CHICAGO FIRE vs. D.C. UNITED
TOYOTA PARK, Bridgeview, Illinois
APRIL 30, 2016 (WEEK 9, MLS GAME #81)
4 pm CT (MLS LIVE, CSN-Chicago, ABC7)
A key Eastern Conference meeting is ahead when the Chicago Fire play host to D.C. United for the first time this season as the clubs face off at Toyota Park on Saturday afternoon. The Fire return to action after a weekend off, coming off a 2-1 home defeat by the Montréal Impact in their last match, snapping a four-game undefeated run. United hit the road off a second win in three matches, strolling to a 3-0 win against the New England Revolution last weekend at RFK Stadium.
- The Fire return to action after a weekend off, Kennedy Igboananike scoring his third goal of the season last time out in a 2-1 loss to the Montréal Impact at Toyota Park on April 16.
- Luciano Acosta scored his first MLS goal as United defeated the New England Revolution 3-0 over the weekend. The goal was assisted by Alvaro Saborío; the pair have combined on four of United’s last five goals, with Acosta assisting on two of Saborío’s three goals in that span.
- United have won four consecutive games in the series, winning all three meetings between the teams a year ago, after going six matchups without a victory. When United won 1-0 on June 24 at Toyota Park, it was their first win in Bridgeview since Aug. 29, 2009, going 0-2-4 there in between.
- United have won the last three matches at RFK Stadium, undefeated in their last four home meetings with the Fire, dating back to 2015.
REFEREE: Edvin Jurisevic. AR1 (bench): Kevin Klinger; AR2 (opposite): Jeffrey Greeson; 4th: Hilario Grajeda
MLS Career: 99 games; FC/gm: 22.9; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 22; pens: 20
SUSPENDED: DC: Marcelo Sarvas (caution accumulation; through May 1)
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DC: Sean Franklin
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: CHI: Matt Polster
DISABLED LIST: DC: Bill Hamid
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (52 meetings): Fire 18 wins, 76 goals … United 21 wins, 78 goals … Ties 13
AT CHICAGO (25 meetings): Fire 10 wins, 40 goals … United 7 wins, 30 goals … Ties 8
RETURN MATCHES: 8/27: D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire, 7 p.m. ET; 9/16: Chicago Fire vs. D.C. United, 7 p.m. CT (UNI)
LAST YEAR (MLS):
6/3: DC 3, CHI 1 (Arrieta 61, 69; Doyle 75 – Accam 28)
6/24: CHI 0, DC 1 (Doyle 73)
10/18: DC 4, CHI 0 (Pontius 39; Boswell 67; Espindola 71; Saborio 80)
- United have won four consecutive games in the series, winning all three meetings between the teams a year ago, after going six matchups without a victory. When United won 1-0 on June 24 at Toyota Park, it was their first win in Bridgeview since Aug. 29, 2009, going 0-2-4 there in between.
- United have won the last three matches at RFK Stadium, undefeated in their last four home meetings with the
- Coaches record: Veljko Paunovic vs. DC: first game … Ben Olsen vs. CHI: P14 W5 L4 D5
