Frank Klopas is coming home Sunday, but spotting the former Fire coach won’t be easy.
Klopas, in his first season as the Montreal Impact coach, was expected to accompany his team to Bridgeview for the game. But the longtime Chicago soccer fixture won’t be on the sideline as he serves a one-game suspension issued after his ejection from last weekend’s match at Columbus.
Assistant coach Mauro Biello will help oversee on-field play for the last-place Impact.
The Fire (5-8-17, 32 points) still have faint playoff hopes. Very faint.
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If they lose Sunday, they’re out of playoff consideration. A victory would keep slim hopes alive but also require three more wins to finish the season and losses by teams ahead of them.
Forward Robert Earnshaw, who scored in stoppage time on Thursday for a 1-1 tie in Philadelphia, said he’s not giving up but confessed after the game it has been rough trying to make up ground.
“Every game is a must-win for us,” he said. “When you’re tying, it’s like we’re doing everything but we’re just short. And that’s difficult, but (at least) we don’t lose.”
Sunday’s game also offers Fire scoring leader Quincy Amarikwa a chance to move closer to double-digit goals for the first time in his career.
He has eight with four games to play.
In previous meetings this season in Montreal, the teams tied 1-1 on April 12 while the Impact claimed a 1-0 victory on Aug. 16.
On Sunday former Fire midfielder Dilly Duka comes back to town for the first time since his trade for Sanny Nyassi earlier this season.
U.S. Soccer announced Friday that Fire midfielder Benji Joya will be part of a 21-man roster for the Under-23 Men’s National Team’s October training camp in Brasilia.
The team will depart Oct. 9 and meet Brazil’s U-23 squad on Oct. 13 at Estádio Nacional.