The Chicago Fire are barely hanging on to their playoff lives, but can still stay alive with a win in Bridgeview.
The eighth-seeded Fire dropped a 2-2 decision to top-seeded Philadelphia on penalty kicks in the best-of-three opening round of the MLS Eastern Conference playoffs Oct. 26 in Philadelphia.
The series comes back to the Chicago area at SeatGeek Stadium at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 1. The Fire’s regular home, Soldier Field, will be occupied by the Ireland-All Blacks Gallagher Cup rugby match.
If a third game is needed, it will be played Nov. 8 in a time to be determined in Philadelphia.
In the opener, Philadelphia held a 2-0 lead until the Fire’s Jonathan Bamba scored in the 84th minute and Jack Elliott tied it in stoppage time. Philadelphia won 4-2 in PKs. Fire star Philip Zinckernagel was scratched from the lineup after suffering an oblique injury during warmups.
The Fire reached the opening round via a 3-1 win over Orlando in the wild-card match Oct. 22 at SeatGeek Stadium. Reavis graduate Brian Gutierrez opened the scoring with a goal in the 47th minute and Hugo Cuypers added two goals.
Gutierrez became the first Fire player to score a postseason goal since 2012.
The win ended a few dry spells for the franchise. It was the Fire’s first playoff game since 2017 and its first postseason win since 2009.
The Fire is 4-0-1 at its second home in Bridgeview so far in 2025, which included two wins and a tie during the MLS regular season and a victory in the U.S. Open Cup.
Stars finale at SeatGeek
The Chicago Stars’ final game at SeatGeek Stadium, against Angel City, will be at 4 p.m. Nov. 2 in Bridgeview.
It not only closes out the NWSL regular season for the Stars (2-12-11), but it will be the final game they play in Bridgeview. They will play their 2026 season at Northwestern’s lakefront stadium in Evanston.
Fire II eliminated
The Chicago Fire II’s season ended with a 5-3 overtime loss to the host New York Red Bulls II on Oct. 26 in the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference semifinals.
The league’s Golden Boot winner, Jason Shokalook, scored twice for the Fire and Sam Williams also had a goal.
SXU streak ends
St. Xavier’s five-game winning streak came to an end with a 28-27 loss to St. Francis (Indiana) Oct. 25 in a Mid-States Football Association Midwest League battle in Chicago.
Former Andrew standout Dominic D’Ambrosio hit former Richards star Marquel Porter with a 16-yard TD pass with 1:14 left, but the Cougars (5-3, 1-1) were stopped on a two-point attempt. D’Ambrosio threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more.
SXU visits Judson at 1 p.m. Nov. 1 in Streamwood.