The Chicago Fire will kickoff their fifth of six preseason friendly matches leading up to the 2017 regular season on Wednesday afternoon (Feb. 22) when they take on USL side FC Cincinnati at IMG Academy (3 p.m. CT). Fans will be able to follow the action via live.IMGAcademyTV.com.
Head coach Veljko Paunovic's side will look to continue building on what has been a successful (and high-scoring) preseason campaign to this point. The Fire are 4-0-0 through their first four matches played, with 11 goals scored to just three conceded, two of which came via the penalty spot. Much of that offensive outburst -- which has now seen eight different Fire players find net -- can be attributed to the team's 5-2 win over NASL side Miami FC in its most recent outing on Sunday.
Highlights | Chicago Fire 5:2 Miami FC
Paunovic opted to use entirely different XIs in each half, mixing up both apparent starters and younger squad members in each. Both lineups were able to find a scoring rhythm up top, none more so than what the second half unit put together in the game's 63rd minute.
With many of the team's apparent starters getting minutes on Sunday, Wednesday's friendly could offer some of the side's younger players and trialists a chance to turn heads ahead of March 4th's season opener in Columbus. Goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland falls into that group, and received his first preseason minutes against Miami FC in the wake of fellow 'keeper Matt Lampson being sidelined with an MCL injury.
"It's awesome," he said. "It's very different. The pressure is a little higher, because -- even though it's an exhibition game -- you're trying to prove yourself. Nothing is taken for granted. Every rep, every time the ball comes to you, there's a little bit of pressure to do the right thing with it because there are a million other guys who are going to take your spot. It was good, though.
Cleveland made the most of his 45 minute appearance, helping begin the buildup in the aforementioned wondergoal eventually finished by David Accam and also initially saving a penalty kick in the match's later stages that was eventually put in on a rebound.
"It felt great to be out there with the team," he said. "I didn't feel like a rookie, really. I felt like they trusted me. I felt like I belonged out there."
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Meanwhile, FC Cincinnati return to preseason action after dropping a 3-2 result to USL counterpart OKC Energy Sunday at IMG Academy. Despite a late goal from former Fire defender and 2012 MLS Rookie of the Year Austin Berry, they'll now look to rebound from a loss on what was the (unofficial) start to their 2017 season.
The match also marked the club's first under Alan Koch, who was installed as the club's head coach following the surprise dismissal of John Harkes last Friday. Harkes, a former captain of the U.S. Men's National Team, led the team to an impressive third-place finish in USL in 2016, its first season in the league. Koch previously acted as a coaching assistant since arriving at the club in December after a stint as head coach of Vancouver Whitecaps II.
In addition to Berry, FC Cincinnati possesses another name familiar to Fire faithful in the form of Corben Bone, who appeared 18 times for the Men In Red in seasons spanning 2010-13. MLS fans will also recognize the name of FC Cincinnati's Omar Cummings, a leading figure for the Colorado Rapids during their 2010 MLS Cup-winning season. Cummings racked up 42 goals and 30 assists in his eight MLS campaigns.
