FC Cincinnati Target Road Edge in Cincinnati Vs Chicago Rematch
FC Cincinnati head into cincinnati vs chicago with a recent draw against Chicago Fire FC still fresh, and this rematch comes two weeks after the teams opened their season series on April 18. Cincinnati also bring a four-match unbeaten run into Chicago and have not lost at Soldier Field since 2020.
April 18 Sets the Tone
The first meeting ended 1-1 after FC Cincinnati came from behind at TQL Stadium, and Pat Noonan said Thursday the second look should sharpen both teams. “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,” he said.
Noonan also pointed to the tactical give-and-take from the opener. “It was a really strong 45 [minutes] and then the second 45 [minutes] they were in control of the game, and that was part of the conversation, as it should be,” he said. “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.”
FC Cincinnati at Soldier Field
The road setting gives Cincinnati a useful history to lean on. They have not lost to Chicago since 2024, and they are 4-0-1 in their five matches at Soldier Field since 2020. That track record sits alongside last Saturday’s home win over Red Bull New York, which kept the unbeaten run intact despite significant injuries that sidelined some of the club’s more experienced contributors.
Chicago, though, enter third in the Eastern Conference table and have won four of their last five league matches. They also played a midweek U.S. Open Cup match, which adds another layer to a short turnaround before the rematch.
Three Road Matches Ahead
For Cincinnati, the immediate concern is less about the April 18 draw and more about the stretch that follows. Three of their next four matches are on the road before the MLS season breaks for the FIFA World Cup this summer, and they close out the first half of the season at home on May 23. Noonan said the task is to keep the attack moving while tightening the defensive side against Chicago’s front group: “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.”
“That's what our focus is, but yeah, hopefully our attack continues and hopefully our defending improves to limit their strengths.”
