The Fire look to rebound from a defeat in Orlando last weekend with a return to Soldier Field for two straight matches, beginning with Wednesday night's visit from the Houston Dynamo.
Both teams are looking to make a push towards the MLS postseason with three crucial points on the line come kickoff. Tonight's interconference clash begins at 6:30 p.m. CT, with coverage on WGN, ESPN+ and 1200 TUDN AM.
With the opening whistle an hour away, here's how head coach Raphael Wicky will deploy his squad this evening:
- Two changes have been made to the starting XI from last weekend's road game in Orlando: Fabian Herbers returns to the lineup after being suspended from last week's trip to Florida due to yellow card accumulation. Also back in the team is Jonathan Bornstein, who makes his first start since July 23.
- Looking to keep his scoring streak alive is forward Robert BeriÄ, who leads the attacking unit this evening having scored goals in each of the Fire's last two games. He has four goals total on the season.
- Francisco Calvo, Mauricio Pineda, and Ălvaro MedrĂĄn remain the only Fire players to begin each match in 2020, receiving their 13th starts of the season tonight.
- Midfielder Djordje MihailoviÄstarts for the third straight match. The Chicago native scored his first goal of the season in the Fire's last match at Soldier Field, a 2-2 draw with Columbus Crew SC on Sept. 12.
- Gastón Giménezhas won Heineken Man of the Match honors twice at Soldier Field so far, and earns his 11th Fire start this evening. He'll be part of the midfield trio with Medrån and Ignacio Aliseda, who start alongside one another for the ninth straight match.
- Boris SekuliÄ gets his 11th straight start among the Fire defensive unit tonight lined up opposite of Jonathan Bornstein.
- Goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth creeps closer to a major MLS milestone with tonight's start, earning his 192nd career regular season appearance in the league.
- Available to Wicky as substitutions tonight are forward CJ Sapong, midfielders Micheal Azira, Brandt Bronico, Brian Gutiérrez, and Elliot Collier, defenders Miguel Navarro, Wyatt Omsberg, andAndre Reynolds IIand goalkeeperGabriel Slonina.
- GoalkeeperKenneth Kronholm, defendersJohan KappelhofandJeremiah Gutjahr, and midfieldersLuka StojanoviÄandPrzemysĆaw Frankowski 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:
