At 5:53 p.m. Tuesday night, the Fire emerged from the northeast tunnel and hit the playing surface at Soldier Field. That moment, so anticipated by the club after effectively buying its way into an amended lease with the Village of Bridgeview, was met with blaring music that perhaps sounded like a regular match.
But there were over 60,000 empty blue seats to greet the Fire, who beat FC Cincinnati 3-0. The authentic cheering that would’ve met the Fire beginning their pregame warm-ups for their planned March 21 opener was absent, and the only visible signs of supporters were large fan-created banners behind the south goal and some social-media messages that were displayed on Soldier Field’s video boards.
Forty minutes after beginning warm-ups, the Fire returned to the field. Unlike typical circumstances when the teams walk out side-by-side, the Fire walked out first. They were followed by the referees, and then FC Cincinnati. Everybody was wearing masks.
Indeed, COVID-19 was hard to forget Tuesday night. It’s why the opener was postponed, why it was rescheduled for Tuesday, and why Soldier Field’s doors were closed to fans. Following Friday night’s announcement that an unnamed Fire player was a confirmed positive, it’s even why there were some doubts the match would be played at all.
The match went on, but the vibe the Fire (2-4-1, 7 points) crave for their home games will have to wait. In interviews and team-produced material, the Fire have said they will have their celebratory day at Soldier Field with fans.
Tuesday was not that, but the Fire were excited to once again play at Soldier Field.
“Obviously, we wish that today there would have been 50, 60,000 people here and the team would have been able to celebrate (this victory) in a normal world,” Fire coach Raphael Wicky said. “I only can imagine how it must be to win games here, score goals in a full stadium.
“The experience overall was great. It’s a great start for us, coming back to Soldier Field for the club and having a clear victory.”
Even outside of Soldier Field, there was an eerie and unusual silence. When the stadium hosts major soccer events, there is a pulse and soundtrack around the perimeter as fans celebrate, mill around the campus and tailgate before kickoff. That atmosphere, which was anticipated for the spring debut that could’ve been a sellout, was not to be found and replaced by traffic passing on Lake Shore Drive.
Though there weren’t supporters in the stands, they were heard. Major League Soccer gave teams the option of piping in crowd noise, and the Fire took advantage. The replica soundtrack included consistent sound, specific team chants, cheering when Fabian Herbers, Alvaro Medran and Ignacio Aliseda scored, and polite applause when an FC Cincinnati player returned to his feet after taking a knock.
In the second minute, Herbers became the answer to a trivia question by scoring the team’s first MLS goal at Soldier Field since 2005. The goal was originally ruled offside but given after a review, putting the Fire ahead.
The public address announcer and signs on the screens credited the goal to striker Robert Beric. Alas, there were no fans in the stands to be confused.
