Sports Mole previews Sunday’s MLS clash between Chicago Fire and Charlotte FC, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Battling for a spot in the top seven of the MLS‘ Eastern Conference, Chicago Fire will face struggling Charlotte FC at Soldier Field on Saturday.
Both the Fire and the Crown are out of form and will be keen to get back on track after consecutive losses ahead of this weekend’s clash.
Match preview
Gregg Berhalter‘s Chicago enjoyed a five-game unbeaten run featuring four wins and one draw in the early weeks of May, but having lost three of their five matches since, their momentum has dissipated.
On Thursday, the Fire followed up their 2-0 defeat at the hands of Nashville SC by losing 1-0 on their own turf against Philadelphia Union, but despite the result, the manager will be pleased that his team were competitive against the top club in all of MLS.
That loss has Berhalter’s side 10th in the Eastern Conference, though they are level on points with their opponents in the playoff spots, and only three behind the seventh-placed New York Red Bulls.
If they are to make the jump up to the top seven this weekend, the hosts will need to prove that their back-to-back losses at Soldier Field were a blip, and recapture the home form that saw them lose just once in front of their own crowd in the prior eight matches.
An eighth victory of the campaign would be enough to take Chicago level on points with New York Red Bulls, but while they could leapfrog their opponents and New York City FC, they are unlikely to overcome the deficit to move them into seventh place.
Meanwhile, Dean Smith‘s Charlotte are in dire form, having produced a dire record of nine defeats to go alongside their three wins in all competitions since late April.
Earlier this week, the Crown made it consecutive losses when they were beaten 2-1 by Sporting Kansas City, and the boss will be frustrated with the fact that his team led for almost an hour before being stunned by two goals in second-half stoppage time.
Dropping three points left Smith’s men in ninth place, where their tally of 25 sees them at risk of dropping out of the playoff spots this weekend, given that they are level with their 10th-placed opponents and just two ahead of 11th-placed New England Revolution.
Hoping to keep their rivals at bay, the visitors will need to defy their travelling record that features six losses from their last seven away matches if they are to put points on the board, but fans could harbour some hope considering that they have seen their side score in each of their last 10 on the road.
A second victory of the month would move them three points clear of their opponents, and could take them five beyond New England, though defeat might cause them to go into the next matchday in 11th place.
Chicago Fire MLS form:
Chicago Fire form (all competitions):
Charlotte FC MLS form:
Charlotte FC form (all competitions):
Team News
Chicago have blanked in their last two matches, and their front three, consisting of striker Hugo Cuypers and wingers Philip Zinckernagel and Jonathan Bamba, will be keen to get back on track this weekend.
In the centre of the park, Mauricio Pineda should be joined by Sergio Oregel Jr. and Brian Gutierrez, while Omar Gonzalez and Jack Elliott operate at the heart of Berhalter’s defence.
As for Charlotte, frontman Idan Toklomati Jorno, who scored last time out, will be supported by Liel Abada and former Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha, as well as Pep Biel from an attacking midfield position.
In the backline, left-back Souleyman Doumbia will be boosted by the assist he earned against Kansas, and he should be available to provide attacking aid, along with Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty on the opposite flank.
Chicago Fire possible starting lineup:
Gal; Barroso, Gonzalez, Elliott, Gutman; Oregel, Pineda, Gutierrez; Zinckernagel, Cuypers, Bamba
Charlotte FC possible starting lineup:
Kahlina; Marshall-Rutty, Malanda, Priset, Doumbia; Westwood, Williamson; Abada, Biel, Zaha; Jorno
We say: Chicago Fire 2-1 Charlotte FC
Chicago will expect to play their way out of their poor form by taking all three points against a struggling Charlotte this weekend.
That being said, the Crown have scored in their last 10 away matches, and they will be sure to put up a fight on Saturday.
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