Seattle Sounders vs Chicago Fire
Sounders hold Fire to a draw
D. Joveljić's brace keeps Seattle level against Chicago's late fightback.
Seattle Sounders and Chicago Fire shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw in Major League Soccer. D. Joveljić gave Seattle the lead twice, with goals in the 12th and just after the break, but Chicago Fire responded through M. Haile-Selassie before the interval and R. Lewandowski in the 82nd minute. The result defied Fipster's low-confidence prediction of an away win for Chicago.
Outcome probability
As the MLS regular season rolls on, Seattle Sounders face off against Chicago Fire in what promises to be a tightly contested match. Both teams have shown flashes of quality, but recent trends and player form suggest a narrow away win.
Match factors
Chicago Fire's superior scoring rate
Chicago averages 1.9 goals per game, significantly higher than Seattle's 1.1, favoring an away win
Cuypers as focal point against Seattle defense
Cuypers' prolific scoring and high minutes make him a key threat against Seattle's leaky defense
Seattle's defensive struggles persist
Seattle has conceded in last 5 matches, indicating defensive vulnerabilities Chicago can exploit
Rusnák's creative influence for Seattle
Rusnák leads Seattle in assists with 5, crucial for creating chances despite team's lower scoring
Kossa-Rienzi's offensive threat from defense
Defender Kossa-Rienzi's 2 goals and recent form add an unexpected attacking dimension for Seattle
The context
Seattle Sounders currently sit 12th in their league with 24 points from 19 games, reflecting a mixed bag of results. Chicago Fire, meanwhile, have been more potent in front of goal, averaging nearly twice as many goals per game as Seattle. This offensive edge could prove decisive in this fixture.
Key insights
H. Cuypers
Chicago Fire
Cuypers' prolific scoring and high minutes make him a key threat against Seattle's leaky defence.
Major League Soccer 26/2713 goals in 11 appearances, 89.9 avg mins/game
P. Zinckernagel
Chicago Fire
Zinckernagel's creativity and set-piece duties make him Chicago's top assister and a constant threat.
Major League Soccer 26/277 assists in 18 appearances, 80.6 avg mins/game
A. Rusnák
Seattle Sounders
Rusnák leads Seattle in assists, crucial for creating chances despite the team's lower scoring.
Major League Soccer 26/275 assists in 18 appearances, 77.2 avg mins/game
- K
K. Kossa-Rienzi
Seattle Sounders
Kossa-Rienzi adds an unexpected attacking dimension from defence with 2 goals this season.
Major League Soccer 26/272 goals in 18 appearances
Analysis
Chicago Fire's attacking threat is spearheaded by H. Cuypers, who boasts an impressive 13 goals in 11 appearances, making him a constant menace for Seattle's defence, which has conceded in their last five matches. Midfielder P. Zinckernagel's creativity, with 7 assists, adds another layer to Chicago's offensive arsenal. Seattle will rely on A. Rusnák's playmaking abilities and K. Kossa-Rienzi's unexpected goal threat from defence, but their lower scoring rate and defensive vulnerabilities may be their undoing.
Key facts
- 1.Seattle Sounders are 12th in the league with 24 points from 19 games (7 wins, 3 draws, 9 losses).
- 2.Chicago Fire average 1.9 goals per game, significantly higher than Seattle's 1.1.
- 3.H. Cuypers leads Chicago with 13 goals in 11 appearances, a prolific scoring rate.
- 4.P. Zinckernagel tops Chicago's assists with 7 in 18 games, providing creative spark.
- 5.Seattle has conceded in their last 5 matches, highlighting defensive issues.
- 6.A. Rusnák leads Seattle with 5 assists, key to their attacking chances.
- 7.K. Kossa-Rienzi contributes offensively from defence with 2 goals this season.
Prediction
The prediction leans towards a 2-1 victory for Chicago Fire. While Seattle will find the net, Chicago's superior scoring rate and key players' form suggest they will edge this encounter. The scoreline reflects a competitive match but with the away side ultimately prevailing.
Player Insights
Standout players Fipster expects to impact the match — curated highlights, not full squad lists
Home — Seattle Sounders
Away — Chicago Fire
The verdict
In summary, expect a closely fought game with Chicago Fire's attacking firepower making the difference. Seattle Sounders will fight hard but may fall short against a more clinical Chicago side. A 2-1 away win is the forecast, though the low confidence in this call advises a cautious approach.
Form as the teams went into this match — excludes this result and anything since.
Team Comparison
Season shape — attack, defence, form, clean sheets & win rate
Home vs Away comparison
Goal difference in each of the last few fixtures — above the line is a net win, below is a net loss
Season comparison
Goals scored & conceded, goal difference and clean sheets across the season
Halftime Performance
What each side does once the whistle goes for half time
Streaks
Recent-form runs — each side’s most-recent game meets in the middle
Head to Head
Joveljić
Assist: Gomez
Haile-Selassie
Assist: Lewandowski
Joveljić
Assist: Rusnák
Brunell
Yellow Card
Brunell
Lod
Gomez
Roldan
Dean
Salétros
Lewandowski
Assist: Dithejane
Zinckernagel
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Vancouver Whitecaps | 24 | 14 | 4 | 6 | +30 | 46 |
| 13 |  Austin | 25 | 7 | 8 | 10 | -12 | 29 |
| 14 |  Seattle Sounders | 23 | 7 | 7 | 9 | -5 | 28 |
| 15 |  Sporting Kansas City | 24 | 5 | 3 | 16 | -33 | 18 |
Match Statistics
Seattle Sounders
4-2-3-1Starting XI
- 5N. ToloD
- 9D. JoveljićF
- 11A. RusnákM
- 14P. RothrockM
- 16A. RoldanM
- 20Kim Kee-HeeD
- 26A. ThomasG
- 37S. BrunellM
- 39S. HawkinsD
- 85K. Kossa-RienziD
- 90S. GomezM
Substitutes
- 4R. SailorD
- 7C. RoldanM
- 13J. MorrisF
- 19D. MusovskiF
- 24S. FreiG
- 31H. DotsonM
- 35A. LopezD
Chicago Fire
4-3-3Starting XI
- 1C. BradyG
- 3J. ElliottD
- 5S. RogersD
- 6A. SalétrosM
- 7M. Haile-SelassieF
- 9R. LewandowskiF
- 11P. ZinckernagelF
- 15A. GutmanD
- 17R. LodM
- 24J. DeanD
- 42T. D'AvillaM
Substitutes
- 2Leonardo BarrosoD
- 12P. DithejaneF
- 14V. RadojevićD
- 16J. WatermanD
- 19J. BambaF
- 22M. PinedaD
- 35S. OregelM
- 44J. CohenG
- 47Samuel WilliamsM
Seattle Sounders
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dejan Joveljić | F | 91 | 8.9 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 0/1 |
| Andrew Thomas | G | 91 | 8.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sebastian Gomez | M | 69 | 7.9 | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | 2/3 |
| Albert Rusnák | M | 91 | 7.3 | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | — |
| Stuart Hawkins | D | 91 | 7.2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Kim Kee-hee | D | 91 | 6.9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Snyder Brunell | M | 57 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Nouhou Tolo | D | 91 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1/1 |
| Kalani Kossa-Rienzi | D | 91 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
| Alex Roldán(C) | M | 68 | 6.3 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 0/1 |
| Paul Rothrock | M | 91 | 6.3 | — | — | — | — | — | 2/3 |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Antino Lopez | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Stefan Frei | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Daniel Musovski | F | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ryan Sailor | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Cristian Roldán | M | 34 | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hassani Dotson | M | 23 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jordan Morris | F | 22 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Chicago Fire
| Player | Pos | Min | Rating | G | A | Shots | SoT | Key Passes | Dribbles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maren Haile-Selassie | F | 91 | 7.9 | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3/6 |
| Jack Elliott(C) | D | 91 | 7.2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Robert Lewandowski | F | 91 | 7.2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — |
| Philip Zinckernagel | F | 88 | 7.2 | — | — | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1/2 |
| Dje Tah D'Avilla | M | 91 | 7.2 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3/3 |
| Anton Salétros | M | 73 | 7.2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1/1 |
| Samuel Rogers | D | 91 | 7.0 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Andrew Gutman | D | 91 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — |
| Jonathan Dean | D | 73 | 6.6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Robin Lod | M | 63 | 6.2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chris Brady | G | 91 | 5.3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Substitutes | |||||||||
| Josh Cohen | G | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Leonardo Barroso | D | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Viktor Radojević | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sam Williams | M | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Mauricio Pineda | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Joel Waterman | D | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Puso Dithejane | F | 28 | 7.3 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1/3 |
| Sergio Oregel | M | 18 | 6.7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jonathan Bamba | F | 18 | 6.3 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |