BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- It's the middle of the Major League Soccer season, and things are not going well for the Chicago Fire.
The optimist will tell you they have not lost in their last two league games (both ties), but the pessimist will point out they have not won in their last five league games (0-3-2 in that stretch).
They need a spark, after having one taken away in their 2-2 tie at Columbus on Saturday, the equalizing goal coming two minutes from the end. The U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match against D.C. United could not come at a better time.
The Fire, who have won four U.S. Open Cups in their 10 years of existence, play United at the Maryland Soccerplex in Germantown, Md. Tuesday in an Open Cup quarterfinal match. U.S. Soccer announced Monday the winner of the Fire-United match will play host to the semifinal match on Aug. 12 against either the New England Revolution of MLS or Crystal Palace Baltimore, the only USL Second Division team left in the tournament.
While questions abound about where the Fire are headed in terms of league play, there is no question about the kind of effort they will put forth in the Open Cup game.
"We are going to be putting out our best team available," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said. "You are closer to the prize now. You win this game and you are two games from lifting the trophy. The guys know that stakes are a little bit higher now. You want to make sure to put a good team out there."
Hamlett said everyone on his roster is available to play in this game but Hamlett has to consider the rest of his schedule. The Fire play Toronto FC on Saturday in a key Eastern Conference contest (the teams are tied for fourth place), and Hamlett has to balance the desire to win Tuesday with the desire to make a statement at home against TFC.
The Fire are coming off the tie in Columbus in which they took a 2-0 lead but could not hold it. As a result, instead of being able to charge into the Open Cup game, the Fire have to try to forget the opportunity lost.
"We are disappointed," Hamlett said. "We scored two very good goals and felt we were in control of the game. I felt like we had three (points) but we ended up with one. But we've got to draw the positives. We hadn't scored in a while and got two good goals. These are the things you build on."
Against Columbus, the Fire used defenders Wilman Conde, Bakary Soumare, Gonzalo Segares and Brandon Prideaux, midfielders Diego Gutierrez, Justin Mapp, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, John Thorrington and Chris Rolfe and forward Calen Carr, who left in the 65th minute for Chad Barrett.
Do not be surprised to see Mike Banner, who scored twice against the USL2 Cleveland City Stars in the Open Cup match last Tuesday, and defender Daniel Woodard, who also played the entire game. Although Hamlett used backup goalkeeper Nick Noble in that game, starter Jon Busch is expected to play against the MLS foe United.
For the Crew match last week, midfielder Logan Pause (hip), defender Dasan Robinson (ankle) and defender C.J. Brown (hamstring) were not available due to injury.
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