Kei Kamara scored the winning goal in the 83rd minute, shortly after teammate Arnaud Souquet tied the score, as the Chicago Fire pulled out a 3-2 win over Minnesota United on Thursday in a Leagues Cup game in Saint Paul, Minn.
Two goals from Bongokuhle Hlongwane weren’t enough for Minnesota.
The contest was the opener for Chicago in the Central 2 Group. Minnesota United fell to 1-1-0, level with the Fire on three points. Chicago will play host to Puebla (0-1-0, 0 points) in the group finale on Monday.
On the winning play, Mauricio Pineda chipped the ball over the defense, and Kamara connected with a header from close to the penalty spot to put Chicago on top.
All of the game’s scoring came in the second half. Hlongwane put the hosts up 1-0 in the 62nd minute, but Xherdan Shaqiri equalized with a penalty kick seven minutes later. Hlongwane scored again in the 73rd minute.
Toluca 4, Nashville SC 3
Marcel Ruiz’s two first-half goals helped lead Toluca to a victory at Nashville in the Mexican side’s Leagues Cup opener.
Tiago Volpi, on a penalty kick, and Robert Morales also scored for Toluca. Walker Zimmerman, Fafa Picault and Luke Haakenson responded for the hosts, who ended the game with 10 men after Teal Bunbury received a yellow card and was sent off in the 86th minute.
Nashville have three points after going 1-1-0 in the Central 4 Group. Toluca (1-0-0, 3 points) will visit the Colorado Rapids (0-1-0, 0 points) in the last group game on Monday.
–Field Level Media