Preview:Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia Union - prediction, team news, lineups

The second game in the MLS Best of Three Series is tantalisingly set up when Chicago Fire lock horns with Philadelphia Union on Saturday, November 1.

The hosts must win here to take the series to the final game, after the Union secured the first match through a penalty shootout.

Match preview

The Fire demonstrated incredible grit and determination in Philly, where they came from two goals down to take the game into spot kicks.

Captain and former Union player, Jack Elliott, was the hero for the Fire as he struck home a thunderous strike in the third minute of added time to rescue the match for his side.

However, Elliott later turned villain when he missed the first spot kick, after Mikael Uhre fluffed the first one for the Union.

It was not to be as Joel Waterman struck his penalty against the crossbar and handed the initiative back to the Supporters’ Shield winners.

Gregg Berhalter’s primary concern will be halting the visiting attack on Saturday, but after what he saw last week, he should be confident that his side can register just a second victory in the MLS playoffs since 2009.

The good news for the Windy City fans is that their team are technically unbeaten inside regulation time across their last seven outings.

With four victories in their previous seven head-to-heads, Philly fans would have expected the Eastern Conference table-toppers to comfortably win game one.

It was anything but, and only sparked into life on the 70th-minute mark, which led to four goals being scored inside a frantic 20 minutes.

Bradley Carnell should be wary of the Fire, if he was not before last week’s clash, especially if he wants to avoid a third fixture.

The Shield winners may have taken their 2-0 lead for granted the last time out, but they will hope to replicate their visit to Soldier Field in the regular season, when they left Illinois with a 1-0 win.

A solid defence is what the South African tactician based his season on, conceding a league-wide low total of just 35 goals.

If the travelling party can get back to the basics of being impenetrable, then they should complete a Round One sweep on Saturday.

Chicago Fire Major League Soccer form:

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Philadelphia Union Major League Soccer form:

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Team News

Berhalter will have to deal without Sergio Oregel in this fixture, after the midfielder was given his marching orders near the death for an altercation with an opposition player.

To add more misery for the hosts, key man Philip Zinckernagel is a doubt for this one, but Fire fans will be hoping that he can be fit enough to start.

In his absence, Jonathan Bamba did well and bagged himself a goal and an assist, so he might be crucial for Berhalter’s charges, alongside Brian Gutierrez.

The visitors will be without the same three players who missed game one, including Quinn Sullivan (cruciate ligament), Jeremy Rafanello (hamstring) and Ian Glavinovich (knee).

Indiana Vassilev and Milan Iloski both scored in the first game; the latter struck an absolute sumptuous goal into the top corner.

Club leading goalscorer, Tai Baribo, should be the focal point for Carnell’s charges on Friday night, especially after he coolly finished his spot kick.

Chicago Fire possible starting lineup:

Brady; Waterman, Elliott, Rogers; Dean, Kouame, D’Avilla, Gutman; Haile-Selassie, Cuypers, Bamba

Philadelphia Union possible starting lineup:

Blake; Westfield, Glesnes, Makhanya, Wagner; Vassilev, Lukic, Jean-Jacques, Iloski; Boribo, Uhre