The 2022 MLS regular season resumes this Saturday at Soldier Field, when Chicago Fire FC hosts FC Dallas for an afternoon kickoff along the lakefront.
Coming out of the FIFA international window, Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson and defender Wyatt Omsberg showed confidence that the team can keep their early season momentum going come kickoff on Saturday.
“Last week, we gave (the team) a few days off to get everybody healed up and rest a little bit because we had been going pretty hard since the beginning of the season,” Hendrickson said during the team’s weekly media availability on Wednesday afternoon. “This week, we started focusing more on Dallas and the things that they like to do and our plan as far as how we are going to attack them and how we are going to defend against them. It's been a good week, a good couple of days so far in training. The boys are in tune.”
The Fire are off to their best start since 2009, unbeaten through four matches, and currently sit in third place in the Eastern Conference courtesy of back-to-back wins. With the positivity surging in and around the team, Omsberg is eager to get back on the field this weekend.
“We are excited,” Omsberg said. “We've obviously been missing some players for a week, week-and-a-half but we have continued to do the same things. I think we have had solid preparation, and we will just look to keep the momentum going and put out another solid performance in front of our fans on Saturday.”
Omsberg, 26, started the team’s first four matches of the season alongside captain Rafael Czichos after fellow central defender Carlos Terán suffered an injury in preseason. The Dartmouth product has so far been up to the task, emerging as a key factor in the team’s early defensive rigidity. Still, at the outset of his fifth season in MLS, Omsberg isn’t taking anything for granted.
“We have competition at pretty much every spot, healthy competition, not anything that's bad,” he told media. “I think it just pushes everyone to be better. Pushes the guys who are playing to try to keep their spots. Pushes the guys who aren't playing to prove they should be on the field as well.”
“I will continue to work hard every day to keep earning that spot in training and in the games,” he added. “So, yeah, regardless of what anyone says, I'm just going to keep competing, keep playing and hopefully we'll continue to put out good performances.”
Saturday’s opponents are off to an equally solid start in the West, entering the match in fifth place and riding a two-match winning streak of their own. FC Dallas forward Jesus Ferreira and midfielder Paul Arriola both got on the scoresheet for the U.S. Men’s National team over the past week during Concacaf World Cup Qualifying, and both additionally scored - Ferreira netting a hat trick - in Dallas’ 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers in the team’s last match going into the break.
“They're a very good team,” Hendrickson said. “I think the results they have gotten have shown that. That last game, getting four goals against Portland, just reiterates how potent they can be on the attack. They are a very fluid, flowing team. But you know, we focus on what we have to do and how they are going to combat against us. We are very aware of what they have going forward, how they like to defend, the type of players that they have, but our focus is really on us and what we have to do in order to be successful.”
The Fire will welcome back five players from international duty following Tuesday’s round of matches - defenders Boris Sekulić (Slovakia) and Miguel Navarro (Venezuela), midfielders Xherdan Shaqiri (Switzerland) and Brian Gutiérrez (U.S. Under- 20), and goalkeeper Chris Brady (U.S. Under-20) - all of whom saw playing time for their respective national teams during the break.
In addition, Hendrickson noted that the Fire are expecting some reinforcements from the list of injuries very soon.
“All of the (international) players will be available for Saturday,” he said. “Carlos Terán has been training with us for over a week now. As far as being game ready, we're not sure yet about that. Jhon Durán probably (has) another week. He'll probably start training with us next week and be ready for the Orlando game, and then the players that were away for national team duty, they are all fine and they are getting back today. We'll have to evaluate them tomorrow and see how they are feeling and after the flights and stuff as far as their availability for Saturday.”
Saturday’s kickoff against Dallas is set for 2:30 p.m. CT, with tickets available for purchase below. Hendrickson’s side had done well to earn the aforementioned positivity and momentum going into the international break, and the head coach welcomes the ensuing expectations now entering this weekend’s return to play
“Fans are expecting us to go out and win games, and that's good,” he said. “That's a good quality to have where your fans are behind you, and they are expecting wins rather than losses. That's good momentum for us going forward.”
October 7 vs Charlotte FC
Chicago Fire FC celebrated Fan Appreciation Night on October 7, 2023 to give back to our dedicated fans and their commitment throughout the season!
