The Chicago Fire beat the Portland Timbers 2-1 on Sunday night, giving Martí Cifuentes a losing debut as Portland coach in a match that also sent Chicago into third place in the Eastern Conference.
It was Portland's first trip to the Windy City in eight years, and the Fire made the early moments count. Dje D'Avilla set up Robin Lod's goal in the ninth minute, then scored again five minutes later to push Chicago in front 2-0.
How Chicago built the lead
Dje D'Avilla was involved in both first-half goals that decided the game. His assist on Robin Lod's opener came in the ninth minute, and his finish in the 14th minute gave the Fire a lead they would not give back.
The performance continued a strong run for D'Avilla, who now has a fourth assist and a seventh assist mentioned in the match context, along with his first career goal in what was his 51st appearance.
Portland's late response falls short
Portland did get one back late, with Finn Surman scoring in the 85th minute, but it was not enough to erase the early damage. The Timbers could not recover from the two-goal deficit, and Cifuentes' first match at the helm ended without a point.
Martí Cifuentes was introduced as Portland's fifth head coach, and his first assignment came with the challenge of steadying a team that left Chicago empty-handed. The result also left Portland at 7-9-3, while Chicago improved to 10-6-2.
James Pantemis finished with one save on two shots in the match, another small detail in a game defined by Chicago's quick start. For the Fire, the win was enough to move them into third place in the Eastern Conference and send a clear message in a game that mattered both for the standings and for the new coach's first impression.
