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Chicago Fire Go Down to Ten Men, Lose 3-1 to Minnesota United in US Open Cup QF

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net  |  By Joe Chatz  |  Last updated Jul 9, 2025 5:12 AM ET

It’s hard for a team to win a match cup competition when they’re down a man for most of the contest, and the Chicago Fire learned that lesson the hard way on Tuesday evening in St. Paul, Minnesota.

It required extra time, but the ten-men Fire lost to Minnesota United 2-1 in the 2025 U.S. Open Quarterfinal at Allianz Field.

The Fire went down to ten men in the 25th minute after a red card was assessed to Omar González, though they managed to score from 12 yards through Brian Gutiérrez moments later after Philip Zincknernagel won the penalty kick.

Chicago wasn’t able to hold off Minnesota United for long, and the Loons got on the board in the 55th minute through Robin Lod before Kelvin Yeboah scored the match-winner in the 95th minute after Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady made some massive saves to send the match into extra time

There was very little action near the goals in the opening 20 minutes, but the Fire managed to make life harder for themselves before recording a shot in the contest.

The Fire had a corner kick in the 23rd minute that was knocked out of play, but there was a collision between Chicago’s Omar González and Minnesota’s Julian Gressel that saw the Fire center back’s hand hit the Loons’ outside back in the face. The referee went to the VAR screen and deemed that the contact was enough for González to be sent off with the first straight red card of his professional career, leaving the Fire with ten men in the 25th minute.

The Fire responded remarkably well after the red card and were quickly rewarded with a penalty kick.

Philip Zinckernagel got a touch on the ball just inside the Minnesota United penalty area on the right wing in the 27th minute and was tripped by Wil Trapp, which referee Ekaterina Koroleva deemed enough for the Fire to be awarded a spot kick. Brian Gutiérrez made it look easy as his goal from 12 yards increased his career high goal-scoring total to eight in 2025

Minnesota nearly scored at the end of the first half stoppage time.

Gutiérrez conceded a needless free kick to Minnesota’s Carlos Harvey on the right wing, allowing the Loons to set up one last chance before the whistle. Julian Gressel’s free kick was headed back across the penalty by Wil Trapp to Jefferson Diaz, but his header was parried over the bar by Chris Brady to ensure the Fire went into halftime up a goal.

Minnesota made wholesale changes at halftime and were rewarded for bringing on many regulars while down a goal but up a man.

Former Fire academy product Anthony Markanich, who came on after halftime for Minnesota, whipped in a lovely cross from the left wing that beat every Chicago defender to the far post, where fellow halftime substitute Robin Lod slid in and knocked it into the net to tie the match 1 in the 47th minute. The Fire were far too easy to break down in that sequence, as Markanich had plenty of time to line up the cross for Lod to tap into Chicago’s net.

Minnesota continued to pressure Chicago’s net after tying the match and had great chances to take the lead, which they didn’t capitalize on. Bongokuhle Hlongwane played a great pass over the top of the Fire’s defense in the 63rd minute that Kelvin Yeboah, who had just entered the match, deflected on goal, but Brady was there to make the save. The Loons came even closer in the 66th minute, but Carlos Harvey’s effort was dragged just wide of the Fire’s net, sparing the Fire from a deficit with just over twenty minutes of regular time remaining. Yeboah then had a shot that was deflected on target in the 75th minute, but Brady stood his ground and made the save.

Minnesota should have taken the lead in the 77th minute, but Brady was there to make a massive stop for the Fire. Joaquín Pereyra played a great entry feed to Robin Lod in the Fire’s penalty area but the Finnish striker’s point-blank effort was saved by the sprawling Chicago Homegrown ‘keeper to keep his side in the match.

Minnesota had one final chance in second-half stoppage time, but Chris Brady fully extended to send the match into extra time after denying Bongokuhle Hlongwane’s effort from close range.

The hosts took their first lead of the match in the 95th minute with the Fire defending with nine men as Dje D’Avilla was not allowed back on the pitch after receiving treatment from the trainers.

Joaquín Pereyra hit a cross into the Fire’s penalty area that was headed into the middle by Carlos Harvey for Kelvin Yeboah to knock the ball into Chicago’s net, putting Minnesota up 2-1 in the first half of extra time.

Jonathan Bamba came on for D’Avilla immediately after Minnesota took the lead, but the Fire couldn’t find an equalizer in stoppage time, even though they had a few great chances late.

Andrew Gutman whipped in a cross in from the left wing in the 110th minute that found an open Hugo Cuypers in the center of Minnesota’s penalty area, but the Fire’s club-record signing skied the effort into the stands.

Sergio Oregel Jr. then had time and space with the ball in the 113th minute before taking a shot that was deflected by a sprawling Dayne St. Clair, inches away from giving the Fire a tying goal late.

Minnesota sealed their spot in the semifinals after Kelvin Yeboah won his side a penalty kick that he subsequently scored in the 119th minute, sealing his side’s 3-1 victory.

D’Avilla not being allowed back on the pitch in the 95th minute was a major talking point for Chicago post-match.

“[I’m] really proud of the effort tonight,” said Fire director of football and head coach Gregg Berhalter. “Really perplexed by the referee not calling [Dje] D'Avilla on the field after the injury and letting play continue, and not even turning to the sideline to look, is surprising. I think down to nine field players is tough, but now when you are at eight, it makes it even more complicated, and I think it is an extremely difficult task there.”

Berhalter said that his sideline informed referee Ekaterina Koroleva that D’Avilla was going to return to the match after receiving treatment, but his player wasn’t allowed back on the pitch in the appropriate amount of time, allowing Minnesota to play up two men in the goal-scoring sequence.

“She's not looking over, and she's not calling it on the field, and I just don't understand. Like we asked, okay, we are going to continue with him, let's get him on. They told us there's not the two-minute rule like there is in MLS, and he's allowed right back on. But they never acknowledged that he was there waiting to come on.”

Starting 11: Chris Brady (GK), Andrew Gutman, Omar González, Jack Elliott (C), Jonathan Dean, Dje D’Avilla, Sam Williams, Brian Gutiérrez, Maren Haile-Selassie, Philip Zinckernagel and Tom Barlow

25’ Omar González red card

Substitution at 30’: Sam Rogers on for Maren Haile-Selassie

Substitution at 46’: Hugo Cuypers on for Tom Barlow

Substitution at 66’: Sergio Oregel Jr. on for Brian Gutiérrez

Substitution at 72’: Mauricio Pineda and Leonardo Barroso on for Sam Williams and Philip Zinckernagel.

Substitution at 96’: Jonathan Bamba on for Dje D’Avilla

Unused Substitute: Jeff Gal (GK)

What’s On Tap Next?

The Fire will be back at Soldier Field when they host San Diego FC on July 12. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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