Austin FC 0-2 Chicago Fire FC
AUSTIN, TX—Chicago Fire FC usually make the US Open Cup a priority and they are making the most of things after a 2-0 win over Austin FC at Q2 Stadium on Wednesday night. The Fire advance to a home tie against Houston Dynamo on June 7th or 8th. Further details to be announced later.
Xherdan Shaqiri continued his improved form commanding the midfield and set up the play that led to the corner which Brian Gutierrez took and Rafael Czichos headed in in the 27th minute to put the Fire ahead. Austin came alive at the start of the second half, but would only be able to muster two shots on target against Spencer Richey.
The lead was doubled in the 77th minute when Shaqiri had an initial shot saved by Brad Stuver, but on the rebound, was able to find Kacper Przybylko for a tap-in.
Richey’s second save was the most important of the two he made denying Ethan Finlay on a corner in the 84th minute. It would be all the Fire needed to move on to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2018 and for the 15th time in their history.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s special,” said Fire head coach Frank Klopas. “But we go into every game – and I told the team, every time we step on the field – we go in with the confidence to win. We set a goal early in the year that we were going to do whatever it takes to try to be the first [MLS team] team to reach five.
“So one game at a time. And this was a difficult place to come and play against a really good team, a very good team. The guys did an amazing job, and you know, great performance by the group. Great individual performance, but the collective group was amazing today, and you know, enjoy the moment, and then our mind shifts now already because obviously there’s a lot of games coming and we have a big game Saturday.”
The Fire return to league play and the road as they take on New England Revolution on Saturday. Kickoff is at 6:30pm CT on Apple TV’s MLS Season Pass.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Rafael Czichos (Gutierrez) 27
CHI-Kacper Przybylko (Shaqiri) 77
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Mauricio Pineda (caution, reckless foul) 48
ATX-Alex Ring (caution, reckless tackle) 90
AUSTIN FC (3-4-3): #1-Brad Stuver; #15-Leo Vaisanen (#66-Aleksandar Radovanovic 46), #18-Julio Cascante, #8-Alex Ring; #21-Adam Lundkvist, #5-Jhojan Valencia (#22-Sofiane Djeffal 46), #6-Daniel Pereira, #17-Jon Gallagher; #11-Rodney Redes (#14-Diego Fagundez 64), #9-Gyasi Zardes, #7-Emiliano Rigoni (#13-Ethan Finlay 76)
Subs not used: #20-Matt Bersano, #37-Maxi Urruti, #24-Nick Lima
CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-3-1): #18-Spencer Richey; #2-Arnaud Souquet, #22-Mauricio Pineda, #5-Rafael Czichos, #6-Miguel Navarro; #31-Federico Navarro, #30-Gaston Gimenez (#20-Jairo Torres 72); #7-Maren Haile-Selassie, #10-Xherdan Shaqiri (#27-Kendall Burks 88), #17-Brian Gutierrez (#21-Fabian Herbers 64); #23-Kei Kamara (#11-Kacper Przybylko 72)
Subs not used: #25-Jeffrey Gal, #3-Alonso Aceves, #19-Giorgios Koutsias
TOTAL SHOTS: ATX 9-12 CHI
SHOTS ON GOAL: ATX 2-8 CHI
FOULS: ATX 15-11 CHI
OFFSIDES: ATX 1-2 CHI
CORNER KICKS: ATX 15-11 CHI
SAVES: ATX 6-2 CHI
Referee: Alex Chilowicz
Assistant Referees: Joshua Eli Meghan Mullen
Fourth Official: Elton Garcia
Weather: Clear and 75º
Man of the Match: Rafael Czichos (CHI)
