It’s time for more Saturday night soccer, and Chicago’s back in town for their second meeting of the year with Minnesota United. It’s not common to play an Eastern Conference club twice in such close proximity, but the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals pitted these two sides against one another back in July. You may recall that match ending in a 3-1 extra-time victory for your Loons and a red card for the Fire. Given that the Loons are playing at home, have beaten Chicago before, and are significantly higher up on the table, the underdog seems pretty objective here. But keep in mind that Minnesota is coming off of Wednesday’s tough loss, navigating some likely squad rotation after that 120-minute match, and still integrating new signings into that hyperspecific Loons playstyle. This one might be more of a toss-up than you’d think.

Run of Form

Minnesota United FC
Run of Form: L-W-D-W-W (All Competitions)

After a devastating loss to Austin FC in the final minutes of overtime, Minnesota is officially knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup. Giving up a goal in the 120th minute is a heartbreaker, but let’s try to be optimistic — being out of the Open Cup means the Loons can turn their full attention to league play for the rest of the year. And where league play is concerned, they’re killing it. Last weekend’s win in San Diego was a big statement for the Black and Blue, and it blew the race for the Supporters’ Shield wide open. With Minnesota already having clinched a spot in the playoffs, the remainder of the regular season is all about chasing that league-best record. Between some great showings by a pair of new signings and the squad’s defensive acumen, things are looking pretty darn good.

Chicago Fire FC
Run of Form: L-W-L-W-D (All Competitions)

On the flip side, Chicago is hovering just above that wildcard play-in line in the East with 42 points. Six points behind a talented Orlando City side and only two points ahead of the New York Red Bulls, every game is absolutely critical if Berhalter’s side wants to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. The Fire have a stretch of tough games ahead — the Loons, Columbus, and Miami — and haven’t beaten a team above the playoff line since July. Something big needs to happen to give these guys the kind of momentum that’ll take them to a postseason run, and Minnesota will have to shut them down to avoid being the turning point.

Keys to the Match:

What’s Changed in Chi-Town?

You might recall my last Chicago preview for the Open Cup quarterfinals, where I basically talked about the rise of Philip Zinckernagel and Chicago’s shoddy defense. Now, here in the middle of September… well, not much has changed. Zinckernagel is up to 13 goals, and Chicago is still running an xGA of 48.1, worst in their conference. I mean, consistency is key, I guess. The biggest changes come from the transfer window: Chicago acquired FC Porto’s André Franco on loan, snagged Joel Waterman from Montréal, and signed Viktor Radojević of the Serbian SuperLiga. Franco has already logged two assists in as many matches, demonstrating the sort of midfield catalyst Chicago needs to boost an already aggressive attacking trio of Zinckernagel, Hugo Cuypers, and Jonathan Bamba. Should Radojević, the U22 left-back, be available on Saturday, it’ll be interesting to see whether he has the capacity to turn the Fire’s defense around.

The New Dynamic Duo

Now let’s look at our new guys. Alongside striker Mamadou Dieng and midfielder Alexis Fariña, Minnesota brought in an impactful pair of midfielders at the end of the secondary transfer window, and they’ve already begun to make their mark. Dominik Fitz, formerly of Austria Wien, made his Allianz Field debut in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, and he was all over the pitch, creating a number of chances for the Black and Blue and showing us that fancy footwork and on-the-ball strength that the Loons needed so badly. Nectarios Triantis, signed from Sunderland, had an explosive debut in San Diego with an impeccable shot from way, way out that soared into the net of a backpedaling CJ Dos Santos. What a debut. For a Loons side that struggles to convert in the final third, midfielders of this caliber could be the final piece of the puzzle. Keep an eye on them this weekend; I have a feeling they’ll be paying dividends in no time.

Chasing The Shield

It’s within reach, folks, but your Loons are going to have to be darn near perfect to lift it. The Black and Blue have already set a single-season record of 54 points and were the third team in the league to clinch a postseason berth this year. It was that critical San Diego match that decided whether Minnesota was still in the race for the best record of the season, and they sure did deliver. The rest of the schedule — fixtures against Chicago, Colorado, Kansas City, and LA Galaxy — looks pretty favorable for the Loons, if they can lock in their home form and find a way to definitively fill the space Tani Oluwaseyi left behind. It’ll be a tight turnaround after a grueling match on Wednesday that saw Kelvin Yeboah go down and several regular starters (Robin Lod, Michael Boxall, Joaquín Pereyra, and Bongokuhle Hlongwane) put in a full 120 minutes. The squad has that physical challenge to overcome on top of the emotional toll of the last-minute letdown in the Open Cup semis. This match is a test of consistency and conversion as the postseason looms ever closer. A win this weekend could be a big testament to the club’s resilience, and it’s the kind of opportunity Ramsay’s side wants to see as they race to lift their first trophy since joining MLS.