CARSON, Calif. — After a delayed start due to weather at Dignity Health Sports Park, the LA Galaxy and Chicago Fire FC finished in a 1-1 draw in the preseason match between the sides on Saturday.
Sacha Kljestan netted his first goal with his new team in the 54th minute to account for the scoring for the Galaxy, but an 84th-minute leveler from Micheal Azira would deny the home side a fourth preseason victory.
Following a scoreless first half, the Galaxy broke through for the opener after a scrum in front of the Chicago goal resulted in a flurry of shots from Kljestan, Aleksandar Katai and Javier Hernandez before Kljestan finally cashed home his second opportunity to make it 1-0.
After the LA goal, Chicago goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm sought medical attention on the pitch, but stayed in the game. After receiving attention a second time and trying to play through the potential injury, he called for a substitute and backup Bobby Shuttleworth came in for the last 14 minutes.
The match would stay 1-0 until the 84th minute, when Chicago found its equalizer courtesy of substitute Azira after a scramble between players put him in just the right spot to turn and and take the shot inside the box.
It was the final match of the 2020 preseason for both sides, with the Galaxy wrapping their exhibition slate with a 3W-1L-1T record in five games. Chicago, meanwhile, finishes its preseason schedule at 3W-2L-1T in six matches.
Goals
- 54' - LA - Sacha Kljestan
- 84' - CHI - Micheal Azira
Lineups
LA Galaxy starting XI (4-4-1-1): David Bingham - Rolf Feltscher, Nick DePuy, Giancarlo Gonzalez, Emiliano Insua (Julian Araujo 78') - Sebastian Lletget, Perry Kitchen (Joe Corona 70'), Sacha Kljestan, Alexsandar Katai (Emil Cuello 65') - Javier Hernandez - Cristian Pavon
Chicago Fire FC starting XI (4-5-1): Kenneth Kronholm (Bobby Shuttleworth 76') - Brandt Bronico, Johan Kappelhof, Francisco Calvo, Jonathan Bornstein - Mauricio Pineda, Przemyslaw Frankowski, Djordje Mihailovic, Fabian Herbers (Micheal Azira 82'), Alvaro Medran - Robert Beric
Next Up
- LA: Saturday, February 29 at Houston Dynamo (3:30 pm ET | Univision, Twitter, TUDN | MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
- CHI: Sunday, March 1 at Seattle Sounders (3:00 pm ET | ESPN in US | MLS LIVE on DAZN in Canada)
