MLS Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire Soccer Club Weekly Update: August 11 - August 17

Published on August 11, 2019 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - The Chicago Fire Soccer Club will continue their playoff push by playing two matches in a four-day span this week. On Wednesday, Aug. 14, the Fire will travel to face the Portland Timbers at Providence Park at 10:00 p.m. CT (ESPN+, TUDN Radio Chicago 1200 AM). The pregame show on ESPN+, presented by CIBC, will begin at 9:45 p.m. CT.

Following their match against the Timbers, the Fire will return home to SeatGeek Stadium to face the Philadelphia Union for the second time this season on Saturday, Aug. 17. Set to begin at 7:00 p.m. CT, the match will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and transmitted locally in Spanish on TUDN Radio Chicago 1200 AM. The pregame show on ESPN+, presented by CIBC, will begin at 6:45 p.m. CT.

Entering Wednesday's game, the Fire are unbeaten in their last three matches (2-0-1) in league play. Most recently, the Men in Red defeated the Montreal Impact 3-2 at SeatGeek Stadium to climb within three points of a playoff position. After receiving first half goals from midfielder Dax McCarty, who scored his first career regular season goal for the Club, and forward Nemanja Nikoli?, the Fire found the winning goal in the 88th minute when defender Bastian Schweinsteiger scored a header to tally his first of the season.

The Timbers enter Wednesday's matchup after earning three points at Providence Park in a 3-1 defeat over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Saturday, Aug. 10. The win comes after Portland suffered back-to-back away defeats against Minnesota United FC on Aug. 4 (MLS) and Aug. 7 (Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup). Currently sitting two points below the playoff line, the Timbers (10-9-4, 34 points) will play 10 of its final 11 regular season matches at Providence Park. The extended home stretch is due to a renovation of Providence Park that forced Portland to play its first 12 league games on the road. Through its first seven home games, Portland has tallied a 4-1-2 record in league play.

Wednesday's match will mark the first time the Fire have faced the Timbers in 2019. The Fire previously faced Portland at Providence Park on July 5, 2017, earning an away point in a 2-2 draw.

The Philadelphia Union (12-7-6, 42 points) enter Saturday's match sitting in first place in the Eastern Conference standings. Saturday's game will mark the second meeting between the two teams this season. Both teams previously met at Talen Energy Stadium on July 20, with the Union earning a 2-0 win at home. Prior to facing the Fire, Philadelphia will take on the Houston Dynamo at Talen Energy Stadium at 6:00 p.m. CT on Aug. 11.

On Loan | Thriving Cleveland eyes postseason with Lansing Ignite FC

Chicago Fire goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland has had a memorable season with Lansing Ignite FC. After just one month on loan, Cleveland was named the USL League One Player of the Month for June. In 15 appearances for Lansing, the goalkeeper has notched six clean sheets and the team has only lost twice.

With Lansing currently sitting in second place in the standings, Cleveland was also recently named as a favorite for the team's MVP award.

To read more about Cleveland's loan spell, click HERE.

Chicago Fire Academy Players Justin Reynolds and Allan Rodriguez Impress at 2019 Concacaf Boys' Under-15 Championship

Fire Academy players Justin Reynolds and Allan Rodriguez each featured across all three of the U-15 U.S. Boys' National Team group stage matches at the 2019 Concacaf Boys' Under-15 Championship, which culminated with a 4-0 win over Suriname on Aug. 7.

With the result, the U-15 U.S. BNT finished with a perfect 3-0-0 record atop Group B to go along with clean sheet victories against Haiti (2-0) and Guatemala (3-0) in their two matches prior.

Check out the Chicago Fire FC Statistics

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