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Nine in a Row: NYCFC 1-Chicago Fire 0

Sometimes a handball isn’t a handball and sometimes ball to hand is a penalty. The Chicago Fire were undone by the latter against NYCFC. Fotis Bazakos and his VAR correctly interpreted the handball rule— Miguel’s arms were spread out after jumping (yay physics) and the ball hit his forearm. By rule, that’s a penalty, but the fact that the ball can be headed down into an arm that’s extended because that’s how physics work can even be called a handball is suspect. Regardless, Heber buried the penalty and that was basically game over.

The Fire had a few chances at goal and a few good attacking moments in the 90 minutes, but none of them tested Sean Johnson’s goal.