The New York Red Bulls got goals from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Serge Ngoma during a furious six-minute span late in the first half to comeback and defeat the visiting Chicago Fire 2-1 on Saturday night in Harrison, N.J.
The Red Bulls (3-2-2, 11 points) beat the Fire for the first time since April 2022, snapping a five-game winless streak (0-2-3) against their Eastern Conference rivals.
Chicago (3-2-2, 11 points) had its three-game road win streak and a five-game unbeaten run come to an end in suffering its first defeat since Feb. 22. The Fire, which have scored 11 of its 14 goals away from home, was held to fewer than two goals for the first time in five road matches this season.
Jonathan Bamba opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a left footed shot that beat Red Bulls goalie Carlos Coronel to the far right post. Philip Zinckernagel found Bamba streaking down the left side and put a well weighted pass into his path to earn the assist just a minute after Hugo Cuypers registered the first shot on target in the match for the Fire.
It marked the first goal in MLS for the 29-year-old Ivory Coast international who joined the Fire in January on a three-year deal.
The Red Bulls levelled the match in the 41st minute on Serge Ngoma’s header in the box. The 19-year-old’s first goal of the season was assisted by Omar Valencia who whipped in a cross after making a run down the left side. Noah Elie picked up the secondary assist.
New York went ahead 2-1 in first half stoppage time on Choupo-Moting’s penalty kick. It was the third goal of the season for 36-year-old Cameroon international that played the previous four seasons at Bayern Munich. Fire midfielder Kellyn Acosta, who has 58 caps for the US, conceded the penalty after bringing down Dylan Nealis in the box.
Choupo-Moting calmly chipped his spot kick right down the middle after Fire goalie Chris Brady dove to his right in the second minute of extra time before halftime to complete the quick turnaround.
Cuypers, who entered the weekend second in MLS with five goals, had a point blank shot saved by Coronel in the 87th minute. Cuypers finished with three shots.
–Field Level Media
