Chicago Fire return to action in the middle of a three-match road trip on Sunday with a trip to Queens to face reigning MLS Cup champs NYCFC at Citi Field.
These two teams meet for the first time in 2022 after a trio of matchups last season in which each side won a match on its home field and a draw sandwiched in between. Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson's side will be looking to come away with three big points against one of the league's most prolific attacks.
Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. CT, with local coverage available on WGN, CF97 Live, and Univision Radio or find additional coverage available on MLS LIVE's out-of-market package on ESPN+. Details on how the Fire will line up at the opening whistle are below:
- Two changes have been made to the starting XI that took on Red Bulls midweek.
- Forward Jhon Durán, who last time out became the youngest player in Fire history to record goal contributions in consecutive matches, gets his third start of the season up top today.
- New signing Chris Mueller makes his third straight start and fourth appearance overall since joining the Club from Scottish Premiership side Hibernian F.C. two weeks ago. He tallied his first goal in a Fire shirt vs. Red Bulls, and will be looking to add his name to the score sheet again today.
- Alongside Mueller, today's captain Xherdan Shaqiri and homegrown Brian Gutiérrez round out the line behind Durán.
- Returning to the lineup is Gastón Giménez, who will partner with Federico Navarro in deep-lying midfield today.
- In defense, Boris Sekulić also returns to the XI, lining up up opposite Miguel Navarro at fullback.
- Centrally, Wyatt Omsberg makes his 13th start of the season today - the most among all Fire field players - alongside Mauricio Pineda, who moves back in defense after starting in midfield on Wednesday.
- Homegrown goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, two days after announcing his international commitment to the U.S. MNT, starts between the posts today, also making his 13th start of the season.
- Available to Hendrickson as substitutions today are goalkeeper Chris Brady, defender Jonathan Bornstein, defender Carlos Terán, defender Jhon Espinoza, midfielder Jairo Torres, forward Fabian Herbers, forward Stanislav Ivanov, forward Chinonso Offor, and forward Kacper Przybyłko.
- Defender Rafael Czichos (right lower leg), Midfielder Javier Casas (pelvis), and goalkeeper Spencer Richey (head) are unavailable for selection today due to injury.
Get a look at NYCFC's starting lineup below as it becomes available:
