Toronto FC-Fire Preview
The Chicago Fire's playoff chances were of the unlikely variety even before they let a lead slip away last weekend.
With news of Mike Magee's season-ending injury, those odds are that much worse.
Nevertheless, Chicago carries on Saturday night against visiting Toronto FC, which hasn't been able to break through in the attack without its top striker and has never won at Toyota Park.
Magee, the 2013 MLS MVP, is expected to miss at least six months after undergoing hip surgery Monday, a day after ninth-place Chicago's season reached its most desperate level with a 2-1 loss at New England.
"It's about the right time to do (the surgery) because he couldn't carry on," coach Frank Yallop told the club's official website. "He tried to give it a go for the last couple of weeks and it wasn't helping. The best thing for us is to get it done and hopefully he'll be OK for the start of preseason."
Magee had missed the previous two matches and was limited to seven goals in 17.
The Fire (5-7-14) were also without newcomer and former Toronto forward Robert Earnshaw against the Revolution. Earnshaw, who scored in each of his first two games with Chicago, was sidelined with a strained calf and will also miss this game.
Chicago has 29 points and is seven removed from the final Eastern Conference playoff spot with four teams to pass. Toronto (9-11-6), too, finds itself on the outside with 33 points after three straight losses and a five-match winless streak that has complicated the club's pursuit of a first playoff appearance.
After Saturday's 2-0 home loss to Philadelphia, Toronto has gone 281 minutes without a goal. The last celebration came Aug. 23 in a 2-all home draw with Chicago, which also happens to be the last time Jermain Defoe played.
The Toronto striker, who had been rumored to be seeking a return to England during Europe's transfer window ending Sept. 1, has missed the last three matches with a groin injury and won't return this weekend.
The club certainly had chances without him against the Union with three shots finding posts.
"We've been through this before and you get to a certain point where, to be quite honest, you get sick and tired of talking about it," midfielder Michael Bradley told the club's official website. "When you constantly dig yourself these kinds of holes, you know that it's going to be hard to come back and get anything from this game.
"When I say we're sick and tired of talking about it, what I mean is, for me and for all of us, to sit here and try to put words to it, it's not easy."
Visits to Chicago have been about as difficult. Toronto is 0-4-4 at Toyota Park with two goals in its last five trips, including a 1-all draw July 2. That was without Bradley and striker Gilberto, who had scored in four straight matches prior to the current skid.
Toronto also won't have defender Doneil Henry available due to yellow-card accumulation.