Bernardeschi back in starting lineup as Toronto FC and Chicago Fire play to draw | CBC Sports

With Italian star Federico Bernardeschi back in the starting lineup, Toronto FC played the Chicago Fire to a scoreless draw Wednesday in MLS play.

Toronto (3-5-8) had its chances in an entertaining but scoreless first half in which it had a 10-2 edge in shots (5-0 in shots on target) on Chicago (3-4-8).

The second half was somewhat sloppier from both sides.

Chicago produced few chances and was credited with just one shot on target.

Bernardeschi was benched for Saturday’s 2-1 win over visiting D.C. United.

He’d criticized the team’s tactics following a 1-0 loss in Austin the previous week.

But the 29-year-old returned to training this week and was back on the wing Wednesday.

Bernardeschi was greeted by cheers and a smattering of boos during the pre-game introductions at BMO Field.

The Italian drew more cheers in the 23rd minute when, after taking a long ball from Kosi Thompson, he beat two defenders to force an acrobatic save from Chris Brady.

Minutes later, the 19-year-old Chicago ‘keeper made another fine stop to deny Thompson only to be injured trying to corral the rebound when his head connected with Deandre Kerr’s knee.

Brady was cut and replaced by backup Spencer Richey, a former Vancouver Whitecap, in the 30th minute.

Bernardeschi beat plenty of Fire defenders on the evening and also showed some effort in the defensive end, which is not his forte.

He exited to applause in the 85th minute, shaking hands with Bradley as he reached the bench.

Toronto has won just two of its last 13 games (2-5-6) in all competitions.

TFC has lost just one of nine home games (3-1-5) this season, but is winless on the road (0-4-3).

The Fire came into Wednesday’s game having lost just once in six games in all competitions (3-1-2) since parting ways with coach Ezra Henrickson on May 8.

Former Montreal coach Frank Klopas has been put in charge of Chicago for the duration of the season.

Thompson, who scored against D.C, and Bernardeschi came into the TFC starting lineup for Brandon Servania and CJ Sapong.

There were six Canadians in TFC’s starting 11.

Toronto was without injured defender Shane O’Neill, midfielders Michael Bradley, Jonathan Osorio, Alonso Coello and Victor Vazquez and forward Adama Diomande.

Toronto has not lost to Chicago at BMO Field in 12 straight games (7-0-5) dating back to 2013.

That’s TFC’s longest home unbeaten run against a single opponent in club history.

CF Montreal earns draw with 2 late goals

Sunusi Ibrahim and Ariel Lassiter scored two minutes apart to help CF Montreal stun D.C. United with a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night in Washington.

Montreal entered the game 1-7-0 on the road at the outset of a three-game road trip that will include matches against the Philadelphia Union (regular season) and the Vancouver Whitecaps (Canadian Championship final).

Donovan Pines and Ted Ku-Dipietro found the back of the net to give D.C. United (5-6-5, 20 points) a 2-0 lead they could not protect.

Tyler Miller made three saves for D.C. United. Jonathan Sirois made one for Montreal.

The first 30-plus minutes were uneventful, but gradually D.C. United maintained control of the ball in Montreal’s end. They got their first three corner kicks of the night after that and capitalized on the third.

Montreal had trouble clearing the ball out of its end during the early stages of the second half. The ball made its way to D.C. United’s Victor Palsson, who passed ahead to Christian Benteke in the box. He was double-covered, but the ball was knocked down to Ku-Dipietro, whose soft touch to the far post in the 59th minute rolled in for his third goal of the season.

One of Benteke’s markers, Montreal defender Rudy Camacho, took an accidental knee to the head on the play and had to be stretchered off.

Lassiter sent a shot from the centre of the box over the crossbar in the 70th minute and fired a low shot off the near post in the 79th. But he set up his teammate for success in the 80th when his last-second crossing pass found Ibrahim, who scored with a header.

Ibrahim returned the favor in the 82nd after receiving a long pass upfield from Joel Waterman. Ibrahim crossed into the box and Lassiter guided it in past Miller off one hop.

Benteke had a straight-on attempt in the 89th minute blocked. D.C. United finished the match with 57 percent of the possession.