Chicago returns from a week off to play host to LAFC at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Ill. on Saturday, August 9. Scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT, the match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. It will be transmitted locally on WLS 890 AM and wlsam.com (English) and Que Buena Fire via the Uforia App (Spanish).
Fresh off earning their 10th win of the season, the Fire will also seek their third shutout in a row for the first time since 2023. To that end, Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter has named the following Starting XI to face LAFC:
- No changes have been made to the Starting XI that earned a 1-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, July 26 at Soldier Field.
- Goalkeeper Chris Brady will start his 19th match of the season, looking for his third consecutive clean sheet. With a shutout victory today, the Homegrown goalkeeper would equal his 2024 clean sheet total of four, while also beating last year’s win total of seven.
- Leonardo Barroso will appear in his 15th match of the year at right back, playing across the field from left back Andrew Gutman, who keeps his perfect attendance with his 25th start of the year. They will support a center back tandem of Carlos Terán and captain Jack Elliott, the latter of whom has been named to the MLS Team of the Matchday in the last two consecutive matchdays.
- In front of the center backs will be midfielder Dje D’Avilla, who starts his third match in the last four. The defensive-minded midfielder will share the center of the pitch with the Homegrown duo of Brian Gutiérrez and Sergio Oregel Jr., who appear in their 20th and 22nd match of the season, respectively.
- After scoring his fifth game-winning goal of the season against New York on July 26, forward Hugo Cuypers starts his 24th match of the year looking for goal number 15. He will be joined by Jonathan Bamba and Philip Zinckernagel on the wings, the latter of whom will look for his 21st goal contribution of the season.
- Unavailable for selection tonight are defender Sam Rogers (lower body) and midfielders Rominigue Kouamé (lower body) and David Poreba (lower body).
- Available off the bench are goalkeeper Jeff Gal; defenders Jonathan Dean and Omar González; midfielder Maren Haile-Selassie, Mauricio Pineda, Kellyn Acosta, Sam Williams and Trip Fleming; and forward Tom Barlow.
