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Chicago Fire Weekly Update - April 15, 2019

April 15, 2019 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Chicago Fire News Release

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. - The Chicago Fire Soccer Club will play at home for a second consecutive week when the team hosts the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, April 20 as part of a doubleheader matchday at SeatGeek Stadium. Saturday's doubleheader will feature the Fire taking on the Rapids at 12:00 p.m. CT, followed by the Chicago Red Stars' National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) home opener against Portland Thorns FC at 2:30 p.m. CT.

The Fire's match against Colorado will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and transmitted locally on Univision Radio WRTO AM 1200. Coverage will begin at 11:45 a.m. CT with a live pregame show on ESPN+, presented by CIBC.

All tickets purchased for the Fire's home match against the Rapids will also include a general admission ticket for the Red Stars NWSL home opener against Thorns FC. Tickets for the doubleheader are currently available online.

Entering this weekend's contest, the Fire (1-2-3, 6 points) are unbeaten in its last three matches (1-0-2) in league play. The Men in Red are coming off a 1-1 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on April 12 when forward Nemanja Nikolic scored a late game-tying penalty kick to score for a second straight match and earn a point for the Fire (WATCH).

Saturday's game will mark the 44th meeting between the Fire and the Rapids since the 1998 campaign. During that stretch, the Fire have posted a 19-14-10 record against Colorado, including a 16-4-2 mark at home. The last meeting between both sides at SeatGeek Stadium occurred on May 17, 2017, with the Fire posting a strong 3-0 victory over the Rapids.

The Rapids (0-5-2, 2 points) head into Saturday's match with two points through seven games played to start the season. In the team's most recent match, Colorado fell 3-2 to D.C. United at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on April 13. Forward Kei Kamara leads the team in goals scored (four) in 2019.

Saturday's match will mark Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard's final regular season contest against the Fire. Howard - the U.S. Men's National Team's all-time leader in wins (62) and goalkeeper appearances (121) - is set to retire at the end of the 2019 MLS season.

Chicago Fire to Wear adidas x Parley Eco-Friendly Kits on Saturday

As part of MLS WORKS Greener Goals of Service, for the third consecutive year, the Chicago Fire will be wearing special adidas x Parley eco-friendly kits on Saturday as part of Earth Day weekend. These innovative kits, built with Climalite technology, are made from technical yarns comprised of Parley Ocean Plastic™. As part of the global adidas x Parley initiative, plastic waste collected on beaches and in coastal communities is transformed into high-performance sportswear.

These special Fire jerseys will be available to fans via an online auction to benefit the Chicago Fire Foundation. Scheduled to begin on Wednesday, April 17, the auction will run through halftime of the Men in Red's contest against the Rapids on Saturday, April 20.

Bastian Schweinsteiger named to MLS Team of the Week for Week 7

Following a standout performance in the team's 1-1 draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on April 12, Chicago Fire midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger was named to the MLS Team of the Week for Week 7. Deployed as a central defender, Schweinsteiger tallied a team-high 22 defensive actions to help the Fire secure a point against Whitecaps FC.

Academy Update: Chicago Fire U-17 Academy Side Opens Generation adidas Cup Play

The 2019 Generation adidas Cup began on Sunday morning in Frisco, Texas with a pair of matches for the Chicago Fire's U-17 team. The Fire began the day with a 2-1 victory over the Houston Dynamo's U-17 side, including goals from Brian Gutierrez and Jason Belloli.

In their second match of the day, the Fire battled to a 0-0 regulation draw with FC Midtjylland of the Danish Superliga, before suffering a 4-2 defeat in the ensuing penalty kick shootout.

On Monday morning, the Fire went back to winning ways in the GA Cup, defeating Orlando City SC's U-17s 1-0. The team's next match will take place against the Portland Timbers on Tuesday, April 16 at 9:00 a.m. CT.

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