Anzor Mekvabishvili and Philip Zinckernagel each scored second-half goals on Saturday night to lift the visiting Chicago Fire to a 3-2 victory over Atlanta United.
Anton Saletros also scored and had an assist for Chicago (15-10-6, 51 points), which snapped a two-game losing streak.
Tomas Jacob and Breel Embolo each scored for Atlanta (8-17-6, 30 points), which lost its third game in four tries.
Chicago outshot Atlanta 12-7, with each team posting three shots on target.
The Fire took a 2-1 edge on Mekvabishvili’s goal in the 51st minute. Atlanta goalkeeper Lucas Hoyos’ lackadaisical pass in the Atlanta box was easily picked off by Mekvabishvili, who scored the first goal of his MLS career.
Chicago doubled its lead in the 60th minute, as Zinckernagel scored from the center of the box. The 31-year-old’s seventh goal of the season was assisted by Saletros.
Atlanta pulled within a goal eight minutes later. Midseason acquisition Breel Embolo scored on a header off a pass from Elias Baez.
Neither side had a shot after the 81st minute as Chicago posted its second win in as many games against Atlanta this season.
Atlanta scored first just four minutes in, as Jacob scored from the right of the box on an assist from Miguel Almiron.
After attempts by Zinckernagel and Robert Lewandowski missed, Saletros evened the game with his second goal of the season on a left-footed strike past a diving Hoyos.
Chicago held possession for 60% of the first half, but just had the one shot on target by Saletros.
–Field Level Media
