Mistakes have been a major theme for New York City FC’s season. Truthfully, they are arguably the reason as to why the Pigeons sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference. Even with the injuries, the Bronx team easily could have been in fourth or fifth place, give or take. Instead, they enter the weekend facing the fourth-place side, Chicago Fire FC.
NYCFC won their home game against the Windy City side, but whether they can beat them on the road is another question. They have a decent away record, 4-4-5, but the consistency of dropping points due to mistakes or not holding on to leads raises doubts. The Bronx side desperately needs to fix the issue that they have yet to fix, as the postseason is truly on the line.
It does not help that Chicago has an 8-4-1 home record, so winning there will not be easy. It can be done, though. The Pigeons have the talent to do so. But the ability to win is one thing. Putting words into action is another.
One thing is for certain, and that is that no matter what, the match will likely set the tone for the rest of the season. Here is a preview of the game between NYCFC and the Chicago Fire.
NYCFC vs Chicago Fire preview
Date
NYCFC and the Fire will play on Saturday, October 10.
Time
The match will start at around 2:30 PM ET, 1:30 PM CT.
Location
The game is at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.
How to watch
There is no change, as like always, the fixture can be seen on Apple TV.
Weather
It will be mostly cloudy and 76 degrees. Thankfully, there is no chance of rain. Humidity will hover below 50%. Then, the expected wind speed is 11 mph. That is not surprising since the match will be in the Windy City.
Injury report
Drew Baiera (leg), Arnau Farnós (leg), Mitja Ilenič (illness), Talles Magno (leg), Maxi Moralez (leg), Keaton Parks (leg), and Kai Trewin (leg) are out for the match against Chicago.
Players to watch
Once again, Matt Miazga is the player to watch. Despite having multiple players missing due to injury and international duty in the Atlanta United FC game, the newest center-back did not make his debut for NYCFC. Will he play? Will he start and partner with Thiago Martins? If that does take place, how will the two do working together as the center-back pairing? Is he ready and able to contribute?
Fans should also watch the Fire’s Robert Lewandowski. The striker came on as a substitute in Chicago’s last game and still had an assist. He has six goals so far in the regular season and seven overall. It is only a matter of time before he starts scoring regularly. After all, it has not been that long since he played his final match for FC Barcelona.
Prediction
It would be great for the Pigeons to leave the Windy City with a road win. Alas, that will likely not occur. Hence, it is predicted that NYCFC will lose 3-2. It will be a competitive game, but a mistake by someone toward the end of the match will give the Fire the lead and eventual win.
