A tentative one-goal lead. A red card sending the team down a man. An unheralded opponent spoiled a win in front of a home crowd almost a year ago. The Fire’s home opener had all the ingredients necessary to repeat the heartbreak that had plagued the team in their first game in front of home fans every season since 2017.
Instead, the Fire responded with a complete squad effort that saw the team score two goals in second half stoppage time to walk away with a 3-0 result, giving the team their win in a home opener since 2020 – but first with fans in attendance since 2017.
The match marks the second time in two years that the Fire have scored multiple goals in second-half stoppage time against in an early-season matinée CF Montréal, following Kellyn Acosta’s wind-assisted game winning goal in 2024.
Although still not at full strength, the return of Jonathan Bamba and Jack Elliott from injury and Jonathan Dean following the birth of his daughter gave the Fire closer to a choice starting XI. With Dean available to slot into the left back spot normally occupied by Andrew Gutman, still unavailable due to injury, that allowed Fire Head Coach Gregg Berhalter to revert to the 4-3-3 formation that served the Fire for the majority of 2025.
With Dean available at left back and Bamba on the left wing, the versatile Maren Haile-Selassie was moved from left back on opening day last week to the right wing. That, in turn, allowed Philip Zinckernagel to play out of the attacking midfield role that served him well in preseason. Mauricio Pineda was also given the start
Whether due to the lineup changes, the opponent, or having the home crowd at their back, the Fire started off on the front foot. From the first play of the game, Hugo Cuypers forced a turnover and was working his way in on Thomas Gillier’s net, but the Chilean goalkeeper was able to get a hold of the ball before the Fire striker was able to get off a shot.
Despite dominating the ball, the Fire’s first real chance on Montréal’s net didn’t come until the 20th minute. In a sequence that saw the ball worked down the wing between Anton Salétros and Jonathan Dean, Salétros threaded a pass in to Zinckernagel just outside the box. The Dane one-touched the ball into Maren Haile-Selassie who forced Gillier to make an acrobatic save – narrowly getting onto the ball with his leg – but it was enough to keep the game level.
The stalemate wouldn’t last long. Just seven minutes later, Jack Elliott recovered the ball for the Fire, sending it to Barroso on the overlapping run who sends a shot at the net. Gillier got a glove on it but a sprawling Bamba got on the rebound at the other end of the box and directed it into Montréal’s net putting the home team up 1-0.
After the goal, the Fire continued to control the terms of the game. In the 34th minute, Cuypers again tested Gillier from inside the box but he was equal to the task and Bamba’s effort would be the only goal of the half.
On the restart, the only substitution came to Montréal’s back line, with Brandan Craig coming on for Jalen Neal.
Early in the half, Dean tugged the jersey of Montréal’s Hennadiy Synchuk – not making contact with the player’s feet. No call was made initially on the play, leading to protests from Montréal’s Iván Jaime who was given a card for his protestations.
The play did gather the attention of the VAR, however, and they called referee Elijio Arreguin to the booth for review. Despite not making significant contact with the Montréal midfielder, Dean’s tug was ruled to have denied Montréal an obvious goal scoring opportunity, and Dean was shown a straight red card for the play.
Mercifully, the play was well outside the box, but on the restart, Jack Elliott took the free kick with his head, necessitating attention from medical staff before he was allowed to resume. This time, at least, the Fire had luck on their side, and Elliott was allowed to return without the Fire spending any time down to nine men.
If you hadn’t been paying attention – and couldn’t count – you wouldn’t have known the Fire were playing down a man for the majority of the half. They continued to test Gillier, but the young goalkeeper was the best player for the bleu-blanc-noir, making key saves on Fire players in both open play and set pieces by the Fire.
Mbekezeli Mbokazi was denied his first goal in MLS off an inswinging corner by Salétros in the 67th minute, but a block off the line denied the South African center back a place on the boxscore for the Fire.
In the 78th minute, the Fire suffered another scare, when Chris Brady went down after contact following a challenge. Again, luck was on the Fire’s side, and Brady after a quick check from team medical staff.
Despite playing up a man for more than 30 minutes, Montréal was unable to get off a shot from open play until the 88th minute, when Wikelman Carmona tested Chris Brady – the first time that the visitors had managed a shot on target since going up a man.
In the 2nd minute of second half stoppage time, Gillier tripped an oncoming Hugo Cuypers in the box, but he wasn’t the last line of defense for Montréal in that moment so the card was only a yellow – not, evidently, an obvious goal scoring opportunity in the estimation of Arreguin.
The play did get the Belgian striker an opportunity from the spot, however. On the ensuing penalty, he converted, putting the Fire ahead 2-0. Moments after, Robin Lod came on for Philip Zinckernagel – a 6th minute stoppage-time substitution – and gave the team another goal, putting the result beyond doubt and sending the 20,872 in attendance into celebrations as they celebrated their team’s first win of the season.
The win improves the team to 1W-0D-1L on the season. The Fire are back in action next week in Columbus against the Crew.
