Chicago Fire FC is headed back on the road to take on FC Cincinnati on Saturday, July 5. The Fire will go into their 20th match of the season with a thirst for revenge against the Orange and Blue.
The Men in Red head to Ohio with confidence following a 3-2 victory against Charlotte FC last Saturday night. With goals from MLS All-Star Philip Zinkernagel, midfielder Brian Gutiérrez and forward Hugo Cuypers, the victory moved Chicago up two places to eighth in the Eastern Conference.
The Fire will be put to the test against FC Cincinnati, currently just one point behind the Philadelphia Union in the Supporters' Shield standings, which had a similarly good weekend, defeating Orlando City SC 2-1 on Saturday. Brazilian midfielder Evander recorded a brace to extend his total goal output to a third-best 11 goals in league play this season, leading the Orange and Blue to their league-best seventh road victory. He scored the same number of goals against the Fire in their last meeting on April 19, a match that Chicago will be seeking to avenge. But the Fire got the best of Cincinnati in their last meeting at TQL Stadium, a 1-0 road victory for the Men in Red.
Game Information
CHICAGO FIRE FC (8-7-4, 28 points) vs. FC Cincinnati (12-5-3, 39 points)
Saturday, July 5, 2025
TQL Stadium – Cincinnati, Ohio
All-Time MLS Regular Season Record vs. CIN: (4-6-3)
Last Game vs. CIN: April 19, 2025 (2-3 L) – Soldier Field – Chicago (Match Recap)
Last Game at CIN: July 17, 2024 (1-0 W) – TQL Stadium – Cincinnati, Ohio (Match Recap)
Keys to the Match
- Eyes on the Prize: Coming off a thrilling 3-2 victory against Charlotte FC, Chicago Fire FC is entering the Queen City with the same intensity and dominating approach. The Men in Red have their eyes on the prize, and that prize is a road win against second-place FC Cincinnati. With six road victories already this season, the Fire's away form has been nothing short of impressive. They are determined to make it seven by getting revenge against Cincinnati after falling 2-3 in their last encounter back in April. The Fire are ready to dig in for a win, put pressure on the hosts, and walk away with another prize victory.
- Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: With the sixth highest passing percentage in the league of 84.2, the Fire does well in maintaining possession of the ball and finding gaps in opposing defenses. They are able to exploit the space between the lines, which is exactly what helped them take home the win in their last match against Charlotte FC and will assist them in doing the same in the (other) Queen City. With the support of one another, they can create more goal-scoring opportunities and increase their season total of 38 goals, seven more than Cincinnati's 31.
Mean Jonny Dean: After being named the Man of the Match by head coach Gregg Berhalter following his performances against Charlotte FC, defender Jonathan Dean has earned a bit of a mean streak to him. The Macon, Georgia native faced Ivorian international Wilfried Zaha on the wing in two games, applying endless pressure while denying him scoring opportunities that Charlotte needed in their two losses to Chicago. Dean has also registered a career-high four assists this season, showing he is contributing to the attack as well. Dean is a committed teammate on and off the pitch, and his leadership qualities have made him a crucial part of the team's dynamic.
By the Numbers
3 – Forward Hugo Cuypers tallied his third game-winning goal of 2025 on Saturday night, scoring Chicago’s third goal that would prove crucial after Charlotte tallied a quick brace in the second half of the match. Cuypers surpassed his previous high of two in 2024, tying Brian Gutiérrez’s mark from 2024 in the process, but with 15 matches left on the schedule. Four more goals of this variety would tie him with Ring of Fire member Ante Razov, who tallied a Club-record seven game winners in 1999.
16 – With his goal and assist on Saturday, Philip Zinckernagel recorded a total of 16 goal contributions for 2025. The number has him currently tied for 19th in the highest number of goal contributions in a single season in Fire history. However, with 15 matches left in the regular season, the Danish winger has an outside shot at reaching the Club record set by Nemanja Nikolic in 2017, when the Serbian striker scored 24 goals and added four assists for a grand total of 28 goal contributions.
38 – Chicago’s three goals in the victory over Charlotte FC gave the team a total of 38 through 19 matches of the regular season. The Fire’s average of two goals per game, the third-best mark in the league, has the team on track to score 68 goals in 2025 – one more than the Club single season record of 67, set in 2000.
How to Watch
Chicago will head to the northern bank of the Ohio River to face FC Cincinnati on Saturday, July 5th. Kickoff at TQL Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV and transmitted locally on wlsam.com (English) and Que Buena Fire via the Uforia app (Spanish).
