Jacob Murrell scored on a bicycle kick in the sixth minute of stoppage time Saturday night to help D.C. United earn a 2-2 tie with the Chicago Fire and spoil the second multigoal game in MLS for Hugo Cuypers.
The late goal in the Fire’s home opener at Soldier Field also denied coach Gregg Berhalter his first win with the team. The Fire lost to the Columbus Crew 4-2 in their season opener Feb. 22.
Aaron Herrera played in a corner kick that was cleared by the Fire, but D.C. United retained possession. Matti Peltola passed the ball back to Herrera on the right wing, where he chipped to Murrell for an arcing finish that slipped under the crossbar but over the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Chris Brady to make it 2-2.
Christian Benteke, the 2024 MLS Golden Boot winner with 23 goals, tapped in a one-touch shot — off a pass from Gabriel Pirani — from near the penalty spot to give D.C. United (0-0-2) a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute.
Philip Zinckernagel played in a corner kick that Jack Elliott headed at the near post to the back post before Cuypers slammed it home from point-blank range to make it 1-1 in the 30th minute. Then in the 71st, Cuypers again scored after Elliott flicked a header off a Zinckernagel corner kick to the front post, slipping a one-touch finish inside the back post.
Kim Joon-Hong had two saves for D.C. United. Brady had four saves for the Fire (0-1-1). D.C. United had 57% possession and outshot the Fire 19-11, 6-4 on target.
