FC Cincinnati secured a 3-3 draw against the Chicago Fire on Saturday evening, scoring twice in the last 15 minutes of the game.
Chicago’s Hugo Cuypers scored twice, boosting his goal tally for the season to six. Cincinnati (2-4-2, 8 points) managed to stop Chicago’s (4-2-2, 14 points) three-game winning streak in MLS.
The match featured 41 shots, 16 on target, 20 fouls, and seven yellow cards.
The game began slowly, but both teams became more aggressive, combining for three goals in the following 20 minutes and stoppage time.
Cuypers opened the scoring in the 26th minute, finishing a right-footed shot with assists from Philip Zinckernagel and Jack Elliott, giving the Fire a 1-0 advantage.
Cincinnati’s Tom Barlow equalized in the 42nd minute when he capitalized on a rebound from Chris Brady’s save of Bryan Ramirez’s shot.
Just before halftime, Cincinnati’s Samuel Gidi fouled Cuypers in stoppage time. Zinckernagel converted the penalty kick, putting the Fire ahead 2-1.
Things worsened for Cincinnati shortly into the second half when Cuypers scored again, extending the lead to 3-1.
Cincinnati rallied back late in the game. Evander, who had 18 goals last season, scored his first of the season on a penalty kick in the 79th minute after Mbekezeli Mbokazi fouled Gerardo Valenzuela in the box.
Cincinnati equalized in the 86th minute due to an own goal by Chicago’s Dje D’Avilla from an Evander free kick.
Despite 10 minutes of second-half stoppage time, neither team scored again, with Brady making his eighth save to maintain the draw. Celentano recorded three saves for Cincinnati.