Hugo Cuypers scored his fourth goal of the season and the Chicago Fire reversed an early deficit to complete a 2-1 victory at Toronto FC on Saturday.
Andrew Gutman also scored in Chicago’s second consecutive victory in their first season under former U.S. men’s national team manager Gregg Berhalter.
The Fire (2-1-1, 7 points) have already scored nine goals across that four-game start, after having scored 40 or fewer in each of their four 34-game MLS seasons.
Deandre Kerr scored in the 11th minute for Toronto (0-3-1, 1 point), which opened its home schedule with a third consecutive loss following a season-opening draw at D.C. United.
First-year manager Robin Fraser’s group has now conceded 10 goals in their first four matches — and at least two in each.
Kerr put Toronto in front early on one of the Reds’ few positive attacking sequences. Jonathan Osorio played an early give-and-go into Kerr at the edge of the penalty area before spraying the ball wide right. Kerr outmuscled his defender to head in a Federico Bernardeschi cross from about six yards.
Gutman pulled Chicago level in the 29th minute after collecting a loose ball and dribbling toward the edge of the penalty area. Gutman then unfurled a well-struck shot that sailed beyond goalkeeper Sean Johnson’s dive and just inside the far right post.
Cuypers then put the visitors in front just before halftime. After receiving a pass from midfield, Cuypers turned and played Leonardo Barroso into space down the right.
Barroso returned a cross, and although Cuypers’ first touch was a bit long, he recovered in time to bundle the ball across the line past the charging Johnson.
Cuypers missed an excellent chance to extend Chicago’s lead about 15 minutes into the second half, with Johnson sprinting from his line to provide just enough pressure to force Cuypers’ finish on the run wide of the right post.
Then in the 70th minute, Cuypers had what appeared to be his second goal disallowed for a hold by Maren Haile-Selassie on Johnson, following a video review.
–Field Level Media
