Robert Lewandowski helps Chicago Fire deliver late theatrics

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Chicago Fire FC left things late but got the job done, securing a critical 3-1 win in their Leagues Cup 2026 campaign. After trailing Santos Laguna for the better part of an hour in their Phase One showdown on Sunday, the Fire’s hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals were on the ropes at SeatGeek Stadium. Three late goals – two from head coach Gregg Berhalter's substitutes and one from new superstar forward Robert Lewandowski – turned things around. “This is Leagues Cup soccer, right?” Berhalter said postgame. “Intensity, passion, physicality – this game had everything. I was really disappointed with the first-half performance, and not because we were down 1-0. I thought the energy wasn’t what it needed to be. "In the second half, it flipped. We brought the energy and brought speed into the game, which really helped us. We turned it up and, in the end, got a good result.” ...and Robert makes sure we STAY in the lead 😤 pic.twitter.com/ZBjsApz9yV — Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) August 10, 2026 Sparkplug subs Chicago found themselves in a 1-0 deficit after Ezequiel Bullaude struck for Santos Laguna's opener 20 minutes into the contest, as the visitors took firm control of the momentum for the first hour. But Chicago's substitutes quickly flipped the game on its head. MLS All-Star Philip Zinckernagel came off the bench to level in the 72nd minute, before fellow substitute Robin Lod knocked home the winning goal in the 90th minute. “The instruction was just to bring energy and bring your own qualities,” Lod said. “The depth is showing. If guys get tired, we have players coming from the bench who can bring energy. All five solutions did really well – and, of course, so did the 11 who started. “I’m really pleased because it shows that we care and we don’t give up. There are players who push each other forward. What I love most is that we do it together. It’s not one or two guys doing something special. It was an amazing team effort.” No better time to score🔥 Robin Lod pushes @ChicagoFire into the lead over Santos! 📺 Apple TV: https://t.co/LZEuJ9PmIJ pic.twitter.com/0gebK4NCgr — Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 10, 2026 Lewandowski heroics It was not an easy night at the office for Lewandowski, as the recently arrived Polish superstar missed both of his first two chances. But the 37-year-old got his reward in the 93rd minute. With the Fire up 2-1, Lewandowski got on the end of a flying rebound to knock the ball past goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo and put the game beyond all doubt. “Robert’s still in his preseason mode, and he’s a guy that didn’t want to come off the field and had to be persistent,” Berhalter said. “He had a couple chances, and he scored an amazing goal. "Those are the things he can do. I’m sure he would have liked to have a couple more, but really happy for his effort and happy that he was able to last all 97 minutes.” 🔥🚨 Robert Turdean STARTS for the Chicago Fire against Santos Laguna. The 16-year-old attacking midfielder becomes the youngest player in club history, breaking Craig Capano's record by 94 days. pic.twitter.com/x2dcqTvsIr — Alex Calabrese (@amcalabrese12) August 9, 2026 Milestone moment Lewandowski wasn’t the only noteworthy Robert in the starting XI. Homegrown attacking midfielder Robert Turdean – who only turned 16 earlier this year – became the youngest player in club history to feature for the Fire when he was named in Berhalter’s lineup. The US youth international broke Craig Capano’s record, which had stood for over two decades. “I think that’s a really important milestone,” Berhalter said of Turdean. “He’s a 16-year-old kid; he’s got a ton of confidence in his own ability, and he’s a guy that, when you put him in the starting XI in a game like this, he doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t get nervous, and he steps up. "I thought he did a good job. We took him out just because we thought his legs wouldn’t last for much longer, but a really good job, and congratulations to him.” Turdean played 45 minutes and, despite having only trained regularly with the first team for a few weeks, did not look out of place. He created two chances, was largely efficient with the ball, and combined well with the likes of Anton Salétros and Maren Haile-Selassie in the middle of the park. “At first, it was a little bit fast, but after a few touches, I got used to it,” Turdean said. “After that, it was smooth, and I got myself into the game. It was about taking small touches at first to get my confidence level up, and then, after that, I could do more. I think that helped me throughout the game.” “I see him every day,” added Zinckernagel. “He’s a big talent with a lot of quality. That’s why he got the chance today. I think he did pretty well. It’s not easy to go out there against a Mexican team, and at 16 years of age, it’s impressive. I’m very happy for him. I just told him to enjoy it.”