The Chicago Fire staged an incredible comeback on Wednesday night, defeating the Philadelphia Union 4-3 after being down by two goals. The hero of the night was Hugo Cuypers, who scored two goals in the final eight-plus minutes to secure the victory for Chicago.
Cuypers’ first goal came in the 82nd minute off an assist from Chris Mueller, bringing Chicago within a goal of the Union. Gaston Gimenez then tied the score in the 89th minute with a goal assisted by Rafael Czichos. In stoppage time, Cuypers completed his brace with a goal assisted by Maren Haile-Selassie, sealing the win for the Fire.
The match started with the Fire conceding the first goal to the Union, with Haile-Selassie scoring in the 30th minute off an assist from Allan Arigoni. However, the Fire fought back, with Chris Donovan, Daniel Gazdag, and Jack McGlynn scoring in quick succession to give Philadelphia a 3-1 lead.
The late collapse by the Union, conceding three goals in the final minutes of the match, marked their fifth consecutive defeat. Philadelphia has struggled in their past eight fixtures, going 0-5-3 in that span.
The victory was crucial for Chicago, as they look to move up the Eastern playoff table. Despite their leaky defense, the Fire showed resilience and determination to secure the win against a tough opponent.
Overall, it was a thrilling and dramatic match between the Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union, with Hugo Cuypers’ late heroics stealing the show and securing the victory for Chicago.