Gregg Berhalter described Robert Lewandowski as the "ultimate professional" and said it was "incredible" to see the impact he has made since joining the Chicago Fire. 

Lewandowski arrived from Barcelona in June and has gone on to score seven goals and provide two assists in 14 appearances for the Fire across all competitions. 

He has filled the gap left by Hugo Cuypers, who left for Monterrey in July, with Chicago still in a strong position to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Chicago are fifth in the Eastern Conference, nine points ahead of the New York Red Bulls in 10th, with a tough test against high-flying Nashville SC up next.

Lewandowski failed to fire in Chicago's 2-1 defeat to the New England Revolution last time out, though Berhalter expects him to bounce back at GEODIS Park this weekend. 

"Think about all the games he's played for us right now without a preseason. It's pretty incredible," Berhalter said. "He's the ultimate professional.

"I think he leads by example. He shows guys what it's going to take to have that longevity in your career.

"When you work with Robert, you can see right away why he's played for as long as he has, and why he's performed at the highest level for as long as he has."

When the moment called, he delivered.

Paxten Aaronson is tonight's HCA HealthONE Rocky Mountain Children's Man of the Match! pic.twitter.com/oc5z8jYtnt

— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) September 13, 2026

Nashville, meanwhile, were held to just their sixth draw of the season in their last league match, after playing out an entertaining 2-2 draw away to Inter Miami. 

Sam Surridge's fourth-minute opener was cancelled out by Reed Baker-Whiting's own goal, with Lionel Messi giving Miami the lead in the 62nd minute at Nu Stadium. 

And just when it looked as though Miami had won the game, Surridge popped up with a 91st-minute equaliser to seal a share of the spoils for the East leaders. 

"I thought it was a big boys' game," Nashville boss BJ Callaghan said. "It was two really good teams going toe-to-toe. I thought the game had a lot of intensity in it. 

"There was an immense amount of physicality and a high level of play. I am really proud of the group and I think we saw some big individual performances as well. 

"The impact and the solution from the players that came off the bench, too. Just the resiliency and relentlessness of the team to fight until the last whistle."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Nashville – Sam Surridge

Surridge starred for Nashville against Miami last time out, scoring a brace which took his tally to 15 goals for the league season.

He joins Lionel Messi, Brian White and Petar Musa as one of four players to score 15+ goals in each of the last two seasons in MLS.

CLUTCH https://t.co/hRpOaWASez pic.twitter.com/4icGlco7My

— Nashville SC (@NashvilleSC) September 13, 2026

Chicago Fire – Maren Haile-Selassie

Haile-Selassie scored his eighth goal of the season last Sunday, and his fifth goal in his last five games.

His eight goals have come in 24 matches compared to his two in 30 MLS matches last season and five in 27 in 2024.

MATCH PREDICTION: NASHVILLE WIN

Nashville posted a 4-0 win over FC Cincinnati in their last home match, the fifth time this season they have scored four or more goals in a home game.

Only Los Angeles FC in 2019 and the Philadelphia Union in 2022 (each with seven) have recorded more such home games in a single MLS regular season.

But Chicago are one of five teams to shut out Nashville in league play this season, after earning a 1-0 home win on April 4.

Nashville have been held scoreless by the same team twice in a single regular season four times in their history, most recently by Orlando City SC and the New York Red Bulls in 2024.

The Fire have also scored in 21 consecutive MLS matches, tied with Miami for the longest streak this term. It is three games longer than Chicago's previous longest goalscoring streak in a single MLS regular season and is the club's second-longest regular-season streak (24 in 2000-01).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Nashville – 52.7%

Draw – 22.4%

Chicago Fire – 24.9%

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