Immediately following Columbus Crew SC’s 3-0 victory over the Chicago Fire in the regular-season finale at MAPFRE Stadium, both sides entered the international break before meeting again in Bridgeview, Ill., on Oct. 13. But before kickoff from Toyota Park this Thursday, here are three things to know about the Fire:
Back-to-Back
Crew SC and Chicago Fire have met 56 times since 1998, with Columbus going 17-24-16 all-time and 6-14-9 away from MAPFRE Stadium. Crew SC powered past Chicago on Oct. 1 behind goals by Harrison Afful, Justin Meram and Dilly Duka.
In the last decade of regular-season action, Crew SC has met the same opponent in back-to-back matches just three times, going 2-4-0. Coincidently, the two wins came against Chicago in a span of four days in July of 2015.
Different outlooks
Crew SC enters its final three matches of the regular season with a chance to qualify for the 2016 Audi MLS Playoffs while Chicago has already been mathematically eliminated from the postseason. Following Oct. 1’s defeat at MAPFRE Stadium, Fire forward Michael de Leeuw laid out his side’s objective:
"I think we have to, for the fans, try not to be last,” de Leeuw said. “I think it’s eight points out with three games left so it’s going to be hard. We just have to learn, play hard, and just don’t give up. We know the season is over but we can still learn a lot from these games and from each other because we’re a team."
Under fire
Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson has appeared in 15 matches against Crew SC. The results have been relatively even since 2011, with Johnson and the Fire going 6-6-3.
Throughout those results, Johnson has been tested – having been forced into 42 saves. He’s allowed just 20 goals against Crew SC.
