Josh Sargent scored three times in what AP News confirmed was his first career hat trick, but Toronto FC twice let a lead slip at BMO Field on Saturday before rescuing a point in a chaotic 4-4 draw against Chicago Fire. The hosts led 2-1 at the break only to see three goals go Chicago’s way between the 49th and 63rd minutes, a Walker Zimmerman own goal among them, and trail 4-3 with a quarter of an hour left. Derrick Etienne Jr. leveled it at 4-4 in stoppage time, sparing Toronto the worst, but Gregg Berhalter’s side left with a point that does little to separate them from the Eastern Conference’s congested playoff picture.
Key Moments
- 13′, Chicago Fire draw first blood. Maren Haile-Selassie finishes to put the visitors ahead early at BMO Field, beginning what would be a brace for the midfielder, per chicagofirefc.com.
- 27′, Toronto FC equalize. Josh Sargent converts from a Djordje Mihailovic pass to pull the hosts level and begin his historic hat-trick haul.
- 38′, Sargent puts Toronto ahead. He grabs his second of the night without an assist to give the hosts a 2-1 lead at the break.
- 49′, An own goal from Walker Zimmerman, credited to Chicago Fire’s account, pulls the visitors level at 2-2 just four minutes into the second half and shifts momentum sharply.
- 54′, Sargent completes the hat trick. Mihailovic provides the assist again as the American forward finishes for 3-2, restoring the lead six minutes after the restart.
- 58′, Maren Haile-Selassie makes it 3-3. Robert Lewandowski sets up the midfielder for his second of the night, cutting the deficit to one and reigniting Chicago.
- 63′, Lewandowski puts Chicago in front at 4-3. Philip Zinckernagel provides the assist as the Polish forward equalizes and Chicago complete a stunning three-goal second-half run.
- 90′, Derrick Etienne Jr. restores parity for Toronto in stoppage time, finishing from a Dániel Sallói pass to end the scoring at 4-4 after a frantic final stretch.
Tactical Breakdown
Chicago Fire dominated the ball with 58 percent possession and completed 405 passes to Toronto’s 287, yet it was the home side that looked more dangerous in the first half. Toronto’s 4-2-3-1 allowed Sargent to isolate defenders in central areas, and Mihailovic, who finished with two assists from midfield, consistently found space between the lines. Chicago’s high press created turnovers but also left gaps that Toronto exploited on the counter, generating 18 total shots to Chicago’s 15.
The match turned on the Zimmerman own goal at 49 minutes. Toronto had controlled the contest after Sargent’s third strike at 54 minutes made it 3-2, but Berhalter’s team immediately pressed higher and exposed a back line that had conceded 38 goals in 22 league games before tonight. Haile-Selassie’s second at 58 minutes, set up by Lewandowski, and Lewandowski’s own finish five minutes later came in a frantic eight-minute stretch that turned Toronto’s lead into a deficit. Berhalter’s decision to bring on Robin Lod at 64 minutes added width and energy when Chicago needed it most.
For Toronto, the failure to manage a 3-2 lead points to defensive frailty that has been consistent all season. The loss of Matheus Pereira at 55 minutes disrupted the left side of defense, and with Markus Cimermancic also withdrawn by the 79th minute, Jason Hernandez’s reshuffled backline struggled to hold shape. Chicago’s compact 4-3-3 used Zinckernagel’s movement intelligently to create the decisive assist, and Lewandowski’s ability to find the net on limited touches underlined why the Fire remain a dangerous side despite only six shots on goal.
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Verdict
The draw keeps Toronto FC at tenth in the Eastern Conference with 25 points, still outside the playoff positions and level with DC United directly below them. Chicago Fire remain third on 37 points, but this is their third consecutive draw, and New England Revolution sit level on points with a game in hand, meaning the Fire’s hold on a top-three seed remains under real pressure heading deeper into the MLS regular season.