Chicago Fire vs. Columbus Crew SC | 2016 MLS Match Preview

CHICAGO FIRE vs. COLUMBUS CREW SC
Toyota Park | Bridgeview, Illinois
Thursday, Oct. 13 | Week #32 | MLS Game #319
8:30 pm ET (MLS LIVE, CSN-Chicago, Spectrum Sports OH, MyTV Columbus)

It's a matchup for postseason survival yet again when the Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew SC meet for the second time in less than two weeks when the Eastern Conference foes face off Thursday evening at Toyota Park. Crew SC won 3-0 in the meeting at MAPFRE Stadium on Oct. 1, keeping alive their postseason aspirations -- and they must win to stay alive in the postseason chase. The Fire return home after a three-game road swing, all defeats, officially eliminated from playoff contention.

• The teams are meeting for the third time this season, the second time in less than two weeks. On Oct. 1 at MAPFRE Stadium, Harrison Afful, Justin Meram and Dilly Duka all scored as Crew SC took a 3-0 win. The teams reached a scoreless draw March 19 at Toyota Park.
• Crew SC haven’t lost to the Fire in the last eight meetings in the series. The last Fire victory was a 2-1 win in Columbus, June 22, 2013; Crew SC have won five of the meetings, with three draws.
• The Crew SC victory last year at Toyota Park was their first in Bridgeview since the 2006 season. The Fire had gone 6-0-5 in the 11 meetings at home in between. Crew SC have come away with points in the last five home encounters with the Fire, winning four.
• The Fire have lost three games in a row, their overall winless run now at five games, following the loss at Crew SC on Oct. 1. The Fire’s goalless streak is now at 235 minutes.
• Crew SC have won three of their last four games with the win against Chicago, now having won their last two games at MAPFRE Stadium, their first back-to-back wins in home games this year since April 16-23.

REFEREE: David Gantar. AR1 (bench): Peter Manikowski; AR2 (opposite): Nick Uranga; 4th: Hilario Grajeda
MLS Career: 45 games; FC/gm: 25.3; Y/gm: 2.6; R: 18; pens: 9

SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: CHI: Razvan Cocis -- CLB: Tony Tchani
DISABLED LIST: CLB: Matt Pacifici, Ben Swanson (season-ending injury)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (57 meetings): Fire 24 wins (1 shootout), 81 goals -- Crew SC 17 wins (0 shootout), 85 goals -- Ties 16
AT CHICAGO (29 meetings): Fire 14 wins (0 shootout), 44 goals -- Crew SC 6 wins (0 shootout), 34 goals -- Ties 9

2016 (MLS):
3/19: CHI 0, CLB 0
10/1: CLB 3, CHI 0 (Afful 8; Meram 50; Duka 59)

• Coaches record: Veljko Paunovic vs. CLB: P2 W0 L1 T1 -- Gregg Berhalter vs. CHI: P7 W4 L0 T3

LAST MEETING (MLS):

• The Crew SC opener came after just eight minutes as Harrison Afful hit for an absolute golazo, taking a short Mohammed Saeid corner and blasting a swerving shot from 23 yards out over Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
• The Columbus lead was doubled five minutes into the second half when Justin Meram took a pass from Dilly Duka into the box and cut inside a defender before slotting a low shot inside the near post.
• Duka made it 3-0 for Crew SC nine minutes later, receiving a pass from Saeid on the counterattack and bouncing his shot past Johnson from 12 yards out.
• COLUMBUS CREW SC (4-2-3-1): Steve Clark - Harrison Afful, Michael Parkhurst, Gaston Sauro, Hector Jimenez (Chad Barson 79) - Nicolai Naess, Mohammed Saeid - Ethan Finlay, Dilly Duka (Wil Trapp 63), Justin Meram - Adam Jahn (Ola Kamara 70).
• CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-3-1): Sean Johnson - Johan Kappelhof, Jonathan Campbell, Joao Meira, Brandon Vincent - John Goossens (Matt Polster 63), Khaly Thiam - Luis Solignac, Michael de Leeuw, David Accam (Rodrigo Ramos 75) - David Arshakyan (Arturo Alvarez 63).