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Fire tries to keep momentum against Revs

Oct 19, 2012 - 8:56 PM Foxborough, MA (Sports Network) - The Chicago Fire will continue its push toward the top of the Eastern Conference on Saturday when the club visits Foxborough Stadium to take on the struggling New England Revolution.

Chicago trails East leaders Sporting Kansas City by three points with two games to play, but knows that a win on Saturday coupled with a Sporting defeat at Red Bull New York would move the club to the top of the table.

The Fire was in the midst of a four-game winning streak before losing back-to- back games against Sporting and the Philadelphia Union.

However, the club got back on track in a big way in its last MLS match, securing a 2-0 win over New York that gave Chicago its first clean sheet since July 14 against Vancouver, a stretch that spanned 12 matches.

"Everyone was a little too certain that we were going to win the game, and that we have to score many goals," Fire defender Arne Friedrich said after the win over the Red Bulls. "[Saturday's] game was a little bit different. We spoke about that before the game started, and in my eyes, we did really good."

With eight wins in its last 11 games, Chicago is a team that appears to be peaking at the right time, and rookie defender Austin Berry felt that the Union match was disappointing, but that it was a valuable learning experience for his team.

"[The Philadelphia loss] was just another learning experience," Berry told MLSsoccer.com. "We've got to come out with the right mindset for every game, and this just gives us a little kickstart for the end of the season. It was a good time for us to have a game like that. We're focused and playing well."

Fire head coach Frank Klopas has done well in his first full season in charge, leading the team to its first 17-win season since 2000.

With 56 points, Chicago has already amassed its third highest point total ever for a season, and the club will be expecting to add three points to that number on Saturday.

New England is in the midst of a terrible run having won just once in its last 15 games.

The Revs have been shutout in back-to-back games for the third time this season, and will be trying to avoid being blanked again on Saturday without the services of leading scorer Saer Sene or suspended midfielder Benny Feilhaber.

One positive for the Revs this season has been the team's form at home, which has accounted for six of the club's seven wins, while only four losses have occurred at Foxborough in 16 games.