NYCFC vs Chicago Fire FC preview: A handful of games to make it | OneFootball

New York City FC is coming off a two-week break after suffering a defeat against D.C. United. The 2-1 result was certainly not what the Bronx side had hoped for before the break, but they can look at their performance with a positive outlook, considering their dominance in possession. The club will now be looking forward to the match against Chicago Fire FC on Saturday night.

The Pigeons need that win to put them five points ahead of Chicago, who sit one spot behind them in the table but have a game in hand. Both teams occupy the final series playoff spots, but all three points could see NYCFC also leapfrog the Columbus Crew, who sit in sixth place outside of those spots.

Not only will the three points boost the team into greater certainty of a playoff run, but capitalizing on the chances that saw the team lose the last match will be the goal to reach for. NYCFC boasts a good record against their Chicago counterparts and won their last matchup 3-1 in May.

The Big Apple team has a chance to build momentum in this upcoming match, in a time when they need all the points they can get. Here is a preview of the game between NYCFC and Chicago Fire FC.

NYCFC vs Chicago Fire FC Preview

Date

NYCFC and Chicago Fire will face off on Saturday, September 13.

Time

The fixture will begin at 8:30 PM ET.

Location

The match will take place at Soldier Field, in Chicago, IL, also home to the Chicago Bears.

How to watch

Fans can watch the game on the MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

Weather

When the match begins, it will be 74 degrees and partly cloudy. Despite rain earlier in the day, it will still be very humid, hovering above 70%.

Injury report

Nico Cavallo (leg), Malachi Jones (leg), and Keaton Parks (leg) remain unavailable for the Pigeons. Additionally, Andrés Perea will miss the game due to yellow card accumulation.

Players to watch

Goalkeeper Matt Freese is the player to watch this week for NYCFC. The shot stopper has been busy during the international break with eight saves and a clean sheet in the USMNT’s most recent matches. He has played well for the Pigeons and the USMNT, but keeping clean sheets is going to be vital if the Bronx side wants to push for the playoffs.

The one who will be giving him the most trouble from the Midwest team is Peter Zinckernagel. With 12 goals and 13 Major League Soccer assists in 26 starts, the forward will be looking to keep that form, especially given the clutch nature of both teams’ position in the table.

Coming from disappointment against D.C. United, this is a game in which NYCFC can correct the ship ahead of the end of the season. The rustiness from the international break may impact the result, but the prediction is a 2-0 victory for the Pigeons. They will still be fired up from last game’s loss and want to prove they have the mentality as much as the quality to be among MLS’ top teams when the playoffs start, if they can get there.