Chicago Fire midfielder Kellyn Acosta nets a remarkable stoppage-time goal from his team's own half to secure an unexpected comeback victory.

March 17, 2024

Chicago Fire midfielder Kellyn Acosta nets a remarkable stoppage-time goal from his team's own half to secure an unexpected comeback victory.

In a Major League Soccer (MLS) showdown on Saturday, a remarkable wind-assisted goal from beyond the halfway line in the dying moments of the game propelled the Chicago Fire to a thrilling 4-3 victory over CF Montréal at home.

Chicago found themselves trailing after Dominic Iankov extended CF Montréal's lead to 3-1 in the 70th minute. However, a turning point came when Montréal's substitute Raheem Edwards was shown a straight red card for a foul inside the penalty area, offering Chicago a lifeline.

Brian Gutiérrez converted the resulting penalty in the 84th minute to reduce the deficit, and Hugo Cuypers equalized the score at 3-3 in the fifth minute of nine additional minutes, stunning Montréal.

But the drama didn't end there. Chicago, eager for a comeback, pushed forward relentlessly. Deep into stoppage time, with less than a minute remaining, Kellyn Acosta found himself with the ball inside his own half.

With Chicago committing players forward, Acosta launched the ball forward, hoping for a miracle. The gusty winds of the Windy City seemed to answer his call. The Montréal defense could only watch helplessly as Acosta's intended pass morphed into a looping shot that sailed over goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois, securing an improbable victory for Chicago in the 90+9th minute.

"After the game," Acosta reflected, "That was quite remarkable, quite surreal. The match had a bit of everything, I would say, but the outcome was favorable, so we'll gladly accept it."

The 28-year-old confessed that his extraordinary game-winning goal was not intentional.

"For me, it was simply about putting the ball into the mix and creating opportunities," he elaborated. "I had previously aimed for balls towards the back post, and if I'm completely honest, that's what I attempted to do again. However, this time, luck seemed to be on my side with a bit of St. Patrick's Day charm, and the wind played its part. Initially, when I struck the ball, I was almost disappointed with myself, thinking I had missed an opportunity. Then I realized it had potential."

"He came off his line, it sailed over his head, and the rest is history," Acosta added.

This goal, Acosta's first for the club since joining as a free agent in February, marked the latest game-winning finish during regular time of a Major League Soccer (MLS) match, according to the Fire.

Furthermore, Chicago made MLS history by becoming the first team to score both a game-tying and game-winning goal in the 95th minute or later, as well as the first team to secure a victory in regulation after scoring two or more goals in the 84th minute or later.

Such a remarkable comeback in the Windy City is a rare occurrence – the Chicago Fire's last comeback from a two-goal deficit to win was against the Colorado Rapids in August 2009, as reported by the team.

This victory marked Chicago's first win of the season, while CF Montréal suffered their first defeat of the current campaign.

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