The Chicago Fire are gearing up to host the New England Revolution in a critical MLS Eastern Conference match with significant playoff implications. Chicago, positioned slightly above New England in the standings, aims to solidify its playoff spot, while New England seeks a vital road win to keep its postseason dreams alive. Key players like Philip Zinckernagel for Chicago and Carles Gil for New England will be central to their teams’ strategies. The article delves into both teams’ recent form, highlighting Chicago’s strong home record and New England’s resilience on the road. With Opta predicting a Chicago victory, the match promises high stakes and intense competition.
The Chicago Fire are set to ignite Soldier Field as they welcome the New England Revolution in a pivotal Eastern Conference showdown. Both teams are desperate for points as they jostle for playoff positioning, making this a high-stakes encounter with significant implications for their postseason aspirations.
New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner believes their tactical approach to matches has been strong, despite their poor form of late. The Revolution have won just two MLS matches since the start of June, but both victories have come in their last four games. They fell to a late 2-1 defeat to Charlotte FC, who have won their last eight MLS games, last time out, but did well to keep Wilfried Zaha quiet in Pep Biel’s absence.
Turner remained adamant that their tactical plan was effective, but admitted they need to start games on the front foot more often. “It was amazing. Our tactical game plan was spot on, as it has been for most of the games since I’ve been here, and guys made plays,” said Turner after the Charlotte loss. “I think, if I could be critical of ourselves, we were a little slow at times building out from the back. I think in the second half, we were a lot more direct, and that caused [Charlotte] so many problems. Some of our players up top winning first and second duels and getting in behind them caused them a lot of problems. In the first half, it just took us a little bit of time to sort of get going. And if I had the cure for that, I think I’d be a billionaire. So, I think it just took us a little time to get going. We were a bit on the back foot, and the goal that they scored sort of woke us up a little bit. And for the rest of the game, it felt like only we were the ones that were going to score.”
#NFL season is back! Football vs fútbol! #NERevs #FootballIsBack pic.twitter.com/L5GEUnAb3I
— New England Revolution (@NERevolution) September 4, 2025
The Revs, currently sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference with 31 points, are desperate to close the gap on the playoff contenders. A victory against Chicago is crucial to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. They sit nine points behind ninth-placed New York Red Bulls.
On the other side, the Chicago Fire are aiming to solidify their position in the playoff race. Currently, one position and eight points above the Revolution, a win would significantly boost their chances of securing a postseason berth and potentially extinguish New England's hopes.
All eyes will be on the key players who could dictate the outcome of this crucial match:
Chicago Fire – Philip Zinckernagel: Zinckernagel has been a revelation for the Fire this season, racking up an impressive 11 goals and 12 assists in 25 MLS games. His ability to both score and create makes him a constant threat to opposing defenses. He has recorded multiple goal contributions in eight different league matches this season, the most such games in a single season in Fire history. Only three other players have eight or more such games this season – Anders Dreyer (nine), Evander (nine) and Lionel Messi (eight).
New England Revolution – Carles Gil: Gil remains the driving force behind the Revolution's attack. With nine goals and 10 assists to his name this season, the Spaniard's creativity and vision are vital to New England's offensive efforts. He has either scored or assisted in three of the Revolution’s five games since the All-Star break, scoring once and registering three assists in that time.
Chicago have collected seven points over their last three home matches, most recently with a 3-2 win over St. Louis City SC. A win on Saturday would give the Fire 10 points over a span of four home games within a single season for the first time since September-October 2020.
However, New England have earned five of their eight MLS wins on the road this season. The last time the Revolution recorded more road wins than home victories in a campaign was 2020, which was the first and only time in club history.
New England are also unbeaten in their last 12 regular-season matches against Chicago (W4 D8), though the Fire did beat the Revolution 3-1 in their lone meeting in 2025 in a US Open Cup match.
In their last six league matches, Chicago have won three, drawn two and lost one. New England, meanwhile, have won two and lost four in their last six.
The Opta Win Probability favors Chicago Fire with 52.5%, while a draw is at 24.2% and a New England Revolution win at 23.2%.
The stage is set for a captivating encounter between two Eastern Conference rivals battling for playoff survival. Will the Chicago Fire extend their home form, or can the New England Revolution defy the odds and secure a vital road victory? The answer will unfold on the pitch as these two teams leave it all on the line.