Willis gave Boris Sekulic the near post and the right back made the goalkeeper pay to earn his club a point on the road. It was only Sekulic’s second goal of the season, but at a time when every point matters as the Fire try to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017, his composure made a difference for his side tonight.
Next Up
- NSH: Wednesday, November 4 vs. FC Dallas (8:30 p.m. EDT | TSN4 in Canada; MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US)
- CHI: Wednesday, November 4 at Minnesota United FC (8 p.m. EDT | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US; MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
