New England Revolution steal draw with Chicago Fire after Richard Sanchez howler

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:29 am

Forward Teal Bunbury scored his ninth goal of the season on a gift from Chicago goalkeeper Richard Sanchez in the 82nd minute to help the New England Revolution notch an unlikely 1-1 tie with the Fire on Saturday night at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

Sanchez fumbled the ball near his own net and Revolution midfielder Diego Fagundez kicked the ball to Bunbury, who easily knotted the score as New England stretched its unbeaten streak to four games.

Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger scored a goal for Chicago. Sanchez made five saves.

Schweinsteiger put the Fire ahead in the 63rd minute after he executed a give-and-go with forward Aleksandar Katai. The goal was his second of the season.

Schweinsteiger's pass to Katai was immediately returned and the sharing of the ball opened up the room Schweinsteiger needed to deliver a blistering right-footed shot. The ball caromed off the hands of New England goalkeeper Matt Turner and into the goal.

Sanchez made a big save on Bunbury's right-footed blast in the 76th minute, but it was his own miscue that set up Bunbury's tying goal six minutes later.

Teal Bunbury
Teal Bunbury
Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Sanchez went up to grab a high-bouncing ball by the right post but dropped the ball into the field of play. Fagundez was standing right next to Sanchez and fed Bunbury for the easy goal to tie the score.

Chicago had leading goal scorer Nemanja Nikolic on the field for only 12 minutes after he banged heads with Revolution defender Antonio Mlinar Delamea in a collision while knocking a header wide right of the goal.

Both players exited to be treated and Delamea was bandaged up and returned to action. After playing with 10 players for eight minutes, the Fire replaced Nikolic with fellow forward Alan Gordon in the 20th minute.

Each team had just one shot in the first half. Revolution midfielder Cristian Penilla had his close-range left-footed shot stopped by Sanchez in the 26th minute, while Turner made a diving save of Katai's right-footed blast in the 35th minute.

New England midfielder Kelyn Rowe had an opportunity on a free kick just outside the box in the 49th minute, but Sanchez knocked the right-footed blast over the net.

Katai had a chance to give Chicago a 2-0 lead in the 79th minute, but his left-footed shot went wide right.