Chicago Fire host Philadelphia Union at SeatGeek Stadium on November 1, 2025, in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference Round One best-of-three playoff series. Here is the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One match between the Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia preview, team news, recent form, head-to-head stats, predicted lineups, key player insights, and expert match prediction.
The Fire trail 0-1 in the series after a dramatic 2-2 draw on Sunday at Subaru Park, where Philadelphia edged them 4-2 in a penalty shootout to claim a crucial advantage.
Chicago staged an impressive comeback from 2-0 down to level the match through a strong second-half performance, but fell short in the shootout as the Supporters’ Shield-winning Union held their nerve.
The Fire are on the brink of elimination and need a win to push the series to Game 3 on November 8, while Philadelphia looks to clinch their spot in the Conference Semifinals with a victory and finish the playoff sweep.
Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia Union Match Information, Prediction, H2H, and Where to Watch
Match Info
Competition: Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs – Eastern Conference Round One (Best-of-3, Game 2)
Date: Saturday, November 1, 2025
Kick-off Time: 5:30 PM ET / 2:30 PM PT / 10:30 PM UTC / 4:00 AM IST (Sunday)
Venue: SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, Illinois
Series Status: Philadelphia Union lead 1-0
Series Decider: If necessary, Game 3 will be held at Subaru Park, Philadelphia, on November 8
TV Coverage: MLS Season Pass (Apple TV), FOX Sports App
Philadelphia earned a crucial victory in Game 1 despite Chicago’s extraordinary fightback from two goals down. The Supporters’ Shield winners built a 2-0 lead through Indiana Vassilev and Mikael Uhre, controlling the match with their superior technical quality and pressing.
However, Chicago’s resilience nearly carried them through as they equalized dramatically, only to see goalkeeper Andre Blake make crucial saves in the penalty shootout to secure a 4-2 victory.
Philadelphia finished the regular season on 66 points (20W-7L-6D), winning their first Supporters’ Shield since 2020 under new manager Bradley Carnell.
Chicago made their first playoff appearance since 2017, advancing through the Wild Card round with a 3-1 victory over Orlando City to secure their place.
The Fire gave Philadelphia a tough challenge despite being the No. 8 seed, highlighting their strong attack with 68 regular-season goals—the second-most among Eastern Conference playoff teams.
Gregg Berhalter’s squad faces a defensive challenge, having allowed at least one goal in their last eight games against the Union, and will rely on their offense to step up at home.
Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia Union Last 5 Matches Form:
| Chicago Fire | Philadelphia Union |
|---|---|
| L – Philadelphia 2-2 Chicago (Playoff Game 1, PK 4-2) | W – Philadelphia 2-2 Chicago (Playoff Game 1, PK 4-2) |
| W – Chicago 3-1 Orlando City (Wild Card) | W – Philadelphia 1-0 NYCFC |
| L – Chicago 1-2 Orlando City | W – Philadelphia 2-1 San Jose |
| W – Chicago 3-1 Houston Dynamo | W – Philadelphia 3-0 Inter Miami |
| L – Chicago 0-3 LAFC | W – Philadelphia 1-0 Atlanta United |
Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia Union Head to Head
Philadelphia holds a strong psychological edge, having won the last three consecutive meetings against Chicago and further cementing their head-to-head dominance.
In the overall series, the Union have secured 18 wins out of 41 matches, while Chicago has managed 13 victories with 10 ending in draws.
Chicago’s last clean sheet against Philadelphia dates back several years, highlighting the Union’s attacking potency against the Fire.
| Matches Played | Chicago Wins | Philadelphia Wins | Draws | Chicago Goals | Philadelphia Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 13 | 18 | 10 | 50+ | 55+ |
Recent Meetings – Philadelphia 2-2 Chicago (Oct 26, playoff), Regular season 2-0 and 1-2 in favor of Philadelphia
Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia Union Current Team News
Chicago Fire Team News
Gregg Berhalter has no major new injury concerns ahead of Game 2, though defensive captain Rafael Czichos and midfielder Gastón Giménez must maintain their concentration after the defensive errors in Game 1.
Forward Kacper Przybylko, who scored crucial goals in the Wild Card round, will be pivotal if Chicago are to secure a victory.
Goalkeeper Petr Čech remains steady between the posts, while midfielder Mauricio Pineda provides defensive midfield support and set-piece delivery. Striker Santiago Moreno will lead the attacking line with support from wingers Jhon Durán and Chris Mueller.
Philadelphia Union Team News
Bradley Carnell’s championship team will be buoyed by their Game 1 victory, particularly goalkeeper Andre Blake’s heroic performance in the penalty shootout.
Midfielder Danilo Arrudo remains a creative force alongside Bruno Damiani, while fullbacks Olivier Mbaizo and Jakob Glesnes provide attacking width and defensive solidity.
Star striker Mikael Uhre continues to lead the attacking line with support from Indiana Vassilev and veteran striker Tai Baribo. The Union have an excellent injury record with no significant absences ahead of Saturday’s crucial playoff clash.
Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia Union Starting Lineups
Chicago Fire Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)
- Brady; Waterman, Elliott, Rogers; Dean, Kouame, D’Avilla, Gutman; Haile-Selassie, Cuypers, Bamba
Philadelphia Union Predicted XI (4-3-3)
- Blake; Westfield, Glesnes, Makhanya, Wagner; Vassilev, Lukic, Jean-Jacques, Iloski; Boribo, Uhre
Key Players
Chicago Fire
- Hugo Cuypers (Forward) – Belgian striker, Designated Player, primary goal scorer leading the attack with 19 goals.
- Brian Gutiérrez (Midfielder) – Young American midfielder with 10 goals and 6 assists in 2025, crucial creative force for Chicago.
- Andrew Gutman (Defender) – Left-back providing width and attacking support with 3 goals and 10 assists.
Philadelphia Union
- Mikael Uhre (Forward) – Danish striker scored in Game 1 and is the Union’s primary goal threat; must continue his sharp finishing.
- Andre Blake (Goalkeeper) – Reigning Goalkeeper of the Year; his exceptional shot-stopping and distribution are crucial to Philadelphia’s defensive organization
- Jakob Glesnes (Defender) – Experienced Norwegian center-back provides leadership and clean sheet mentality in the Union’s backline
Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia Union Match Prediction
Philadelphia is the clear favorites to finish the playoff sweep and move on to the Conference Semifinals, but Chicago’s impressive Game 1 comeback shows they can challenge the Supporters’ Shield winners.
The Union’s technical skill, playoff experience, and solid defense under Carnell give them the edge. However, Chicago’s strong home advantage and attacking firepower—68 goals in the regular season—could make this a tight match.
Philadelphia is expected to dominate possession and territory, while Chicago will need to capitalize on counter-attacks and any defensive mistakes.
It should be another intense playoff clash, but Philadelphia’s winning mentality and Blake’s outstanding goalkeeping will likely secure their victory.
- Predicted Score: Chicago 1-2 Philadelphia (Philadelphia advance 2-0 in series)
Where to Watch Chicago Fire vs Philadelphia Union 2025 MLS Cup
| Country | TV Broadcasting |
|---|---|
| United States | TV: FOX Sports 1, FOX Deportes Streaming: MLS Season Pass (Apple TV), FOX Sports App, ESPN+ Kick-off: 3:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM PT |
| Canada | TV: TSN, TSN Direct Streaming: TSN+, MLS Season Pass Kick-off: 3:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM PT |
| Australia | Streaming: MLS Season Pass (Apple TV), Kayo Sports Kick-off: 6:30 AM AEDT (Sunday) |
| United Kingdom & Ireland | Streaming: MLS Season Pass (Apple TV), ESPN+ Kick-off: 8:30 PM GMT |
| Europe | Streaming: MLS Season Pass (Apple TV), ESPN+ Kick-off: 9:30 PM CET / 8:30 PM GMT |
| Latin America: | USA Spanish: FOX Deportes, FOX Sports App Mexico: ESPN México, Star+ Brazil: ESPN Brasil Argentina: ESPN Argentina, Star+ |
- Streaming Worldwide: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (no blackouts), ESPN+ where available, and local MLS broadcast partners.