Both fighting to end tough runs and climb towards the playoff spots in the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference standings , Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union will square off at Soldier Field on Thursday. The hosts have dropped to the foot of the division following back-to-back defeats, while their visitors are only two points better off in the midst of a four-match losing streak. © Reuters Chicago Fire return to Soldier Field on Thursday with the aim of bouncing back to winning ways and moving off the bottom of the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference table, in what has been another tough campaign in their bid to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Indeed, the Men in Red were concerningly slow out of the blocks as four straight defeats in May left them on just 10 points from the first 14 outings having won just two of those alongside eight losses, before putting a crucial improved run together in the following weeks, initially stopping the rot with consecutive 1-1 draws against DC United and Orlando City having initially trailed in both contests. Frank Klopas 's side then ended a near-two-month wait for a third MLS win of the campaign by coming from behind to beat Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 at home, before making it back-to-back three-point hauls in style with a 4-1 thrashing of Toronto on their travels thanks to goals from Maren Haile-Selassie , Hugo Cuypers , Mauricio Pineda and Allan Arigoni , but they have been unable to continue their upturn in form in t.
