Saint Louis FC (5-2-4, 9th in USL Championship East) vs. Chicago Fire (4-6-6, 9th in MLS East)
The Chicago Fire begin their Lamar Hunt US Open Cup journey for 2019 with the hopes that they can at least get past the semifinal hurdle that has dogged them five of the last six seasons. The Fire are one of three MLS teams with four US Open Cups to their name and have made the semifinals 13 times (losing seven of them).
Historically, apart from two seasons, it’s either lose at their first hurdle or go at least to the semifinals. The exceptions were 2008 (QF loss to DC United) and 2017 (fourth round penalty shootout to then USL Championship side FC Cincinnati).
Back in 2017, the Fire defeated Saint Louis FC, 1-0, on a Luis Solignac goal at World Wide Technology Soccer Park. Due to flooding at the aforementioned venue, Tuesday’s tie will be at Hunter Stadium at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO.
For Saint Louis FC, forward Russell Cicerone and defender Sam Fink share the club lead in scoring with three goals apiece. Goalkeeper Jake Fenlason has kept six clean sheets so far this season and the club as a whole has conceded just eight times through 11 matches played in league play. They are coming off a 2-1 away loss to Hartford Athletic on Saturday.
Saint Louis advanced to the fourth round with a 3-1 win over USL League One side Forward Madison FC after requiring penalties to defeat Des Moines Menace of USL League Two. St. Louis-based teams have won the US Open Cup ten times with the most recent triumph coming in 1988 with St. Louis Busch Seniors.
This is an opportunity for the Fire to at least hit the reset button and get back on the winning track before returning to league action on the 22nd against Real Salt Lake. There’s little reason for the Fire not to field a full strength squad. Should they falter in this match, the hot seat underneath Veljko Paunovic will get even hotter.
Kickoff is at 7:30pm CT on ESPN+.
