CHICAGO (Oct. 11, 2023) - Chicago Fire FC today announced that forward Georgios Koutsias and Homegrown midfielders Sergio Oregel Jr. and Javier Casas were called to represent their respective countries during the upcoming international window. Koutsias will join Greece in the upcoming U-21 EURO 2024 qualifiers, while Oregel Jr. and Casas were named to the U-22 U.S. Men’s Youth National Team roster for the 2023 Pan-American Games in Santiago, Chile.
Koutsias, 19, will appear in back-to-back international windows for the Greece U-21 Men’s National Team as they look to qualify for the U-21 EURO 2024. Coming off a victory in the previous window over Andorra, the Greek squad looks to carry the momentum into their upcoming match against Croatia on Friday, Oct. 13 at 9 a.m. CT at Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium in Tripoli, Greece. Following the match, they head on the road to face Portugal on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. CT at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques in Guimarães, Portugal.
Led by head coach Michael Nsien, the U.S. is set to face Brazil, Colombia, and Honduras in the group stage of the 2023 Pan-American Games. All matches will take place at Estadio Sausalito in Viña del Mar, ValparaÃso, Chile. The international competition is set to take place from Oct. 22-Nov. 4, 2023.
At the Club level, Oregel Jr. has been a staple for Chicago Fire FC II, the MLS NEXT Pro side of the Club. In 23 appearances with the Fire II, Oregel Jr. recorded three goals and two assists and helped lead the team to its first postseason appearance this past season. Prior to the 2023 season, he made his first team debut for the Fire, starting and registering a full 90-minute appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on April 19, 2022. Later that season, Oregel Jr. made his MLS debut on Oct. 9, 2022, in the 1-1 tie against the New England Revolution when he came on as a substitute for midfielder/defender Mauricio Pineda.
Casas, 20, returns to the U.S. Youth National Team for the first time since 2022, when he was part of a U.S. U-20 MYNT training camp in Bradenton, Florida. At the Club level, Casas has made six appearances for the Fire’s first team, picking up his first career MLS assist in the 3-2 win over Inter Miami CF on March 25 at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. At the time of his MLS debut, he was the second-youngest Homegrown player to appear with Chicago Fire FC. Additionally, at the MLS NEXT Pro level, he made 10 appearances and recorded nine starts during the 2023 regular season.
The Pan American and Parapan American Games are the largest multi-sport event in the Americas. The Games are held every four years and precede the Olympic and Paralympic Games by one year. Chile will serve as the host country for the first time in its history.
