Colorado Rapids vs Chicago Fire
Match details. MLS, Regular Season - 33. Kick-off is Sun 1 Nov, 02:30 Lagos time. It is played at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Trade City. The referee is Malik Badawi.
What's at stake. Colorado Rapids are 7th on 43 points after 32 games, 4 points behind Los Angeles FC, level on points with Seattle Sounders. Chicago Fire are 5th on 52 points after 32 games, 1 point behind Charlotte, 5 points clear of Philadelphia Union. A win would take them above Charlotte.
Team news. Colorado Rapids are without J. Atencio (yellow cards), Z. Steffen (shoulder injury), K. Thompson (red card), R. Cannon (leg injury), A. Fadal (injury), Y. Maziz (leg injury). Chicago Fire are without R. Lod (lower-body injury), S. Rogers (lower-body injury), R. Lod (lower-body injury), S. Rogers (lower-body injury).
Form. Colorado Rapids have won two, drawn six and lost two of their last ten, 1.2 points a game. Their last five, newest first: D W D D D. In this competition Colorado Rapids have gone D W D D D L. Chicago Fire have won four, drawn two and lost four of their last ten, 1.4 points a game. Their last five, newest first: D W L L W. In this competition Chicago Fire have gone D W L L W W.
The numbers. Colorado Rapids score 1.6 and concede 1.2 a game in their last five at home, with two clean sheets. Colorado Rapids average 13.6 shots (5.4 on target), 5.4 corners and 3.0 cards a game, with 57% of the ball. Chicago Fire score 1.4 and concede 1.6 a game over their last ten, with one clean sheet and two games without a goal. Chicago Fire average 15.6 shots (4.9 on target), 4.9 corners and 3.0 cards a game, with 53% of the ball.
Head to head. In the last eight meetings Colorado Rapids have won three, drawn two and lost three. Five of the eight went over 2.5 goals and both teams scored in four. In the last four, Colorado Rapids won one, one was drawn and Chicago Fire won two. The last time they met, on 20 Apr 2019, it finished Colorado Rapids 1-4 Chicago Fire: Colorado Rapids had 9 shots to 13, 54% of the ball, two yellow cards.
Where it pulls both ways. On goals, their goals for and against point to a tight game; their records put over 2.5 goals at 59%; five of the last eight meetings went over 2.5.
The case against. Chicago Fire's record still gives them 26% to win. The meetings do not back them. Not everything agrees on goals: their goals for and against point to a tight game.
The read. Colorado Rapids to win. An open game. Chicago Fire are the stronger side on form and the table; the meetings favour Chicago Fire. Their records put over 2.5 goals at 59%. Five of the last eight meetings went over 2.5.
The bets. No bet yet: nothing I'd back is priced yet. Leave: Colorado Rapids 1UP (the signs point different ways); Under 4.5 Goals (Colorado Rapids are a clear winner, no Unders); Colorado Rapids Over 1.5 goals (Colorado Rapids's own games don't back it (2 of 5)). Predicted score: Colorado Rapids 2-1 Chicago Fire (8% chance).
Every score's chance from both teams' checked games, never cut or rescaled. The lit square is the likeliest score that fits the read (the call and an open game).