It's beginning to look like another season where the Chicago Fire finish last in the Eastern Conference. Right now the Fire sit dead last in the table with 11 points and are five points behind 9th place. It's been over a month since Chicago won their last game (May 21st against the Houston Dynamo). They have lost their past two games in MLS play, losing their last game 4-3 against the Philadelphia Union. But even with their poor play in league form, the Fire can hopefully try to raise the spirits around the team with a good run in the US Open Cup. Chicago made the semi-finals last year of the cup before losing to runners-up Philadelphia. Now they find themselves in the Round of 16 as they face a familiar foe in the Colombus Crew.
Chicago almost didn't make it to the Round of 16. They had to survive a penalty shootout against NASL club Indy Eleven. The Fire needed a David Accam equalizer late in extra time to help them get to penalties. It was a nervy penalty shootout but in the end, Chicago won 4-3 and avoided an embarrassing defeat.
Colombus looking for revenge
The Colombus Crew had a much easier time in the Round of 32 or 4th round of the US Open Cup. They thrashed NASL club Tampa Bay Rowdies 4-0 and are coming into this match on a three-game unbeaten streak. Like Chicago, Columbus's league form hasn't been the best. In fact, it's been pretty bad. Like their opponent, they sit near the bottom of the league table as they are in 9th. They will be looking for an opposite showing in the US Open Cup tie game.
Last time around when these two teams met back in March, it was a defensive battle as each team walked away with one point. Chicago did a really good job of keeping a potent Crew attack in check, especially former Crew striker Kei Kamara.
But they will be limping into this game as they are missing two of their best players on the pitch. Gaston Sauro tore his PCL and will be out for 4-5 months. Meanwhile, one of the Crew's biggest threats on offense, Frederico Higuain, underwent sports hernia surgery and will be out for 5-7 weeks. It is a rough time for the Crew as they only have two healthy strikers on the roster and they will look to break down a Chicago defense that gave up four goals in their last game.
Ola Kamara and Conor Casey are the only forwards on the roster so they will have to make an impact for Colombus offensively.
The Fire look for any signs of life
Things are going downhill and downhill fast for the Fire in terms of their form. The season started off ok because they were good defensively and earning draws because of that. But the lack of offense soon caught up to the Fire and things began to go downhill.
The near loss to Indy Eleven should be a sign to them that they need to pick up their form if they want to gain any positives from this season.