Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire | MLS Match Preview

#PHIvCHI: Fire seek revenge vs. Union (7 pm ET; Fox Sports 1)

Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire, August 16, 2015

PHILADELPHIA UNION vs CHICAGO FIRE
PPL PARK, Chester, Pa.
August 16, 2015 (WEEK 24, MLS Game #244)
7 p.m. ET (FS1 / FOX Deportes; TSN2)

Philadelphia Union and the Chicago Fire play for the second time in five days, this time in league play, when the clubs again face off at PPL Park on Sunday afternoon before a FOX Sports 1 audience. The teams met Wednesday in a U.S. Open Cup final, Union reaching the title match for a second consecutive year with a 1-0 win at PPL Park. Union saw their league winless run stretched to four games last time out in a scoreless draw at Orlando City, while the Fire are still looking for a first road win in MLS after their 1-0 loss at the Portland Timbers.


DOWNLOAD FULL GAME GUIDE (PDF)

  • Union put an end to a three-game losing run but still saw their winless streak extended, playing to a goalless draw with Orlando City SC on Saturday evening at the Citrus Bowl.
  • The Fire remain the only team in MLS without an away victory this season, suffering a 1-0 loss to the Portland Timbers on Friday evening at Providence Park.
  • The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Adailton scored the game’s only goal in the 37th minute to guide the Fire to a victory March 29 at Toyota Park.
  • The Fire have not lost to Union over five consecutive meetings, with two wins and three draws since the last Philadelphia victory in the series, May 18 at PPL Park.
  • The first meeting victory was the Fire’s first win at home vs. Union since 2012; Philadelphia had won two of the four Bridgeview meetings in between, with two draws. The Fire have come away with points on their last two trips to Chester.


REFEREE: Mark Geiger. AR1 (bench): Matthew Nelson; AR2 (opposite): Danny Thornberry; 4th: Baldomero Toledo
MLS Career: 140 games; FC/gm: 26.6; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 34; pens: 44


SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: CHI: Eric Gehrig
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: PHI: Vincent Nogueira, Eric Ayuk Mbu, Sebastien Le Toux, Fernando Aristeguieta … CHI: Chris Ritter, Adailton, Matt Polster
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none


HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (14 meetings): Union 5 wins, 16 goals … Fire 5 wins, 16 goals … Ties 4
AT PPL PARK (6 meetings): Union 3 wins, 7 goals … Fire 2 wins, 7 goals …Ties 1


  • The teams are meeting for the second time this season in league play. Adailton scored the game’s only goal in the 37th minute to guide the Fire to a victory March 29 at Toyota Park.
  • The teams did meet Wednesday in a U.S. Open Cup, Union reaching the title game for a second year in a row with a 1-0 win at PPL Park.
  • The Fire have not lost to Union over five consecutive meetings in MLS play, with two wins and three draws since the last Philadelphia victory in the series, last May 18 at PPL Park.
  • The first meeting victory was the Fire’s first win at home vs. Union since 2012; Philadelphia had won two of the four Bridgeview meetings in between, with two draws. The Fire have come away with points on their last two trips to Chester.
  • Coaches record: Jim Curtin vs. CHI: P3 W0 L1 D2 … Frank Yallop vs. PHI: P9 W4 L1 D4


Related Content:


After three months out, Lahoud trying to help Union "finish strong"
Fire lament "alarming and disappointing" USOC loss to Union


CHECK OUT THE INJURY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH
CHECK OUT THE DISCIPLINARY REPORT HEADING INTO THE MATCH