Chicago Fire 1, New York City FC 1 | 2019 MLS Match Recap

CJ Sapong and Alexandru Mitrita scored 10 minutes apart in the first half as the Chicago Fire and New York City FC played to a 1-1 draw in Week 13 at SeatGeek Stadium.

The Fire jumped in front in the 30th minute on Sapong’s fifth goal of the season. Przemyslaw Frankowski played the ball into Brandt Bronico, who cut the ball back to Sapong at the top of the six-yard box. The forward's sliding finish put the Fire ahead 1-0. 

The offside flag was raised initially, but the offside call was overturned following Video Review.

NYCFC leveled 12 minutes later through Mitrita, who made his first start since suffering an ankle injury in the first half of a 2-0 win at D.C. United back on April 21.

Maxi Moralez served up a short pass to Mitrita, who fired first time from 26 yards out past diving Fire goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm, who was making his first MLS start in place of regular David Ousted.

Both teams hit the woodwork in the opening 30 minutes with Heber’s chip over Kronholm caroming off the crossbar in the 12th minute and Aleksandar Katai putting his ball over Sean Johnson’s left shoulder and off the far post nine minutes later.

Video Review again came into play just after the hour mark when referee Ramy Touchan originally pointed to the penalty spot after a foul by Raheem Edwards on Mitrita. It was determined after the review that the foul occurred just outside the box and Mitrita put his subsequent free kick off the Fire wall.

Goals

• 28’ — CHI — CJ Sapong | WATCH
• 40’ — NYC — Alexandru Mitrita | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: NYCFC, sitting 5th in the East after the result, will be pleased to extend an MLS-best unbeaten streak to eight games with at least a game in hand — three when it comes to the Montreal Impact — on every team above them. The Fire didn’t exactly avenge a loss at Yankee Stadium, but it’s now points in four of their last five as Chicago edge closer to the playoff line.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH
: This is just the response the Cityzens wanted 12 minutes after conceding. Mitrita’s goal was his first since a win over D.C. United, which was also the last time NYCFC’s big three of Mitrita, Heber and Moralez started a match together.

MAN OF THE MATCH: It was a solid shift from Mitrita, who not only scored the equalizer, but had 10 successful passes in the Fire half and eight in the final third and was a threat when taking on Chicago defenders.

Next Up

• CHI: Wednesday, May 28 at D.C. United (8 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US, on DAZN in Canada)
• NYC: Saturday, June 1 at Columbus Crew SC (7:30 pm ET | TSN, MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US)