With a dominant performance on Saturday, Chicago Fire crushed D.C. United at home, bolstering their playoff hopes for the 2025 MLS season.
One of the most talked-about aspects of Saturday night’s 7-1 Chicago Fire victory over D.C. United was Tom Barlow’s first career hat trick. The front line scored twice in the first half, and Barlow was the star of the show.
With his first goal in his first start and 12th appearance, Maren Haile-Selassie gave the Fire an early lead, scoring in the 8th minute. With a goal in the 24th minute, Jonathan Bamba notched his third of the season, giving his team a two-goal advantage.
Barlow netted his initial goal of the season at the 30-minute mark, adding another in the 44th to give the Fire a commanding 4-0 halftime advantage. He completed his hat trick in the 65th minute. Four goals is Barlow’s highest single-season total.
Haile-Selassie and Bamba assisted Barlow’s second goal. Haile-Selassie scored his third three-pointer this season, surpassing his career high of eight in 2024; Bamba, in his 16th career start, recorded his seventh rebound.
Assists from Jonathan Dean and Rominigue Kouamé led to Haile-Selassie’s goal, and Philip Zinckernagel assisted Bamba’s. Kouamé earned his first assist in his third start and tenth career game. Dean registered his third assist of the season, while Zinckernagel recorded his seventh assist in his debut season.
Zinckernagel scored his seventh goal in fifteen appearances, opening the scoring in the 56th minute of the second half. From the bench, Brian Gutiérrez netted a goal in the first minute of stoppage time. This was his sixth goal of the season, tying his career high from the previous season.
D.C. United’s Dominique Badji netted his first goal of the season in the 60th minute after coming on as a second-half substitute.
In his second career start and third appearance, Jeffrey Gal had two saves for the Fire (7-5-4).
Luis Barraza made four saves for D.C. United (4-8-6), following their second away victory this season, a 2-1 win against FC Cincinnati.
Chicago has won six of seven games while playing on the road. The Fire’s home record is one win, one loss, and four draws.
On Saturday, the Fire are playing Nashville SC at home. Real Salt Lake hosts D.C. United in a match on Saturday.