Preview. Montreal Impact versus Chicago Fire

Seven has been an unlucky number recently for the Chicago Fire. They have lost seven straight, have lost a league-high seven home matches, have lost as many away from home, and are seven points adrift of sixth-place Montreal with five teams to pass. The Fire are hoping #7-Raheem Edwards can provide a spark against his former team after the attack was anemic against the New York Red Bulls last Saturday. The Fire’s injury list meanwhile thankfully has less than seven players on it for the first time in a while.

Montreal are one point clear of seventh-place New England Revolution but are winless in their last four matches, including a 1-1 draw at Real Salt Lake last week. The Impact are 7-4-1 at home this season and are level on points with the Philadelphia Union and just behind on goal difference. The “Nacho Nacho Man” as TSN’s Vic Rauter likes to call him, Ignacio Piatti, leads the Impact with eleven goals this season.

There is little margin for error for the Impact and just about none for the Fire, each with nine matches remaining and those between them in the table all having matches in hand (DC with four). Points are at a premium and both teams will need all three to remain in playoff contention. Otherwise, a winter of discontent will be that much closer for either side—more so for the Fire who have had a contentious summer.