Defender headed in the only goal of a 1-0 win over Kansas SC.
Hunter Jumper admits he is still in disbelief after scoring his first career goal in a Chicago Fire shirt on Friday night.
The 24-year-old defender was the match winner in a narrow 1-0 victory over Eastern Conference leaders Sporting Kansas City, courageously diving in-between two opposition players inside the six-yard box to nod the ball over the line past goalkeeper Jimmy Nielson.
Opportunities have been relatively limited for the left-back after he moved into the centre mid-way through the season and hasn’t featured much since the game against New York on April 7, where he provided an assist for Daniel Paladini.
So it was a unquestionably moment to relish for Texas-born Jumper in just his second Major League Soccer start for The Fire, also his first in the centre of defence, as he explained the feeling of elation that followed seeing the net ripple.
“I think the adrenaline kept me from getting hurt there,” Jumper explained to MLS Soccer after the game.
“It still hasn’t really sunk in, I just know when I scored it, obviously I was really happy and then I just see Austin [Berry] and Chris [Rolfe] and then come tackle me, and it was a really cool feeling.
“I think I got my nerves up because I was still so excited, the next time I touched the ball, I was like ‘Oh my God.’”
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