Jorge Ruvalcaba, Cade Cowell and Eric Maxim Chuopo-Moting scored as the New York Red Bulls handed the Chicago Fire their second straight home loss, 3-1, on Saturday.
Ethan Horvath had three saves for the Red Bulls (4-5-3, 15 points), who ended a two-game scoreless drought and snapped their five-game MLS winless streak.
Hugo Cuypers scored in the 87th minute for Chicago (5-4-2, 17 points), which has suddenly slumped after putting together a five-game unbeaten streak.
New York rookie coach Michael Bradley topped his former U.S. men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter, who guides Chicago. Bradley was on the USMNT from 2006 to 2019, playing under Berhalter in the final season of his playing tenure.
Chris Brady had one save for the Fire. He has surrendered nine goals in the last four games after recording clean sheets in four of Chicago’s first seven matches this season.
In a static first half, Chicago had 59 percent of the possession but didn’t take its first shot on goal until the 44th minute.
New York scored on its ensuing possession in the 45th minute, as the Fire defense gave Emil Forsberg and Rubalcaba too much room on the left side of the box.
Rubalcava one-touched a pass from Forsberg to clear himself for a right-footed blast, which went into the top right corner for his fourth goal of the year and a 1-0 lead.
Four minutes into the second half, the Red Bulls struck again using their speed in transition. Ronald Donkor dribbled from beyond midfield and fed Cade Cowell who made an inside run.
Cowell received the ball on the right side of the box and scored with a low shot past onrushing Brady for his first goal as a Red Bull and a 2-0 lead.
New York defender Dylan Nealis blocked two Chicago shots, including a looping left-footed try from the right side by Puso Dithejane in the 67th minute. The ball floated over Horvath but Nealis darted to the goal line and booted it over the crossbar.
In the 81st minute, Choupo-Moting scored with a penalty kick into the left side net after Brady tackled Adri Mehmeti in the box.
Cuypers, who entered tied for the league lead in goals with 10, scored in the 87th minute off a rebound following a save by Horvat. It was his seventh goal in Chicago’s last four matches.
–Field Level Media
