Fire hope to snap slump against struggling Minnesota (Aug 26, 2017)
Minnesota United FC comes at just the right time for a Chicago Fire team looking to break out of a slump.
Chicago (12-8-5, 41 points) has dropped three straight and five of its last six to slip to third in the Eastern Conference standings, 12 points behind conference-leading Toronto.
Saturday's game against expansion Minnesota (6-14-4, 22 points) at 7:30 p.m. at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill., is the first between the teams.
Minnesota is mired at the bottom of the Western Conference with just one win in its last eight matches.
The Fire, meanwhile, suffered a 3-1 loss toToronto last Saturday that put first place almost out of reach. Nonetheless, Chicago still appears on track for its first postseason appearance since 2012.
"It was a tough loss. We played against one of the best teams that have played here so far," said Chicago coach Veljko Paunovic. "We have to look forward and to come back next week with the best possible recovery and mindset to understand that we now have three more games at home, important games in this next stretch ... must-win games."
Chicago is 4-4 with three ties in first-time meeting with expansions teams.
Minnesota is coming off back-to-back losses to West-leading Seattle -- including a penalty kick decision on Sunday -- and remains winless on the road.
But United coach Adrian Heath said he was encouraged by Sunday's effort.
"On the whole, for the 90 minutes, I think we deserved something from the game, and that's the overriding emotion of the game," he said.
United backup goalkeeper Patrick McLain said it's been a challenging first campaign.
"It's tough when you don't have as much to show on the field every week," McLain, who was on last year's Fire roster and started one game, told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune this week. "But what I've been putting together on the practice field has been good."
Scoring leader Christian Ramirez (11 goals) could miss his third straight game since suffering a hamstring injury against DC United on July 29.
The Fire are third in the league scoring with 46 goals and forward Nemanja Nikolic (16 goals) is second among top MLS scorers behind 19 goals from NYCFC's David Villa.
"From the beginning our goal was to make the playoffs," said Fire midfielder David Accam, second on the team and seventh in MLS with 13 goals. "We stand in a good position, we have good players, we just need to be mentally stronger."
