Match Preview: Huntsville City FC vs Chicago Fire FC II
Happy Easter everyone! As the Easter Bunny placed gifts in all of your baskets, Huntsville City FC has been preparing to open the doors to Joe Davis Stadium once more as they welcome in Chicago Fire FC II.
Let’s dive in!
Match Details
Location: Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium, Huntsville, Alabama
Date: Sunday, April 20th, 2025
Time: 6:00PM CST (local)
Coaches: Chris O’Neal (HNT), Mike Matkovic (CHI)
Referees: Esad Omoanovic (REF), Jay Norris (AR1), Donald Williams (AR2), Amin Hadzic (4TH)
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+
The History
You’ve already had to suffer through the history of Huntsville and Chicago Fire 2 once this season, so I’ll keep it brief.
In short, these clubs have met four times, with each side taking one win in 90 minutes and the pair of them splitting the spoils of two penalty shootouts apiece as well.
Most recently, these clubs met on the opening day of the season in Bridgeview, and that game was a 4-1 win for Huntsville. I broke that game down in detail over at SixOneFive Soccer if you’re interested.
Fun fact, the road team has won all four of the previous matchups, including shootouts. Huntsville has lost once on penalties, and once by a score of 4-0 in the Rocket City to Chicago.
Lineup Prediction
This lineup should look familiar if you’ve read our Huntsville previews before. This is, largely, what I believe a “best 11” is for the Rocket Men at the moment.
Xavier Valdez was impressive in goal against Crown Legacy, but I’ve opted for Erik Lauta for this fixture. Either could feature, as both have looked impressive, but Lauta has played more often, so he gets the slight nod.
The back four is unchanged from the shootout win at Crown Legacy a week ago, as Tyshawn Rose, Wyatt Meyer, Zach Barrett and Blake Bowen fortify the defense.
In midfield, we return to a Pep Casas and Moises Véliz partnership, which allows Ethan O’Brien to push higher up the field. This may end up looking like a midfield three at times if it’s set up this way.
Christian Koffi and Damien Barker John on the wings are functionally irreplaceable in the starting lineup when healthy. As far as I’m aware they both still are, so they both still feature.
There’s competition at striker, as Gunnar Studenhofft and Adem Sipic are pushing for minutes, but I think Gio Miglietti gets the nod in this one, if slightly.
Analysis & Prediction
Huntsville thoroughly dismantled Chicago last time out, so easy, they do it again! Right? Maybe not.
As mentioned, the home side in this fixture has never won, and Huntsville are off the back of two straight shootout victories. In fact, that opening day win in Bridgeview is the Rocket Men’s only win inside 90 minutes this season. Chicago have two themselves, including one on the road at FC Cincinnati 2.
Plus, these teams both have tape on each other now. They’ve played four games. The data is out there. Right now, both these teams look like serious playoff contenders, and they’re both hovering around that line at this early stage, with games in hand each of them.
Someone’s gotta prove it on Easter, and pick your Jesus rising metaphor to describe it. That being said, I do think it’s Huntsville who will do it again. Inside 90 minutes.
Give me a scoreline of 2-1, with goals from Koffi and O’Brien sealing it for the hosts.