The Houston Dynamo and the Chicago Fire have clinched spots in the Major League Soccer postseason, but there will still be plenty on the line for both sides when they square off Sunday at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston as part of Decision Day.
Chicago can finish second in the Eastern Conference and avoid playing in the knockout round if it beats the Dynamo and if New York City FC draws or loses to Columbus on Sunday. The Fire is currently third in the East but could also finish as low as fifth place with a loss and wins from the teams below them, so there's plenty riding on their end.
Houston is in fifth place and has the opportunity to climb as high as third but must win on Sunday and needs at least a Seattle loss or Sporting KC loss or tie to host a knockout-round match. The Dynamo cannot finish lower than fifth place in any scenario.
The third and fourth place teams get to host the one-game, winner-take-all matches between the third and sixth seeds and fourth and fifth seeds to determine who goes into the conference semifinals against the top two finishers in each conference.
The Dynamo (12-10-11, 47 points) will battle in the postseason for the first time since 2013 and have earned that right mostly with their play at home. Houston has won a conference-best 11 matches on its pitch. Houston is riding a five-match unbeaten streak that most recently took four points from a home-and-home series with Western Conference rival Sporting KC.
"I was with the team when we were in the playoffs and it was a good feeling," Houston goalkeeper Tyler Deric said after the Dynamo's 1-1 draw in Kansas City last week.
"I've been desperate to get back ever since and I'm just trying to do whatever I can to contribute any way I can to help this team get there. Our goal was to get to the playoffs -- that was our first goal -- and we have many more goals after that."
The match is also important for Chicago forward Nemanja Nikolic, who can secure the MLS Golden Boot Award for scoring the most goals in the 2017 season. Nikolic has 24 goals and a healthy three-goal lead on second-place Diego Valeri.
The Fire (16-10-7, 55 points) enter the match in Houston rounding into form, with their latest contest a 3-2 comeback victory against Philadelphia, triggered by a Nikolic hat trick. Forward Brandon Vincent, who had two assists against Philadelphia, said the Fire have to avoid mental lapses in Sunday's regular-season finale.
"We need to play a lot better (Sunday)," Vincent said. "We have everything to play for. We're going to go for it. We understand what's at stake."
Chicago midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will miss the team's Decision Day matchup at Houston due to a thigh injury. Schweinsteiger hasn't started for Chicago since its 1-0 win at Montreal on Sept. 2. He made a 19-minute appearance off the bench on Sept. 30 against NYCFC, but was not in the 18 for their 3-2 win against Philadelphia last Sunday.
Midfielder Juninho is expected to play against Houston despite a knee injury that has sidelined him since Sept. 9.
The Fire have never won at BBVA Compass Stadium, and overall haven't won in Houston since the 2007 season -- nine consecutive visits without a victory. The Dynamo lead the overall series versus Chicago with an 8-6-8 advantage and a 30-26 goal differential.
