The Chicago Fire will look to make it two wins in a row against FC Cincinnati on Wednesday night when they kickoff from Nippert Stadium at 6:30 pm. CT (WGN, ESPN+, TUDN 1200 AM).
These two sides met just eight days ago on Aug. 25, with the Fire emerging as 3-0 victors in the Club's long-awaited return to Soldier Field. They'll now look to put on a similar performance in tonight's replay on the road.
With kickoff coming shortly, head coach Raphael Wicky has released his starting XI and bench. Get the details below on how he'll line things up this evening in Ohio:
- One change has been made to tonight's opening XI from Saturday's outing at New York City FC. Goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth returns after missing the weekend match with an injury. He replaces Connor Sparrow, who made his Fire debut on Saturday.
- Fabian Herbers, Ălvaro MedrĂĄn, and Ignacio Aliseda-- the Fire's three goal-scorers from their 3-0 win over Cincinnati eight days ago -- all return to the starting XI in midfield this evening.
- Captain Francisco Calvo earns the 90th start of his MLS career (92nd appearance overall) since coming to the league as a member of Minnesota United in 2017. He'll pair up with Homegrown rookie Mauricio Pineda in central defense.
- Gastón Giménezearns his seventh consecutive start in midfield. He was named the Heineken Man of the Match when these two teams met at Soldier Field last week.
- Midfielder PrzemysĆaw Frankowskiwill make his 40th appearance for the Fire as part of tonight's opening XI.
- Boris SekuliÄand Miguel Navarro return to take up the wide channels opposite one another on the Fire's defensive backline.
- Forward Robert BeriÄ will lead the line this evening, making his ninth Fire start.
- Available to Wicky as substitutions tonight are midfielders Micheal Azira, Brandt Bronico, Elliot Collier, Djordje MihailoviÄand Brian GutiĂ©rrez, defenders Jonathan Bornstein, Wyatt Omsberg and Andre Reynolds II, and goalkeeper Connor Sparrow.
- Forward CJ Sapong, goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm, defenders Johan Kappelhof and Jeremiah Gutjahr, and midfielder Luka StojanoviÄ are not medically cleared for tonight's match.
Get a look at both team's starting lineups as they're available in the graphics below:
