The Philadelphia Union will look to build on a near-record home winning streak when they host the Chicago Fire on Saturday in an Eastern Conference match in Chester, Pa.
The Union (1-1-0, 3 points) have captured 12 straight home matches (regular season and playoffs) dating back to June 2022. The only team with a longer such streak was the San Jose Earthquakes, who captured 14 consecutive home games from August 2001 to July 2002.
Philadelphia, the defending East champion, heads home after a 2-0 loss on the road to Inter Miami on March 4 and a scoreless draw at El Salvador side Alianza FC in CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday. The Union opened the season with a 4-1 home win over the Columbus Crew on Feb. 25 in which Daniel Gazdag racked up two goals and two assists.
Union coach Jim Curtin said his team will rise to the challenge on Saturday.
“We’ve been around each other long enough and known each other long enough that I don’t have to say as much — I don’t have to throw things or break anything,” Curtin said Thursday. “They know when it needs to be better. After losses, we usually have a pretty darn good response.”
The Fire (0-0-1, 1 point) produced a 1-1 tie at home against New York City FC last Saturday, despite losing starting midfielders Federico Navarro and Jairo Torres to injuries early in the match. It was an MLS-record 14th straight season that Chicago has not won its season opener.
Fabian Herbers’ goal in the 75th minute was the equalizer for Chicago, and the Fire pressed mightily for the win in the final minutes.
“There was a lot of character (Saturday) shown by the team,” Chicago coach Ezra Hendrickson said. “It could have been very easy to fold when we lose those two players like that in the first half. But we regrouped at halftime and played really well and showed the grit and the character and attitude, the mentality that we needed to show to get the goal back.”
Navarro’s and Torres’ availability for Saturday’s game is yet to be determined.
The teams split their two matches in 2022, with both winning at home.
–Field Level Media
