The Chicago Fire’s march to the cup comes to fruition as the Men in Red look to capture their fifth Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title, and first since 2006, against the reigning U.S. Open Cup Champion Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 9:00 p.m. CT (Fox Soccer).
The Fire’s late-season drive to make the MLS playoffs is still going strong, but it’ll be put briefly on hold, reports Len Ziehm of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“For us – and this has been from the beginning – the U.S. Open Cup is at the top of the list and is a tournament that we want to try to win every year,” said interim Fire coach Frank Klopas.
Klopas will himself be a part of the tournament in a different light. The striker capped off the Fire’s inaugural 1998 MLS season with the game-winning goal during Chicago’s Open Cup win over the Columbus Crew. ESPN Chicago’s Charlie Corr recalls Klopas’ ’98 game-winner against the Crew as a banner moment in a banner season.
Klopas had home-field advantage in ‘98 when the Fire hosted the Columbus Crew at Soldier Field in Chicago.
This year, the Fire will compete on hostile soil at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. The crowd of more than 33,000 (and some estimating close to 40,000) will be the biggest in the 98-year Open Cup, and potentially a massive advantage for the Sounders.
But Fire defender Cory Gibbs says he is equally motivated by the large crowds.
“Personally, it motivates me more,” Gibbs said Monday. “We’re ready for the challenge. It’s something huge.”
The Men in Red will not be without their fans. The supporters in attendance will include 100 traveling Section 8 fans cheering on the Fire. According to MLS Golden Boot contender Dominic Oduro, the rowdy crowds have actually factored into Chicago’s strategy and approach.
“It’s our game plan to go up early and calm it down and hopefully we can stick to the game plan. You always got to tune [the fans] out,” Oduro said Monday.
History and tradition are on the line for both clubs in tonight’s match. Since joining the MLS three season ago, Seattle has dominated the Open Cup. A win tonight would give the Sounders a third consecutive Open Cup title and they would be the first club to win three in a row since the New York Greek-American did it from 1967-1969.
The Fire have their own Open Cup tradition as well. After all, they are the #KingsoftheCup.
The Fire have four Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup crowns to their name, winning in 2006, 2003, 2000, and 1998 (the year Chicago also won the MLS Cup). Sam Stejskal of MLSsoccer.com has the 1998 team’s version of the Open Cup final, picked up in the hours following Chicago’s MLS Cup win.
So who will take home the trophy?
Simon Borg and Jason Saghini of MLSsoccer.com take to the podiums to debate which team will hoist the U.S. Lamar Hunt Open Cup following tonight’s big match.
Come out to SmallBar Fullerton to cheer on the Men in Red with the rest of the Fire Faithful who couldn’t make the trip to Seattle.
Go Fire!
