Atlanta, GA
Chicago Fire FC Plays Atlanta United FC to 0-0 Draw at Soldier Field | Chicago Fire FC
CHICAGO (April 27, 2024) – Chicago Fire FC (2-4-4, 10 points) and Atlanta United FC (3-3-3, 12 points) battled to a scoreless draw on Saturday night at Soldier Field.
With the result, the Fire recorded its second clean sheet in the last three matches, with goalkeeper Chris Brady tying his season-high with five saves as he notched his 10th career shutout for the Club. The match also saw a hometown debut for defender Andrew Gutman, who returned to the starting lineup and played 67 minutes after recovering from an injury suffered during the season opener in Philadelphia on Feb. 24.
The first half was an intense affair with Chicago getting their first look at the goal in the eighth minute. Winger Chris Mueller stayed on his feet to win the ball from a defender on the right flank, sending a low pass into the box. Forward Georgios Koutsias met the ball at the top of the six-hard-box but his shot hit the crossbar and was cleared out of danger.
With both teams still tied at zero in the 31st minute, Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady ensured that the match remained scoreless when defender Brooks Lennon whipped a ball in across the box toward goal. Midfielder Saba Lobjanidze read the pass well and connected with a header to the far post but Brady dove well, pushing the ball wide with a fingertip save.
Brady once again put his fingertips to work in the 76th minute when midfielder Thiago Almada took a free kick from the left side of the field. The ball curled around and over the wall, appearing destined for the upper right corner before Brady tipped it over the net. Nine minutes later, Almada once again created a dangerous chance, sending a cross from the right side to the far post. Second-half substitute Daniel Rios connected with a header inside the six-yard-box, but Brady had read the play and was ready with the save.
NEXT MATCH: Chicago will complete its three-game homestand against the New England Revolution on Saturday, May 4. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT at Soldier Field, and the match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass and transmitted locally via wlsam.com in English and WRTO 1200 AM in Spanish.
Social: Twitter – @chicagofire, @vamosfire (Hashtags: #CF97 #VamosFire) | Instagram – @chicagofire | Facebook
- Prior to the start of the match, Goalkeeper Coach Zach Thornton was inducted into the Ring of Fire, becoming the ninth person to join the Club’s Hall of Fame. Thornton is one of three players in Club history to be a part of all six of the Fire’s major championships, while also holding most of Chicago’s goalkeeping records, including wins (109), clean sheets (57), starts (212), and wins in a single season (17).
- Head Coach Frank Klopas made four changes to the lineup that faced Real Salt Lake at Soldier Field last Saturday.
- Defender Andrew Gutman returned from injury into the starting lineup for the first time since the team’s season-opening match against the Philadelphia Union, marking the Homegrown’s first start at Soldier Field with the Club.
- Defenders Allan Arigoni and Rafael Czichos and forward Hugo Cuypers started their 10th consecutive match of the season together. Czichos is the only player to have played the full 90 minutes in the Fire’s 10 matches so far this season.
- Midfielder Brian Gutiérrez made his 97th career appearance for the Fire and is now three away from becoming the second Homegrown to play 100 matches for the Club.
- Javier Casas Jr. (lower leg), Chase Gasper (upper leg), Gastón Giménez (upper leg), Maren Haile-Selassie (lower leg) and Xherdan Shaqiri (lower leg) were unavailable for today’s match.
- Chicago’s record against Atlanta now stands at 4-8-3 in regular season play.
Box Score:
Chicago Fire FC 0:0 Atlanta United FC
Discipline:
ATL – Lennon (Yellow Card) 46’
CHI – Arigoni (Yellow Card) 75’
ATL – Slisz (Yellow Card) 89’
ATL – Mosquera (Yellow Card) 90+7’
CHI: GK Brady, D Czichos, D Salquist, D Gutman (Dean, 67’), D Pineda, D Arigoni, M Herbers (capt.), M Acosta (Gutiérrez, 66’), M Mueller (Souquet, 76’), F Cuypers, M Koutsias (Barlow, 71’)
Subs not used: GK Richey, D Terán, D Omsberg
ATL: GK Guzan (capt.), D Abram, D Lennon, D Morales, D Wiley, M Slisz, M Muyumba (McCarty, 78’), M Lobjanidze, M Almada, M Wolff (Mosquera, 66’), F Giakoumakis (Rios, 66’)
Subs not used: GK Cohen, D Hernandez, D Gregersen, M Firmino, M Fortune, F Brennan
Stats Summary: CHI / ATL
Shots: 8 / 16
Shots on Goal: 0 / 5
Saves: 5 / 0
Passing Accuracy: 77.5% / 89.5%
Corners: 3 / 8
Fouls: 9 / 6
Offsides: 1 / 2
Possession: 39.5% / 60.5%
Referee: Filip Dujic
Assistant Referees: Jeffrey Swartzel, Justin Howard
Fourth Official: Brandon Stevis
VAR: Jorge Gonzalez
Assistant VAR: Robert Schaap
ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – General admission tickets to FIFA Fan Festival Atlanta are sold out as temperatures hover in the 90s, with organizers urging attendees to prepare for the heat ahead of a packed Wednesday schedule.
Three matches are scheduled for Wednesday, including a U.S. Men’s National Team match in the evening, as the World Cup continues in the knockout stage. The festival at Centennial Olympic Park has welcomed nearly 400,000 visitors since the start of the tournament.
What fans should know before they go
Organizers are advising fans to wear light, loose clothing and bring hats. Neck fans are permitted, as are plastic water bottles without labels. The park opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m. Wednesday.
“We are aware of the heat index and we want to make sure people are comfortable and safe within the park,” said Chincie Mouton, Director of Sports Engagement & Community Impact for the Georgia World Congress Center Authority.
Shaded areas, a splash pad at the Fountain of Rings, and water filling stations are available throughout the park. Some of those water stations are supplied by Third Rock Sanitation Solutions, a family-owned company based in Alpharetta.
“We believe we are absolutely life support here, because water is essential for all of us,” said Mark Slade with Third Rock Sanitation Solutions, based in Alpharetta.
The stations provide chilled, filtered water across the park.
“Without the water, let’s face it, there would be people dehydrated, falling out, there would be several problems. So, being part of that, it’s a really good feeling, heartfelt feeling,” Slade said.
Paramedics on standby
Paramedics and safety crews will be on hand should anyone become overwhelmed by the heat, organizers said.
Jason Walker and his son traveled from England to see England play Congo in Atlanta. The match will be held indoors at Atlanta Stadium. Walker said the outdoor heat was already noticeable upon arrival.
“I’m obviously suffering from it at the moment, it’s extremely hot at the moment,” Walker said.
All five remaining days of the Fan Festival are sold out for free tickets. Some paid tickets remain available. Organizers will stop admitting fans once capacity is reached — a threshold that has been hit during U.S. games being played at the park. Early arrival is encouraged.
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Courtesy of Orion Media
A new restaurant at the Forum Peachtree Corners is aiming to reframe what Persian dining in metro Atlanta can look and taste like. Created by Pooya Naraghi, Golestan leans into tradition, drawing heavily from Naraghi’s upbringing and the kind of cooking typically reserved for family tables.
The Naraghi family is best known for their Midtown Mexican restaurant El Valle, created in partnership with chef Luis Damian, but Pooya says Persian cuisine has always been the long-term goal.
“It’s close to my heart,” he says. “Before opening Golestan, the best Persian food I ever ate was my mother’s,” he says. “We want to bring those authentic, home-cooked flavors and traditions to our guests.”
The 5,000-square-foot space pairs homegrown inspiration with a polished, modern setting. Persian rugs suspended overhead, colorful tilework on the floor, florals abound, and arched doorways nod to traditional design, while an open kitchen puts the focus on the chefs at work. The result is what Naraghi describes as elevated but welcoming.
“We don’t want to modernize it too much; it’s what would you experience in Tehran in the ’70s and ’80s in terms of portions, flavors, and plate composition,” Naghari says.
Chef Victor Gonzalez Rodriguez is in the kitchen, bringing more than 20 years of experience in cooking Persian cuisine. The lamb shank, slow-braised until tender in a turmeric and dried lime broth, is a personal favorite of Naraghi, who grew up eating versions of the dish at home. Starters like mirza ghasemi, a smoky eggplant dip with tomato and garlic, are served with house-made flatbread, herbs, feta, and walnuts, nodding to the communal way Persian meals are often shared. Guests can order individual plates or ask for their food served on a shareable platter of rice dishes, kebabs, and sides. It’s a style intentionally reminiscent of dining in Iran decades ago, with an emphasis on generous portions and balance rather than reinvention.
Courtesy of Orion Media
The beverage program weaves Persian ingredients and influences throughout. Cocktails, developed in collaboration with mixologist Daryush Noorbehesht, highlight flavors such as saffron, pistachio, quince, barberry, and sour cherry. Drinks like Leila’s Lips showcase the menu’s balance of tart and aromatic elements. The wine list leans international, with selections from New Zealand, California, France, and Italy alongside lesser-known Lebanese bottles chosen for their compatibility with Persian flavors like cardamom and black tea. Beer spans both local drafts—including SweetWater and Creature Comforts—and a Persian-inspired label, Back Home Beer, brewed by an Iranian-American using family recipes.
For Naraghi, Peachtree Corners was a strategic choice. He saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to introduce something new to the neighborhood. Ultimately, Naraghi’s ambitions extend beyond one location. The name Golestan means “garden of roses,” and reflects a vision of gathering, hospitality, and growth.
“We want guests to feel as though they’ve been welcomed into someone’s home,” he says.
Courtesy of Orion Media
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Thousands of Atlanta immigrants face deportations
Hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants face potential deportation starting July 27 after a Supreme Court ruling allowed the administration to end Temporary Protected Status, according to legal advocates.
ATLANTA – A Supreme Court ruling allowing the end of Temporary Protected Status has sparked widespread fear among tens of thousands of Haitian immigrants living across Georgia.
The major legal decision clears the way for federal authorities to resume deportations next month.
Georgia immigrants face deportation
What we know:
The Supreme Court ruled last week that the Trump administration can end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 1-million immigrants. This decision affects roughly 350,000 Haitian immigrants nationwide, including thousands who legally reside and work in metro Atlanta.
Former Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf called the ruling a dramatic win for the administration and common sense. However, local immigration lawyer Lana Joseph said, “these are people who are well vetted, who work here, raise children, pay taxes.”
Atlanta community fears violence
What they’re saying:
An anonymous Haitian woman living in metro Atlanta expressed profound terror, calling the sudden legal shift an absolute nightmare. She said, “I am worried about the future more because I don’t know what’s going to happen to me,” fearing she could be killed by heavily armed gangs that currently overrun much of Haiti.
Dr. Jean Billy Beaufils, president of the Georgia Haitian Leadership Coalition, strongly condemned the decision, describing any forced return to Haiti as suicide. Joseph added that some facing removal entered the country as infants and know no other home.
Legal protections ending soon
What’s next:
The Trump administration is authorized to begin deportations on July 27 following the expiration of the legal safeguards. Meanwhile, immigration advocates are pressing Congress to intervene and extend protections for vulnerable communities.
Unresolved immigration details
What we don’t know:
Officials have not yet confirmed exactly how many individuals within Georgia will face immediate removal actions starting next month. It also remains unclear whether federal authorities will prioritize specific cases or execute widespread enforcement operations.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Christopher King, who interviewed affected Haitian community members and legal experts in metro Atlanta, as well as broadcast pool feeds featuring federal policy statements.
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