Chicago Fire vs. FC Cincinnati Prediction, Preview, and Odds - 6/23/21
The two worst teams in the MLS will square off on Wednesday night when Chicago hosts FC Cincinnati. Both clubs have dropped their last two games and are tied at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with just four points. This match marks the beginning of a four-game homestand for Chicago.
Cincinnati looking for win No. 2
FC Cincinnati has been a major disappointment this season, particularly because it is debuting a brand new stadium. It featured a sellout crowd in its last match, but the club came up short in a 2-0 loss to Colorado. Its lone win this season came in a 2-1 road win at Montreal on May 22. Outside of that, it has been a season full of losses for the team at the cellar of the Eastern Conference. Cincinnati will be particularly disappointed with Saturday’s loss, as it outshot Colorado 22-7 and had better passing numbers.
However, Cincinnati was unable to net a goal yet again. It has only scored six total goals all season, despite getting some nice chances over the last few matches. Goalkeeping was an issue last week, as Colorado scored on its two lone shots on target. Edgar Castillo was making his first start of the season. Cincinnati striker Franko Kovacevic was doubtful for the last match with a muscle injury, but he wound up playing eight minutes as a substitute. Gustavo Vallecilla played the entire first half last weekend after the club was able to work through a visa problem.
Chicago continues to struggle
Chicago is in the midst of another frustrating campaign. The Fire had tallied just six points at this stage of last season and has two less this time around. They are beginning a four-game homestand now, though, so they will be hoping to take advantage. Chicago dropped a 2-0 final to Columbus over the weekend, but it was another statistical anomaly. The Fire were able to tally 15 shots and held a 60-40 edge in possession, but they could not finish in the key moments. They conceded a pair of goals to the defending champions.
The Fire have lost six of their eight matches this season and is only ahead of Cincinnati at the bottom of the table due to goal differential. They are currently in dead-last in ESPN’s latest MLS power rankings. Robert Beric and Luka Stojanovic are the only two players who have scored for Chicago in 2021. They were both substitutes against Columbus after coming off a long layoff from the international break. Both players are expected to be back in the starting lineup on Wednesday. Backup goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm is still out after suffering a knee injury, while Stanislav Ivanov is out after undergoing knee surgery.
Pick: (Chicago -140)
Chicago is the rightful home favorite on Wednesday night. While both teams have had similar struggles finishing in the box, the Fire are getting several key pieces back in their lineup for this match. In fact, Beric and Stojanovic are the only players who have scored for them this season, so it should be a huge boost. Cincinnati has been unable to come through in front of sold-out crowds at home, which gives me zero confidence that things are going to change on the road. It simply does not have players capable of putting the ball in the net right now.
Total: (Under 3)
This total has already seen some line movement towards the under after it opened at 3.5, but I think the value is still on the under even at the current price. These teams have really struggled to score of late, even when they are getting good looks. I expect a little more out of Chicago’s offense now that it has its top two scorers back, but Cincinnati’s offense does not inspire confidence. It has been unable to come through in front of its home crowd and is going to see similar struggles on the road. I am expecting a low-scoring game that ends in a 1-0 or 2-0 final.
