The Chicago Fire return home Wednesday night for a midweek meeting with reigning MLS Cup champions Atlanta United FC at SeatGeek Stadium. Ahead of tonight's 7 p.m. CT kickoff on ESPN+, get the scoop on head coach Veljko PaunoviÄ's Starting XI presented by AT&T:
- After a run to the quarterfinals of the 2019 Concacaf Gold Cup tournament with Costa Rica, defender Francisco Calvo returns to the starting lineup. The match will be his first start to the Fire since their visit to Atlanta United on June 1.
- Forward CJ Sapong gets his seventh start for the Fire after making his 250th MLS regular season appearance last weekend against the New York Red Bulls.
- Fire captain Dax McCarty gets his 19th start of the year and remains the only Fire player to start every match for the Club in 2019. McCarty is just two MLS regular season appearances shy of 350 for his career.
- Aleksandar Katai slots into the midfield tonight, making his 50th appearance for the Fire since joining the Club ahead of the 2018 season.
- Brandt Bronico and Fabian Herbers return to the first XI tonight, each receiving their third consecutive start.
- Bastian Schweinsteigermakes his 18th start of the year and the 73rd of his career with the Fire.
- Midfielder Djordje MihailoviÄ remains unavailable for selection while representing the USA at the Gold Cup. MihailoviÄ and the U.S. Men's National Team will take on Jamaica in the tournament's semifinals tonight at 8:30 p.m. CT
- Defender Johan Kappelhof (thigh) will miss a second straight match due to injury.
View the full Starting XI and bench for both sides in the graphics below as they're available:
