Perhaps oddly, Eastern Conference foes Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo’s first clash this season comes with days just left in September. Both teams are in do-or-die situations with any dropped points likely removing either side from the playoff conversation.
Here are five things you should know about Sunday’s match:
Palmer, Soumare suspended
The Fire may find things more difficult in Houston with half of the team’s starting back line suspended for Sunday’s encounter. Fire right back Lovel Palmer is out due to yellow card accumulation for a foul committed on Sean Franklin late in last week’s 3-3 draw with D.C. United.
Meanwhile Soumare was suspended one match and fined an undisclosed amount by the MLS Disciplinary Committee this week for “serious foul play that endangered the safety of an opponent in Saturday’s match. That came in the ninth minute when the Mali international fouled D.C.’s Michael Seaton at midfield and stepped on the player’s shoulder as he was planting his right foot.
The incident did not appear to be purposeful though the MLS Disciplinary Committee agreed this week that a one-game ban was in order.
Who will replace them? Soumare’s understudy seems likely to be Patrick Ianni, who has often been a go-to off the bench in central defense this season.
Palmer’s substitute may be a little bit up in the air. Midfielder Matt Watson played right back in the Jamaican defender’s absence during a two-game ban earlier this season but has recently formed a decent central midfield partnership with Razvan Cocis.
Soon-to-be retired Fire veteran Logan Pause has filled in at right back during different times throughout his career and left back Greg Cochrane could also be considered for the start by Frank Yallop on Sunday.
Sanna Nyassi Availability
After sitting out Saturday’s draw with D.C., Fire attacker Sanna Nyassi has trained this week and Yallop confirmed on Friday’s conference call that the Gambian international was back in the mix for Sunday’s encounter.
Yallop could bring Nyassi back into the lineup or could run out newer Fire attackers Robert Earnshaw and Florent Sinama-Pongolle on Sunday.
Earnshaw returned from injury last week while Sinama-Pongolle was dangerous at times in his Fire debut.
Whether or not the playoffs are in reach, Yallop will want to assess both players in the team’s remaining regular season matches as he works towards building his roster for 2015.
Quincy Amarikwa continues fine season
Last Saturday was arguably forward Quincy Amarikwa’s best performance in a Fire shirt. The veteran MLS attacker scored the team’s first goal, drew the penalty that led to the second and assisted on Matt Watson’s 78th minute equalizer.
The performance was a continuance of the career year Amarikwa has had with the Fire in 2014, scoring a team-leading eight regular season goals (none from the penalty spot), assisting on five others and drawing five penalties in 26 appearances this season.
Asked about Amarikwa’s rise this season, Yallop said “I think Quincy has started to feel more confident. I thought his finish on Saturday was great the way he calmly picked it with his left foot and bent it into the far corner. He’s worked on it in practice with our coaches and you just like to see it come out in matches. He’s had a good year, he’s been dangerous, he’s been good – I’ve been pleased with Quincy.”
Amarikwa has six matches left to become just the eighth Fire player to score double-digit regular season goals. Because it worked last week when I noted Amarikwa was one away from double-digits across all competitions, the other seven Fire players to hit 10+ goals in the regular season are: Ante Razov (1998-2000, 2002-2003), Josh Wolff (1999), Dema Kovalenko (2000), Eric Wynalda (2001), Damani Ralph (2003-2004), Dominic Oduro (2011) and Mike Magee (2013).
DaMarcus Beasley vs. the Fire
Sunday’s match will also mark the first time U.S. international and four-time World Cup participant DaMarcus Beasley plays against the Fire. Beasley spent four and a half seasons in Chicago from 2000-04 a jumpstart for a successful international and European club career with sides such as PSV Eindhoven, Manchester City and Glasgow Rangers.
“Any player that’s played a number of years at a club and has had success outside the Fire has earned the respect and all the praise he gets,” Yallop said of Beasley. “It’s nothing different with DaMarcus. I don’t know him personally, I’ve met him a couple of times and he’s a real humble, good guy that deserves everything he has. It’s always nice when you play against your old team so I’m betting he’s excited about the game.”
Fire Weekly
On Saturday’s edition of Chicago Fire Weekly, Fred Huebner, Kevin Egan and I wrap up the last week, speak to Fire Academy Director Larry Sunderland and preview Sunday’s match vs. Houston with Dynamo TV’s Eddie Robinson.
Get ready for Sunday’s match with the podcast here.
