Chicago Fire 3-1 Santos Laguna: Late comeback seals Leagues Cup win (full highlights)

What a comeback at SeatGeek Stadium. Chicago Fire FC roared back from a 1-0 halftime deficit to stun Santos Laguna 3-1 in their Leagues Cup 2026 Group Stage clash, with three goals in the final 20 minutes turning the game on its head. The visitors had taken a deserved lead in the 20th minute when Ezequiel Bullaude capitalised on a defensive mix-up – goalkeeper Chris Brady raced off his line to clear a loose ball, but Bullaude got there first and lobbed it into the empty net from 25 yards. The Fire struggled to break down a stubborn Santos defence in the first half, with Robert Lewandowski enduring a frustrating 45 minutes. The Polish superstar had a penalty shout waved away just before the break and missed a golden chance in the 83rd minute after being set up by Anton Salétros. But head coach Gregg Berhalter's triple substitution at half-time – introducing Philip Zinckernagel, Sergio Oregel Jr., and Andrew Gutman – proved to be a masterstroke. The equaliser finally came in the 72nd minute: Zinckernagel, fresh off the bench, drove into the box and blasted home from a tight angle to make it 1-1. The momentum was now firmly with the home side, and the winner arrived in the 90th minute. Salétros collected a cross from Puso Dithejane and fired a shot that deflected off Robin Lod and past goalkeeper Carlos Acevedo. And there was still time for Lewandowski to get his moment of glory. In the third minute of stoppage time, Zinckernagel's shot was parried by Acevedo, and the 37-year-old poacher was on hand to tap home the rebound from close range, sealing a 3-1 victory. It was Lewandowski's first Leagues Cup goal and his third in three appearances for the Fire, following a brace against Charlotte FC in MLS action. The game also saw a piece of history: 16-year-old Robert Turdean became the youngest starter in Chicago Fire history, playing 45 minutes before being substituted at half-time. Berhalter praised his team's character after the match: 'This is Leagues Cup soccer – intensity, passion, physicality. In the second half, we brought the energy and speed that really helped us'. The Fire have now won both their opening Leagues Cup fixtures and are in pole position to advance to the quarter-finals. Next up is a tough test against Cruz Azul, but with this kind of fighting spirit, anything seems possible.