Andrew Gutman scored the go-ahead goal in the second half to help the host Chicago Fire beat Toronto FC 2-1 on Saturday for their third straight victory in the final match before the MLS break for the World Cup.
The Fire (8-4-2, 26 points) have allowed just two goals over their past three matches.
Toronto (3-6-5, 14 points) has lost three straight and is winless in its past eight (0-4-4).
Toronto had the momentum early and forced Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady into an early save when Josh Sargent came up the middle to put a feed from Malik Henry on target in the fifth minute.
The hosts started to find their game as the first half progressed and finally converted to take a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute. Hugo Cuypers sent a centering pass to Maren Haile-Selassie, who put a one-touch short feed up for Robin Lod. The Finnish forward maintained possession as he headed into the box and, with Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran off his line, fired the ball into the right corner.
That gave the Fire life, and they started to control the play.
But Toronto pulled even in the 34th minute, courtesy of Josh Sargent, in his return after missing three matches with a thigh injury. On a rush up to the final third, Alonso Coello put the ball ahead for Sargent, who split two Chicago defenders before collecting it in the box and delivering a right-foot strike that went bar down.
Sargent nearly had his second two minutes later when his shot from the top of the box went just over the crossbar.
The second half started much like the first, with the visitors controlling play and generating an early opportunity. In the 49th minute, Derrick Etienne Jr. collected a loose ball along the left side of the box and fired it far side, but his shot rolled just wide of the post.
Gutman put Chicago ahead 2-1 in the 65th minute. Philip Zinckernagel gathered the rebound of his corner attempt by the right-side touchline and sent it toward a crowd of bodies by the spot, where Gutman jumped for the header, directing it inside the right post.
–Field Level Media
