Chicago Fire vs D.C. United Prediction, Preview, And Odds - 7/21/21

The Chicago Fire are coming off an embarrassing 5-1 loss to Nashville on Saturday. Chicago Fire's backline gave up the quickest hat trick in MLS history to Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar in the loss. Chicago dropped to 3-2-8 and 11 points with a -9 goal difference following the loss. The Fire are 12th in the Eastern Conference. The Chicago Fire will play without Stanislav Ivanov, Kenneth Kronholm, Carlos Teran, and Francisco Calvo due to injuries or international duty.

DC United is coming off a 2-1 loss on the road Saturday to Philadelphia Union. Philadelphia opened the scoring in the 11th minute and DC United scored an equalizer off the foot of Yamil Asad from the spot in the 51st minute but DC allowed a winner by Philadelphia in the 83rd minute. DC United is ninth in the Eastern Conference standings at 5-1-7, 16 points, and a +2 goal difference. On Wednesday, DC United will play without Erik Songa, Edison Flores, Brendan Hines-Ike, Paul Arriola and Donovan Pines.

Chicago’s Back Line Giving up too much

Chicago is 12th in the Eastern Conference standings and much of the Fire’s problems this season have been keeping the ball out of their own net. On Saturday Chicago gave up five goals to Nashville and earlier allowed three goals to Philadelphia Union. Chicago's backline has allowed 21 goals this season through 13 matches for an average of 1.62 goals per match. Bobby Shuttleworth has been in net for each of Chicago's first 13 matches and has allowed each of the 21 goals.

Chicago is scoring an average of only 1.00 goals per match and its forwards and strikers cannot keep pace with the goals the backline are giving up. Chicago has two wins, one draw, and two losses in the last five matches and has been outscored 10-8 over that period. Luka Stojanovic and Ignacio Aliseda are the leading goal scorers for Chicago this season with three each and Alvaro Medran is leading Chicago in assists with five.

DC United Finding the Net Again

DC United lost its most recent outing on Saturday 2-1 to Philadelphia Union but prior to that routed Toronto 7-1 at home. DC's frontline is scoring an average of 1.46 goals per match this season. DC is averaging 3.00 goals per match over its last three matches played. The leading goal scorer this season for DC United has been Ola Kamara with five and three players have each scored two. Adrien Perez, Andy Najar, and Junior Moreno have two assists each.

The DC United backline and goalkeepers are allowing an average of 1.00 goals per match. DC United has had three keepers in net this season. Bill Hamid has seen the most action in goal for DC United with six matches played and five goals allowed. The DC United backline has posted four clean sheets this season and the DC attack has been held scoreless four times as well.

Full game pick

Chicago Fire +110

Pick Analysis:

Chicago Fire is coming off a disappointing 5-1 loss to Nashville, but prior to that loss the Fire scored three goals in each of its previous three matches all of which were at home resulting in two victories and one draw. Chicago Fire has scored 12 of its 14 goals this season at home. DC United has two losses and one draw in its most recent three matches on the road. DC is scoring an average of just 1.00 goals per match on the road and three of the six goals it’s scored away from home were in one match.

Full game total prediction: Your Over/Under prediction

Over

Full game total prediction analysis:

Each of DC United's last three matches have finished over the 2.5 goals threshold with three goals scored in two and eight in the third. The total has finished over in each of Chicago's last four matches played with an average of 5.00 goals scored per match.

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Kevin Vallego

Kevin grew up in a sports-only household. Every afternoon was set to watching any sport that was on T.V. After years of watching sports he got introduced to the betting world, and soon stats, trends, and odds were Kevin's best friends. Now, almost 2 decades later, His life revolves around sports, writing about them, and betting on them. We are glad to have Kevin on our Winners & Whiners & StatSalt teams and you should be happy that we have him as well.