Chicago Fire 3-4 Columbus Crew: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
MLS · Saturday 7 November 2026 · SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview · referee R. Mendoza · full time
Full time: Chicago Fire 3-4 Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew won 4-3 away at Chicago Fire in MLS on Saturday 7 November 2026. The goals: Robert Lewandowski 8', Gonzalo Tapia 16', Robert Lewandowski 22', Anass Zaroury 23', Maren Haile-Selassie 45+4', Gonzalo Tapia 62', Brais Méndez 90+3'. It went against Moneyball's pre-match estimate.
How Columbus Crew won it
The opening goal came in the 8th minute: Robert Lewandowski from the penalty spot for Chicago Fire. Columbus Crew levelled at 1-1 in the 16th minute through Gonzalo Tapia, set up by Taha Habroune. Robert Lewandowski from the penalty spot made it 2-1 to Chicago Fire in the 22nd minute. Columbus Crew levelled at 2-2 in the 23rd minute through Anass Zaroury, set up by Gonzalo Tapia. Maren Haile-Selassie made it 3-2 to Chicago Fire in the 45th minute (+4). Columbus Crew levelled at 3-3 in the 62nd minute through Gonzalo Tapia, set up by Malte Amundsen. Columbus Crew turned it round: Brais Méndez made it 3-4 in the 90th minute (+3). A late goal, and the one that decided the result.
It was 3-2 at half-time, and the second half turned the match the other way.
Robert Lewandowski scored twice.
Gonzalo Tapia scored twice.
The lead changed hands once.
The referee, R. Mendoza, showed 6 yellow cards: 4 to Chicago Fire and 2 to Columbus Crew.
Chicago Fire: G. Berhalter, 4-2-3-1 · Columbus Crew: L. Courtois, 3-4-3.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
The prediction missed. Before kick-off Moneyball leaned to a Chicago Fire win at 48% and gave a Columbus Crew win 27%; the match went the other way.
The match had far more goals than expected: the estimate was about 3.1 goals and there were 7.
Over 2.5 goals had been put at 60%; with 7 goals the over came in, as the estimate leaned.
Both teams to score was 62%; both did, in line with the estimate.
Computed before kick-off from both sides' season goals and expected goals as of 2026-11-07, through a Dixon-Coles score model, and left as it was.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 1.52 for Chicago Fire and 3.19 for Columbus Crew.
Chicago Fire scored about 1.5 more than their chances were worth: clinical finishing, or a goalkeeper having a bad day.
The run of play itself went against the pre-match reading: Moneyball expected Chicago Fire to create more, and Columbus Crew did.
Chicago Fire had 6 shots on target, Columbus Crew 6.
Chicago Fire had 53% of the ball, but Columbus Crew took the points.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Chicago Fire came into it with 34 MLS matches played, scoring 1.9 and conceding 1.6 a match, with 1.88 expected goals for and 1.42 against, and had won 47% of their matches.
Columbus Crew came into it with 34 MLS matches played, scoring 1.7 and conceding 1.5 a match, with 1.48 expected goals for and 1.54 against, and had won 41% of their matches.
Chicago Fire vs Columbus Crew: the match in numbers
| Chicago Fire | Match statistics | Columbus Crew |
|---|---|---|
| 53% | Ball possession | 47% |
| 1.52 | Expected goals (xG) | 3.19 |
| 14 | Total shots | 11 |
| 6 | Shots on target | 6 |
| 6 | Big chances | 3 |
| 505 | Total passes | 444 |
| 87% | Pass accuracy | 84% |
| 6 | Corners | 4 |
| 14 | Fouls | 14 |
| 3 | Offsides | 1 |
| 23 | Tackles | 19 |
| 2 | Saves | 3 |
| 4 | Yellow cards | 2 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Gonzalo Tapia (Columbus Crew), rated 8.8 by Sportmonks, with 2 goals, 1 assist.
Chicago Fire
- Robert Lewandowski 8.3 2 goals
- Philip Zinckernagel 7.2
- Anton Salétros 7.2
- Maren Haile-Selassie 6.9 1 goal
- Andreas Hanche-Olsen 6.7
Columbus Crew
- Gonzalo Tapia 8.8 2 goals, 1 assist
- Taha Habroune 7.6 1 assist
- Brais Méndez 7.4 1 goal
- Anass Zaroury 7.3 1 goal
- Dylan Chambost 6.9
The lowest-rated starter was Sekou Bangoura at 5.6. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Chicago Fire: Chicago Fire vs Charlotte Sunday 22 November 2026 · MLS
- Columbus Crew: Inter Miami vs Columbus Crew Saturday 21 November 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 Chicago Fire vs Columbus Crew
What was the score in Chicago Fire vs Columbus Crew?
Chicago Fire 3-4 Columbus Crew (half-time 3-2), MLS, Saturday 7 November 2026.
Who scored in Chicago Fire vs Columbus Crew?
Robert Lewandowski 8', Gonzalo Tapia 16', Robert Lewandowski 22', Anass Zaroury 23', Maren Haile-Selassie 45+4', Gonzalo Tapia 62', Brais Méndez 90+3'.
Did Moneyball predict Chicago Fire vs Columbus Crew correctly?
The prediction missed. Before kick-off Moneyball leaned to a Chicago Fire win at 48% and gave a Columbus Crew win 27%; the match went the other way.
Who was man of the match in Chicago Fire vs Columbus Crew?
Gonzalo Tapia, rated 8.8 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Chicago Fire vs Columbus Crew?
R. Mendoza.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball 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 is a football statistics site. No model predicts football reliably: every figure is an estimate.