Chicago Fire FC has been devoid of glory for a very long time. With just one MLS playoff appearance since 2010 and no silverware since 2006, the team is far from a favorite in the upcoming Leagues Cup. The second edition of the controversial competition, which pits all MLS and Liga MX clubs against each other in a month-long spectacle, kicks off this weekend.
Chicago had a solid performance in last year’s iteration, which was won by Lionel Messi-led Inter Miami. Could the 2024 Leagues Cup be a turning point for the ever-struggling Fire?
Fire on a Mixed Run of Form
Chicago currently sits 14th in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with 25 points from 25 matches played. The Fire are just two points clear of last-placed New England Revolution, but also only three points off the 9th playoff spot.
Over the years, the Men in Red have been the definition of mediocrity in the league, often missing out on a postseason berth by a few points. The 2024 season looked for a while like it was going to be the worst one yet – the Fire went on a nine-match winless run from mid-April to early June.
They’ve since returned to their usual standard with four wins, four losses and a draw from 2nd June onwards. In true Fire fashion, the club fell to a 1-0 defeat to the worst-performing team in MLS (San Jose Earthquakes), then went on to beat table-toppers FC Cincinnati by the same score.
Throughout this span, manager Frank Klopas couldn’t rely on team captain Xherdan Shaqiri, who left for the Swiss national team camp ahead of EURO 2024 in controversial fashion. In his absence, the prolific Hugo Cuypers, talented Brian Gutierrez and versatile Fabian Herbers have stepped up as the team’s leaders. Despite not returning to training yet, Shaqiri is in the squad for the forthcoming Leagues Cup.
How’d They Fare Last Year?
As Chicago launches its 2024 Leagues Cup campaign, it’s worth taking a look back at their last showing. The team were one of the most interesting teams to watch in the 2023 group stage, topping their group with four points.
The first match saw the Fire defeat Minnesota United 3-2 in a whirlwind clash, with all five goals coming in a 21-minute span in the second half. Chicago ensured top spot by holding Mexican side Puebla to a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, before falling 10-9 in a wild penalty shootout.
It turned out to be a round of 32 exit for the Windy City side, after a 1-0 loss to continental giants Club América. Shaqiri ended the tournament as the only Fire player to score multiple goals, netting once in either group stage game. Interestingly, Minnesota United, whom the Fire defeated in the early goings, went on to reach the quarterfinals.
A Look at This Year’s Group
In the upcoming Leagues Cup, the Fire have been drawn into group West 4 alongside fellow American side Sporting Kansas City and Deportivo Toluca of Liga MX. Chicago will contest the first two rounds of the group stage, before sitting out the final round. Sporting KC will be the first opponent on Sunday, 28th July, with that match taking place in Kansas City. After three days of rest, the Men in Red host Toluca on Thursday, 1st August in Bridgeview, Illinois.
It’s quite a favorable draw for Klopas’ side, as SKC are in the midst of a highly disappointing season. They were a playoff team last year but sit 12th in the Western Conference this year with 24 points from 26 games, a slightly worse record than the Fire have. The two clubs have met just once each season since 2021, with Chicago winning both the 2022 and 2023 matchups.
Toluca had a mixed 2023-2024 season domestically, finishing 12th in the Apertura and 3rd in the Clausura. They’ve opened the new Liga MX season with two wins and two draws, putting them 5th in the current Apertura standings. The Fire have never faced Toluca before, but have a historically poor record against Mexican teams, as evident in the 2023 Leagues Cup.
The Fire’s two group stage rivals played each other in the round of 32 last year, with Toluca coming out the winners, 4-1. The aforementioned Minnesota United would then eliminate Toluca on penalties in the last 16.
What to Expect from the Fire
It’s never been easy to predict how the Chicago Fire will do in any competition. They can beat the best teams and lose to the worst. They can average three goals a game or fail to score at all. Nonetheless, there’s a certain optimism around this year’s Leagues Cup. The focus is still primarily on the league, with the club’s stated objective being a return to the playoffs. Extending their stay in the cup, however, will get the Fire in better form prior to the resumption of league matches. A group stage exit is to be avoided at all costs.
Toluca will be a tough nut to crack, but given the competition format, a regular-time win over Sporting Kansas City should be enough to send Chicago through. A second place finish in the group would unfortunately see the Fire take on reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew in the knockout stage. The Crew have defeated the Fire twice already this season, and advanced to the knockouts automatically as league champions.
If the Fire were to top their Leagues Cup group, the likely foes in the round of 32 would be Real Salt Lake, who thumped Chicago 4-0 earlier this year. A huge test awaits regardless, so matching last year’s performance seems like a reasonable objective. Naturally, Klopas and the players will hope for more. Only time will tell whether the Fire have a miracle run in them.
Main Image: “Halftime watering (2023-06-18_10-14-03)” by John Dunlevy via Flickr