Cuypers Scores Twice for Third Straight Match in Loss against FC Cincinnati
MLS Chicago Fire FC

Cuypers Scores Twice for Third Straight Match in Loss against FC Cincinnati

Published on May 2, 2026 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


FC Cincinnati's Pavel Bucha and Chicago Fire FC's Hugo Cuypers in action
FC Cincinnati's Pavel Bucha and Chicago Fire FC's Hugo Cuypers in action
(Chicago Fire FC)

CHICAGO - Chicago Fire FC (5-3-2, 17 points) fell 3-2 against FC Cincinnati (4-4-3, 15 points) Saturday night at Soldier Field in Chicago. Forward Hugo Cuypers scored two goals for the third consecutive match, becoming the fastest player to reach 10 goals in a single season in Fire history.

Cuypers tallied the opener just past the quarter mark, finishing a play that started in the midfield with Jonathan Dean. The right back played the ball forward to winger Philip Zinckernagel, who lifted the cross that was deflected to the penalty spot, where Cuypers half-volleyed home his ninth of the season.

On the other end, Cincinnati midfielder Evander struck the equalizer in the 24th minute off a rebound in the six-yard box. But the Fire answered back four minutes later, as midfielder Anton Salétros lofted a ball forward to Zinckernagel. The Danish winger got through a defender to the endline, centering a ball that Cuypers finished on his first touch for a lead that was short-lived following another Evander goal.

In the 56th minute, Cincinnati went down to one man following a hard foul on Robin Lod by defender Kyle Smith. With a man advantage, Chicago pressed through the end of regulation, finally earning a penalty kick in the 90th minute. But goalkeeper Roman Celentano saved Cuypers' effort, and the visitors were rewarded with a penalty that Evander finished for a hat trick and game-winner.

NEXT MATCH: The Men in Red will wrap up a three-game homestand with a matinee showdown against Red Bull New York on Saturday, May 9. Kickoff at Soldier Field is slated for 1:30 p.m. CT, and the match will be broadcast globally on Apple TV. It will be transmitted locally on WLS 890 AM in English and on the Uforia by TREBEL app in Spanish.

Match Notes:

With his third straight brace - and second against FC Cincinnati this season - Hugo Cuypers became the fastest player in Fire history to reach double-digit goals in one season. The Belgian striker scored his 10th goal in only his seventh game of the year, four games faster than the previous Club record of 10 goals in 11 games set by forward Nemanja Nikolić in 2017. He also extended his record scoring streak to seven matches this year.

Philip Zinckernagel added his fourth assist of 2026, extending his streak of matches with a goal contribution to five, a career-high with Chicago. The winger now has eight total goal contributions this year, split evenly into four goals and four assists.

Defender Leonardo Barroso (Lower Body) was not available for selection against Cincinnati. Midfielder André Franco (Lower Body) remains on the league Injured List and will be unavailable through the World Cup break.

Social: Twitter - @chicagofire, @vamosfire (Hashtags: #cf97 #VamosFire) | Instagram - @chicagofire | Facebook

Box Score:

Chicago Fire FC 2:3 FC Cincinnati

Goals:

CHI - Cuypers (9) (WATCH) 16'

CIN - Evander (3) (WATCH) 24'

CHI - Cuypers (10) (Zinckernagel 4, Salétros 2) (WATCH) 28'

CIN - Evander (4) (Mboma Dem 1, Valenzuela 4) (WATCH) 31'

CIN - Evander (5) (Penalty) (WATCH) 90+6'

Discipline:

CIN - Smith (Ejection) 56'

CIN - Denkey (Caution) 68'

CIN - Lajhar (Caution) 90'

CHI - D'Avilla (Caution) 90+3'

CIN - Chirila (Caution) 90+12'

Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Dean (Shokalook, 90+7'), D Elliott (capt.), D Mbokazi, D Gutman, M Salétros, M D'Avilla, M Zinckernagel, M Haile-Selassie, F Lod, (Bamba 59)', F Cuypers

Subs not used: GK Cohen, D Radojević, D Waterman, D Borso, M Pineda, M Oregel Jr., F Dithejane, F Shokalook

Head Coach: Gregg Berhalter

FC Cincinnati: GK Celentano, D Smith, D Chirila, D Gidi, M Bucha, M Valenzuela (Miazga, 66'), M Anunga (Hagglund, 46'), M Ramírez (Lajhar, 88'), M Evander (capt.), F Denkey (Jabbari, 77'), F Mboma Dem (Barlow, 77')

Subs not used: GK Louro, D Flores, M Jimenez, F Echenique,

Head Coach: Pat Noonan

Stats Summary: CHI / CIN

Shots: 32 / 11

Shots on Goal: 10 / 4

Saves: 1 / 8

Passing Accuracy: 85.0% / 84.3%

Corners: 10 / 1

Fouls: 12 / 5

Offsides: 1 / 0

Possession: 52.2% / 47.8%

Venue: Soldier Field (Chicago)

Attendance: 18,639

Referee: Joe Dickerson

Assistant Referees: Cameron Blanchard, Logan Brown

Fourth Official: Ricardo Montero Araya

VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero

AVAR: Craig Lowry

Check out the Chicago Fire FC Statistics

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Images from this story

FC Cincinnati's Pavel Bucha and Chicago Fire FC's Hugo Cuypers in action
FC Cincinnati's Pavel Bucha and Chicago Fire FC's Hugo Cuypers in action
   



Major League Soccer Stories from May 2, 2026


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