This weekend in MLS sees an interconference clash as the Chicago Fire hosts the Seattle Sounders at Soldier Field on Saturday night.
Chicago picked up a much-needed win on Wednesday, beating fellow Eastern Conference strugglers Toronto FC. They scored early and often, grabbing two goals through Jhon Durán in the opening quarter hour. At that point they played it smart, sitting back and limiting chances for the opposition. The gameplan worked, and they ended the night with a clean sheet and all three points as a result.
Seattle’s midweek ventures were not as fruitful. They fell 1-0 on the road to Nashville SC, with a Hany Mukhtar goal right before the break ultimately proving to be the difference between the two sides. The Sounders aren’t in top form right now, having lost three out of their last four, and they’re currently on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff picture in the West. If anyone’s able to turn things around in quick fashion, though, it’s them.
With all that in mind, there could be some fireworks in this contest.
Team news
Chicago’s midweek hero might be forced to miss this contest, as Jhon Durán is currently listed as questionable. Meanwhile, the likes of Wyatt Omsberg, Javier Casas Jr, and Alex Monis are all definitely unavailable for selection.
Seattle also has a few notable injuries, namely João Paulo and Raúl Ruidíaz, who will both miss out. Obed Vargas won’t feature either.
Predicted lineups
Chicago Fire: Slonina, Sekulić, Terán, Czichos, Bornstein, F. Navarro, Giménez, Torres, Shaqiri, Mueller, Durán
Seattle Sounders: Cleveland, Gómez, Cissoko, Nouhou, A. Roldan, Lodeiro, Rusnák, Medranda, C. Roldan, Montero, Morris
Ones to watch
Jhon Durán
The spotlight is well and truly on Jhon Durán.
Chicago’s new starting striker burst onto the scene on Wednesday night, scoring two goals in the opening 15 minutes of their match against Toronto FC. The brace showcased what Durán is best at, as he used his blistering pace to blow past a high line on back-to-back occasions. The first finish was fortunate, sure, but the second was much more clinical.
That was all his side needed to secure an important victory. The Colombian’s impact also went beyond the scoresheet, as his constant running opened up loads of space, and he drew a number of fouls and yellow cards as well. It was an incredibly energetic performance, and it was one that has led to a lot of hope.
See, for those who don’t know, Durán is only 18-years-old. He was initially bought when he was 17, but the Fire had to wait for this season to see what he could do for them. They didn’t see much at first, as he struggled to find his feet while fighting for first-team minutes. That was understandable, but there were still concerns when it came to his development.
Some of those worries have been cast aside thanks to his recent performances. Going into Wednesday night he had dished out an assist in consecutive games, which had given him some momentum. The striker then exploded versus Toronto with his aforementioned two-goal haul, which led to him picking up the MLS’s Player of the Week award.
Success isn’t linear, of course, so expecting him to magically get better and better as the weeks go on would be a bit insane. There will be some more lows, but for now, Durán is loving life in Chicago, and the fanbase is starting to feel the same way about him.
Imagine the hype if he’s able to score this weekend.
Nicolás Lodeiro
Seattle’s in a bit of a slump, which makes now a great time for Nicolás Lodeiro to kick back into high gear.
In terms of MLS play, the number 10 has had a pretty poor campaign. He missed a decent chunk of games early on, and even though he’s played a lot more recently, his numbers haven’t been great. One goal and one assist in eight matches certainly isn’t a lot considering his lofty standards.
There’s a big caveat when it comes to those numbers, to be fair. Lodeiro was a star in a different competition, as he played a huge role in the Sounders’ CONCACAF Champions League run. He scored in the first leg of the quarterfinals versus NYCFC, and then he ran wild in the final against Pumas, grabbing two goals in the opener before grabbing a goal and an assist in the second leg.
Those showings proved to be crucial since his side ended up winning the trophy. It was the attacking midfielder at his best, as everything Seattle did seemingly went through him. That was just his play on the field, and his leadership off of it was arguably just as important. All in all, he had dropped a masterclass when it mattered most.
It’s taken a bit longer than Lodeiro and the Sounders would have wanted, but now is the time for them to fully refocus on the league. They’re currently outside of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, and even though there are a lot of games left to play, they can’t afford to slip up much longer.
That starts this weekend. If the Uruguayan and his teammates can reach the levels they know they can, then they’ll be absolutely fine. However, if they’re sloppy, then Chicago will be more than ready to pounce on the opening.
Knowing Lodeiro and Seattle, though, they’ll probably be fine.
Last time out
These teams don’t face off a lot, and that is proven by the fact that their last meeting came back in 2020 during the #MLSisBack tournament.
It was a strange time. Everyone was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the fixture pretty much took place at Disney World.
Things got even weirder when Seattle, who were the reigning MLS Cup champions, went down moments into the second half. A defensive error from Xavier Arreaga allowed Robert Berić through on goal, and the Chicago striker then dribbled past another defender before slotting home with confidence and composure.
The Sounders would eventually respond, equalizing with about 15 minutes to go. Some good play got Jordan Morris into space down the wing, and his cut-back picked out the run of Handwalla Bwana, who finished off the move with a tap-in from close range.
The Fire would not be denied, though, as they grabbed a winner late on. Gastón Giménez’s corner flew by everyone at the near post, and it ultimately went right to Mauricio Pineda at the back post. He made the most of the break, redirecting the ball into the back of the net despite Stefan Frei's best efforts.
Chicago held on for the few minutes that were left, securing what was a pretty big win at the time.
How to watch
The match kicks off at 7:00 p.m. CDT, and it will air live on WGN TV and chicagofirefc.com for fans in Chicago and on KCPQ - Q13 FOX and Amazon Prime Video for fans in Seattle. Anyone else in the United States will be able to watch the action unfold on ESPN+.