Chicago hosts defending MLS champion Columbus Crew tonight at Soldier Field in the final regular season meeting between the two teams. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT, the match will be broadcast globally on MLS Season Pass and transmitted locally on wlsam.com (English) and WRTO 1200 AM (Spanish).
The two teams previously faced off in Columbus on March 9, with the Crew taking a late 2-1 victory on their home turf. Playing their second home match in four days, the Fire will be looking to bounce back from a 1-0 midweek defeat to Charlotte FC and secure all three points at Soldier Field.
- Head Coach Frank Klopas made three changes to the lineup that faced Charlotte FC on Wednesday at Soldier Field.
- Midfielder Fabian Herbers returns to the lineup and will don the captain’s armband from the outset.
- Midfielder Gastón Giménez returns to the starting lineup for the first time since March 31 against Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, when he exited the field due to injury.
- Defender Allan Arigoni also returns to the starting lineup after missing the midweek match against Charlotte due to an injury. He makes his 13th start of the 2024 campaign.
- Goalkeeper Chris Brady makes his 13th start of the season and 44th of his career, having missed only one game in 2024 due to international duty. With the start, the young netminder surpasses Gaga Slonina for most starts by a Homegrown goalkeeper in Club history.
- Forward Hugo Cuypers starts his 14th consecutive match for the Fire, making him the only player on the squad to have started every match so far in 2024.
- Midfielder Federico Navarro starts his second straight match for the Fire and his third overall in 2024.
- Defender Andrew Gutman makes his fifth-straight start, and sixth start overall. Gutman has started every match in which he has played for the Men in Red so far in 2024.
- Homegrown midfielder Brian Gutiérrez starts for the 10th time this season, breaking the centennial mark with 101 regular season appearances for the Men in Red.
- Defenders Rafael Czichos and Carlos Terán pair up together at central defense for the second consecutive match.
- Winger Chris Mueller makes his eighth start of the 2024 regular season, participating in his 157th career MLS match.
- Chase Gasper (upper leg) and Tobias Salquist (upper leg) are unavailable for today’s match.
- Available off the bench for Coach Klopas are goalkeeper Spencer Richey; defenders Jonathan Dean and Arnaud Souquet; defender/midfielder Mauricio Pineda; midfielders Kellyn Acosta, Maren Haile-Selassie and Xherdan Shaqiri; and forwards Tom Barlow and Georgios Koutsias.
