After a 4-1 defeat to the Philadelphia Union away from home last weekend, the Chicago Fire look rekindle their playoff push, hosting NYCFC at Toyota Park.
Chicago had their five-game unbeaten streak snapped in half when they traveled away to the Union, but Philly has not lost a single game at home the entire season, and they currently sit in first place in a very competitive Eastern Conference. The loss to the Union should not cause too much concern in terms of Chicago’s push towards a playoff spot, but points dropped earlier in the season have only become more agonizing in retrospect as the Fire continue through a very hard part of their schedule. Out of form players are starting to get it together again, but injuries are becoming a problem all throughout the squad, with midfielder Gastón Giménez picking up a scary looking hamstring injury that wasn’t contact initiated. All in all, Chicago's fanbase will hope that the side will be able to battle through this match with no injuries, grab a few goals, and take away all three points.
NYCFC are in a bit of a rough spot right now, as they haven’t won a game in Major League Soccer play since July 23rd. The team still sits in 3rd place in the East though, and it is never a good idea to underestimate last year’s MLS Cup champions.
Team news
NYCFC has three players guaranteed to be out with injuries, with those being Keaton Parks, Alexander Callens, and Gabriel Pereira. Tayvon Gray is also listed as questionable.
The Fire’s availability is similar to last week’s game, with Jhon Espinoza, Wyatt Omsberg, Stanislav Ivanov, and Carlos Terán still being out with individual injuries. The previously mentioned Gaston Gimenez is out as well.
Predicted lineups
NYCFC: Johnson, Tinnerholm, Chanot, Martins, Amundsen, A. Morales, M. Moralez, Andrade, Rodríguez, Magno, Héber
Chicago Fire: Slonina, Sekulić, Pineda, Czichos, M. Navarro, F. Navarro, Herbers, Torres, Shaqiri, Mueller, Przybyłko
Ones to watch
With key player Taty Castellanos departing NYCFC mid-season, it was time for another star to step up in his place.
Midfielder Santiago Rodríguez is having a solid season as a playmaker, with two goals and eight assists to his name already. Currently Rodríguez is only on loan at New York from Uruguayan club Montevido City Torque, but with both clubs being part of the City Football Group, there’s little doubt that a deal can be reached between the two.
Still only 22 years old, Rodríguez has the potential to be a young superstar in this league. With the constantly increasing pedigree of developing young players, Rodríguez can add himself to the list simply by continuing the form he is currently on.
But he is not the only number 10 in good form…
Designated player Xherdan Shaqiri has been pretty involved with almost all of the Fire’s positive attacking play this season, siting at four goals and six assists at the moment. If the Fire want to keep this NYCFC team in a slump, their attacking play has to run through Shaqiri.
With plenty of attacking flair, viewers should not be surprised if Shaqiri pulls some magic out of a hat. This is going to be a real test for the Swiss captain, especially since he'll be up against one of the best teams in the league.
History
Earlier in the season when these sides faced off Chicago left New York without any points in a fairly poor 1-0 loss.
Interestingly enough, NYCFC has only ever won twice at SeatGeek Stadium (formerly known as Toyota Park), but the overall head-to-head record favors New York, as they sit at nine wins and three losses.
How to watch
The match kicks off at 5:00 p.m. Central Time, and it will be airing on WGN TV and on CF97 Live in Chicago, while those in New York can watch the contest on the YES Network and YES App. Anyone outside of those areas will be able to watch the game on ESPN+.