When the Chicago Fire (8-18-7, 31 points) host D.C. United (14-11-8, 50 points) in the final match of the 2018 Major League Soccer regular season on Sunday, two former Manchester United teammates, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Wayne Rooney will reunite once again.
This will be the second regular-season meeting between the two sides, and thus between Schweinsteiger and Rooney in the 2018 MLS season.
In the previous meeting, Rooney bagged a brace as D.C. beat the Fire 2-1 at Audi Field on Oct. 7. If you’re going to be wagering on this match, be aware that the outcome could be as unpredictable and hence exciting as playing Vegas slots. Given the last meeting between the two sides, and the current form of United versus the form of the Fire right now, the visitors are favored. However, Chicago will be looking to end the year with a strong closing statement.
This weekend will also mark the second time that Schweinsteiger will face a former United teammate in the MLS this season.Back on April 14th, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and his L.A. Galaxy visited Chicago and beat Schweini and company 1-0. Indeed MLS is red as the trio of footballing heroes are now living it up in MLS. Data released by MLS this week indicated that the triad of players are all in the top six best selling MLS kits this year.
Ibra is #1, Rooney #5 and Basti #6.
D.C. United at Chicago Fire FYIs
Venue: Toyota Park on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 3:30 p.m. CT
Broadcast: (ESPN+/Univision Radio WRTO AM 1200). Coverage begins at 3:15 p.m. CT with a live pregame show on ESPN+ presented by CIBC.
How is Wayne Rooney doing since he moved across the pond in Major League Soccer? Well, he rescued one of the absolute worst sides in all of MLS, D.C. United and has helped lead them towards the postseason. A bottom feeder before Rooney arrived, D.C. are now in the playoffs.
They were struggling at the very bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with just 11 points and only two wins in 14 games before Rooney arrived on July 14, after he completing his second stint with Everton in the Premier League.
As for the Fire, they are currently the penultimate team in the MLS eastern conference. Only Orlando City has been worse this season.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud and YouTube. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to any and all of his.