The Opposition
Nearly three months into the MLS season, D.C. United still sits on top of the Eastern Conference with 25 points in 15 games. They will look to add to that tally tonight hosting the Chicago Fire at Audi Field for a midweek matchup. Here is everything you need to know about the Black-and-Red’s next opponent:
Recent Matches
The Chicago Fire currently sit in the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference standings, just below the playoff line. They have earned 17 points in 14 matches so far this season, with a 4-5-5 overall record. Their most recent match was a 1-1 draw against New York City FC on Saturday, with a first-half goal from CJ Sapong for the Fire. They are 2-1-2 in their last five matches, with wins on the road against Minnesota and New England.
Players to Watch
The Chicago Fire offense has scored 21 goals in 14 matches this season, with ten of those goals split evenly between CJ Sapong and Nemanja Nikolic. But despite the high-scoring matches at the beginning of the month, Sapong has just one goal in the month of May. Nikolic also hasn’t scored in the team’s last three matches. Aleksander Katai seems to be the most dangerous player on the attack right now. He has three goals on the season, two of which have come in the last three matches.
On the defensive end, the Fire have allowed 14 goals this season with four clean sheets. Former D.C. United goalkeeper David Ousted is between the goal posts for the Chicago Fire now and he has earned three clean sheets in his last five games. The Fire defense did have a bad match recently, allowing four goals on the road to San Jose, all from Chris Wondolowski. While Wondolowksi is a prolific goal-scorer, the match highlighted some of Chicago’s defensive vulnerabilities.
Head-to-Head
The Black-and-Red have not faced the Chicago Fire so far this season. Last season, they played a critical role in D.C. United’s late-season playoff run. The Fire’s lone match at Audi Field was a sluggish game that resulted in a 2-1 victory for the Black-and-Red, while the final match of the regular season in 2018 was a scoreless draw between the two sides at Toyota Park. This match will likely be the third time that Wayne Rooney and Bastian Schweinsteiger meet in MLS.
