Chicago Fire Vs Seattle Sounders
Chicago Fire Vs Seattle Sounders Sunday, 17 July 2022 – 01:00 (BST)
US Major League Soccer
Pick: Chicago Fire to WIN
Odds: 6/5
Bookmaker: Betway
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 14 July 2022)
Preview: With three wins coming from their past six MLS outings, more than was managed across their opening 14 games, it would seem Chicago Fire are keen to make up for some early lethargy. They next welcome Seattle Sounders to Soldier Field for a fixture that has served them well over the years.
US Major League Soccer Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
Chicago Fire – Hendrickson feeling heat as losses mount?
For the second MLS outing in a row, Chicago Fire held a 2-0 advantage at the midway stage of Wednesday night’s home fixture versus Toronto FC. Unlike in the first of those, though, when they wilted in the second period of last week’s 3-2 home defeat to Columbus Crew, the team from the Windy City held on to record another precious win. Their fifth of the season (W5 D5 L10), and third in four outings at Soldier Field.
Ezra Hendrickson’s side are back at home once again, which has to be considered a big positive after recent victories in Chicago over DC United, Philadelphia Union – who sit atop the Eastern Conference standings – and now Toronto, all to nil. That second-half collapse against the Crew stands as their sole blemish at Soldier Field since the beginning of June. They resume 12th in the East, six points off the play-offs.
Key Stat: Chicago Fire are displaying some improved form of late, boasting three wins from their past six games (W3 L3). Before this, they hadn’t won a fixture in MLS in ten previous attempts (D3 L7).
Seattle Sounders – Rise up the Western standings stagnating?
If anyone was sceptical about the Sounders being in a slump before Wednesday night’s contest in Nashville, there shouldn’t be any doubts now. Brian Schmetzer’s side have three points from the last 12 available and won only twice in their last six (D1 L3) following a 1-0 loss to Nashville SC at Geodis Park which left the reigning CONCACAF Champions League champs languishing in ninth place in the Western Conference.
Seattle should easily make the play-off cut – they’ve never failed to do so in their history – but they’re making heavy weather of something many believed was a formality before the season got underway. To have been sent back on the road isn’t ideal either. The Sounders are a far from impressive W3 D1 L5 on the road this year, with only three teams providing worse scoring figures than their 9 in as many away fixtures.
Key Stat: Four of Seattle Sounders’ five away losses this season were to nil. Meanwhile, four of Chicago Fire’s MLS victories in 2022 were without conceding a goal.
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Chicago Fire Vs Seattle Sounders Betting Advice
Despite three wins in their last four here at Soldier Field, I am still not entirely convinced Chicago Fire should be as short as they are for three points Sunday. Sure their form has improved markedly compared to what it was, and there is even an argument they should be four from four at home having been 2-0 to the good against Columbus Crew last weekend only to relinquish said lead in a dreadful second-half display.
Chicago Fire Vs Seattle Sounders – Key Facts:
- Seattle Sounders have won two of the past three MLS duels between these teams, but only one of the four previous held at Soldier Field – with Chicago Fire prevailing in three of these encounters.
- All of the last five head-to-heads featured both teams among the goalscoring. This was also the case in five of six prior meetings at Soldier Field, Chicago Fire winning but also conceding in two of the past three said games.
- Chicago Fire has scored the game’s opening goal in each of the last four MLS matches at Soldier Field, going on to win all but one of these contests.
History doesn’t lie though, and it clearly favours the home side. Chicago Fire would win three of four previous home meetings with the Sounders, who arrive in a vulnerable state after losing their third game in four during the week. The latter are currently 210 minutes without a goal in MLS, which is worrying because only New York City boast more clean sheets than the eight in 20 games of Ezra Hendrickson’s Chicago Fire.
Best Betting Odds – Chicago Fire Vs Seattle Sounders
Chicago Fire – 5/4 (WilliamHill)
Draw – 13/5 (Bet365)
Seattle Sounders – 21/10 (Betway)
