BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire and the New England Revolution just can't stay away from each other.
One of the best and testiest rivalries in Major League Soccer will get another two games when the Fire and Revolution play each other in the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Both teams have 43 points in the standings, a position New England failed to improve with its 2-1 loss to D.C. United Thursday.
The Fire, with two games remaining to just one for New England, could solidify its chances for home-field advantage in the first round with a win or tie at Toronto FC Saturday. Since they own the tiebreaker, the Fire could nail down the home-field edge with a victory at BMO Field.
The Fire ends their season next Thursday at home against the New York Red Bulls. New England plays its season finale next Saturday at home against Kansas City.
What home-field advantage means in the conference semifinal series is playing the second game of a two-game series at home, and the Fire want that.
"We know it is very important to get into second place," Fire forward Brian McBride said. "That is what we are playing for right now. In the playoffs, you never know what could happen. If you can guarantee yourself home-field advantage in the first round, you have to take it."
"If you had a choice of where to play the second game of a series, we would rather play it at home in front of our great crowd," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said. "But we want to finish the season strong by finishing these two games in good form to get ready for the playoffs."
The Fire has had middling results of late. They tied their last two games, preceded by a win, preceded by a pair of losses. With New England struggling, they have earned just enough points to have a slight advantage with two weeks to go in the season.
The Fire have also had the advantage of playing one game a week for almost three months. Their injury report could not look much cleaner.
Veteran defender Diego Gutierrez is dealing with a heel injury, but he is the only player with significant number of starts who is in any serious injury trouble.
The Fire had three players involved in World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday -- Chris Rolfe (USA), Costa Rican Gonzalo Segares and Marco Pappa (Guatemala), who scored a goal for his team in its 2-1 loss to Cuba. The midseason addition of Pappa has to go down as a move nearly as significant as the late-season addition of Brian McBride to improve the Fire.
"He came in and had a very good start, then he suffered an injury with the national team and his level dropped off," Hamlett said. "Now he is coming back to form, where he runs around the field and makes plays. We feel he is coming around to what he was in August."
Rolfe, who now forms the attacking pair with McBride in the Fire's starting lineup, got into the game against Trinidad and Tobago just before stoppage time began. Segares played the full 90 minutes for Costa Rica in its 2-0 win against Haiti.
All three internationals are expected to be available Saturday in Toronto.
With a playoff spot secured, Hamlett could try to find time to give playing time to players who need to be stretched out a bit. But with a reserve game following the regular contest, Hamlett said he plans to play his best XI.
"We are trying to put our best group out there so they continue to work together," Hamlett said.
The Fire are in a dangerous situation playing in Toronto, where the Reds sit in the basement of the Eastern Conference but are just four points out of the final playoff spot.
"They still feel with six points they have a chance to get in," Hamlett said. "We expect a very energetic team. They are playing their last game in front of their home fans."
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