Atlanta United was held without a goal for the fourth time in seven games this season in a 1-0 loss to the Chicago Fire on Saturday night.
The Five Stripes dropped to 1-5-1 on the season and are 12th in the Eastern Conference standings.
Lucas Hoyos saved two shots for Atlanta United in his first season in the league. Hoyos’ final save came on a shot by Bamba in the 83rd minute to keep it 1-0.
Atlanta United’s Saba Lobjanidze left with an apparent leg injury in the 78th minute and was replaced by Luke Brennan.
Atlanta United leads the series 8-6-4. The club was coming off a 1-2-1 homestand and hadn’t played a road match since Feb. 28.
Chicago beat Atlanta United 2-1 at Soldier Field last season and earned a 2-2 draw in Atlanta.
Maren Haile-Selassie scored early for Chicago and that was all Chris Brady needed to help the Fire earn a third straight victory.
Haile-Selassie scored for the first time this season — with assists from Jonathan Bamba and Philip Zinckernagel — to give Chicago a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute. It was Haile-Selassie’s 14th goal in 96 career appearances for the Fire.
Bamba’s assist was his second after posting 10 last season — his first in the league. Zinckernagel picked up his first assist after totaling 15 in 32 appearances last season — also his first in the league.
Brady finished with four saves in his 99th start in goal for the Fire (4-2-1), who moved into second place in the Eastern Conference — three points behind Nashville. Four of Brady’s 24 clean sheets have come this season.
Chicago’s Hugo Cuypers, who has scored in his last four matches, sat out with a head injury.
Material from The Associated Press was used in this article.
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