Dje D’Avilla had a goal and an assist in the first 14 minutes and the Fire spoiled the debut of Portland Timbers coach Martí Cifuentes with a 2-1 victory on Sunday night at Soldier Field.
D’Avilla picked up his second assist on a goal by Robin Lod in the 9th minute and then scored for the first time this season five minutes later to give Chicago a 2-0 lead.
Defender Andrew Gutman also had an assist — his fourth — on Lod’s fourth netter. Maren Haile-Selassie notched his seventh assist on D’Avilla’s goal — one off his career high.
Defender Finn Surman used his head in the 85th minute to score his first career goal in 51 appearances and cut it 2-1. Defender Brandon Bye earned his third assist this season and Ariel Lassiter, a second-half substitute, was credited with his fourth.
Chris Brady totaled one save for Chicago (10-6-2).
James Pantemis stopped two shots for Portland (7-9-3), which made it’s first trip to the Windy City in eight years. Neither keeper had a save in the first half.
The Fire moved into third place in the Eastern Conference with the victory.
Cifuentes is the Timbers’ fifth head coach.
Up next
Timbers: Host San Diego FC on Wednesday.
Fire: At Orlando City on Wednesday.