Gameday preview: Chicago Fire at Minnesota United

1 p.m. vs. Chicago Fire • FSN, 1500-AM

Loons to go without leader

Preview: While United (1-1-0) is coming off a big road victory, the first three points of the season, the Loons will be without playmaker Kevin Molino, who will likely miss the rest of the season because of an ACL tear. Against Chicago (0-1-0), coach Adrian Heath said it will be either Mason Toye or Miguel Ibarra playing in Molino's place. Ibarra could take up the No. 10 spot and keep the Loons' same 4-2-3-1 formation, while Toye would make it a 4-4-2 alongside fellow forward Christian Ramirez.

Players to watch: Chicago F Nemanja Nikolic won the Golden Boot last season with 24 goals and made the MLS Best XI as well as the All-Star game. United G Matt Lampson spent the past two seasons with Chicago before his January trade. In a career-high 24 starts in 2017, he tallied eight shutouts and 58 saves with a 12-7-5 record.

Quotable: "They've got the Golden Boot winner last year. They were one of the best teams in the league. Bastian Schweinsteiger. Dax McCarty. They've upped the team again this year. They're a good team. We know that. Very experienced team. They don't give too much away. They don't beat themselves, and we're going to have to earn everything we get." — Heath on Chicago.

Numbers: In the teams' only other meeting Aug. 26, 2017, United won 2-1 off two Abu Danladi goals, giving the team its first road victory.

Injuries: F Danladi (hamstring), M Sam Cronin (concussion) and Molino are out for United while M Frantz Pangop and M Luiz Fernando are unavailable because of their international paperwork. For Chicago, M Djordje Mihailovic (ACL), F Michael de Leeuw (ACL), D Jonathan Campbell (facial fracture), D Grant Lillard (knee) are out while M Daniel Johnson (ankle), D Rafael Ramos (thigh), G Richard Sanchez (elbow) and F Luis Solignac (hip) are questionable.

MEGAN RYAN