A lively East vs West battle is brewing in MLS this Saturday as playoff-chasing Chicago Fire play host to Western Conference frontrunners San Diego at Soldier Field.
Chicago Fire come into this one licking their wounds after back-to-back losses in different competitions. First, they were dumped out of the US Open Cup in extra time by Minnesota United (3-1), shortly after falling 2-1 on the road to FC Cincinnati in league play.
Back on home turf, they’ll be desperate to steady the ship, but it hasn't exactly been a fortress. While they did grab a win in their last match at Soldier Field, it was just their second MLS home victory in nine attempts. The rest reads: four draws, three defeats, and just two goals scored across those losses.
Under Gregg Berhalter, there's no shortage of excitement, especially in end-to-end clashes but turning that into consistent home results has proven elusive. Sitting ninth in the East with 28 points, Chicago cling to a slim lead over 10th-placed Charlotte as the playoff race tightens.
San Diego, meanwhile, are looking to bounce back after a wild 4-3 loss to Houston Dynamo ended their four-game MLS winning run. Despite leading twice, Mikey Varas’ men let it slip with a gut-punch of a goal in the 100th minute.
Still, it was only a minor setback. San Diego remain perched atop the Western Conference and arrive in the Windy City riding a three-match winning streak away from home, momentum they'll be keen to carry into Soldier Field.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
How to watch Chicago Fire FC vs San Diego FC online - TV channels & live streams
 | Apple TV | Watch here |
In the United States (US) and worldwide, the MLS match between Chicago Fire FC and San Diego FC will be available to watch and stream online live on Apple TV, through the MLS Season Pass.
Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
Chicago Fire FC vs San Diego FC kick-off time
The MLS match between Chicago Fire FC and San Diego FC will be played at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
It will kick off at 5:30 pm PT / 8:30 pm ET on Saturday, July 12, in the US.
Team news & squads
Chicago Fire FC vs San Diego FC lineups
4-3-3
Formation
4-3-3
SDICHI-Line up
CHISubstitutes
Manager
G. Berhalter
SDI-Line up
SDISubstitutes
Manager
M. Varas
Injuries and Suspended players
Injuries and Suspensions
- No sidelined players
Injuries and Suspensions
- No sidelined players
Chicago Fire FC team news
Team news is a mixed bag. Chicago will be without Justin Reynolds (head injury) and Chris Mueller, who's still away on personal leave. They'll also miss Christopher Cupps, Carlos Teran, Rominigue Kouame, Kellyn Acosta and David Poreba, all sidelined with various knocks.
San Diego FC team news
On the flip side, San Diego's injury woes are easing. While Anisse Saidi, Marcus Ingvartsen, Hamady Diop and William Kumado are still unavailable, they've welcomed back Andres Reyes, Hirving Lozano and Patrick McNair. Milan Iloski, fresh off scoring in the Houston thriller, is set to lead the line again.
Form
CHI-Form
CHIMinnesota United
3
-
1
Chicago Fire FC
L
FC Cincinnati
2
-
1
Chicago Fire FC
L
Chicago Fire FC
3
-
2
Charlotte FC
W
Chicago Fire FC
0
-
1
Philadelphia Union
L
Chicago Fire FC
0
-
2
Nashville SC
L
- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 5/10
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 3/5
- Both teams scored
- 3/5
SDI-Form
SDISan Diego FC
3
-
4
Houston Dynamo FC
L
FC Dallas
2
-
3
San Diego FC
W
Vancouver Whitecaps
3
-
5
San Diego FC
W
Minnesota United
2
-
4
San Diego FC
W
San Diego FC
2
-
0
Austin FC
W
- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 17/11
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 4/5
- Both teams scored
- 4/5