For the first time since 2019, Chicago Fire FC travels to San Jose to take on the Earthquakes at PayPal Park tonight at 8 p.m. CT.
Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson's side has won two of the last three matches, including a 1-0 win at Soldier Field over the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night. The Earthquakes are returning home for the first time since May 22 on the heels of a three-match road trip, having most recently been defeated 2-0 by Real Salt Lake on June 18. San Jose enters the match in 14th place in the Western Conference, with 15 points from 16 matches played.
Coverage of tonight's Bay Area battle can be found on WGN, CF97 Live, Univision Radio, and MLS LIVE's out-of-market package on ESPN+.
Get the scoop on tonight's Fire starting XI are below:
- One change has been made to the starting lineup that beat Philadelphia. Jonathan Bornstein returns to the defense to spell Andre Reynolds II, who made his first career regular season start on Wednesday.
- Bornstein lines up alongside captain Rafael Czichos and Carlos Terán in central defense, and opposite Boris Sekulić, whose 17th start of the season tonight leads all Fire field players. Terán was named to the MLS Team of the Week this week for his role in Wednesday's win against the Union.
- Also the on the latest Team of the Week was midfielder Federico Navarro, who is back in the starting XI tonight after scoring the lone goal and registering a season-high 19 possessions won against Philadelphia last time out. He'll partner with Gastón Giménez in deep-lying midfield for the sixth-straight match.
- In the attack, Designated Player Xherdan Shaqiri slots into central midfield, flanked by Fabian Herbers and Chris Mueller. Mueller's dazzling 1-v-1 dribble past Union defender Kai Wagner helped setup Navarro's match-winner on Wednesday night.
- Up top, Forward Kacper Przybyłko starts for the 13th time with three goals to his name so far this season.
- 18-year-old goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina back stops tonight's starting XI net, fresh off of his seventh clean sheet of the season. That total is the second-highest in the league, trailing only NYCFC's Sean Johnson.
- Available to Hendrickson as substitutions tonight are goalkeeper Spencer Richey, defender Andre Reynolds II, defender Jhon Espinoza, midfielder Javier Casas Jr., midfielder Brian Gutiérrez, midfielder Jairo Torres, forward Victor Bezerra, forward Jhon Durán, and forward Stanislav Ivanov.
- Goalkeeper Chris Brady (international duty), Defender Kendall Burks (right knee), defender Wyatt Omsberg (left foot), defender Miguel Navarro (health & safety protocols), and defender/midfielder Mauricio Pineda (health & safety protocols) are unavailable for selection tonight.
Get a look at San Jose starting lineup below as it becomes available: