Sporting KC

Fire get their season underway against Sporting KC (Mar 08, 2018)

Published Mar. 8, 2018 10:53 p.m. ET

The Chicago Fire will kick off their regular season at home against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday evening at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

After several subpar years, the Fire took a step forward in 2017 by reaching the MLS postseason. The season ended in the knockout round of the playoffs with a loss to the New York Red Bulls.

Meanwhile, Sporting Kansas City has made the postseason every year since 2011. The team captured the MLS Cup in 2013 but has lost in the knockout round in each of the past four seasons.

Sporting Kansas City already has one game under its belt -- and it did not go as hoped. In a home game last Sunday, the club was shut out 2-0 by New York City FC.

Sporting Kansas City (0-1-0) dropped a home opener for only the third time in franchise history. Midfielder Felipe Gutierrez and wingers Yohan Croizet and Johnny Russell all made their team debuts.

Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will return for his second season with the Fire after a prolific career overseas. Now 33 years old, Schweinsteiger hopes to help transform Chicago into a perennial winner and attract more fans.

"The first goal is reaching the next level of our game. Last year, we had a very good season, but we still had (ups and downs), which you would say is normal, but for me, it's not normal," Schweinsteiger said. "My biggest wish would be if we didn't have so many downs. Keep it more consistent at that high level a little bit longer.

"That's my first goal. If we play like that, and we understand those kind of things, we will reach the playoffs and maybe be more competitive for the playoffs."

Sporting KC defender Ike Opara knows that he and his teammates will have to play better in their second game.

"Obviously, you want to be perfect at home, and we're off to a bad start," Opara said to the Kansas City Star. "That being said, it's not an uphill climb -- it's Week 1.

"But as most of the guys said in the locker room before the game -- and the new guys will learn -- every point matters in this league."

Aleksandar Katai will make his debut for the Fire. The Serbian winger will try to fill the void left by David Accam, who was traded to the Philadelphia Union after three productive seasons in Chicago.

This marks the only meeting between the teams during the regular season. The clubs met once in 2017, with Sporting Kansas City holding on for a 3-2 victory.

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