Chicago Fire FC beat Orlando City 3-1 at SeatGeek Stadium and advanced to the first round of the 2025 Audi MLS Cup playoffs. Brian Gutiérrez opened the scoring early in the second half, and Hugo Cuypers added two more goals shortly after. The result secured Chicago’s spot in the best-of-three series against Philadelphia Union, the Supporters’ Shield winner.
Chicago creates, pushes and controls the pace
The score remained level at halftime. Neither side managed to break through in the opening 45 minutes, keeping the match wide open. Both teams shared possession, and even with some attempts to get forward, no chance was enough to change the scoreboard. That balance left everything to be decided after the break, when Chicago became more clinical and turned its opportunities into goals. The even first half made every play in the second one carry extra weight, especially in a knockout game.
The turnaround and the path to the next round
Just three minutes into the second half, Jonathan Dean delivered a pass from the right, Gutiérrez controlled it cleanly and finished with precision to make it 1-0. The second goal came in the 57th minute, during a scramble in the box that ended with Cuypers pressing and finishing to double the lead. At 67, Bamba started the play on the left, Zinckernagel provided the assist, and Cuypers scored his second. Orlando cut the deficit in the 89th minute with Tyrese Spicer, but it didn’t threaten the outcome.
Chicago finished the match with 25 shots, a club playoff record. The attacking numbers reflected the team’s control of the game and its ability to turn possession into dangerous chances. This was Chicago’s first playoff win in 16 years, since 2009, and now the team moves on to face Philadelphia on October 26 at Subaru Park in the opening game of the series. The second match is scheduled for November 1 at SeatGeek Stadium, with a possible third game on November 8 if needed.