Chicago Fire vs Club America Prediction
Chicago Fire holds the edge against Club America when the two evenly matched sides face off. Both clubs have had a positive run in their last few fixtures in their respective domestic leagues. The hosts will be bolstered by their wins at home in the last three outings. However, they will also be wary of Club America’s unbeaten run-in away games that ended recently.
Chicago Fire will be a bit disappointed after their four-game winning streak snapped after a draw and eventual loss on penalties against Puebla less than a week ago. The MLS club entered the break with three consecutive wins and managed a shutout in all three games, scoring five goals in the process.
Their Leagues Cup campaign also started well as they scraped past Minnesota United in a five-goal thriller. However, in the last match, they had to settle for a 1-1 draw after regulation time against Mexican side Puebla. A long penalty shootout eventually ended 10-9 in favor of the Liga MX side, handing Chicago Fire a very narrow loss.
As the MLS side looks to recover and bounce back with a win, they will be up against a staunch Club America side that is eager for recovery too. The Liga MX club experienced defeat on enemy territory for the first time this year. In the previous match, Club America walloped MLS Western Conference leaders 4-0, displaying their full potential. Spectators and pundits will expect a full-strength and hungry-to-win Club America side on the pitch in Chicago on Friday.
Previous Meetings
Both clubs have never faced off across competitions. However, the Chicago Fire coach Klopas does not have a good track record against the Eagles and will be expecting a turnaround in the fresh new rivalry.
Swiss Midfielder Holds the Key to Success for Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire will heavily rely on their Shaqiri’s performance to take them through to the Round of 16. The Swiss midfielder has already got on the scoresheet and will be eager to exploit the Club America defense.
Shaqiri has also been effective in the 2023 MLS campaign and carried his form to the Leagues Cup. He has netted three times while providing four assists in the ongoing season. However, it will be expected that the likes of Maren Haile-Selassie, Herbers, Kacper Przybylko, and Brian Gutierrez display their creativity and abilities in front of the goals to help Chicago Fire’s cause.
Chicago Fire’s Transitional Season
Chicago Fire had a season of transition as they began their domestic league campaign this season under the tutelage of Ezra Hendrickson. However, the board decided to part ways with the Vincentian coach after he was unable to produce the desired results.
Following his departure, Klopas was named the head coach. But the club still finds themselves dangling in an underwhelming eighth spot in the Eastern Conference with 32 points in 23 games – a concern that needs to be addressed.
Chicago Fire to Play Possession-Heavy Football
The home team is expected to put their possession-based gameplay on display in their next match. The intention will be to frustrate the Club America players and draw them away from their defensive third and catch them off-guard with a quick attack.
Time and again, the club has blocked the midfield for their opponents, which will be an extremely crucial part of their play in the upcoming fixture. Another aspect of their game has been to get the ball to their key players – Shaqiri and Przybylko – as quickly as possible to create chances.
Club America Will Certainly Bounce Back
Club America will look to find winning ways and prove that their heavy loss against Columbus Crew was only because there was nothing at stake. With qualification to the next round confirmed, Club America were a bit relaxed ahead of the previous game.
However, from this point forward, every game will be a must-win for Jardine and his men. Club America added four trophies to their cabinet in 2019, but have failed to add any more since then. The club has a rich history and will certainly want to end the drought this year.
The 14-time Liga MX champions have struggled on the pitch with inconsistency. In the domestic league, they have been complacent and dropped winnable points. That is not what the coach would want his side to repeat in the Leagues Cup.
The Mexican Club Will Derive Inspiration From Their Previous Win
Club America can take inspiration from their 4-0 win over St. Louis City in the Leagues Cup. Incidentally, Jardine opted for a 4-3-3 formation in the fixture and will likely go with the same combination in the upcoming match against Chicago Fire.
In the fixture against the MLS Western Conference leaders, Club America were flaunting their attacking prowess as four different players got their names on the scoresheet. Henry Martin opened the scoring for the 14-time Liga MX champions just five minutes into the match.
New signing Quinones nabbed another goal for his new club in the second half before Kevin Alvarez and substitute Alejandro Zendejas wrapped it up for Club America. The performance of this match is what the coach would like the team to replicate in Chicago next.
Club America to Display Jogo Bonito Style of Play
Club America has relied on their Jogo Bonito style of play under the mentorship of Jardine. This style of play is a delight to watch for spectators, as it features fluid and constant movement, with quick passes and a high tempo.
Through this style of play, Club America will orchestrate a number of attacking sequences and utilize precision to exploit spaces in the opponent's half. This tactical style by Jardine is gradually taking shape for the club and reflecting on its potential in the near future.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian coach is well aware of the performance pressure with this beautiful style. His boys have picked up his ways well in recent times, and it reflects in their performance. It is likely that Club America will play with attacking flair against the American counterparts.
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