The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced today that the club will take on the San Jose Earthquakes in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Play-in match at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. On Tuesday, May 24 at 9:30 p.m. CT. The Fire meet the Earthquakes for the chance to participate in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup proper.
The Men in Red have never faced San Jose in a Play-in match, however, the two sides have met once in the main draw of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Fire defeated the Quakes 4-3 on penalty kicks, following a 1-1 tie in regulation and overtime, July 22, 1998 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
The Fire has taken pride in competing in the U.S. Open Cup, and its results reflect that mindset. Since 1998, the Fire have racked up an impressive 26-9-2 record in Open Cup play, which has helped the squad reach the semifinal round on seven out of 13 occasions and the tournament’s final five times. The 2006 title marked the ninth time a team from Chicago won the Open Cup and made the Fire one of five teams to capture the crown at least four times in the tournament’s nearly century-long history.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which is recognized as U.S. Soccer’s National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. The tournament has crowned a champion for 95 consecutive years dating back to 1914. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor long-time soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
