Bethlehem Steel came to Chicago and took all three points, winning 2-1 in the MLS Next Pro Group Stage on Saturday evening. The result keeps both sides level on points at sixth place, though Steel now hold a slim advantage on goal difference. We had tipped the hosts to win, but the game took a different turn once the visitors found their rhythm.
D. Villanueva gave Chicago the lead in the thirtieth minute, a moment that looked promising for the home side. Bethlehem responded with a substitution at sixty-one, bringing on D. Boltz to shift their approach. K. LeBlanc equalised shortly after the break, and the momentum began to tilt.
W. Ferreira came on for Bethlehem at sixty-eight, adding fresh legs to a side that were starting to pin the hosts back. O. Benitez picked up a booking at seventy-two, a yellow that hinted at the growing tension. Then T. Reed fired home at seventy-three to put Steel ahead, and the visitors held every card.
V. Glyut's substitution at seventy-six was a defensive measure, but it was too late. Chicago pushed for an equaliser, but Steel saw the game out with composure. The final whistle brought relief for the away fans, who had not expected an easy night in Chicago.
Both teams sit on the same points after twenty-seven matches, but Steel's four-point cushion over the bottom half of the table matters more than the headline. The loss extends a run of defeats for Chicago, who have now lost fourteen of their twenty-seven outings. Steel, meanwhile, have won fourteen and lost thirteen — an uneven record that suits their style.
Our prediction of a home victory was wide of the mark. The turning point came after the hour, when Bethlehem's substitutions changed the tempo. Once Reed found the net, United were chasing shadows, and the result reflected that shift in control.