Minnesota United Suffers 3-0 Loss to Chicago Fire FC
MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Suffers 3-0 Loss to Chicago Fire FC

Published on September 20, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Minnesota United fell 3-0 at home against Chicago Fire FC, despite several key saves from goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair that kept the Loons within reach for much of the night. With the loss, Minnesota now shifts focus to its next challenge, an away match against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, September 27, at 8:30 p.m. CT.

2'- Minnesota United quickly created the first dangerous opportunity of the match when Nicolás Romero headed the ball into the penalty area. Owen Gene gained possession near the top of the 18-yard box and fired a first-time shot, but goalkeeper Chris Bradley collected it easily.

8' - Chicago Fire FC forward Hugo Cuypers had his first dangerous shot on target. The play began with a quick recovery from Johnny Dean near the right corner, who passed to Phillip Zinckernagel at the top of the penalty area. Zinckernagel then slipped a short through ball to Cuypers, whose right-footed shot went just wide of the left post.

16' - Dayne St. Clair recorded his first crucial save of the night in a one-on-one situation with Jonathan Bamba following a defensive mistake. Hugo Cuypers recovered the ball inside the six-yard box and played a short pass to Bamba, who was left unmarked and fired a shot, but St. Clair stuck out his foot to make the save.

26' (0-1) - Chicago found the back of the net first. The goal came from a free kick awarded just outside the 18-yard box, where André Franco delivered the ball to Sam Rogers. Rogers' header was saved by St. Clair, but Joel Waterman pounced on the rebound and fired it into the back of the net.

37' - St. Clair continued to be pivotal for the Loons, making another key save. Andrew Gutman played a long ball into the penalty area from the left flank, connecting with Franco, who laid it off to Bamba. Positioned on the left side of the six-yard box, Bamba fired a shot, but St. Clair threw himself across goal to make the save.

41' (0-2) - Dje D'Avilla doubled Chicago's lead after Franco delivered a free kick from the left flank near the top of the penalty area. Franco's cross found D'Avilla, who rose above his marker and headed the ball into the back of the net.

44' - Mamadou Dieng came close to scoring with a header off a long cross from Anthony Markanich at the top of the attacking third. Dieng rose to meet the ball, but his effort flew just over the crossbar.

55' - After a series of headers inside the penalty area, Nectarios Triantis gained possession and laid off a short pass to Romero. Romero struck a left-footed shot that went just wide of the right post.

70' (0-3) - Chicago extended their lead in the 70th minute through Phillip Zinckernagel. Gutman carried the ball down the left flank and delivered a pass to Zinckernagel, who took a few touches before firing a shot from near the penalty spot into the net.

86' - Chicago were awarded a penalty, but Cuypers was denied from the spot as Canadian goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair made another save that prevented a fourth goal.

GOAL SUMMARY

0-1 CHI - Joel Waterman - 26'

0-2 CHI - Dje D'Avilla (André Franco) - 41'

0-3 CHI - Philip Zinckernagel (Andrew Gutman) - 70'

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

MIN - Wil Trap (caution) - 40'

MIN - Morris Duggan (caution) - 60'

MIN - Nicolás Romero (caution) - 87'

CHI - Maren Haile-Selassie (caution) - 87

NOTABLE STATS

1 - Midfielders Dominik Fitz, Darius Randell and Nectarios Triantis, and forward Mamadou Dieng each made their first-ever MLS starts for Minnesota United.

ATTENDANCE: 19,963

LINEUPS:

Minnesota United XI: GK Dayne St. Clair; D Anthony Markanich (Joseph Rosales 72'), Morris Duggan, Nectarios Triantis, Nicolás Romero, Julian Gressel; M Darius Randell (Joaquín Pereyra 55'), Owen Gene (Michael Boxall 55'), Wil Trapp © (Robin Lod 55'), Dominik Fitz (Bongokuhle Hlongwane 56'); F Mamadou Dieng

Substitutes Not Used: GK Alec Smir; D Jefferson Diaz; M DJ Taylor; F Loïc Mesanvi

Chicago Fire FC XI: GK Chris Bradley; D Sam Rogers, Jack Elliott ©, Joel Waterman; M Philip Zinckernagel (Brian Gutiérrez 79'), Dje D'Avilla, André Franco (Rominigue Kouamé 90' +3'), Jonathan Bamba (Maren Haile-Selassie 79'); F Andrew Gutman, Hugo Cuypers, Jonathan Dean (Leonardo Barroso 90' + 3')

Substitutes Not Used: GK Jeffrey Gal; D Omar González ; M Sergio Oregel, Kellyn Acosta; F Tom Barlow

UP NEXT:

MINNESOTA UNITED FC @ COLORADO RAPIDS

DICK'S Sporting Goods Park | Commerce City, Colorado

09.27.2025 | MLS 2025 Regular Season | Match 32

8:30 p.m. CT (MLS Season Pass/1500 ESPN)

MINNESOTA UNITED POST GAME QUOTE SHEET

HEAD COACH ERIC RAMSAY

On the frustrating parts of the match...

"I think it's one of those outcomes that you really hope you won't see, but there's at least a percentage of you that can smell it coming to an extent, and I think, again, I think everyone knows that the context is very clear. I'm not going to stand up here and endlessly talk about it, I think it's very visible that that was again too far for us this week with where we are with the level of depth that we have. And I made the point to the players at the end, though, I think what it does show, and this is a double-edged sword in that it's a real compliment to the physical level that we've been at over the course of the season, the level of discipline, aggression, organization, competitiveness. And I think when you see a drop off in that sense, then we aren't the same team. And this week is that perfect storm of where we come from on Wednesday playing a team that is for sure I'm sure a very talented team and I don't think that the position they're in probably reflects the level of talent they've got certainly across that front line and they're in that spot where they're desperately fighting for the playoffs and we're in the game for spells, I don't think we ever had that sense of being in any way dominant even in the ways in which we are typically. So I think it's a bit of a reality check in that sense as to what is required to get over the line, what is required as a club in general to be in a position to win trophies, to be competing for on Wednesday night, the semi-final of the Open Cup, and then on Saturday, competing for the Supporters Shield. And unfortunately, it's been a tough week across two competitions there."

On the takeaways from this game...

"I think it's that, and that's where I've left the players. The big point is it certainly shows the way in terms of what we have to get back to over the course of the last three games. That we're now, I think if there is a silver lining after the [U.S.] Open Cup on Wednesday night in a position where we're not playing midweek games, I don't think at this point in time it's a squad that would handle what we've had to go through this week again. So I think the fact that we can concentrate on one game a week, we can really put our efforts into becoming again the team that we have been for the large majority this season. And I think it does put into really sharp focus why we've been such a competitive team this year, because I think when you do see I think we drop offs across the areas I've mentioned so far then it's like watching a different team and that was a tough watch that tonight for sure."

On the overall impression on the defense and the unfamiliarity within players...

"I think you can certainly point to the unfamiliarity and again, I'm not going to try and lay these things out as excuses because there was enough on the pitch, I would say, to be more competitive or certainly I would have hoped that was the case. But you've got three players on the front line that are starting games for this club for the first time three or four games ago, which of course isn't ideal. You've got different combinations across the back line and you've got some heavy legs and some heavy minds, I would say, on account of what happened on Wednesday night. There is plenty of mitigating circumstance and I think this is a fine line to tread as a coach because it's naive to ignore that there is a wider context at play that is of course influential in this but also I don't want to lay the excuses out in too obvious a way because I feel like on our day it's probably still a game that we can win and I would have expected more and certainly the way in which we can see the goals, certainly the first two is really disappointing. I think we're now in the fortunate position where as I say we're not having to go through what we've been through this week again and we can focus on getting back to where we were and I think we've got a really well ingrained way of playing and players that are really dialed into that so I don't worry in any way that we will implode from this point onwards and we make sure that next week we go and we play with that same competitiveness that we've seen all year."

On having any standout players in this match...

"I think it's difficult to pull standout performances when we were so obviously not for any period the dominant team, I think we just about coped in certain periods in the first half, but certainly not anything to write home about on anyone's front, I wouldn't say. I don't think if you stepped into that dressing room there would be a player that would put their hand up and say they played particularly well. In the same breath, I probably wouldn't say that there was anyone who was distinctly worse than anyone else. So it's one of those nights that I think I've used the phrase again with the players there, we have to have a really short-term memory when it comes to some of these instances at the moment. We're not going to become a different team. I'm not going to start giving the players different messages. It's just important that we can very quickly recapture what we have been for 80-90% of this season because obviously, it's a very good footballing product and one that we know we can be really competitive with."

On what were the issues in particular of set-piece defending...

"I think number one, it was the number of unnecessary set-plays we gave away, was really disappointing. I think we gave away really cheap fouls, we gave away really cheap corners, which against a team that has their level of effectiveness on set-plays is obviously a naive starting point. I'm sure Dayne [St. Clair] will be disappointed with the first and Morris [Duggan] will be disappointed with the second. I think the second is the delivery is very good and the player [Tah Ange Innocent D'Avilla Dje] that puts it in the net is powerful, he's tall, he's got all the characteristics that allow a player of that profile to go and score for set plays. So I think sometimes there are instances like that where you hold the hand up and say 'difficult to defend', but for sure there's things that when we look back we'll tighten up on. But again, I think that lack of rhythm, that lack of familiarity, that lack of real consistency across each of the players in the line on the wide free kick, amounts to a far messier picture than we would typically. I think if you look at the first goal, probably a big learning curve for Darius [Randell] there and these are the types of teething issues that you expect of an 18-year-old who's making his first start. Set plays aren't consequential all that often over the course of a youth career and he'll certainly learn from that moment as well. But again, that is to be expected, I think, given this context."

On what the team is working towards through the rest of the reason...

"Well I think we've obviously got the real focus on finishing in the top four and I think we've got a great chance of doing that. If we can find that level of competitiveness again. I think it's a bitter pill to swallow because it's such a hard position to get yourself into. I think as a club of our standing in the pecking order, where you're competing for multiple trophies, I know for sure it's not something that happens every year so I think for us to have that sense of it fizzling out a little bit across two competitions in the space of four days is difficult and it will be the measure of me as a coach, the staff that I've got, and the players themselves to make sure that we find that sense of purpose again come Monday and Tuesday when we're back in, really push for a strong finish and build that momentum again before we hit the playoffs. I know it's a group that is capable of doing that and yeah we have some issues we've got to overcome, but we will find the way I'm sure."

MIDFIELDER WIL TRAPP

On if it felt slow and heavy playing after Wednesday's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal match...

"Not the beginning, to be honest. I thought we started really brightly. I thought that we gave them [Chicago Fire FC] some problems. I thought Momo [Mamadou Dieng], Darius' [Randell] run behind the line was impressive, and you could see the first set-piece goal and then the second set-piece goal, and it just changes the entire feeling of the game. So I think by and large, if we were able to just sustain some of that, or maybe even score a goal, it would've changed the entire makeup of how it went. But when it all comes down to it, there's just moments in games that change how it all looks, and I know that's the cliché of 'goals change games', but I think for us it's just, and Eric [Ramsay] said it after the game, we don't have time to overthink it. We have to take the lessons and then move on. We're not going to change who we are at this point in the season, but there are moments where we drop levels 5%, 10% and things change."

On what went wrong defending Chicago's two set-piece goals...

"I think they did a good job of making our line drop early with one guy stepping and then the next guy coming in. But then in that moment it becomes, are we getting hands on guys and bumping them and slowing them down so they don't have free runs because inevitably you think we're dropping and then they're timing their runs off our drop. So, it's really about, 'okay, well, are we getting enough push against those runners so they're not getting free headers,' and both of them were, I think, clean headers on the first contacts. The first one was a little bit of a scramble. Dayne [St. Clair] makes a good save, but then it's just about the second ball. But then the second one's just about that contact."

On the overall performance from the new signings and younger teammates...

"I think we had decent little spells on the ball, we were able to play between lines and you look at what Momo's [Mamadou Dieng] profile is, what Darius' [Randell] profile is, and then Fitzi [Dominik Fitz] underneath those guys [Dieng and Randell] can stretch and he [Fitz] can find the pockets underneath and I think you saw moments and flashes of the things we wanted, but again it just was one of those where once the first goal goes in, the second goal goes in and the plan starts to change a little bit."

On what the team is using as motivation now that there are fewer opportunities to win a trophy...

"I think if you look at if you're in a top four spot in the league, it's Champions League [Concacaf Champions Cup] for next year. I think it doesn't change the fact that we're still going to try and do everything we can to win the Western Conference, it doesn't change the fact that the MLS Cup is still well within our sights. The point Eric [Ramsay] made about flushing this [game] down the toilet a little bit is super important because if you allow these things to dwell and sit on your conscience too much, you start to overthink it and then it bleeds into the next result, the result after that, and then playoffs can end quickly."

On how long he dwelt on Wednesday's match...

"I think the evening, because it ended so abruptly, I think you look at it as a gut punch for sure, but you knew that you had this game coming up, so there was no time. I mean, it took maybe Thursday morning, and then after that, the next thing coming. So when you have the next game in your sights, it is easier to move on. And again, I think the way we started this game was positive, but ultimately it is about the results right now."

On how much having two crucial players out on injury affects the team...

"Of course you don't want guys to get injured at this point in the season, but you play the hand you're dealt, right? I think we're here to try to adapt and move forward and not make victims of ourselves."

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