Toronto FC (3-7-3, 13th in East) vs. Chicago Fire FC (2-6-5, 14th in East)
Two teams who are struggling mightily meet each other to get their season jump-started. In the case of Chicago Fire FC, not only are they looking to break a ten-match winless streak in all competitions, they are trying to break a 13-match winless streak against Toronto FC. The Fire’s last win against TFC came in 2015.
Toronto are winless in their last eight matches, albeit they broke a five-match losing streak with a 2-2 draw against DC United last weekend. However, they have gone 21 matches without a clean sheet. Against the worst-scoring team in the league in the Fire, TFC may look to have their best opportunity to change all that.
It seems like everything is against the Fire these days with injuries that keep both backup goalkeepers out and two of their center backs as question marks with leg injuries. Plus, you have an underperforming Xherdan Shaqiri, a not fully fit Jairo Torres, and nothing really resembling a scoring threat apart from Chris Mueller. That said, it is hard to preach patience to a fan base that has seen little good over the past 12+ years. Indeed, last season, the Fire were swept by Toronto FC.
The Fire need to somehow overcome that to prevent this three-match roadtrip from being a disaster with the next match not for another three weeks. A win would certainly be something to build on, but yet another loss will lead some to call for a major reconstruction of the soccer operations.
Kickoff for the match is at 6pm CT on WGN-TV.
INJURIES:
TORONTO FC: OUT: Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty (lower body), Chris Mavinga (lower body), Noble Okello (lower body) QUESTIONABLE: Kadin Chung (lower body), Alejandro Pozuelo (lower body)
CHICAGO FIRE FC: OUT: Spencer Richey (head), Chris Brady (left ankle); QUESTIONABLE: Rafael Czichos (right lower leg), Jairo Torres (left hip), Mauricio Pineda (left lower leg)
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW:
CHI: Gaston Gimenez
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.
Assistant Referees: Chris Wattam, Gianni Facchini
Fourth Official: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
LAST YEAR:
10/03/21: TOR 3-1 CHI
07/24/21: CHI 1-2 TOR
