One Step Closer: Austin FC 0, Chicago Fire 2

So close, you can almost taste it.

The Chicago Fire are through to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup following a thrilling 2-0 road win over Austin FC, led by captain Rafa Czichos and DP Xherdan Shaqiri. Frank Klopas’ team was fantastic from start to finish as they won the first-ever meeting with the Texan foes to advance to the next stage of America’s oldest soccer competition.

On paper, Klopas’ starting eleven wasn’t surprising. The head coach rolled out the strongest possible eleven, with Kei Kamara for Kacper Przybyłko and Gastón Giménez for Fabian Herbers the only outfield personnel changes. Backup goalkeeper Spencer Richey also started in goal, as he has throughout the Open Cup run.

However, when the team stepped on the field, it was a dramatic shift from what was expected. There was a formation shift to a 3-4-2-1, possibly an attempt to mirror Austin’s similar back three; star attacking midfielders Xherdan Shaqiri and Brian Gutiérrez notably played in free roles underneath Kamara, with Fede Navarro and Giménez making up the central midfield. Maren Haile-Selassie, who has been a winger this season, dropped into a right wingback position, with Arnaud Souquet shifting to right center back.

The unfamiliar shape opened some space in the middle of the park early for Austin, who found the game’s first opportunity. A foul given away by Fede Navarro just outside the penalty box mere moments into the game presented a very dangerous free kick to the hosts, and Emiliano Regoni’s shot came very close but narrowly missed the target.

After 25 minutes of steadily growing into the game, the Fire found their breakthrough off of a set piece. Gutiérrez lined up to take a corner from the left side instead of Shaqiri, and the 19-year-old played a beautiful, perfectly placed cross towards the six-yard box. It found the head of captain Rafa Czichos, who nodded the ball into the back of the net as his teammates wheeled away in celebration.

Gutiérrez’s assist was his team-high sixth in all competitions this season. Even setting aside his assist, the homegrown looked like a constant threat on the ball, and his developing on-field connection with Shaqiri was perfectly showcased in Klopas’ attacking constellation tonight. The Swiss DP looked excellent in that role too, finding plenty of space to make line-breaking passes and combine with Haile-Selassie on the right side. The latter looked increasingly comfortable as a wing-back, and still found ways to make bombing runs forward.

Taking the lead early on the road, the Fire, particularly in a five-back, were always going to have to sustain lots of pressure. A header from halftime substitute Aleksandar Radovanović came very close in the 55th minute for Austin, and Richey needed to come up big to prevent Gyasi Zardes from scoring a one-on-one about ten minutes later.

Klopas made a few second-half adjustments, and they proved to be the right ones. Gutiérrez made way for Herbers to introduce a more defensive presence, and a few minutes after, Przybyłko and Jairo Torres relieved Kamara and Giménez. A beautiful ball from Shaqiri set up Torres, who came agonizingly close to finding his first Fire goal when he hit the wordwork, and a few minutes later, Miguel Ángel Navarro seemed hard-done to not earn a penalty when his cross cannoned off the extended arm of a defender.

Seconds later, though, the Fire got what they deserved: a second goal. Shaqiri collected the ball with tons of space inside the penalty box, and after his initial shot was saved, found Przybyłko, who smashed the ball in from close range. The Pole is now the Fire’s leading goalscorer in all competitions this season, capping off an uptick in form over the last two matches, and in doing so added another assist for the in-form Shaqiri.

Suddenly, the Open Cup is a very, very real opportunity for the Men in Red to win a trophy. They’ll host the Houston Dynamo on June 6th or 7th with a shot at a semifinal, and that has to be looked at as a very winnable game.

Now just three wins away from the trophy, Klopas has the Chicago Fire one step closer to being crowned Kings of the Cup.