advertisement

Chicago Fire advances to Open Cup quarterfinals

Every now and then the Chicago Fire plays so well it's a wonder the team has the worst record in Major League Soccer.

Tuesday was one of those rare nights for the Fire, which defeated Columbus Crew SC 2-1 in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match.

"I'm happy with how we are progressing," first-year Fire coach Veljko Paunovic said. "I'm very happy, and the guys had a very good reaction after the game against Colorado, when we were all unhappy, of course, but now we have to believe that we can do the same thing in the MLS season."

Unlike last week's 4-3 league loss at Philadelphia, in which the Fire scored first and then gave up four straight goals, Chicago managed this lead very well. The Fire, 2-7-5 in MLS play, allowed Columbus few good scoring chances. Goalkeeper Matt Lampson's only first-half save came off a shot from 25 yards out. Lampson handled it easily.

"We were aware that we had a very good result at halftime," Paunovic said. "That awareness and the lesson that we got in the game against Philly, I can say that we learned a lot. We were able to use that experience in order to perform better today defensively and have a result in our favor."

Columbus scored its only goal in the 79th minute on a penalty kick by Ethan Finlay following a Fire hand ball.

David Accam scored the first of his 2 goals in the seventh minute after a long run up the field with the ball by midfielder John Goossens. Accam struck again in the 30th off a cross that right back Rodrigo Ramos dropped perfectly onto Accam's right foot.

The speedy Accam has struggled in the past to finish his scoring opportunities, but his ability to finish was the difference in this game.

"The first one he does a great job, a fantastic shot, great quality," Columbus coach Gregg Berhalter said. "The second goal it wasn't about his speed, it was about our positioning in the penalty box."

The Fire advanced to the Open Cup quarterfinals July 20 and will host the winner of today's match between Orlando City SC and Ft. Lauderdale Strikers.

• Follow Orrin on Twitter @Orrin_Schwarz

  Chicago Fire forward David Accam (11) gets one air as he goes for a header during the Columbus Crew at Chicago Fire in U.S. Open Cup action Tuesday at Toyota Park. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Chicago Fire midfielder Michael Stephens (26), left, Columbus Crew midfielder Cristian Martinez (18), and Chicago Fire defender Brandon Vincent (3) go for a header. This took place during the Columbus Crew at Chicago Fire in U.S. Open Cup action Tuesday at Toyota Park. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
  Chicago Fire forward David Accam (11) is all smiles after he scores his second goal for the night. This took place during the Columbus Crew at Chicago Fire in U.S. Open Cup action Tuesday at Toyota Park. Paul Michna/pmichna@dailyherald.com
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.