PREVIEW: Fire FC vs Orlando City SC
It’s been a little over two weeks since the Fire’s Leagues Cup run was cut short by Liga MX powerhouse Club América, and all eyes are now set back on the MLS Campaign, resuming against Orlando City.
The Fire Look to Get Back on Track
Each of Chicago’s final eleven regular season games will be crucial as the Fire find themselves in a tight Eastern Conference race for a playoff spot.
They look to end their playoff drought that has been going on since the infamous 2017 season and are currently three points above the playoff line, accompanying DC United in the play-in slots.
Standings
As it stands, Orlando City sits in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They have a 10-7-6 record totaling 37 points, matched up with Chicago’s 8-8-7 record, totaling 32 points. Both teams have played 23 matches in the MLS, and both teams are coming off a similar Leagues Cup run, with Orlando’s ending in a loss to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami by a 3-1 score, the Lion’s lone goal coming from Uruguayan midfielder César Araújo.
What to Expect
Duncan Maguire is the player to watch for Orlando, an MLS SuperDraft star out of Creighton that has ten goal contributions so far in MLS. As for the Fire, Chris Brady being healthy for the game and Teran doing well to replace Czicho’s huge missing presence on Sunday due to suspension will be crucial. It’s expected to be an even game (+135 odds in favor of the Fire to win, according to DraftKings) in what should be an exciting matchup, given that both teams have been in excellent form.
The last time these two teams faced each other was earlier in the summer on a humid early July Florida night that resulted in an easy 3-1 win for the Lions and a red card for Chicago’s Souquet. Very forgettable game for us Fire fans that day, to say the least.
Cautious Optimism
Despite the early knockout in the Leagues Cup, players and fans like me remain optimistic about securing a playoff spot in these last months of regular season play. The change in coach from Ezra to Klopas has been proven to be the right choice. It feels like the product I’ve been watching lately on the field completely differs from the team at the start of the season.
Klopas being able to succeed on the field with Gutierrez and Shaqiri playing at the same time has been one of the main reasons this team has found more success compared to Ezra’s version of the Fire.
The Chicago Fire having a good string of results in the summer just to still miss the playoffs has happened a number of times in the last few years, so I am cautiously optimistic, but optimistic nevertheless.
Gameday Info
For fans that plan on making the trip to Soldier Field, kickoff time is set to be at 7:30 PM. It’s expected to be a nice summer night on the Lakefront, hovering in the mid-seventies range in terms of weather. Gates open two hours to 90 minutes before kickoff usually.
Additionally, the theme is Military Night, and with a valid Military ID, a 20% off merchandise discount can be applied at the team store. The game will be available for fans to watch from home Via Apple TV’s MLS Pass.
MY FINAL PREDICTION: Chicago Fire 2-0 Orlando City SC
Photo: —
Discover more from Chicago Sports Nation
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.