Atlanta needs win against Fire to avoid likely elimination

Looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season, the visiting Chicago Fire face a desperate Atlanta United club in Eastern Conference play on Saturday night.

After missing the MLS Cup playoffs each season from 2018-24, Chicago (14-10-6, 48 points) has built on a 2025 campaign that saw it return to postseason action for the first time in nearly a decade. And while the Fire have firmly planted themselves in the top group of the East -- they currently hold the No. 4 spot in the conference and have already clinched a spot in the playoffs -- it's paramount they return to winning ahead of the final stretch of the regular season.

Head coach Gregg Berhalter's club has scored just one goal in back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia Union and New England Revolution, both teams Chicago could face again in the postseason.

"Against playoff teams, the margins are going to be razor-thin and we need to do a better job in our finishing attack phase, scoring the goals," Berhalter said. "And we need to do a better job in the low block phase, preventing goals."

Part of Chicago's recent lackluster offensive play has been the absence of scoring from veteran Robert Lewandowski. The 38-year-old has scored six times this season, but hasn't netted a goal in his last six games.

"A guy like him, he only needs one or two opportunities to score a goal," Berhalter said of Lewandowski. "So we need to continue to work on it as we prepare for the playoffs."

Maren Haile-Selassie leads all current Chicago players with 11 goals. Hugo Cuypers netted 13, but was transferred to CF Monterrey of Mexico's Liga MX in late July.

Atlanta (8-16-6, 30 points) is hanging onto its postseason hopes by a thread. Sitting only ahead of CF Montreal in the Eastern Conference, head coach Tata Martino's team will be eliminated from postseason contention with a loss on Saturday and a New York Red Bulls victory over Inter Miami CF.

Hindering Atlanta's chance at inching closer to a postseason spot has been its play at home. The team is 0-4-1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since its last home win on Aug. 23.

"I don't have an explanation for the difference between home and away results," Martino said. "If I had an explanation, I would share it, but I haven't found one. It's strange in a league like MLS, where home-field advantage usually has a lot of value for teams."

Miguel Almiron and Alexey Miranchuk have scored six goals apiece for Atlanta, which fell 1-0 to Chicago on April 11. Haile-Selassie scored the lone goal in the 13th minute.

--Field Level Media