The Major League Soccer (MLS) postseason is set to begin this Wednesday with a thrilling Wild Card match between the Chicago Fire and Orlando City in the Eastern Conference. Chicago secured the opportunity to host the match as the No. 8 seed after qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Under the leadership of head coach Gregg Berhalter, in his inaugural season, the Fire have made a strong return to playoff contention, supported by an impressive offensive lineup featuring Philip Zinckernagel, Hugo Cuypers, Jonathan Bamba, and Brian Gutiérrez.
On the other hand, Orlando City, entering the match as the No. 9 seed, has struggled recently, going winless in their last four games. Despite their rocky finish this season, Oscar Pareja’s team possesses playoff experience, marking their sixth consecutive postseason appearance after reaching the conference final last year.
In the event of a tie after 90 minutes, the match will progress straight to a penalty shootout, adding an extra layer of excitement to the contest. The winner will move on to face the Philadelphia Union, who secured the Supporters’ Shield, in a best-of-three series that begins this Sunday.
As the Fire concluded the regular season with an unbeaten streak of five games, they are entering the Wild Card match with notable momentum, making them the favorites against a faltering Orlando. Predictions point towards a closely contested match, with a suggested scoreline of Chicago 3, Orlando 2.
Fans eager to catch the action can check their local listings for channels and streaming options for the Chicago Fire vs. Orlando City matchup. This highly anticipated game promises to be an exciting kickoff to the MLS playoffs, igniting hopes for Chicago’s resurgence in postseason play and Orlando’s quest for redemption.