Chicago Fireplace goalkeeper Chris Brady is relishing the chance to play within the first postseason sport of his profession on Wednesday.
The Fireplace host Orlando Metropolis within the Japanese Convention Wild Card sport after ending eighth following a Choice Day draw in opposition to the New England Revolution.
This can be Chicago’s first postseason look for the reason that 2017 marketing campaign, once they have been knocked out within the opening spherical.
Twenty-one-year-old Brady, who got here via the Chicago academy, revealed his satisfaction in having the ability to symbolize the Fireplace in a playoff sport.
“Once I replicate on it myself, I believe rather a lot concerning the final sport we performed within the postseason,” mentioned Brady.
“I used to be there. I used to be within the stands. We went as a crew within the academy; I believe I used to be 13 or 14. It’s loopy to suppose that will have been the final time we would seem [in the postseason] till now.
“And that little little bit of realisation has been loopy to me, that now I’m on this place to assist the crew and assist this membership do one thing unbelievable.
“The truth that we’re right here, I’m very proud to be part of it.”
Our Playoff Historical past, a #cf97 pic.twitter.com/WD92KgY7Up
— X – Chicago Fireplace FC (@ChicagoFire) October 20, 2025
Orlando may have averted the Wild Card sport altogether and even completed as excessive as fifth within the East, however they misplaced 4-2 in opposition to Toronto FC on Choice Day.
They’ve received simply as soon as of their final six video games, together with back-to-back defeats to finish the regular-season.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chicago Fireplace – Philip Zinckernagel
Philip Zinckernagel recorded 15 objectives and 15 assists for the Fireplace this season, along with his 30 aim contributions probably the most in a season in membership historical past.
Zinckernagel is one among eight gamers in MLS historical past to document 15 objectives and 15 assists in a season, together with one among three (Anders Dreyer, Lionel Messi) to take action this season.
Orlando Metropolis – Martin Ojeda
Martín Ojeda set an Orlando membership document with 30 aim contributions this season.
His 14 assists have been additionally a membership document for a single season, whereas his 16 objectives have been one shy of the perfect mark in crew historical past (17 by Cyle Larin in 2015).
MATCH PREDICTION – CHICAGO FIRE WIN
The Fireplace have reached the playoffs for simply the third time since 2010 (2012, 2017). Chicago haven’t superior a spherical within the postseason since defeating New England within the 2009 Convention Semifinals, over 5 years earlier than Orlando performed their first MLS match.
Alternatively, after lacking the playoffs in every of their first 5 MLS seasons, Orlando have reached the postseason in six straight years, the longest energetic streak in MLS. And regardless of ending ninth within the East, Orlando’s 53 factors this season was their second-most in a single marketing campaign in crew historical past (63 in 2023).
That is the primary playoff assembly between Chicago and Orlando. The Fireplace posted a 3-1 win within the final assembly between the perimeters, on Might 31, after Orlando had gone unbeaten within the earlier eight encounters relationship again to August 2021 (W5 D3).
Of their final six league matches, Chicago have received three, drawn two and misplaced one. Orlando, in the meantime, have received one, drawn three and misplaced two of their final six.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chicago Fireplace – 43.1%
Draw – 26.7%
Orlando Metropolis – 30.2%
