Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire FC | 2020 MLS Match Preview

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 21
Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fir FC
Subaru Park – Chester
October 28 – 7:30 PM ET

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US

LOCAL TV: PHL17, WGN-TV

After a stunningly decisive win over Toronto FC that moved the Philadelphia Union atop the Eastern Conference standings and the Supporters' Shield table, Jim Curtin's side are hoping to maintain that spot Wednesday night at Subaru Park when they meet a Chicago Fire FC squad trying to push above the playoff line.

The Union (12W-3L-5D) are coming off a 5-0 romp over Toronto FC and have won four of their last five matches without defeat, while Fire FC (5W-8L-6D) conceded a stoppage-time equalizer to settle for a 2-2 home draw against the New York Red Bulls.

Philadelphia Union

In what will go down as one of the greatest regular season games in club history, Sergio Santos struck for a hat trick and Mark McKenzie and Jamiro Monteiro added a goal apiece as the Union not only avenged an earlier defeat to Toronto FC, but shot above them in the Shield race with three games to play.

“It’s a big win for us. We now have our destiny in our own hands with these final three games, two of which are at home,” said Union head coach Jim Curtin. “It’s in our hands now; we have to step up. We have three really tough games … there’s nine points out there and we’re going to need all nine to win the Shield.”

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Matt Real (D) - hamstring injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Warren Creavalle (M) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: Jamiro Monteiro (M)
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None

Chicago Fire FC

The Fire were moments away from a big home win that would have taken them back above the playoff line ahead of facing three of their final four games of the regular season on the road. And after Robert Beric canceled out Kyle Duncan's first half goal, Przymeslaw Frankowski gave them a 2-1 lead in the 71st minute. But instead of claiming three huge points, Brian White's stoppage-time equalizer put Chicago below the line heading into the stretch drive of the season.

"Anyone can beat anyone here, which is very unique [and] doesn't happen in other big leagues," Raphael Wicky said after the match. "We know that we can go away from home and we know that we can win games. We know that we have a good team and we can beat these teams. We haven't shown it this year, but we have shown moments and we have games where we shouldn't have lost away, and now it's up to us to step up and go away from home and get a result."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Wyatt Omsberg (D) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Kenneth Kronholm (GK) - knee injury
- OUT: Luka Stojanović (M) - knee injury
- OUT: Brandt Bronico (M) - knee injury
- OUT: Johan Kappelhof (D) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: Mauricio Pineda (D)
International duty: None