The Chicago Fire set to take on Nashville SC as the team's stretch of games against most of the league's elite teams continues after games against the New England Revolution and Inter Miami last week.
Nashville, however, is the sternest test the Fire have faced – even tougher than Miami, despite Messi and all of their firepower. Nashville are leading the Supporters Shield race, eight points clear of Vancouver and nine of Miami, with just nine games to go, and the team has just three losses in league play this year.
The first of those, and the only loss in league play that Nashville suffered before the World Cup break, was their 1-0 loss to the Fire at Soldier Field back in April, a game in which Philip Zinckernagel scored the fastest goal in Fire history and his side looked comfortable defensively as they kept a clean sheet.
That means this match represents a chance at revenge for both teams: For Nashville, a chance to right one of their only losses of 2026. For the Fire, it's a chance to move past the club-record 7-2 loss they suffered the last time they were in town.
Nashville
Nashville have the league's best record off of the league's second-best goal differential. They're the league's third-highest scoring team, with 50 goals in 25 games. The team already has two double-digit goal scorers in Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar, both of whom have had hat tricks against the Fire in their careers.
Still, it's been their record defensively that's been most impressive this year: Through 25 games, they've allowed a league-low 21 goals, and starting goalkeeper Brian Schwake has 11 clean sheets to date.
They've been doing it by playing the same style we saw from Nashville last year: More than capable of with possession, they're still a high-pressing team that will try to make you cough the ball up in dangerous areas.
Still, as strong as they've been, and as good as their accomplishments have been, they're not exactly analytics darlings: They're drastically overshooting both their expected goals for and expected goals against, according to American Soccer Analysis's model, whose model says that they should be close to even with about 37 goals for and an equal number against – far short of their +29 goal differential.
Some of that is because of their outsized performers. Some of it is because of luck, and there's starting to be some indications that we might be seeing an ever-so-slight reversion to the mean: Nashville are currently on a three game winless skid, including a loss to Toronto.
Chicago Fire
Last week, the loss of Anton Salétros to injury cost the Fire much of their defensive stability by robbing them of shape in rest defense, and also limited the team going the other way.
Salétros is still out, but the team does have one thing going for them: Midfield signing Anzor Mekvebishvili was on the team plane to Nashville today, and will be available for selection tomorrow.
Next stop Nashville 🛫 pic.twitter.com/YJ3bUHWIh0
— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) September 18, 2026
He's had next to no time to adapt to the time zone in North America, let alone train or develop chemistry with the group – but he does give the team another tool at their disposal at a crucial position against a top opponent.
I wouldn't put him as a starter – but I wouldn't be surprised if he sees makes a debut, either.
The Fire were favored last week against both the Revs and Miami, and ended up with a draw and a loss. This time, they're not – but have every reason to be up for this game.
You know Gregg Berhalter will be energized for the game against Nashville's BJ Callaghan, a close friend and former assistant.
Is being the underdog what the Fire need to their second win of the year against Nashville and find their way back to the win column?
