FRISCO, Texas - When the Chicago Fire and FC Dallas meet Sunday afternoon at Toyota Park to settle the latest installment of the Brimstone Cup, it won't be the only thing on the line as both sides are looking to make a final push into the MLS Cup Playoffs. For the Fire, that means improving on their current third place standing in the Eastern Conference, but for the Hoops, it means getting back into the playoff picture, where FCD currently sits three points short.
Neither team has fared well of late. Chicago is just 2-3-0 in their last five matches and comes off a 2-0 loss at Colorado last Sunday. The Men in Red have failed to score in four of their last eight matches.
FCD also isn't inspiring confidence with their recent form. The Hoops haven't won since Aug. 3 at Toronto FC and are 0-4-2 since. Last Saturday, they scored first for the fourth time in five games but had to settle for a 2-2 tie with D.C. United at RFK Stadium.
The Hoops will take the field without captain and center back Duilio Davino, a former teammate of Fire superstar Cuauhtemoc Blanco at Club America, for the sixth consecutive game. Versatile Aaron Pitchkolan has done well in his absence. FCD's Drew Moor will return alongside Pitchkolan after missing last week's match due to yellow card accumulation.
Adrian Serioux is back to full fitness and should return to right back. Pablo Ricchetti, who started the last few games at center back, will likely move back to his normal spot as the holding midfielder.
FCD has won four of their last six trips to the Windy City but the Hoops know Sunday's affair figures to be hard-fought.
"They're a good team," head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "They had a disappointing result against Colorado on the road. Blanco is an extremely dangerous player and (Brian) McBride is a strong, experienced player. With (Chris) Rolfe up front, they have some very strong players that we've seen. Now what we have to do is worry about ourselves, do the types of things we need to do, score goals, defend well and limit the number of goals. It's going to be a good, challenging game for us. We're hoping to put our better players on the field."
If FCD is going to come away victorious, they must find a way past the league's top defense, as the Fire have allowed just 20 goals in 24 matches.
"It's a must-win game for both teams," said forward Jeff Cunningham. "We're not concerned with who they play. It's going to be a battle and we're going to go and compete for 90-plus minutes. Hopefully, we can come away with three points. I'm not concerned with who they have. Chicago is a good team and playing at home, they're a difficult team to play at their place. It's going to be a battle and a difficult match for us."
The sides last met on June 15 at Pizza Hut Park and the Hoops prevailed 1-0 thanks to a 17th-minute goal by Kenny Cooper. A win or tie by FCD means the Brimstone Cup would reside in the Lone Star State for a seventh year in a row. "Chicago is a place that we've done well. We played them well down here a few months ago. We know they have some dangerous players but right now, we've got to worry about ourselves," Moor said. "We don't need to worry about how they play or who we're going to be matched up against. We need three points, bottom line. No matter how ugly or pretty it is, it's time to start getting three points on the road and at home to see what we can do with ourselves."
Cunningham will have a little extra inspiration on Sunday. Earlier in the week, he and his wife celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter.
"Oh yeah, the baby is depending on me to do well," he said. "It will be great to go out, get three points, maybe score a goal and have a celebration for her. I'm excited. I feel like life is smiling on me right now. Everything is great and when you're happy, it carries over onto the pitch. Hopefully, I can have a good match and we can get a win."
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