D.C. United vs. Chicago Fire staff and reader predictions

If it feels like you've read a lot of our predictions for D.C. United games lately, that's because you have, and MLS schedules are often the worst, etc., etc.

Yet here we are once again, so let's get to predicting. Don't forget to vote in the poll at the bottom, by the way—there'll be a different one each week moving forward.

blazindw

Last weekend, Chicago won a road game for the first time since 2014 against Montreal, the team we just drew on the road. What does this mean? Means Chicago is awful on the road (they're bad in general too) but we cannot let them use any confidence they gained from last week to give them a road winning streak. This is a game we should win, have no business losing, and all those other sayings you use to describe a game where one team is clearly better than the other. Give me 2-0 United, goals by Igboananike and Kemp.

Adam Taylor

The Chicago Fire aren't a good team, and I expect that to show when D.C. United runs out their starters Saturday night at RFK Stadium. United puts the pressure on early and Luciano Acosta finds himself with a couple first-half assists on goals by Patrick Mullins and Patrick Nyarko (who goes some short way toward making up for his recent finishing woes). Chicago finds a goal after halftime through John Goosens, but United keep a two-goal margin thanks to Steve Birnbaum and some set piece magic. 3-1 to the good guys.

BlasianSays

On the surface, Chicago's home draw with Los Angeles on Wednesday would look like a big deal, and cause United fans to worry that Chicago is hitting some kind of form. Instead, DCU fans should consider that Chicago played against a Galaxy team that was entirely without Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard, Nigel de Jong, and Brian Rowe, and had Giovani dos Santos for just half an hour, and they could only muster a 2-2 draw. D.C. should win this game, and I think they will. 2-0 United with goals from Patrick Mullins and Lloyd Sam, and Lamar Neagle will not be making an appearance.

ChestRockwell

Chicago is going to sit deep for long spells, forcing United to break them down. Fortunately, the combination of Acosta and Mullins should be able to move enough Fire players around to create some openings against a tired Fire team that doesn't have the depth to rotate properly. It will take a while, though, with a bit of discontent in the stands as halftime finds the score 0-0. However, United will come out and pressure the Fire into a mistake, with Mullins burying the ensuing chance early in the second half. Both teams will exchange chances before Lloyd Sam gets his first goal for the Black-and-Red to settle the game with about 10 minutes to play. 2-0 United.

Leanne Elston

There's no reason United should lose, or even draw, this game. As has been said, the Fire are not good, especially on the road, while the Black-and-Red have been (somewhat) enjoying a (somewhat) strong string of performances. This one is three points for the home side, a comfortable 2-0 with goals from Mullins and Acosta.

Let us know your predictions in the comments, and while you're at it, here's a quick poll for you (Marcelo is currently on 11 yellows, if you're wondering):