New York City FC vs Chicago Fire Prediction: A narrow win for NYCFC

An important match is going to come to Yankee Stadium on August 25, 2024, in this case—the MLS match between NYCFC and Chicago Fire—due to wholly different matters at stake for either side.

NYCFC goes into this game in better form, but not by much. They have a couple of draws and a win in their last five games, including a 2-1 strong performance over Tigres UANL in the Leagues Cup. But their inconsistency is a major problem, as it showed on defense with them conceding, especially on the road.

NYCFC are likely to control the ball more and, subsequently, fashion more opportunities with their energetic midfield.

On the other end of the spectrum, Chicago Fire are in a slump, having lost their last three matches. They have a leaky defense—on average, 1.6 goals are let in per game over the last eight—while they really struggle to keep clean sheets. They're underwhelming in attack as well, with 1.1 goals per game in the same span.

It will be about resiliency for Chicago, who may need to aim at counter-attacking—very hopeful of making the most of any defensive misstep that NYCFC​ leaves open.

Historically, NYCFC has had the upper hand in this matchup, having won three of their last five matches against the Chicago Fire. The last time these two met, it was a 0-0 finish, but NYCFC has recently found a way to win a game in such a situation.

Looking at the recent form and historical trends, NYCFC is more likely to win this game. A 2-1 NYCFC win sounds about right, given that both teams will score—how things are going defensively for the two sides. The home advantage and slight edge in terms of squad depth might just make a difference for NYCFC.

Briefly, it's going to be a strongly competitive game where NYCFC's higher level of quality and form could prove a bit too much to depart with all three points.

• New York City FC to Win at 1.72 Odds
• More than 2.5 Goals at 1.61 Odds
• New York City Win 2-1 at 8.50 Odds