Major League Soccer’s best scoring team away from home is back on the road as Chicago Fire FC will travel to Chester, Pennsylvania to face the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, and will be transmitted locally on wlsam.com (English) and Que Buena Fire via the Uforia App (Spanish). A replay of the match will be available on Marquee Sports Network on Monday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. CT.
Currently on a streak of five consecutive matches without a loss, Chicago will look to avenge a 1-0 loss to Philadelphia on June 25 at Soldier Field. With that goal in mind, Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter has named the following Starting XI to get three points before enjoying a bye week.
- Only one change has been made to the Starting XI that earned a 2-2 draw against LAFC on August 9 and defeated St. Louis CITY SC 3-2 last Saturday, August 16.
- Homegrown defender Christopher Cupps will make his third start of the season tonight and first since May 31 in a 3-1 win at Orlando City SC. The 17 year-old center back will shore up the backline alongside captain Jack Elliott, who returns to Subaru Park for the first time since his eight-year tenure with Philadelphia, and fullbacks Leonardo Barroso and Andrew Gutman.
- Fresh off the 100th start of his career in Chicago’s 3-2 victory against St. Louis last weekend, Homegrown midfielder Brian Gutiérrez will draw start number 101 tonight against the Union. The Chicago native scored his second game-winning goal of the season last weekend and will look for goal number nine tonight alongside Dje D’Avilla and Sergio Oreger Jr. in the center of the pitch.
- Looking for a league-record 11th straight game with a goal contribution on the road is winger Philip Zinckernagel, who is also looking for a Club record-tying 14th assist in his 25th start of the season.
- Forward Hugo Cuypers draws his 26th start of the year in search of his 16th goal, which would be the second highest tally in a single season. Helping him achieve that will be winger Jonathan Bamba on the left, maintaining his perfect attendance with his 27th appearance for Chicago.
- Goalkeeper Chris Brady will also appear in his 21st match this season in search of win number nine. The goalkeeper will try to earn his fourth shutout of 2025, which would match last year’s tally for the second-best single season tally of his career.
- Unavailable for selection tonight are midfielders Rominigue Kouamé (lower body) and David Poreba (lower body). Newly acquired defender Joel Waterman is awaiting the receipt of his P-1 visa and will not be an option for Berhalter.
- Available off the bench are goalkeeper Jeff Gal; defenders Sam Rogers, Jonathan Dean and Omar González; midfielders Maren Haile-Selassie, André Franco, Mauricio Pineda and Kellyn Acosta; and forward Tom Barlow.
