In a 3-1 win against Orlando City B on Sunday evening, Chicago Fire Homegrown products Chris Brady and Alex Monis each earned their first professional starts while playing on loan for Forward Madison FC.
In what was also Brady's first professional appearance, the 17-year-old goalkeeper made three saves to help head coach Daryl Shore's side move into third place in the USL League One standings.
“The whole week was just prepping for this,” Brady told ForwardMadisonFC.com after the match. “Most of the time you’d think that it would be harder on yourself, but throughout the week you get more geared into it. Training just strictly for the game, it helps for me at least.”
The Naperville, Ill. native became the 19th Homegrown signing in Fire history back on March 24 after four seasons spent in the Fire Academy.
Monis, 17, got the start on the right side of the attack and played 67 minutes, before being substituted for Don Smart. The appearance was Monis' fifth so far for the Fire's USL League One affiliate, after debuting on July 25.
Brady and Monis -- alongside fellow 2020 Homegrown signee Allan Rodríguez -- have been on loan with Madison since July 24. They'll get their next opportunity to earn minutes when Madison hosts North Texas SC on Sunday, Aug. 30.
