Robert Lewandowski scored twice from the penalty spot, but Brais Méndez’s stoppage-time winner completed Columbus’ comeback at SeatGeek Stadium.
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — Chicago Fire FC led three times Saturday afternoon. By the final whistle, they had nothing to show for it.
Brais Méndez scored in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to give Columbus Crew a dramatic 4–3 victory at SeatGeek Stadium, turning Chicago’s regular-season finale into a painful missed opportunity.
Robert Lewandowski converted two first-half penalties, and Maren Haile-Selassie scored just before halftime to send the Fire into the break ahead 3–2. But Gonzalo Tapia’s second goal brought Columbus level after halftime before Méndez delivered the decisive finish.
Five goals in a frantic first half
Chicago struck first in the eighth minute. Following a handball by Columbus midfielder Sékou Bangoura inside the penalty area, Lewandowski converted from the spot, placing his right-footed effort into the bottom-right corner.
The lead lasted eight minutes. Tapia equalized in the 16th, finishing a pass from Taha Habroune with a right-footed shot into the bottom-left corner.
Lewandowski restored Chicago’s advantage with another penalty in the 22nd minute, again finding the bottom-right corner. Columbus responded almost immediately: Anass Zaroury scored a minute later to make it 2–2.
Haile-Selassie then gave Chicago its third lead of the afternoon. In the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, he finished from close range to put the Fire ahead 3–2 heading into the locker room. The five-goal opening half left Chicago in front, but neither team had established control of the scoreline.
Tapia brings Columbus back
Chicago made two changes at halftime, introducing Andrew Gutman for Noah Allen and Anzor Mekvabishvili for Djé D’Avilla. Columbus brought on Méndez for Bangoura.
The Crew found their equalizer in the 62nd minute. Malte Amundsen played a through ball to Tapia, who finished left-footed from the left side of the penalty area into the bottom-right corner.
Tapia’s second goal made it 3–3 and erased another Chicago advantage. For the Fire, the task shifted from protecting a halftime lead to finding a fourth goal while keeping Columbus from completing the turnaround.
Gregg Berhalter continued adjusting his lineup, bringing on Jack Elliott and André Franco midway through the half before introducing Puso Dithejane for Philip Zinckernagel in the 83rd minute.
Méndez settles it in stoppage time
With the match still level after 90 minutes, Columbus produced the decisive moment.
Méndez struck a left-footed shot from the center of the penalty area into the top-right corner in the 93rd minute. His finish gave the Crew their first lead of the match—and the only one they needed.
Chicago had gone ahead at 1–0, 2–1 and 3–2. Columbus answered each time before scoring the winner in stoppage time.
Chicago’s statistical edge fails to deliver a result
The Fire finished with 53.4 percent possession and outshot Columbus 16–11. Both teams recorded six shots on target, while Chicago held a 6–4 advantage in corner kicks.
Those numbers underscored the frustration of the result. Chicago generated more attempts and scored three goals, yet Columbus made its attacking opportunities count.
Lewandowski’s two penalties and Haile-Selassie’s close-range finish gave the home side a strong platform. The second half undid it: Chicago did not score again, while Columbus added two unanswered goals.
For the Fire, the regular-season finale ended with a clear concern heading into the postseason. Their attack supplied enough goals to win, but their inability to protect a lead allowed a promising afternoon to end in defeat.
Final: Chicago Fire FC 3, Columbus Crew 4
- 8′ — Robert Lewandowski (penalty), 1–0
- 16′ — Gonzalo Tapia, 1–1
- 22′ — Robert Lewandowski (penalty), 2–1
- 23′ — Anass Zaroury, 2–2
- 45+4′ — Maren Haile-Selassie, 3–2
- 62′ — Gonzalo Tapia, 3–3
- 90+3′ — Brais Méndez, 3–4
Reporting source: ESPN match data and play-by-play.
