Chicago Fire v Toronto FC: Fraser highlights Cuypers as main threat

Toronto FC head coach Robin Fraser believes his side will need to keep an eye on Hugo Cuypers when they face the Chicago Fire on Saturday.

Toronto are no longer in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, sitting 12th, but managed to secure an unexpected point at home to Inter Miami last time out.

Chicago, on the other hand, have guaranteed themselves a spot in the postseason after they beat Miami 5-3 in midweek.

However, the Fire will be hoping to finish higher than their current position of eighth as they look to avoid the play-in round.

Toronto lost 2-1 to Chicago when the two sides met back in March, with Cuypers scoring the winner at BMO Field, but Fraser expects a different test this time around.

"They [Chicago] are a very different team to what they were in the first couple of weeks," said Fraser.

"They seem to be developing a strong sense of their own identity. They have been very efficient, certainly in the last couple of months.

"They defend well as a team; they attack well as a team. They have a good game plan, and the players all seem to have bought in.

"They took Miami apart last week, so they are very potent offensively. They have a lot of good players.

"Cuypers is not only good but extremely hard-working, so he will present some problems for us."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Chicago Fire – Hugo Cuypers

Cuypers has scored 17 goals this season for Chicago, the joint-fifth-highest in MLS in 2025, and provided one assist.

It is his best goal-scoring campaign in league action since finding the net 27 times for Gent in the 2022-23 season.

Toronto FC – Djordje Mihailovic

Djordje Mihailovic scored his first career goal for Toronto on Saturday, his 10th of the season overall, after scoring 11 goals last season.

Mihailovic is one of two Americans, along with Brian White, to score at least 10 goals in each of the last two MLS seasons.

MATCH PREDICTION – CHICAGO FIRE WIN

Chicago clinched a playoff berth with a 5-3 victory at Miami, which extended their win streak to three. The Fire have had two different win streaks of three league games in 2025, matching their number of such streaks from 2018-2024. Chicago has not had a four-match win streak in MLS play since June-July 2017.

Chicago are unbeaten in six straight meetings with Toronto (W4 D2). The Fire's last longer unbeaten run against a single opponent was an eight-match run against Orlando City from 2016-19.

Toronto became the first team in MLS history to record seven consecutive draws, having shared the points in every one of their matches since the beginning of August. Six of the seven draws, including the last four in a row, ended 1-1.

In their last six league matches, Chicago have won four and lost two. Toronto, meanwhile, have drawn each of their last six league matches.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Chicago Fire – 57.2%

Draw – 22.2%

Toronto FC – 20.6%