MATCHDAY PREVIEW presented by Kiesland | FC Cincinnati visit Chicago Fire FC for another early season rematch

FC Cincinnati hit the highway once more this weekend and make the journey to Chicago, Illinois, for a rematch with The Fire, simply two weeks after internet hosting them at TQL Stadium to open the season collection.

The Orange and Blue are coming off a win this week, taking down Red Bull New York final Saturday at house in a wire-to-wire victory regardless of important accidents sidelining a few of their extra skilled contributors. With that feeling of victory as wind of their sails, FCC need to carry the arrogance they earned ahead whereas additionally addressing areas they’ll construct on to additional enhance.

“Winning always has guys feeling, acting, maybe a little bit more upbeat, but it’s typically, how do you go about the performance and getting a result? So that can bring out different emotions after the game and throughout the week,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan mentioned Thursday. “It was a extremely sturdy 45 [minutes] after which the second 45 [minutes] they have been accountable for the sport, and that was a part of the dialog, correctly.

“But I think under the circumstances, those being the last few weeks of having to come back in games and being more on the front foot and getting the goals, that was a positive.”

In the opening matchup of the collection with Chicago Fire FC on April 18, FC Cincinnati got here from behind to earn a draw. Now, hitting the highway for the sixth time this season, the Orange and Blue need to earn their first highway victory and proceed a run of sturdy type towards Chicago Fire that dates again three years. FCC are presently on a four-match unbeaten run and haven’t misplaced to Chicago since 2024. They additionally have not misplaced at Soldier Field since 2020, going 4-0-1 within the 5 matches there since.

Nevertheless, FC Cincinnati will not be seeking to relaxation on their historical past and are making ready for a tough opponent that gave them hassle in current reminiscence.

“You see teams quickly…that’s the reality. What it does is it makes you more familiar with them for the second match. But the same goes for them, so Chicago is going to have a pretty good idea of ​​us and what they can expect,” Noonan added forward of the match. “So it isn’t new, and it may be a optimistic or a adverse, relying on the way you be taught from the primary sport and the way you make changes for the second.”

Chicago has been one of many strongest groups within the Eastern Conference this season, sitting third on the desk and profitable 4 of its final 5 league matches. The Fire had a midweek match within the US Open Cup that would issue into how this Saturday’s match appears from a personnel standpoint, however the id Chicago performs with, and the standard of their depth, implies that FCC continues to be making ready for an offensively gifted facet with the poise to defend in a robust method.

“They create a lot of moments, and I think we do as well. It’s maybe not looking so much at the expected goals and looking at how they gain advantages to put this really strong attacking group in positions to make plays,” Noonan mentioned of their preparations for Chicago. “That’s what our focus is, however yeah, hopefully our assault continues and hopefully our protection improves to restrict their strengths.”

This highway journey sparks a string of away matches earlier than the MLS season breaks for the FIFA World Cup this summer time. FC Cincinnati play three of their subsequent 4 matches on the highway earlier than closing out the primary half of the season at house on May 23.

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After coming from behind to get a draw earned late final outing towards Chicago Fire FC, the Orange and Blue improved their all-time document towards their Windy City opponents to 7-4-5. Tom Barlow and Evander each scored in that match to provide FC Cincinnati the 3-3 consequence, extending the unbeaten streak FCC have towards Chicago that dates again to 2024.

Historically, the highway staff has had extra success within the all-time head-to-head between FC Cincinnati and Chicago Fire FC. FCC are 5-1-1 in matches performed in Chicago, whereas CFFC are 3-2-3 in MLS matches at Cincinnati.

(Courtesy of *FC Cincinnati Communications*)

Denkey’s on Fire – Kévin Denkey continued his distinctive run of scoring type, including two extra targets on Saturday towards Red Bull. The Togolese ahead now has 10 targets throughout all competitions for the Orange and Blue in 2026, which incorporates three two-goal performances.

Denkey was named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 10 for his efficiency towards Red Bull, the place he grew to become the fourth participant in membership historical past to attain a number of targets in consecutive video games.

100 for Bucha – Pavel Bucha enters the weekend only one look shy of

100 for FC Cincinnati, throughout all competitions. Bucha has been a mainstay within the FC Cincinnati lineup since his arrival in MLS, showing in 99 of a doable 104 matches.

Bucha would turn out to be the eleventh participant in membership historical past to make 100 appearances.

Debut Performance – FC Cincinnati 2 defender Ayoub Lajhar made his MLS Regular

Season debut Saturday towards Red Bull New York. Lajhar performed 11 minutes as a second half substitute, approaching for Bryan Ramirez within the 79th minute. Lajhar is the second FC Cincinnati 2 participant to make a primary staff MLS debut this season becoming a member of Andrei Chirila on March 15, 2026 at New England.

Chicago Fire FC have been off to a sizzling begin in 2026 and have solely continued that since final seeing FC Cincinnati two weeks in the past. The Fire have performed simply twice since coming to TQL Stadium on April 18, incomes a 5-0 win over Sporting KC, and falling within the US Open Cup, shedding 2-1 to St. Louis CITY SC on Wednesday night time and being eradicated from the match.

Led by Head Coach Gregg Berhalter, The Fire have seen success in 2026 on the again of a robust protection. The Windy City membership have 5 clear sheets in 9 matches and have conceded solely eight targets of their league matches, the sixth fewest in MLS this season. Three of these eight targets got here towards FC Cincinnati, essentially the most they’ve allowed in 2026 in a single sport so far.

“Chicago is going to have a pretty good idea of ​​us and what they can expect. So it’s not new, and it can be a positive or a negative, depending on how you learn from the first game and how you make adjustments for the second,” FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan mentioned Thursday forward of the match in Chicago, highlighting how these two groups confronted one another simply two weeks in the past and the reminiscence of that sport continues to be contemporary within the thoughts.

“If you just looked at the (stats), you’d say, ‘Okay, this is a great attacking team,’ and they are a very good attacking team. But put the expected goals conversation aside. What are the challenges that they’re going to present to us? We just saw them, and they scored three goals against us. So we know they have an experienced team and experienced attacking group,” Noonan continued on this weekend’s opponent. “So our conversations weren’t around expected goals. It was, how do we limit the strengths of those players, how they link up together, how they attack quickly in transition, how they make plays in isolation? There’s so many details that go into it.”

At the middle of the defensive construction that has stood out is MLS newcomer Mbekezeli Mbokazi, who has began each match for Chicago in MLS motion. The South African defender is new to MLS, becoming a member of this winter window from South African facet Orlando Pirates. He has been hailed early as one of many top signings of the window and has contributed tremendously to Chicago’s early success in 2026.

“Comfort on the ball, pace, physicality. He’s been strong for them. It’s noticeable,” Noonan mentioned of defending Mbekezeli Mbokazi forward of FC Cincinnati’s first match with Chicago in April. “Of course, we put more attention to the next opponent. So, I hadn’t seen as much up until this point and when you watch the games and analyze their play and why they’re strong defensively, I think that’s a big reason for it. I think he’s been really strong for them.”

Further up the sector, a mix of confirmed league expertise stands out for the Fire’s assault. Star ahead Hugo Cuypers leads the road, main the staff with eight targets. He scored twice towards FCC final outing, and scored in each match he is performed this season. Dynamic Ivory Coast winger Jonathan Bamba begins on the left and has two targets and two assists.

Midfielder Philip Zinckernagel has equally been a constant contributor; he and Cuypers had a brace of their victory over SKC and Zinkernagel scored the primary purpose versus FCC. He is joined by veteran midfielder Robin Lod in that center of the park; the Finnish midfielder is in his first season with Chicago, having come over after spending the final 7 seasons with Minnesota United FC.

In internet for Chicago Fire is Chris Brady, an MLS veteran at this level regardless of being simply 22 years outdated. The US worldwide and Academy graduate goalkeeper is in his fourth season because the beginning keeper for the membership. Brady, who has been known as into US Men’s National Team camps on numerous events, made his one centesimal MLS look for Chicago after they performed FCC final outing.