The Chicago Fire will face the New England Revolution on Aug. 18 at Toyota Park. This will be their second game with the Revolution for the 2012 MLS season. Since New England is currently ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference and has lost 12 games at this point, I hope the Fire can earn an easy three points.
A Second Meeting with the New England Revolution for 2012
The Chicago Fire lost to the New England Revolution 2-0 during their first meeting of 2012 on June 2. This was an away game that still included Sebastian Grazzini, and Chicago has made several roster changes since June. The addition of Sherjill MacDonald and Alvaro Fernandez could have a positive impact on Aug. 18 as the teams meet for the second time this season.
No Update on Logan Pause
Logan Pause was injured at the Aug. 12 match with the Philadelphia Union. The Chicago Fire confirmed that he suffered a rib injury, but there have not been any recent updates. It is not known if Pause will be able to participate in the Aug. 18 game against the New England Revolution.
International Friendlies for Chicago Fire Players
Several Chicago Fire players have been called up for international friendly matches this week. Sean Johnson will travel with the U.S. national team to face Mexico on Aug. 15. Meanwhile, Marco Pappa will face Paraguay with the Guatemalan team on Aug. 15. Orr Barouch will be in Russia with the Israeli team on Aug. 15 in another friendly. The Chicago Fire have confirmed that Barouch will not be able to attend the Aug. 18 game, but both Pappa and Johnson should be available.
The New England Revolution's Recent Loss
The New England Revolution lost to the Montreal Impact on Aug. 12 with a final score of 1-0. The Revolution currently have a streak of five losses. The score could have been higher without New England's goalie Matt Reis. The Chicago Fire need to continue to earn three points at every match to remain in playoff contention while the New England Revolution may simply want to break its losing streak.
More from this contributor:
MLS Plans to Search for Referees in the Premier League: Fan View
Why MLS Will Continue to Compete for Players with China: Fan View
MLS Expansion Possibilities in 2012: Fan View
Lana follows MLS, UEFA and FIFA. She has been a faithful fan of the Chicago Fire since 1998. Follow @Lana_Bandoim on Twitter.
