The Fire, fresh off of its 1-0 victory over Mexican team San Luis in the SuperLiga tournament opener, get right back at it Tuesday night when it continues SuperLiga play against fellow MLS club Chivas USA.
With a win, the Fire — tied for first in SuperLiga’s Group B after the first round — can virtually clinch a place in the next round. Chivas USA’s chances of qualification don’t look so rosy. The L.A. side is tied for last in Group A after losing 2-1 to Mexican team Tigres UANL on Saturday night.
The Fire was able to get the best of Chivas USA in the teams’ previous meeting, defeating the MLS leaders 3-2 on May 28 on the road.
Here are a couple of things to consider heading into Tuesday’s match:
Expect a battle. The May 28 match saw 28 fouls called, three penalty kicks awarded and 11 cards given. In a word, the match was a dogfight. Expect more of the same from two physical teams that certainly had no love lost for each other.
A Fire win equals SuperLiga security. A win would not only afford the Fire some security but it would also give coach Denis Hamlett an opportunity to give some of his regulars a break for Saturday night’s match against Tigres.
That being said, the Fire is by no means looking past Chivas.
“It’s another good test for us in terms of playing against a good team,” Hamlett said. “Obviously, for us it will be a great opportunity to get a good result and put ourselves in a good position.”
