When two teams meet in a late-season game, like the Chicago Fire and Colorado Rapids are doing Sunday at Toyota Park, it is revealing to look back at their earlier season meeting to get some sense of the game that is upcoming.
In the case of the Fire and Rapids, that was the July 4 game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, won by the Fire 2-1.
But the most revealing aspect of looking back at that game is seeing the lineup Fire coach Denis Hamlett had at his disposal, and how much different it is from the team he is likely to use Sunday.
On defense in Colorado, Hamlett had Daniel Woolard, Wilman Conde, Bakary Soumare and Tim Ward playing in front of 'keeper Jon Busch. Woolard was playing in place of Gonzalo Segares, who was on CONCACAF Gold Cup duty with Costa Rica.
On Sunday, Segares is out with an MCL sprain, Ward has a metatarsal fracture, Woolard isn't even available with an ankle sprain and Soumare is on an unofficial disciplinary suspension.
In the midfield on July 4, Hamlett had John Thorrington available, but he won't play Sunday due to the accumulation of yellow cards. Brian McBride was one of the starting forwards, and he is out after shoulder surgery.
Add to that the fact that the Fire are playing their third game in eight days, and Hamlett's roster is stretched thin.
The defense he used Wednesday in the 2-0 loss to Los Angeles included reserves Austin Washington, Dasan Robinson and Brandon Prideaux along with Conde, who finally returned from his own hamstring injury.
It does not bode well for the Fire defense, either, that Colorado leads the Western Conference in goals scored with 32 (in just 20 games) and has scored eight goals in their last three games.
While the defense failed the team in the game against the Galaxy, the offense generated zero shots on goal, the recipe for a disastrous game that the Fire are now in position to try to make their fans forget.
"We can't feel sorry for ourselves," Hamlett said. "This is an important game."
It's more important because the Fire failed to get any points Wednesday. As a result, they are 9-5-8 overall, with 35 points, and they are four points behind Columbus, which is 10-3-9 after the same 22 games.
Even with a win, the Fire will stand one point behind the Crew and will have played one more game. The Fire's goal of winning the Eastern Conference is slipping away from them.
"We need a big game Sunday," Fire midfielder Logan Pause said.
The Fire are not expected to get any help from their injured defenders any time soon. Segares said Wednesday he could be out another four weeks with his injury, and Ward didn't sound like he was coming back any time soon.
"Every little touch hurts," Ward said.
Kent McDill is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
