Bradley Carnell warned that Chicago Fire's strong away record and structured defending will make them a difficult opponent for Philadelphia Union. Chicago have won seven away games and conceded the third-fewest expected goals against over their last 10 matches. Philadelphia arrive after a 1-0 defeat to New York Red Bulls that ended a five-game unbeaten MLS run and featured a missed Bruno Damiani penalty. Chicago beat St. Louis City SC 3-2 with an 87th-minute winner from Brian Gutierrez and are unbeaten in five league matches. Chicago strengthened by signing defender Joel Waterman from CF Montreal to boost their playoff push.
They [Chicago] have to try and impose their way at home, whereas they can hand over the responsibility to the home team when they are travelling. They have a strict, rigid structure when they are defending and that's always difficult to break down. In the last 10 games they have given up the third-least expected goals against (xGA).
That's just behind us, so they are going less than a goal a game expected in the last 10. They are doing things right and a lot of that starts with the away form and the way they are set up. They are not easy to break down with the way they defend. It is never easy anyway, but I think against Gregg's [Berhalter] teams they always have great quality in the final third.
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