Chicago Fire vs Toronto FC | MLS Match Preview

MLSsoccer staff

CHICAGO FIRE vs TORONTO FC
TOYOTA PARK, Bridgeview, Ill.
April 5, 2015 (WEEK 5, MLS Game #28)
3 p.m. ET (MLS LIVE)

A pair of teams aiming to start climbing up the Eastern Conference table meet when the Chicago Fire take on Toronto FC on Saturday afternoon at Toyota Park. The Fire are coming off their first victory of the season following three losses, a 1-0 home win against Philadelphia Union last Sunday. TFC have dropped back-to-back decisions following an Opening Day win on their season-opening road swing, after their 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake last weekend.

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The Fire won for the first time this season, with new signing Adailton heading home the game’s only goal for a 1-0 win against Philadelphia Union on Sunday afternoon. Harry Shipp assisted on the goal; he has been involved in both Fire goals this season.
Toronto FC lost for a second consecutive match as Real Salt Lake answered a late equalizer with a late winner of their own for a 2-1 result Sunday at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Toronto FC have not defeated the Fire since the 2010 season, when they won 4-1 on May 8 at BMO Field. The Fire have won five of the 11 meetings since, with six draws. The teams played to draws in each of their three meetings a year ago, two of those at Toyota Park and one at BMO Field.
The Fire have never lost to TFC at Toyota Park, with four wins and five draws in nine meetings all-time in Bridgeview.

REFEREE: Juan Guzman. AR1 (bench): Eric Boria; AR2 (opposite): Kyle Atkins; 4th: Sorin Stoica
MLS Career: 50 games; FC/gm: 25.6; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 16; pens: 12

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SUSPENDED: TOR: Luke Moore (through April 5)
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (19 meetings): Fire 8 wins, 31 goals … Toronto FC 3 wins, 25 goals … Ties 8
AT CHICAGO (9 meetings): Fire 4 wins, 12 goals … Toronto FC 0 wins, 7 goals … Ties 5
RETURN MATCH: 9/26: Toronto FC vs. Chicago Fire, 2 p.m. ET

LAST YEAR (MLS):
7/2: CHI 1, TOR 1 (Shipp 56 – Jackson 42)
8/23: TOR 2, CHI 2 (own goal 3; Gilberto 79 – Earnshaw 70; Amarikwa 90)
9/13: CHI 1, TOR 1 (Palmer 11 – De Rosario 89)

vvvv Field. The Fire have won five of the 11 meetings since, with six draws.
The teams played to draws in each of their three meetings a year ago, two of those at Toyota Park and one at BMO Field.
The Fire have never lost to TFC at Toyota Park, with four wins and five draws in nine meetings all-time in Bridgeview.
Coaches record: Greg Vanney vs. CHI: P1 W0 L0 D1 … Frank Yallop vs. TOR: P15 W5 L2 D8