Lineup Notes | Chicago Fire FC vs Club América

Chicago faces off against Mexican powerhouse Club América in the knockout rounds of Leagues Cup 2023. Chicago advanced to the Leagues Cup 2023 Round of 32 with a 3-2 come-from-behind win against Minnesota United on July 27 at Allianz Field, followed by a 1-1 tie against Club Puebla on July 31 at SeatGeek Stadium. The four points placed the Fire atop Group Central 2, setting up the match against Mexican side Club América, who finished second in Group Central 1.

KIckoff tonight is slated for 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Aug. 4, at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Ill. The match will be broadcast on AppleTV, UniMás and FS1.

Learn more about tonight’s starters in the lineup notes below:

• Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Frank Klopas has made four changes to the starting XI that earned a 1-1 draw against Puebla to advance out of Group Central 2 in first place on July 31 at SeatGeek Stadium. 

• Defenders Mauricio Pineda and Carlos Terán will hold down the fort from the back, joined by Jonathan Dean and Miguel Navarro. Téran starts for the third-straight match, and Pineda joins him for a second-consecutive time.

• Ivorian midfielder Ousmane Doumbia makes his second start in a Fire shirt. The skillful midfielder played 90 minutes for the Chicago Fire against Puebla in the previous match.

• Doumbia joins Gastón Giménez at midfield. Tonight marks Giménez’s 11th straight start of 2023 across all competitions.

• Mexican winger Jairo Torres returns to the starting lineup against América.

• Xherdan Shaqiri will don the captain’s armband against América, doing so for the second-consecutive game.

• Midfielder Brian Gutiérrez makes his 24th start of 2023 across all competitions.

• Greek striker Georgios Koutsias returns to lead the attack from the opening whistle for the second-straight game, and the eighth of 2023 across all competitions.

• Goalkeeper Chris Brady mans the net for his second taste of Leagues Cup 2023 action.

• Leagues Cup 2023 regulations allow for 23 players on a matchday roster. Available off the bench for head coach Frank Klopas are goalkeepers Jeff Gal and Spencer Richey, defenders Kendall Burks, Rafael Czichos, Alonso Aceves and Arnaud Souquet; midfielders Maren Haile-Selassie, Fabian Herbers, Alex Monis, Federico Navarro; and forwards Kacper Przybyłko and Missael Rodríguez.

• Midfielders Javier Casas Jr. (right upper arm) and Chris Mueller (right upper leg) will not be available for tonight’s match. 

See América’s lineup below as it becomes available: