The Chicago Fire earned a solitary point in Montréal by the skin of their teeth last Saturday, but now they’re already gearing up for another important game on the road. They’ll take on the high-flying Columbus Crew, practically a lock to reach the postseason at this point, and a team hungry to increase their standing to ensure favorable seeding. The Fire’s 0-0 draw at the weekend was enough to slow down what had been a four-game skid since the end of Leagues Cup, but they still haven’t won an MLS game since July 15th of this year.
A few injuries will impact the Fire in this game. Midfielder Fede Navarro has been ruled out by head coach Frank Klopas for “a while” and while he did train on the side this week, he’s still unavailable for selection. Javi Casas Jr and Victor Bezerra are unavailable for selection too, as is Chris Mueller, who is out for the rest of the season. Carlos Terán is not listed as injured, though he did not play at the weekend. Kacper Przybyłko also returns from injury.
The Crew, looking to bounce back from a come-from-behind 4-3 defeat at Orlando, will only be without Will Sands through injury. They will be able to call upon new Designated Player and one-time MLS Golden Boot winner Diego Rossi, who arrived over the summer as a replacement for outgoing Lucas Zelarayán.
Tonight’s match will kick off at 6:30 PM Central Time and will be held at Lower.com Field in Columbus. It will be streamed on Apple TV+ with the MLS Season Pass; Tony Husband and Ross Smith will be on the call.
Columbus Crew vs. Chicago Fire
MLS Matchday 33 | Wednesday, September 20th | Lower.com Field, Columbus, Ohio
Kickoff: 6:30 PM CST
Watch: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)
Radio: 890 WLS-AM (English), TUDN 1200 AM (Spanish)
Commentators: Tony Husband (play-by-play) and Ross Smith (analyst)
