Nashville SC vs. Chicago Fire: Gameday Guide and How to Watch

When the Chicago Fire visit Nashville SC Saturday night (7:30 p.m. CT, WGN-TV/CFFC Live) they’ll be looking to do something they haven’t done in Raphael Wicky’s entire time as head coach—win a game on the road.

The Fire are red hot since switching to a 3-5-2 system, scoring nine goals and picking up seven points over their last three matches. But those games were all at home. Chicago hasn’t won a road game since October 2019, a streak the team will have to end if they want to prove they’re a threat to contend for a playoff spot. It won’t be easy. Nashville has just one loss in all of 2021.

“We’re preparing for a team that, I think, is dangerous,” Nashville midfielder Dax McCarty said of his former club. “They’ve been on a little bit of a resurgent run. They had four games at home, and they picked up quite a few points, so I think they’re confident, but so are we.”

Fire goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth has made a league-high 24 saves over the last four matches, including a career high 11 in the team’s most recent defeat, a 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati on June 23. Midfielder Álvaro Medrán has five assists during that stretch—also a league-high—and has made the MLS Team of the Week three weeks running.

The Fire are still without captain Francisco Calvo, who is with Costa Rica at the Gold Cup. Otherwise, Chicago is pretty healthy—Ignacio Aliseda and Mauricio Pineda, who both left the Orlando win with apparent injuries, are both available to play. Wicky said the two looked fine in training this week.

Nashville is without a few key players, including defender Walker Zimmerman, who is with the USMNT for the Gold Cup.

Fabi’s 100th? If Fabian Herbers appears in the match, it will mark his 100th regular season MLS appearance. He appeared 53 times for the Philadelphia Union, and he’s played another 46 times (32 starts) since joining the Fire in 2019.

READ: Stanislav Ivanov is nearly ready to rejoin the Fire

Nashville SC vs. Chicago Fire

MLS Match #13 | Saturday, July 17 | Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. CT

TV: WGN-TV

Chicago Area Steaming: CFFC Live - free at ChicagoFireFC.com or the Chicago Fire mobile app for fans living in the Chicago TV market

Out of Market Streaming: ESPN+ (use our link to subscribe and help support Hot Time!)

Radio: Latino Mix 93.5 FM

Live Twitter Updates: @HotTimeOldTown

Chicago Fire Injuries & Absences

• OUT: Stanislav Ivanov (left knee)
• OUT: Kenneth Kronholm (right knee)
• OUT: Carlos Teran (right shin)
• OUT: Francisco Calvo (international duty)

Nashville SC Injuries & Absences

• OUT: Dom Badji (right ankle)
• OUT: Walker Zimmerman (international duty)
• OUT: Alistair Johnston (international duty)
• OUT: Anibal Godoy (international duty)

Next up for the Fire

Wednesday, July 21 - Chicago Fire vs. D.C. United at Soldier Field, Chicago (7 p.m. CT, WGN-TV/CFFC Live)

Saturday, July 24 - Chicago Fire vs. Toronto FC at Soldier Field, Chicago (7 p.m. CT, WGN-TV/CFFC Live)

Sunday, August 1 - Philadelphia Union vs. Chicago Fire at Subaru Park, Chester, PA (5 p.m. CT, UniMas)