A Tale of Two Teams: Chicago Fire II 6-0 Chicago City SC
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — For the second year in a row, SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview was the site of a Chicago Derby in U.S. Open Cup play. Although the teams were new – it was the first Cup match for both Chicago Fire II of third-division MLS Next Pro and Chicago City SC from USL League Two, the result was not – ending, for the second year in a row, in a victory for the team with Chicago Fire on its crest.
Even if the outcome wasn’t a surprise, it also wasn’t preordained: All three MLS Next Pro sides that had made their Open Cup debut a day prior were felled by amateur sides, showcasing the competitiveness of teams that made it through the Open Qualifying process and, some might argue, a lack of preparedness amongst Next Pro teams, whose participation in the tournament wasn’t made official until a few weeks before the first games kicked off.
The Fire II managed to avoid that feat, though the scoreline somewhat flatters them: Although they maintained possession throughout the match, scoring attempts involving actual shots on target were a rarity until deep into the second half. A City victory seemed unlikely though not unfathomable throughout the first frame.
Chicago Fire II Head Coach Ludovic Taillandier fielded a lineup that included Javier Casas Jr., Wyatt Omsberg, and Spencer Richey from the Fire’s first team, and included Fire draftee Jason Shokalook, all in the Fire II's red jerseys for the first time. “I think those games are valuable, because practice is one thing but the opportunity to play in real matches better prepares those players to be ready for the first team,” said Fire first-team Head Coach Frank Klopas said in explaining his decision to make members of his squad available for the match.
Chicago City SC started off with a burst of energy, putting pressure on the Fire II back line, but the hosts still regained the initiative, and the Fire II would find the back of the net early: Giovanni Granda crossed the ball into a sea of players, connecting with Chicago City’s Aleksandar Labovic who sent the ball in the back of his own net in the sixth minute.
Chicago City would play as many as six players in the back, looking to beat the Fire squad on counters. City continued to take advantage of the opportunities that they were given, and had a clear look at the Fire goal in the 12th minute resulting in a shot that was ruled offside, and a shot sail above Richey’s goal a few minutes later.
Play became testy a few minutes later, when another promising attack was broken up by Javier Casas Jr., who was fortunate that his exertions only earned him a yellow in the 20th minute. City’s Gilberto Angeles earned a reciprocal card later in the same minute.
After that, play largely favored the Fire but despite several promising attacks,they were unable to break through until stoppage time, when sixteen year-old Granda made the most of a cross from Michael Nesci, sending the home team into the tunnel up two goals at halftime.
The Fire made four changes at half, substituting off the Fire’s first team players in favor of Fire II regulars. Whether due to fresh legs or the energy that the second goal provided just before half, Fire II controlled the play throughout the second half, but once again, promising attacks all too often came to nothing as Fire II shots flew wide of City keeper Carlos Fernández’s net.
That would all change in the 65th minute, when Fire II midfielder David Poreba got hold of a loose ball and converted it into a goal. Just five minutes later, Poreba would again be involved in the scoring as he passed the ball to Fire II’s Michael Nesci who converted it for the FIre’s fourth and final goal.
To try to regain the initiative – or at least stem the bleeding – City boss went to his bench, bringing on four substitutes in two windows, but the changes would make no difference: In the 84th minute, Harold Osorio scored directly off a free kick, making the game 5-0 in favor of the hosts.
Taillandier’s squad was awakened, and had a flurry of offense in the final six minutes of regulation, had a flurry of shots on target, including one from Vitaly Hlyut which finished the Fire II’s scoring in the 86th minute.
Six goals for the hosts, none for the visiting Chicago City SC, who nonetheless can rightfully claim that they played a professional team and contained their Fire II’s offense for significant stretches.
The Fire II now advances to the second round, which will be played in the first days of April, with their next opponent – and the date, time and location of that match – to be determined in the coming days.
