The Earthquakes took the lead 11 minutes into the second half when midfielder Jackson Yueill slipped through a ball to Cristian Espinoza who found the back of the net to put San Jose in the lead. Chicago had an apparent 70th-minute equalizer from forward Robert Berić disallowed due to a Fire foul in the buildup. In the 83rd minute, Chris Wondolowski, MLS’ all-time leading scorer, would score his 161st career goal securing the Earthquakes’ victory. San Jose has locked up first place in Group B. To view the MLS is Back Tournament standings, click here.
Next on the schedule: Chicago will close out the MLS is Back group stage against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Thursday, July 23. With a win over Vancouver, the Fire can advance out of Group B with a second-place finish. Beginning at 8:00 a.m. CT, the match will be televised nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and transmitted locally in Spanish on TUDN 1200AM.
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Notes:
- Sunday’s match marked the Fire’s second game in the MLS is Back Tournament and fourth overall match in 2020.
- Tonight’s result counts towards Group B in the MLS is Back tournament and the 2020 regular season standings. The Fire currently sit in second place in Group B with three points.
- Chicago now holds a 16-12-11 all-time record against the San Jose Earthquakes.
- Defender Francisco Calvo captained the Fire and wore a captain’s armband that represents the Black Lives Matter movement. The armband was designed by Chicago-based artist and former Northwestern student-athlete Dwight White. For more information on the design, click here. Calvo has worn the captain’s armband in all four games this season.
- Defender Miguel Ángel Navarro and midfielder Luka Stojanović made their first career MLS starts for the Fire in Sunday’s contest.
- Midfielder Ignacio Aliseda made his first career MLS appearance for the Fire.
- Tonight’s match was the first time that all three of the Fire’s designated players (Aliseda, Berić and Giménez) were on the field together.
- In partnership with Continental Tire, the Fire hosted a “Drive-In Matchday” at Soldier Field tonight, providing fans with a unique opportunity to watch the team’s contest against the Earthquakes. Footage and photos from the drive-in watch party are now available and can be accessed by clicking here.
- SJ forward Chris Wondolowski, MLS’ all-time leading scorer, tallied the 161st goal of his career with his goal in the 83rd minute.
Goals:
SJ - Cristian Espinoza 56th minute (WATCH): San Jose managed to take the lead 11 minutes into the second half when midfielder Cristian Espinoza fired a shot into the back of the net.
SJ - Chris Wondolowski 83rd minute (WATCH): Earthquakes substitute Carlos Fierro found the head of a bolting Chris Wondolowski who headed the ball with power for San Jose’s second goal.
Key attacking plays:
CHI – Robert Berić 20th minute: After receiving the ball on the right side of the 18-yard box, forward Robert Berić took a touch before driving a cross into a dangerous area. Sliding into the six-yard box, Sapong just missed Berić’s cross for a close-range finish.
CHI – Luka Stojanović 36th minute: Defender Boris Sekulic ventured forward and floated a cross toward the back post, finding midfielder Luka Stojanović for a header that forced a save from goalkeeper Daniel Vega.
CHI – Robert Berić 59th minute: With the Fire attacking on the break, midfielder Álvaro Medrán played a quick through ball for Berić. After battling with his defender to maintain possession, Berić fired a low, driven shot on target to force another save by Vega.
CHI – Fabian Herbers 66th minute: Running onto a well-played through ball from Medrán, second half substitute Fabian Herbers darted into the box and fired a close-range shot that was blocked by a sliding challenge from defender Florian Jungwirth.
Stops and key defensive plays:
CHI - Kenneth Kronholm 3rd minute (WATCH): Goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm was called upon to make his first save of the game in the 3rd minute, diving to his left to save a low, powerful effort from midfielder Judson.
Box score:
Chicago Fire FC 0:2 San Jose Earthquakes
Scoring Summary:
SJ - Espinoza (1) (Yueill 1) 56’
SJ - Wondolowski (2) (Fierro 1, Thompson 1) 83’
Misconduct Summary:
CHI - Sekulić (Caution) 29’
CHI - Jungwirth (Caution) 37’
SJ - Judson (Caution) 50’
CHI - Medrán (Caution) 53’
CHI - Giménez (Caution) 58’
CHI - Herbers (Caution) 61’
CHI - Pineda (Caution ) 62’
SJ - Eriksson (Caution) 86’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Kronholm, D Frankowski, D Sekulić (M Aliseda 90’), D Pineda (M Mihailović 72’), D Calvo ©, D Navarro, M Giménez, M Medrán, M Stojanović (F Herbers 45+2’), F Berić, F Sapong (F Collier 71’)
Subs not used: GK Sparrow, GK G. Slonina, D Omsberg, D N. Slonina, D Bornstein, D Reynolds II, M Bronico, M Casas
Shots: 8 Shots on goal: 3 Fouls: 23 Offsides: 2 Corners: 3 Possession: 36.9%
San Jose Earthquakes: GK Vega, D Jungwirth, D Lima (F Hoesen 82’), D Marie (D Thompson 69’), D Kashia, M Eriksson ©, M Yueill, M Judson (F Wondolowski 82’), F Espinoza (F Fierro 82’), F Vako (F Salinas 69’), F Rios
Subs not used: GK Bersano, D Alanis, D Beason, M Calvillo, M Felipe, M Skahan, F Cowell
Shots: 11 Shots on goal: 3 Fouls: 11 Offsides: 1 Corners: 5 Possession: 63.1%
Referee: Ramy Touchan
Assistant Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Chris Wattam
Fourth Official: Victor Rivas
VAR: Ismail Elfath
Chicago Fire FC Quotes
Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Raphael Wicky
On the takeaways from tonight’s match…
“I think the lesson is that in these games, you don't have 10 chances; you have a few. You need to be clinical through open plays or through pressing and winning the balls, or set pieces when you have a few, you've got to be I think more concentrated and be better in the last 30 yards to actually then take advantage of the game. But otherwise, it was an expected hard game, physical game. Lots of challenges. For the most part of the game, we were well. We were well-organized, which is a good point. But yeah, overall, I think it was too hectic and we need to try to be more calm with the ball.”
On why the Fire players got a flurry of bookings in the second half…
“Of course it has to do with the way that game goes, and we knew it's going to be a physical game. Every time you have the ball, you're going to be in a challenge. So, when we don't have the ball, we also want to be in a challenge. That happens. Like I said, it was a hectic game. There was a lot of screaming. Lots of little fouls. And then, yeah, you get a little bit frustrated probably. I think that is the reason, and there is, of course, you've got to keep your emotions. You've got to stay focused on what you can control, and to not do yellow cards. Because obviously when you're a defender or a center midfielder and you have yellow cards, you always have to be careful and after, not getting a second one.”
On lifting the team’s spirits for the next game…
“We started very well. I think they started very aggressive. We pressed them high and made their life difficult because it's a team which has a lot of possession normally, and we were able to steal some balls and make it hard. We knew it's not possible (for) 90 minutes. Normally then you should keep more of the ball yourself so that the opponent runs. Yeah, I think we were not able to do that good enough to keep the ball to keep them running. But yeah, we have now three days, two and a half days. It's a short turnover for all the teams that will play. So, it is about sleeping well, eating, recovery and then being ready again. We have a roster; we need all the players.”
On trying to press San Jose for 90 minutes…
“Yeah, of course we know that we couldn't play and press as hard as we did in the beginning. So, then it's about staying compact. Then you know that if you don't keep the ball, they have the ball, and you stay compact in your own half, and then you pick the moments when to press again. I think there were good moments where we did that, and then there were moments where we started to get a little bit stretched, and that's when the danger comes. When a few players go and press or go higher and the others stay, and that's where you get stretched, especially against a team like them who do well with the ball. But yeah, that was the plan, or that's the plan: To keep more of the ball, which for most of the part of the game we were not able to.”
On the message to the team going into Thursday’s game…
“It's important to keep your heads up. I mean, it's a football game. We lost a football game today. We won one last time. You can't be when you win on the top, and then you lose on the bottom. You've got to keep steady emotions, and it's a football game. We're going to stand up again. We are going to keep working. We are a very good team. We had good moments today. It's a tight game, very tight with a few details that will decide the game. That's the message I will give the players. The effort was there, the effort was there for 90 minutes, and that is very positive. So now we have to recover and we're going to be ready in the next game.”
Chicago Fire Midfielder Gastón Giménez
On any takeaways and lessons from tonight’s match…
“We leave here with the sensation and the knowledge that we fought hard, we kept going; we competed. That's very important for us. We knew that whoever scored the first goal was going to have the chance to win the game, and they did it. They are a hard team and they fought hard, but we have another opportunity to advance, and we're going into it knowing that we have to give everything.”
On playing a different type of opponent tonight…
“Our style of play, the way we play is thinking about only our group, and our group needs games. We need rhythm. We need to play together a little bit more. Yeah, we are leaving here with a bitter taste of having lost, but we are leaving here with the knowledge that we fought together. We worked hard together. We went in playing our style of working together and for each other. So yeah, we leave here and it's a little bit bitter, but we know that we worked for each other and we worked together.”
Chicago Fire FC Forward CJ Sapong
On any takeaways and lessons from tonight’s match…
“I think it's just that we are going to have to develop that mentality where if we can't really stick to our identity and play, you know, quality soccer that we are used to, we're going to have to learn to dig deep and grind it out. Credit to San Jose. They are a team that likes to battle, and I'm not sure that we've had a game like that yet. So, it's a good lesson to learn and I think we'll take from it moving forward.”
On the chance that he had to score in the first half…
(Robert) Berić played the ball in, and I think I was maybe a half-second too late. When it comes to these games, you know, with all the different factors, you've got to be on top of your game and be mentally tough and be mentally aware every moment. And you know, that's a ball that maybe with 10 games under my belt and a little bit more games with Robert, you know, I sense that coming earlier and I can get there. You know, while obviously that would have been great to go ahead at that time of the game, I think you could see that throughout the game it was going to be a battle regardless. So yeah, obviously (I) want to have that one back, but I have to look forward and try to work on the timing and hopefully next time be on point.”