Winston Reid got his first MLS goal and the only goal of the game as Sporting Kansas City beat Chicago Fire FC 1-0 at Children's Mercy Park on Wednesday night.
Reid, on loan from Premier League side West Ham United, headed home from close range in the 67th minute, with the Fire unable to produce a response.
The game had got off to an action-packed start with a penalty awarded inside 30 seconds. Tim Melia had a few seconds to forget when first the Sporting KC goalkeeper cleared the ball straight at Fabian Herbers before then bringing him down to concede a penalty and earn himself a yellow card.
Robert Beric stepped up looking to set a Fire record with a goal in a sixth straight game but Melia immediately redeemed himself with a save low to his left.
Melia's booking was just the first of eight in a tempestuous encounter. There were chances at both ends to add to the scoring, too. The Fire went close in the first half with a Herbers header wide and then when Djordje Mihailovic struck the post with a gorgeous chip. SKC had other openings as well, with Jonny Russell seeing an effort cleared off the lin in the first half and Jaylin Lindsey and Khiry Shelton unable to take advantage of chances in the second.
Goals
- 67' – SKC – Winston Reid | WATCH
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Not at their best and without influential DP striker Alan Pulido, Sporting KC will be delighted to walk away with three points that keeps them on track for a top-four spot in the Western Conference. The Fire, meanwhile, miss a good chance to go above the playoff line in the East and see their strong run of form, with seven points from their last three games, come to an end.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: The Fire will be thinking about that second-minute penalty long and hard on their way back to Chicago. In the form he's in, you would have backed Beric to find the back of the net but Melia kept up his remarkable record with penalties, with his 11th save since 2016, to leave the Fire to reflect on crucial points that slipped away in the race for a playoff spot.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Winston Reid. The New Zealand center back got the crucial opening goal, showing his nous with a clever run to lose his marker and then head in powerfully at the back post. But he was also an imposing figure at the back for SKC, showing the full weight of his experience with a game-high seven interceptions.
Next Up
- SKC: Sunday, Oct. 11 vs. Nashville SC (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
- CHI: Sunday, Oct. 11 vs. D.C. United (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
