It’s difficult to adequately express what a big occasion Saturday’s Round One, Game 2 date with the Philadelphia Union at SeatGeek Stadium is for Chicago Fire FC . (5:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV )

While meaningful runs in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs were more or less an annual Windy City ritual in the Fire’s early days, it’s been quite some time since the collective sense of anticipation around the club was anything like it is this week. After around a decade of false dawns, the rebuilding project led by head coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter is bearing fruit in year one.

“We've seen the excitement around the city,” said Berhalter in Thursday afternoon's press conference. “I've mentioned this before, of Chicago Fire being a sleeping giant, and I really believe that

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