Recap: Chicago Fire FC 2, DC United 2

Ari Liljenwall

D.C. United scored two late goals to steal a point from Chicago Fire FC in stunning fashion on Wednesday, erasing a 2-0 deficit in a five-minute span to salvage a 2-2 draw in the Eastern Conference matchup between the sides at Soldier Field.

Chicago were in prime position to take all three points after a goal from Gaston Gimenez and a second-half own goal had them protecting a 2-0 lead in the game's waning moments. But D.C's Kevin Paredes struck first for the visitors in the 82nd minute before a penalty kick finish from Ola Kamara delivered Hernan Losada's group a point.

D.C. had two big early chances inside 10 minutes, but were denied each time by Fire goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth. The first came from a seventh-minute shot from Nigel Robertha, who got in behind the Chicago defense and had a clean look on goal, but saw his laser shot saved. Frederic Brillant then put a header on frame off a corner kick from Julian Gressel just one minute later, but Shuttleworth proved up to the task again.

The Fire made the visitors pay for the missed opportunities, striking for the opener in the 32nd minute courtesy of Gimenez's first MLS goal. The Paraguay international placed a snap header off a feed from Boris Sekulic past diving D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid at the far post.

D.C. had two more looks at an equalizer in the 53rd minute, first off the boot of substitute Yordy Reyna, who forced Shuttleworth into a reaction save with a close-range shot off a cross from Ola Kamara. Junior Moreno then raced onto the rebound, but his distance look was blocked by Chicago defender Wyatt Omsberg.

Chicago then found the lead-doubling tally on 61 minutes through an own goal off D.C's Andy Najar. The opportunity was created by a well-worked counterattack that ended with an attempted cross from Miguel Navarro from the left side that took a deflection off Najar before sneaking past Hamid and into the net.

The Fire looked poised to take what would have been a big three-point result, but Paredes started the comeback, pulling one back for D.C. in the 82nd minute to give the visitors a lifeline with a first-time shot that glanced off the post and into the goal. Najar then atoned for the earlier own goal, winning a penalty kick by drawing a foul on Jonathan Bornstein that allowed Kamara to convert the equalizer from the spot.

Goals

32' – CHI – Gaston Gimenez | WATCH
61' – CHI – Andy Najar (OG) | WATCH
82' – DC – Kevin Paredes | WATCH
87' – DC – Ola Kamara (PK) | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: It's a gut-punch for the Fire, who really could have used a bounce-back win after getting demolished 5-1 by Nashville SC their last time out, and had one at their fingertips before letting it slip away. As frustrating as it has to be for Chicago, it's definitely a great point on the road for D.C., who have been playing some good soccer lately under first-year coach Hernan Losada and showed plenty of moxie to come back and steal this point.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Chicago remained in position to take the win even after Paredes' goal, but the result was decided on this penalty kick call on Bornstein, which gave D.C. the goal they needed to leave with a point.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Kevin Paredes is considered one of MLS' most talented young homegrowns, and the 18-year-old showed why with a clinical finish on D.C.'s opener that sparked the comeback result.