The Chicago Fire can move into a playoff position with a victory on Saturday and some help as they welcome Inter Miami to Soldier Field.
A 2-2 draw versus New York City FC last weekend put the Fire within two points of a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS), while the Herons continue to lead the East, sitting eight points clear of FC Cincinnati, who they defeated 2-0 last Saturday.
Match preview
Out of the blue, the Fire were able to get back into a match that seemed all but over last weekend, erasing a two-goal deficit versus NYCFC with fewer than 15 minutes remaining.
Throughout the 2024 campaign, the Fire have had to rescue themselves from early deficits plenty of times, claiming eight points in this competition when trailing after 45 minutes.
Head coach Frank Klopas has rarely seen his players begin matches well, without an opening half goal in their last five MLS affairs.
Five of their final eight regular-season matches take place in the Windy City, where they have points in four successive league contests.
With 26 points after 26 domestic encounters, the Fire have picked up six fewer than they had at this stage of the previous MLS campaign.
Chicago have a perfect 3-0 record at home versus the Herons, claiming a 4-1 victory at Soldier Field in this exact fixture last year.
Despite incurring a slew of key injuries throughout the campaign, it remains full speed ahead for Inter Miami, who are running away with the Supporters' Shield trophy.
Tata Martino's men have already set a club record for points in a single season, currently four above the Los Angeles Galaxy for the best record in the league, having played one match fewer.
Miami are on pace to set a new MLS single-season points record, currently 17 below that benchmark held by the 2021 New England Revolution (73), with 24 points up for grabs between now and the end of the regular season.
In 2024, the Herons have won eight times away from home in this competition, smashing their previous single-season club record of five set in 2021, with only Cincinnati winning more road contests domestically this year (nine).
All year long, their attacking depth has carried them to victory, with the Herons held goalless in only two MLS affairs in 2024 and 14 different players finding the back of the net for them in this competition.
The Herons have won four of their last five league contests away from home but were manhandled in their previous one, losing 6-1 at Cincinnati.
Team News
Against New York City, the Fire were without Carlos Teran due to a leg issue, and Chase Gasper was sidelined because of a hamstring injury.
Fabian Herbers could be a question mark once again this weekend with a leg injury, while Ariel Lassiter is eligible to return from his yellow card suspension.
Hugo Cuypers cut the NYCFC deficit in half last Saturday, scoring his team-leading 10th of the domestic campaign before Brian Gutierrez converted a penalty in second-half stoppage time to give his side a point.
Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi is back training with the team but remains questionable to return this weekend with an ankle injury, Julian Gressel sat out of their previous encounter due to an unknown issue, while Nicolas Freire and Facundo Farias are still dealing with ACL injuries.
Tomas Aviles will have to sit out on Saturday after the Argentine received a pair of cautions in their match against Cincinnati.
Luis Suarez netted a brace for the Herons last Saturday, as he is up to 14 in his first MLS campaign, tied with Daniel Gazdag of the Philadelphia Union for third in the Golden Boot race.
Chicago Fire possible starting lineup:
Brady; Souquet, Salquist, Czichos; Mueller, Acosta, Gimenez, Gutman; Haile-Selassie, Cuypers, Gutierrez
Inter Miami possible starting lineup:
Callender; Kryvtsov, Busquets, Martinez; Weigandt, Ruiz, Redondo, Alba; Campana, Suarez, Gomez
We say: Chicago Fire 1-4 Inter Miami
It feels as though nothing can slow down the Herons in MLS this season, and their attacking depth and creativity in midfield should be more than enough to see off a Chicago side still seeking consistency from one match to the next.
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