Chicago Fire completed its five-road game schedule in commanding fashion. The 7-1 win at DCUnited’s Audi Field not only marked the season’s biggest blowout but also tied the club’s all-time scoring mark.
With the win, Fire now sits in ninth position with 25 points in MLS, in addition to gaining the best away record in the 2025 season. DC United is sitting in position 12 with 18 points.
By halftime, the scoreboard already reflected technical and tactical imbalance in the two sides as Chicago maximized the space at their disposal, turned defense into offense with precision, as well as took advantage of the opponent's defensive blunder.
Tom Barlow's three goals in the inaugural match
The game's biggest news was the inclusion in the starting lineup of Tom Barlow. He did not waste the chance, either. Barlow scored three in his season opener as the game's standout. The first one in the course of the first half after a long pass from Andrew Gutman. The second one, soon after, in nice teamwork effort on the left side. The third one, already in the second half, after gaining possession from a played rebound in the penalty area. The three goals earned Barlow the first hat trick by a player from the Fire since the year 2017.
Zinckernagel streak of excellent performances
Philip Zinckernagel was the standout player with a goal and an assist to his credit. He came close to breaking the club record with seven consecutive away games with goal contribution. In the first half, he was played in by Barlow and passed to score the second goal from the feed to Bamba. In the second half, he intercepted the loose ball and swapped with Gutman to score from the edge to score the fifth goal against Fire. His attacking contribution has remained consistent and telling. With a team which has excelled to perform away from home, his consistency has remained the difference-maker.
Run scoring began early
The opener came in the ninth minute of the game. Kouamé gained the ball in the middle of the park and played it to Bamba, who played it to Jonathan Dean. The right back played it in space, where it was finished with precision by Haile-Selassie. The host team tried to press to win it back, but the visitors caught them on the breakaway. Barlow headed it to Zinckernagel, who played it into space to run onto it for Bamba. The Ivorian winger beat the keeper at the far post to score his second.
Barlow punished DC again with the high back line. Andrew Gutman, the left back, retrieved the ball in his own half, looked forward, and saw Barlow in behind the defense. Barlow received the pass from Gutman, who hit the far post to make it Chicago 3-0 in the 30th minute.
St. Louis again scored late in the half. Zinckernagel again created the buildup, passing it to the left wing to Bamba. The winger beat one defender to cross it to Haile-Selassie, who distributed it into the box to Barlow, who netted his second goal to make it 4-0 Chicago.
Second half with continued dominance
The attack began again in the second half as Zinckernagel recovered a loose ball and passed to Gutman. The left back reversed the pass to Zinckernagel right away, who fired from the edge of the box to score the fifth in the 56th minute.
United woke from their slumber in the 15th minute, with Dominique Badji scoring his season-opening goal. Barlow put paid to the threat of an equalizer five minutes later after picking the loose ball from the blocked cross from Leo Barroso to score his first-career three-goal haul. Substituting into Barlow's Major League Soccer debut, striker Jason Shokalook came into the box after DC United corner kick in the stoppage time in the opening minute. He outpaced one man to pass to unmarked Gutiérrez, who completed the scoring in Chicago's 7-1 against the DC United team to break the club tie mark.