How to watch U.S. Open Cup, Chicago Fire II vs. Forward Madison; Which first team players will play?
The U.S. Open Cup is back, and after a 6-0 thrashing of in-city rival Chicago City, Chicago Fire II is gearing up for a much fiercer test: USL League One outfit Forward Madison. Fire II is competing in the tournament with the Fire not participating due to MLS' decision for some of its teams to field their reserve teams as opposed to their first teams. The second team will look to reach the third round, where more professional teams await, but they must first beat out a respectable Madison team hungry to prove a point.
Which first team players are available?
While a large bulk of the Fire's first team roster is theoretically eligible for the game, Frank Klopas confirmed in today's press conference that only three players will drop down to play for the second team. Defender Wyatt Omsberg, who has yet to appear this season in MLS, will be one of them and will likely wear the armband for the second team.
Midfielder Javi Casas also returns, having appeared in the previous Open Cup game and Fire II's MLS Next Pro win over Philadelphia Union II. The talented 20-year-old re-signed with the Fire in January and is still awaiting an opportunity to regularly break through into the first team, and will see the field against Madison tonight. Fellow homegrown midfielder Sergio Oregel will also be available, returning from international duty with the U.S. Under-20 team; he has appeared just once in MLS – a brief cameo on the final day of the 2022 season – but is tremendously talented and will be looking for an opportunity.
Who else will be in the team?
There will be a change in goal from the first round game, as Spencer Richey is not among the players set to appear against Madison. 16-year-old academy keeper Patrick Los is instead set to make another start after impressing so far this season for Fire II; he was man of the match against Union II last week, making eight saves in the 90 minutes and one in the shootout to help his team to victory.
Omari Glasgow is another player to watch; the 20-year-old Guyanese international has trained with the Fire's first team for all of 2024, including in preseason and since the start of the MLS campaign, and will be looking to emerge as a leading player in MLS Next Pro. New additions such as Christian Koffi and Jason Shokalook will also play a role.
In terms of academy players, Fire II will be slightly shorthanded compared to previous matches. 15-year-old Vitaliy Hlyut, who scored in the last Open Cup game, is now in Florida at the Generation Adidas Cup playing with the Fire U-17s, where he is currently that tournament's top goalscorer. Gio Granda, who also scored in the first Open Cup game, is with the academy team at GA Cup.
There are still academy players available for the game, though. One such player to keep an eye on is Christopher Cupps, born in 2008, who is one of the top prospects within the organization. The center back is expected to be in the squad and could appear if Omsberg does not play the full 90 minutes.
How to watch the game
Fire II fans who are unable to make it to Bridgeview tonight can watch for free, as the game will be streamed on MLSsoccer.com alongside other Open Cup games. Nonetheless, tickets will be free for the game in person as well.
