After having the first word in a wild contest in the Windy City region on Saturday evening, Felipe Gutierrez eventually had the last.
Gutierrez smashed home the winner in the 86th to complete a brace and lift Sporting Kansas City to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Fire on a chilly evening at Toyota Park.
Chicago looked to have completed a scintillating comeback in a 12-minute stretch of the second half when Bastian Schweinsteiger set up Aleksandar Katai and then Nemanja Nikolic pounced for a brace.
But a Sporting side that was offensively challenged a season ago required only a minute to reply through Jimmy Medranda. Then winter Designated Player acquisition Gutierrez put SKC in front again on the break, on the second goal of the evening set up by Daniel Salloi.
Johnny Russell also helped create the winner with a blistering break down the left. He also scored his first goal in an SKC jersey back in the first half.
Goals
- 9' - SKC - Felipe Gutierrez Watch
- 44' - SKC - Johnny Russell Watch
- 70' - CHI - Aleksandar Katai Watch
- 74' - CHI - Nemanja Nikolic Watch
- 82' - CHI - Nemanja Nikolic Watch
- 83' - SKC - Jimmy Medranda Watch
- 86' - SKC - Felipe Gutierrez Watch
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Some Sporting Kansas City fans have hoped for coach and GM Peter Vermes to make a splashy signing at striker after the team parted ways with Dom Dwyer last season and then finished with just 40 goals scored. This first victory of the season perhaps quells those calls a bit, especially after going scoreless in their opener at home against New York City FC.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: In a game jam-packed with goals, it's worth remembering those chances that were missed. Chicago had a few early in the second half, none more frustrating than Luis Solignac's wide-open, back-post header wide of the target
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Signed toward the end of the offseason to a Designated Player contract, Gutierrez wasted little time finding an opportunity to come through in a big moment. That's not normally the midfielder's game, however. The Chilean international last scored more than two goals in a domestic season with FC Twente in 2013-2014.
Up Next
- Chicago Fire: Saturday, March 17 at Minnesota (2 pm ET | TV & Streaming Information)
- Sporting Kansas City: Saturday, March 17 vs. San Jose (8:30 pm ET | TV & Streaming Information)
