MATCH INFO |
|
|---|---|
<strong>Matchup</strong> |
Chicago Fire (4-8-5, 17 pts.) at FC Dallas (11-6-4, 37 pts.) |
<strong>Date</strong> |
Saturday, July 16 • 8:00 p.m. CT |
<strong>Location</strong> |
Frisco, Texas • Toyota Stadium |
<strong>TV</strong> |
CSN Chicago Plus (Pregame: 7:30 p.m.) |
<strong>Radio</strong> |
97.5 FM Poder (Spanish) |
<strong>Fire Field Vision</strong> |
<a href="//www.chicago-fire.com/post/2016/07/14/fire-field-vision-powered-novacare-fire-fc-dallas?autoplay=true"><strong>Watch Now</strong></a> |
The Chicago Fire are back on the road for another edition of the Brimstone Cup rivalry with FC Dallas on Saturday night. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. CT on CSN Chicago Plus. Below are five storylines to get you prepared for the weekend road challenge.
Bring the Brimstone
The Brimstone Cup rivalry has been all Fire over the last few years, with Chicago having won four straight contests vs. FC Dallas since 2012. It's been just under a calendar year since their last meeting, when the Fire halted FC Dallas' five-game winning streak with a 2-0 home victory. FC Dallas owns the all-time series though, with a 20-15-4 edge since 1998.
One player who will be experiencing the Brimstone Cup rivalry from the opposing side is midfielder Arturo Alvarez, who made 86 appearances for Dallas from 2005-08 and recorded 11 goals and 11 assists in that span.
Kansas City barbecued
The Fire head into Saturday night’s contest on the heels of a 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City Wednesday night at Toyota Park. Dutch forward Michael de Leeuw got things started by opening his MLS scoring account in the 19th minute off of a feed from captain Razvan Cocis. From there, head coach Veljko Paunovic’s defense went to work, with SKC throwing immense amounts of pressure on goalkeeper Sean Johnson and co., but the group ultimately earned its sixth clean sheet of the season. Johnson played the hero twice, denying late chances for Brad Davis and Ike Opara to help seal the win.
“Yesterday we had one lion score the goal, and we had 13 more lions playing and fighting to keep the score,” Paunovic said Thursday, referring to the Dutch meaning of de Leeuw’s surname. “That’s very positive.”
In the wake of earning their fourth straight home victory across all competitions, the Fire will need to summon that collective team spirit when heading into enemy territory at FC Dallas Saturday night.
Hoops get hurdled
FC Dallas will no doubt be eager to return to their winning ways after an uncharacteristic performance away from home, having been dealt a 5-0 defeat midweek in Seattle at the hands of the Sounders. Dallas went down to 10 men in the fourth minute when defender Maynor Figueroa was sent off for a handball in the box, and from there it was all Seattle. Five goals from five different Sounders helped seal FC Dallas’ second five-goal defeat of 2016.
Wednesday’s result aside, the first half of Dallas’ season has been as impressive as any other team in the league. The current Supporters' Shield leaders sit atop the Western Conference on 37 points from 21 matches played, three points clear of Colorado in second. Head coach Oscar Pareja’s squad has picked up 11 total wins so far, good for two more than any other team in the league can boast. The side is well-known for their overall team speed and wealth of attacking options -- including the likes of Mauro Diaz, Fabian Castillo, Michael Barrios, Maxi Urruti and Tesho Akindele, who will keep Chicago's back line on its toes for a full 90 minutes.
Dog days
Both sides enter Saturday’s match very much alive in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament, and have faced a heavy summer match load through June and July as a result. The Fire played five matches from June 15-July 1 -- a two-week span that included two Open Cup victories -- and are currently in the middle of a similar five-games-in-two-weeks stretch that began on July 9 and culminates with a trip to Foxborough to take on New England on Saturday, July 23.
Dallas, meanwhile, will play their eighth game in a month on Saturday, and will have to pivot quickly into a midweek tie with Houston four days later. While Pareja has managed it well -- Dallas has gone 5-2-0 in that span -- he made the decision to rest some of his regulars during Wednesday’s match against the Sounders. Squad rotation could be a factor for both of these squads come Saturday night.
Fort Frisco
Dallas have made Toyota Stadium a fortress through the midway point of 2016. In 10 games played at home this season, Pareja’s side has compiled an undefeated record of 7-0-3. Going back further, Dallas haven’t lost a match at home –- regular season or playoffs -- in 11 months, having last fallen as home in a 2-1 defeat to LA on Aug. 15, 2015. From a scoring standpoint, Dallas averages an even two goals per game at home, the third-highest home scoring total in the league. Their +14 goal differential at home is the league’s highest, having only allowed six goals in their 10 total home games. The Fire felt they missed an opportunity to end their lingering road winless streak at Toronto FC, and now head to one of the tougher places in MLS to secure three points.
