Recap: DC United 1, Chicago Fire FC 0

Edison Flores scored his first MLS goal to help shorthanded D.C. United snap a three-match losing streak and defeat Chicago Fire FC, 1-0, Thursday night at Audi Field.

Flores’ goal started with Moses Nyeman winning the ball back in the Chicago defensive third and playing to Adrien Perez. In his second start, Perez perfectly lofted a cutback from the end line to the edge of the six-yard box where Flores headed home to give D.C. United a 1-0 lead in the 7th minute.

Julian Gressel nearly doubled the advantage in the 21st minute but, following an attacking corner kick, he hammered a shot past a rooted Bobby Shuttleworth and off the crossbar.

Brian Gutierrez had the Fire’s best scoring chances in the first half. But Jon Kempin, in his first MLS start since 2019, made a solid save before a Frederic Brillant clearance in the 32nd minute and then the 17-year-old homegrown put his low shot off the far post five minutes later.

Chicago (0-4-1) pressed for the equalizer late and nearly had it though Elliot Collier, who was denied point-blank by Kempin in the 72nd minute and Fabian Herbers headed off the crossbar in second-half stoppage time. The Fire failed to score for a third consecutive match and suffered a fourth defeat in a row after a season-opening draw against the New England Revolution.

Goals 

• 7’ — DC — Edison Flores | WATCH 

Three Things 

• THE BIG PICTURE: Raise your hand if you had Adrien Perez and Jon Kempin playing a major role in a D.C. United victory. The Black (and blue)-and-Red will take the three points any way they can, considering the multitude of injuries. Another positive note for D.C. was Paul Arriola’s season debut off the bench after a quadriceps injury cut short a loan stint with Swansea City. It’s now four losses in five matches without a win for Chicago, already four points below the playoff line in the East. That could be more by the time they step back on the field in Week 6. 
• MOMENT OF THE MATCH: It’s all about that lone goal, and what a moment it was for Flores, who endured a nightmarish 2020, which saw him sidelined for nearly two months after suffering facial fractures.

• MAN OF THE MATCH: Perez gets the nod for not only setting up Flores for the lone goal, but for his work rate and the positive running he did throughout. All that was missing was a deserved goal, and that got waved off in the 78th minute by the offside flag.

Next Up 

• DC: Sunday, May 16 vs. Orlando City SC | 8 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ | MLS regular season
• CHI: Saturday, May 22 vs. Inter Miami CF | 6 pm ET | UniMas, TUDN, Twitter (English audio) | MLS regular season