Charlotte 0-1 Chicago Fire: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
MLS · Saturday 26 September 2026 · Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte · referee C. Penso · full time
Full time: Charlotte 0-1 Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire won 1-0 away at Charlotte in MLS on Saturday 26 September 2026. The goals: Johan Gómez 58'.
How Chicago Fire won it
The opening goal came in the 58th minute: Johan Gómez for Chicago Fire, set up by Jack Elliott.
It was 0-0 at half-time, and the second half changed the result.
Tim Ream of Charlotte was sent off in the 90th minute (+8) for a second yellow card. The referee, C. Penso, showed 7 yellow cards: 5 to Charlotte and 2 to Chicago Fire.
Charlotte: D. Smith, 4-3-3 · Chicago Fire: G. Berhalter, 4-4-2.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 1.35 for Charlotte and 1.82 for Chicago Fire.
Charlotte scored about 1.4 fewer than their chances were worth: poor finishing, or a goalkeeper at his best.
Charlotte had 2 shots on target, Chicago Fire 9.
Charlotte's goalkeeper made 8 saves.
Chicago Fire had 59% of the ball and turned it into the win.
A red card changed the shape of the match, and no pre-match model can see one coming.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Charlotte came into it with 31 MLS matches played, scoring 1.8 and conceding 1.6 a match, with 1.56 expected goals for and 2.11 against, and had won 42% of their matches.
Chicago Fire came into it with 31 MLS matches played, scoring 1.8 and conceding 1.5 a match, with 1.80 expected goals for and 1.48 against, and had won 48% of their matches.
Charlotte vs Chicago Fire: the match in numbers
| Charlotte | Match statistics | Chicago Fire |
|---|---|---|
| 41% | Ball possession | 59% |
| 1.35 | Expected goals (xG) | 1.82 |
| 11 | Total shots | 18 |
| 2 | Shots on target | 9 |
| 4 | Big chances | 1 |
| 345 | Total passes | 524 |
| 82% | Pass accuracy | 88% |
| 4 | Corners | 6 |
| 14 | Fouls | 15 |
| 3 | Offsides | 0 |
| 9 | Tackles | 18 |
| 8 | Saves | 2 |
| 6 | Yellow cards | 2 |
| 1 | Red cards | 0 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Kristijan Kahlina (Charlotte), rated 8.1 by Sportmonks.
Charlotte
- Kristijan Kahlina 8.1
- Allan Saint-Maximin 7.7
- Henry Kessler 6.9
- Djibril Diani 6.8
- Brandt Bronico 6.8
Chicago Fire
- Maren Haile-Selassie 7.8
- Jack Elliott 7.8 1 assist
- Philip Zinckernagel 7.8
- Johan Gómez 7.5 1 goal
- Sergio Oregel 7.2
The lowest-rated starter was Harry Toffolo at 6.2. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Charlotte: Charlotte vs CF Montréal Wednesday 28 October 2026 · MLS
- Chicago Fire: Chicago Fire vs Orlando City Thursday 29 October 2026 · MLS
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Charlotte vs Chicago Fire
What was the score in Charlotte vs Chicago Fire?
Charlotte 0-1 Chicago Fire (half-time 0-0), MLS, Saturday 26 September 2026.
Who scored in Charlotte vs Chicago Fire?
Johan Gómez 58'.
Did Moneyball predict Charlotte vs Chicago Fire correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Charlotte vs Chicago Fire?
Kristijan Kahlina, rated 8.1 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Charlotte vs Chicago Fire?
C. Penso.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball Odds writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball Odds is a statistical analysis site, not a bookmaker. No model predicts football reliably. For readers aged 18 and over.