{"id":168653,"date":"2025-08-23T08:08:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-23T08:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/168653\/"},"modified":"2025-08-23T08:08:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-23T08:08:10","slug":"preview-chicago-fire-at-philadelphia-union","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/168653\/","title":{"rendered":"Preview: Chicago Fire at Philadelphia Union"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chicago has a tough task in front of them against Philadelphia<\/p>\n

\"TheThe Chicago Fire’s Leonardo Barroso. Mandatory Credit: Chicago Fire FC<\/p>\n

Photo Credit: Photo: Chicago Fire FC<\/p>\n

The Chicago Fire have a tough task ahead of them this weekend as they try to maintain their current position in the Eastern Conference playoff places with only eight matches remaining in the 2025 MLS regular season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Fire (11-9-6, 39 points, ninth in Eastern Conference) are unbeaten in their last five and currently occupy the final Eastern Conference postseason place while the Union (15-6-6, 51 points, second in Eastern Conference) are just a point behind FC Cincinnati at the top of the conference table with less than two months remaining in the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The two sides faced off at Soldier Field at the end of June, and Philadelphia left with all three points<\/a> after a handball from Andrew Gutman gifted the visitors the only goal of the contest.<\/p>\n

The Chicago Fire need a result in Chester to maintain their pace for the final stretch of the season, but it won\u2019t be an easy contest at all on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re a very good team,\u201d Fire director of football and head coach Gregg Berhalter said during his weekly media availability. \u201cI\u2019ve always loved playing in Chester. I love the fans. I love how they get after it. They get after you. They get after the team. They make it a hostile environment. I think that\u2019s great.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the reality is we\u2019re playing one of the top teams in our conference, and we\u2019re playing them away, and we want to go and show that we can compete with these teams. We were really disappointed with the result when we played them the first time. I didn\u2019t think we played up to our ability. Give them credit for making it difficult for us, but we\u2019re excited about this possibility in Philly. We know it\u2019s a good team, but we\u2019re relishing it.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Fire midfielder Andr\u00e9 Franco is expected to make his MLS debut at some point against Philadelphia after joining Chicago<\/a> last week from FC Porto in Portugal through at least the end of the 2025 MLS season. It remains to be seen whether fellow incoming signings Joel Waterman<\/a> and Viktor Radojevi\u0107 will play a part in the Fire\u2019s matchup in Chester, Pennsylvania.\u00a0<\/p>\n

More Sports News<\/p>\n

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Although Waterman\u2019s status is up in the air and the Fire transferred Carlos Ter\u00e1n to Club Athletico Paranaense in Brazil, Chicago should have the rest of its center back room available after Christopher Cupps made multiple rehab starts with Chicago Fire II.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Chicago is also on the precipice of MLS history, entering its contest against the Union. The Fire have scored 33 goals on the road in 2025 and if they score one more, they\u2019d join the five other clubs tied for fifth in most goals scored on the road in a MLS season. Two goals would tie the Fire with the 2024 Philadelphia Union in fourth. The 1998 LA Galaxy hold the record with 44 road goals scored in a season, so Chicago can reasonably make a play for second all-time in their final four road contests.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Who:<\/strong> Chicago Fire FC vs Philadelphia Union<\/p>\n

When:<\/strong> August 23, 2025, 6:30 p.m. CT<\/p>\n

Where:<\/strong> Subaru Park, Chester, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

How to watch:<\/strong> MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+<\/p>\n

Follow\u00a0@soccer_ontap<\/a>\u00a0on X for more\u00a0Chicago Fire news<\/a>\u00a0and updates!<\/strong><\/p>\n