After seven months, 30 regular-season games and one playoff contest, the Fire’s season comes down to this: Chicago must outscore the New England Revolution by two tallies Saturday at Toyota Park to advance to the MLS Eastern Conference finals.
“Now it’s our turn to go home and take care of business,” Fire coach Denis Hamlett told mlsnet.com after a 2-1 loss in the opener of the two-game, total-goals series. (If the Fire win by one goal, that sends the game into an overtime tiebreaker.)
Here are some more important digits heading into Saturday’s showdown.
5
Consecutive postseasons the Fire have met the Revolution.
1-1 and 0-0
Scores of the two regular-season games between the two teams.
114
Number of saves this season by Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis, best in MLS.
7
Number of goals this season for Chicago’s leading scorer, Brian McBride.
20,000
Approximate number of seats at Toyota Park, all of which are expected to be filled Saturday.
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five on one
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The topic: Baseball season is over. What are your withdrawal symptoms?
Tracy Swartz: Like Jose Canseco, my baseball-fueled withdrawal resembles a need for speed.
Ernest Wilkins: It’s gotten so bad that I’m actually watching the Sox’s AA league to get my fix. I see you, John Ely!
Supriya Doshi: What withdrawal? I stopped paying attention months ago.
Brian Moore: An irrational attraction to the NBA regular season. Bleech.
Michael Hines: Feelings of agitation and paranoia. … No, wait, those are symptoms of Bears season.
Watch dog
WHIZZER
Here’s what I’m watching this weekend.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Ohio State at Penn State
2:30 p.m. Saturday, ABC
MLS PLAYOFFS
Fire vs. New England
Game 2: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Fox Soccer
NBA
Bulls vs. Charlotte
7 p.m. Saturday, WGN
NFL
Bears vs. Arizona
Noon Sunday, Fox
