Plotkin, Fire handle Stars

Chicago Fire defender Brian Plotkin and Cleveland City Stars forward Adam Ruud stood at midfield at Toyota Park on Tuesday night, looking for friends in the stands and sharing memories of playing for the Sockers club.

It was the nicest the Fire had been to the Stars all night.

The Fire scored a 4-1 victory over the United Soccer Leagues second division team in U.S. Open Cup third-round play. The team advances to the quarterfinals next Tuesday at D.C. United, which defeated Rochester 2-1.

"We were just trying to catch up real quick," Plotkin, a Naperville native, said of his postgame meeting with his old friend from Hanover Park. "He got me a little bit there 1-on-1 in the box in the first half, but it's always nice playing against somebody you grew up with. We both put in a lot of hard work, so to be able to be rewarded in this kind of environment is kind of a nice thing."

The Fire, playing a lineup consisting mostly of second-team players, jumped out to an early lead on the first of midfielder Mike Banner's 2 goals in the 13th minute. Calen Carr made it 2-0 in the 23rd minute, and Chad Barrett converted a 26th minute penalty kick.

"That was nice. It had been a while," Plotkin said of his starting role. "Obviously, we take this tournament pretty seriously, so anytime we can go out and get the result to advance, it's pretty nice. Everybody that was out there today besides really Chad (Barrett) and (Chris Rolfe), it was a good opportunity to go out there and prove yourself and make a case for yourself to be playing on Saturdays."

Cleveland City, which also has Barrington's Ryan Miller on its roster, pulled a goal back in the 61st minute when Ruud assisted on Kiel McClung's rocket shot from 23 yards. Banner answered in the 73rd.

The game marked the first time defender Lider Marmol got on the field with the first team. The Fire signed the Paraguayan earlier in the season, beating New York to him.