Chicago Fire FC continues training in the second week of a three-week break from MLS Regular Season play due to the FIFA window. Chicago (1-5-1, 4 points) will return to league play on Saturday, June 19 against the Columbus Crew at Historic Crew Stadium. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT, the match will be broadcast live on WGN-TV, CFFC Live and TUDN 1200 AM.
During the FIFA window, defender Francisco Calvo joined the Costa Rica National Team for Concacaf Nations League matches. Costa Rica fell to Mexico 5-4 in a penalty-kick shootout in the League A Semifinals on Thursday after a scoreless draw in regulation time. The Fire captain stepped up to take Costa Rica's fifth penalty kick, needing to score with Mexico at a 4-3 advantage. Calvo beat Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa with a low shot to the right and leveled the score at four apiece to force a sudden death period. Costa Rica will get a chance to play for third place on Sunday against Honduras, who fell 1-0 to the United States in the other League A Semifinal on Thursday. That match will take place today at 5:30 p.m. CT at Denver's Empower Field at Mile High. Los Ticos will then face the United States in a friendly match at 6:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday, June 9 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. The match will be televised on ESPN2, UniMás and TUDN.
On Tuesday, midfielder Przemysław Frankowski delivered a backheel assist for Poland in a EURO 2020 warmup against Russia. Earning the start in his 11th international appearance, Frankowski went on to play 80 minutes as the match finished in a 1-1 draw. Poland next takes on Iceland on June 8 in its final tune-up before looking ahead to Group E fixtures against Slovakia, Spain and Sweden. The team kicks off the tournament against Slovakia on June 14 at 11:00 a.m. CT at Saint Petersburg Stadium in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Midfielder Gastón Giménez was back in the starting lineup and went the full 90 minutes for the Paraguay National Team in a 0-0 CONMEBOL 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying draw against Uruguay on Thursday. The scoreless draw keeps Paraguay and Uruguay deadlocked on seven points apiece through five matches played in the 10-team CONMEBOL standings. Paraguay remains in fourth place following the result, ahead of fifth-place Uruguay on goal differential. Paraguay will continue their qualifying campaign in South America when they host Brazil on Tuesday, June 8 at the Estadio Defensores del Chaco (7:30 p.m. CT) in Asuncion.
All three players will return to Chicago following international play.
Headlines:
Calvo, Costa Rica fall in penalties in Nations League Semifinals
Giménez plays 90 for Paraguay in World Cup Qualifying draw
Kid M3mito readies for North American FIFA Global Series Playoffs
Przemysław Frankowski starts, records assist for Poland
CFFC's July 7 home match to be nationally televised on UniMás
Chicago Fire Team Schedule (June 7-13)
Monday, June 7
Training at 10:00 a.m. CT
Tuesday, June 8
Training at 10:00 a.m. CT
Wednesday, June 9
Training at 10:00 a.m. CT
Thursday, June 10
Training at 10:00 a.m. CT
Friday, June 11
Training at 10:00 a.m. CT
Saturday, June 12
Training at 10:00 a.m. CT
Sunday, June 13
Day off
The Fire’s training sessions feature comprehensive health and safety protocol, including regular testing of players, coaches and staff for COVID-19.