D.C. United and Chicago Fire Halt Losing Streaks with 1-1 Draw

By Oliver Figueroa-Celi

May 25, 2024

D.C. United and Chicago Fire managed to end their losing streaks with a 1-1 draw on Saturday night, with goals from Christopher McVey and Kellyn Acosta.

D.C. United and the visiting Chicago Fire played to a 1-1 draw on Saturday night, each team halting their respective losing streaks in an evenly matched contest.

D.C. United’s Christopher McVey opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a rare goal – only the third of his professional career. This early strike came as McVey skillfully poked the ball past Chicago’s goalkeeper Chris Brady following a well-executed free-kick routine, giving D.C. a 1-0 lead.

Oliver Figueroa-Celi/Undrafted

However, Kellyn Acosta equalized for Chicago Fire in the 53rd minute. Acosta capitalized on a deflection from his own through-ball attempt, driving it past D.C. goalkeeper Alex Bono to level the match. This goal allowed Chicago to snap their four-match losing streak, although their winless streak extended to eight games.

The game saw few opportunities in the first half, with neither team recording a shot on goal until the 19th minute when Christian Benteke’s header forced a diving save from Brady. Despite their early lead, D.C. United struggled to maintain their advantage, allowing Chicago to press for the remainder of the game.

Oliver Figueroa-Celi/Undrafted

Chicago’s Andrew Gutman nearly put his team ahead with a dangerous cross in the second half, but it narrowly missed connecting with a teammate. Meanwhile, D.C. United’s Steve Birnbaum attempted a no-look header in the 90th minute, but it went out of play.

In stoppage time, Chicago came close to a winner as Maren Haile-Selassie’s shot was deflected by Birnbaum, preserving the draw. With this result, D.C. United (4-5-6, 18 points) ended their two-match losing streak but have now gone three games without a win. Chicago Fire (2-8-5, 11 points) managed to avoid a fifth consecutive loss, showcasing their resilience despite missing key player Xherdan Shaqiri, who was away on international duty.