Jonathan Dean’s late goal for Chicago canceled Prince Owusu’s first-half penalty strike as the Fire and visiting Toronto FC played to a 1-1 draw Saturday night at Bridgeview, Ill.
In the 84th minute, Dean chipped in Ariel Lassiter’s brilliant cross into the box to level the match for Chicago (7-16-9, 30 points), which will miss the playoffs for a seventh straight season.
Toronto (11-17-4, 37 points), meanwhile, could feel it let two extra points slip away, but managed to remain in playoff position in the Eastern Conference with the result.
After VAR determined Toronto star Federico Bernardeschi was fouled in the box, Owusu stepped to the spot, deked Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady and found the corner in the fourth extra minute of the opening half.
Toronto held 58 percent of the possession in the first half, but Chicago kept the visitors to just one shot on target, while recording four of its own and generating some consistent pressure before the half.
In the 34th minute, TFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson needed to make back-to-back stops. First, on Georgios Koutsias’ left-foot strike, then against Justin Reynolds’ right-side header.
It looked as if the match would head to halftime scoreless, but Bernardeschi drew enough contact from Chicago’s Gaston Gimenez in the box that video review was needed after an initial no-call. The on-field decision was reversed, thus setting up Owusu to strike from the spot.
Johnson again came up with a key save on Hugo Cuypers’ header off a well-placed corner.
Toronto stepped up the pressure in the second half. Owusu missed wide early out of the break, then was stopped by Brady in the 50th minute.
However, after the hour mark, the Fire regained its offensive life with some consistent possession in Toronto’s final-third. They were finally rewarded when Dean positioned himself to beat Johnson with the impressive equalizer.
Toronto’s Lorenzo Insigne passed up an apparent 1-on-1 with Brady moments later. Shortly after that, the Toronto winger hit the post.
–Field Level Media
