UIC will clash with DePaul in a Chicago Derby showdown Wednesday afternoon at Wish Field.

The city rivals have met every season since 2011, with the exception of 2020 when both programs played a conference-only schedule.  In that span, the Flames have gone 6-3 to take a 17-12-2 lead in the all-time series.

Coming off a 2-1 loss to Milwaukee in which the Panthers scored in the second minute, and the Flames did not tally until after going down by a pair of goals, Sean Phillips knows a faster start will be necessary against a Blue Demon squad that entered the United Soccer Coaches North Region poll at #10 this week.  "We carried the last 20 minutes against Milwaukee, but being in a position where you have to chase two goals is very difficult," he said.  "Our challenge as a group will be to bring that energy and that attention to detail from the opening kick against a very good DePaul team."

DePaul has won three in a row following a season-opening loss to Loyola.  Marek Gonda and Jack Richards have three goals and seven points apiece.  DePaul's 10 total assists have come from 10 different players.  Gandhi Cruz has saved 78.9% of the shots fired his way and has a 1.0 goals-against average in his first season of collegiate soccer.

The Flames will counter with an attacking front that includes Younes Dayekh and Bukola Abdulwahab, who are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece, and Josiah Ash, who picked up his first assist of the season against Milwaukee.  Though the Flames had season highs in shots and shots on goal against the Panthers – including six shots on goal from Dayekh, marking the most in a single game by a Flame since October 16, 2011 – they also allowed season highs in both categories en route to going down 2-0 for the second time in three matches.

"Defensively, we have to be better," Phillips stated.  "We need to be more honest in transition when we lose possession, and our defending against set pieces has to improve."

UIC played another city rival, Northwestern, to a 0-0 draw early in the season.  "These city rivalry games always bring a certain level of intensity.  That was the case when we played Northwestern and I would anticipate the same against DePaul," Phillips said.  "DePaul is always very hard to break down.  They have a lot of talent and a lot of depth.  Whichever team does the little things better throughout the 90 minutes will be the one that has the knife's edge turn in their favor."

Kickoff will be at 1:00 pm.  Links to the live stream and gameday coverage are in the blue box above.