Magee and Earnshaw lead the injury report
The Chicago Fire will obviously be without reigning 2013 MLS MVP Mike Magee Saturday night and the rest of the season following surgery on his right hip earlier this week.
Fire head coach Frank Yallop admitted disappointment at not having his top forward consistently this season because of niggling injuries throughout the campaign.
“We felt he was going to have another good year and he’s been not bothered by it, but he’s had a few injuries and I think it’s all relating back to the hip throughout this season. I think that someone like Mike, when he’s out of the team you miss the quality to use him in games and right now it’s about the right time to do [the surgery] because he couldn’t carry on. He tried to give it a go for the last couple of weeks and it wasn’t helping.
“The best thing for us is to get it done and hopefully he’ll be okay for the start of preseason.”
Fire forward Robert Earnshaw admitted hope earlier this week that he’d be able to play after suffering a strained calf in the team’s 1-0 home win over FC Dallas on August 30.
“It’s very frustrating but its something you just have to work through and just get right. It’s only a little injury and I’m hoping I can be nearly ready for this weekend,” he told reporters this week.
Yallop seemed less hopeful, however, saying, “Ernie will be out for the weekend. We expect him back the following week but he hasn’t trained properly since he did it.”
Florent Sinama-Pongolle availability
Newest Fire forward Florent Sinama-Pongolle tweeted Friday that he would be wearing #99 when he was added to the Fire roster but he’s not quite ready to suit up yet.
The Frenchman is headed back to Paris Friday night to get his P-1 Visa, which will make him eligible for the Fire roster. Unfortunately, he won’t have it in time for Saturday night’s game as the club targets next week’s home match vs. D.C. United for his Fire debut.
The deal with Toronto FC
Toronto FC comes into Saturday’s game having not won since August 9 vs. Columbus. In that time, the side is 0-4-1 and in danger of missing the postseason for an eighth straight season, recently relieved head coach Ryan Nelsen of his duties.
Former LA Galaxy and U.S. international defender Greg Vanney has taken the reins on an interim basis but TFC has yet to score a goal in that time, perhaps in part due to the absence of star striker Jermain Defoe. The former Tottenham forward is back in England rehabbing a groin injury and will again be unavailable for selection vs. the Fire on Saturday.
From a historic perspective, the best Fire news is that Toronto FC remains winless all-time at Toyota Park, going 0-4-4 since first visiting back in 2007.
Disciplinary Report/Caution Watch
Toronto FC will be without starting defender Doneil Henry who is serving a one-match ban for yellow card accumulation.
Three of the Fire’s four starters on the back line, Gonzalo Segares, Bakary Soumare and Lovel Palmer are all on caution watch Saturday, with one more yellow card earning each of them a suspension for their next match.
Food Trucks
In honor of Latin American Heritage Night Saturday at Toyota Park, “The Salsa Truck” will be serving Mexico food truck delicacies just north of Fire Fest beginning at 5:00pm up until game time!
