New York Red Bulls vs. Chicago Fire Prediction, Preview and Odds -5/1/21
A pair of MLS teams off to frustrating starts in 2021 will tango on Saturday afternoon when New York hosts Chicago. The Fire scored two goals in the first 11 minutes of their season opener before settling for a draw and they were blown out by Atlanta last week. New York blew a second-half lead against Sporting Kansas City and lost a 3-2 thriller to Los Angeles in its second match.
Chicago not on Fire
Chicago finds itself near the bottom of most MLS power rankings after a sluggish start to the season. The Fire scored two goals in their first 11 minutes of 2021 action, but New England scored two unanswered down the stretch to pull out a draw during the first weekend of the season. Last week’s loss was a little more straightforward, as Atlanta United notched a dominant 3-1 win at home. Chicago is dealing with multiple injuries right now, including midfielder Stanislav Ivanov, attack Fabian Herbers, Kenneth Kronholm and Carlos Teran. Miguel Navarro and Ignacio Aliseda are both doubtful after missing the first two matches.
The Fire missed the playoffs by just a single point last season, but it appears to be in more trouble this year. They have not won a road match since a 5-2 season-ending victory over Orlando City in 2019. Coach Raphael Wicky will be determined to end that skid as soon as possible. Luke Stojanovic has scored goals in both matches this season. He could become the first Chicago player to score in three straight matches to open the season since 2011 if he finds the net on Saturday. Last season’s leading scorer Robert Beric is expected to make the start up front in this match.
New York struggling with consistency
New York is off to a frustrating start in 2021. The Red Bulls led by a goal in the second half of their season-opener against Sporting Kansas City, but they allowed a pair of goals in back-to-back minutes in the second half. They were unable to bounce back last week, as the Galaxy got a hat trick from Javier Hernandez (Chicharito) in a 3-2 final. New York will be looking to continue its historic success against Chicago on Saturday. The Red Bulls have only lost two of their last 12 matches in the series and have won four of the five that have been played at Red Bull Arena during that time.
They have scored at least one goal in their last seven home matches against the Fire. New York has not started the season with three straight losses since 1998, so it will be important to avoid that feat on Saturday. The Red Bulls signed midfielder Frankie Amaya from FC Cincinnati earlier in April and he could make a start in this match after coming in as a sub last week. Amaya was the first overall pick in the 2019 draft. Defender Jason Pendant is going to be out again with a shoulder injury. Tom Edwards and Patryk Klimala are both questionable due to COVID-19 quarantine.
Spread (New York +115)
New York is a solid play at plus-money on Saturday. The Red Bulls have dominated this series since 2015, particularly when they are playing at home. Chicago has been one of the worst road teams in the MLS and is coming off a beatdown loss on the road last week. This is not a good scheduling spot for the Fire, because they are playing back-to-back road matches. New York’s attack should get a nice boost from Amaya if he winds up making the start. The Red Bulls are the better team, have historic success to lean back on and are playing at home, so they are the bet to win at +115.
Total (Over 2.75)
New York has generally been a team that relies on its defense to win matches, but that mold is crumbling before our eyes. The Red Bulls have not been able to slow teams down defensively through their first two matches. Now, they are without a key defender and should be inserting a shiny offensive weapon into the lineup. Both of those moves are going to lead to higher-scoring matches. Chicago has been able to find the net in both of its games this season and is certainly capable of doing so against what has been a lackluster defense. This is a low total that could cash in the first half alone.
