COLUMBUS, Ohio (March 7, 2026) – Chicago Fire FC (1-1-1, 4 points) posted a second straight shutout in a 0-0 draw at Columbus Crew (0-1-2, 2 points) on Saturday night at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.
Goalkeeper Chris Brady earned his second consecutive clean sheet with three saves and some help from Homegrown player Dylan Borso who made his debut in the 28th minute of the match.
Following an opening half dominated in possession by Columbus, the hosts nearly got on the board in the 51st minute. After a save and a scramble in the box, winger Max Arfsten had an open look at goal denied by Borso on the goal line. The effort sparked the Fire attack, culminating in a header from the Homegrown saved by Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte 20 minutes later.
Regaining momentum, the Fire attack continued late into the match as the Crew’s chances diminished. Deep into stoppage time, Borso had another shot before the Fire regained possession as the match neared its conclusion. The final shot of the evening came from an unexpected source, as defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi traveled the entire length of the field on a counterattack to drive a right-footed shot on goal that Schulte saved to keep his side from losing in their home opener.
NEXT MATCH: Chicago will return to Soldier Field for a Saturday night clash against D.C. United on March 14. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. CT and the match will be broadcast globally on Apple TV and transmitted locally on wlsam.com and Que Buena Fire via the Uforia by TREBEL app.
Notes:
- Chicago native Dylan Borso made his debut for his hometown club in Columbus, entering the match in the first half in place of Leonardo Barroso at right wingback. Borso became the 24th Homegrown Player to feature in a Major League Soccer match in Chicago Fire FC history.
- Goalkeeper Chris Brady posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time this season with three saves on the night, following his two-save performance in the win against CF Montréal last weekend.
- Saturday’s match marked the 80th all-time encounter between both sides in MLS play, making the Crew the Fire’s most common opponent. The sides remain tied with a 28-28-24 record in head-to-head league matchups.
- Chris Mueller appeared in the 175th regular season match of his career in his first start for Chicago since October 19, 2024.
- Defender Jack Elliott appeared in the 20th regular season match of his career against Columbus, now compiling a total of 1,800 minutes against the Crew.
- Defenders Sam Rogers (Lower Body), Andrew Gutman (Lower Body) and Jonathan Dean (Suspension); midfielder André Franco (Lower Body); and forward Hugo Cuypers (Lower Body) were unavailable for selection against Columbus.
Social: Twitter - @chicagofire, @vamosfire (Hashtags: #cf97 #VamosFire) | Instagram - @chicagofire | Facebook
Box Score:
Columbus Crew 0:0 Chicago Fire FC
Goals:
None
Discipline:
CLB - Amundsen (Caution) 14’
CHI - Waterman (Caution) 61’
CHI - Zinckernagel (Caution) 77’
CHI - Salétros (Caution) 83’
CLB - Zawadzki (Caution) 87’
CHI - Bamba (Caution) 90’
CLB - Abou Ali (Caution) 90’
Chicago Fire FC: GK Brady, D Barroso (Borso, 28’), D Elliott (capt.), D Mbokazi, D Waterman, D Haile-Selassie, M Salétros, M Pineda (D’Avilla, 54’), M Zinckernagel (Shokalook, 90+3’), M Bamba, F Mueller (Lod, 55’)
Subs not used: GK Cohen, D Radojević, D Cupps, M Oregel Jr., F Dithejane
Head Coach: Gregg Berhalter
Columbus Crew: GK Schulte, D Herrera, D Moreira, D Camacho, D Amundsen, M Habroune, M Zawadzki (capt.), M Sejdić (Picard, 73’), M Arfsten, F Rossi, F Abou Ali
Subs not used: GK Hagen, D Ruvalcaba, D Cheberko, M Bangoura, M Brown, M Presthus, F Gazdag, F Thiaré
Head Coach: Henrik Rydström
Stats Summary: CLB / CHI
Shots: 14 / 8
Shots on Goal: 5 / 3
Saves: 2 / 4
Passing Accuracy: 88.1% / 89.2%
Corners: 7 / 3
Fouls: 11 / 10
Offsides: 1 / 4
Possession: 51.6% / 48.4%
Venue: ScottsMiracle-Gro Field (Columbus, Ohio)
Attendance: 20,121
Referee: Tori Penso
Assistant Referees: Kathryn Nesbitt, Meghan Mullen
Fourth Official: Calin Radosav
VAR: Geoff Gamble
AVAR: Joshua Patlak
