Preview: Chicago Fire vs. Philadelphia Union - prediction, team news, lineups

Meanwhile, the visitors go in search of a first Major League Soccer victory in over a month to help breathe life into what has been a poor start to the 2023 season.

Match preview

Chicago Fire saw off the threat of Minnesota United in a hard-fought 2-1 win at the Soldier Field Stadium on Sunday when the teams went head to head.

Kei Kamara's double put Ezra Hendrickson's men in the driving seat at half time before Kervin Arriaga pulled one back in the early exchanges of the second half.

As a result,The Men in Red have moved up to sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings, a whopping eight points adrift of top spot, albeit with a game in hand.

Awaiting them next is a clash against an opposing outfit who have secured just two wins in the last 15 editions of this fixture over the last five years.

Unbeaten in all but one of their nine home matches since the turn of the year, Sunday's hosts will back themselves to secure a positive result in front of their fans.

Philadelphia Union secured safe passage into the last four of the CONCACAF champions League thanks to a 2-2 draw against Mexican outfit Atlas on Thursday.

Jim Curtin's men went 1-0 and 2-1 down to strikes from Julian Quinones and Julio Furch but managed to draw level on both occasions through Julian Carranza.

Prior to that, The Union fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat against division leaders Cincinnati and currently sit in the Eastern Conference, two points behind the last automatic playoff place.

Currently without a victory in their last nine outings on the road, Sunday's visitors will be keen to turn their away fortunes around as soon as possible.

Chicago Fire Major League Soccer form:

D

L

D

W

D

W

Philadelphia Union Major League Soccer form:

L

W

L

L

D

L

Team News

Chicago Fire's Xherdan Shaqiri has sat out the last three games due to a muscle problem which is set to rule him out of Sunday's affair as well.

Ian Ramirez and Federico Navarro also miss out for the hosts through injury but the former is not far off making a return to action from an ankle problem.

Since returning from a suspension, Kei Kamara has netted three times in as many matches, making the Sierra Leone international one to keep an eye on.

Julian Carranza grabbed a double on his return to the starting lineup and the forward is expected to retain his place in the XI for this one.

This should see 19-year-old Quinn Sullivan drop to the bench as he remain without a goal in five previous outings for the away side this season

Chicago Fire possible starting lineup:

Brady; Souquet, Teran, Czichos, Navarro; Herbers, Gimenez; Mueller, Gutierrez, Haile-Selassie; Kamara

Philadelphia Union possible starting lineup:

Blake; Wagner, Elliott, Glesnes, Mbaizo; McGlynn, Bedoya, Martinez; Uhre, Carranza, Gazdag

We say: Chicago Fire 1-1 Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia have enjoyed the better of this fixture of late but Chicago's home record suggests that Sunday's contest is far from a forgone conclusion. We are backing the teams to cancel each other out and settle for a point apiece in the end.

How to watch

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