After a strong showing in one of the toughest road tests on the calendar, Atlanta United are back in action on Wednesday against the Chicago Fire in the fifth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Fire sit six spots back in the Eastern Conference table and fell to the Five Stripes in the Windy City earlier this season. But anything can happen in the win-or-go-home style of the U.S. Open Cup, so it’ll be one you won’t want to miss.
The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be streamed live at ATLUTD.com/live.
Atlanta United
Atlanta Untied comes into the match off a four-point road trip at two of the toughest venues on the schedule, and remain top of the Eastern Conference. But a win on Wednesday would mean a spot in the final eight of America’s oldest cup competition –– and a championship would mean qualification to the CONCACAF Champion’s League. So expect the Five Stripes to take the game very seriously as they return from a week-long break from action.
That doesn’t mean the lineup is set in stone. Andrew Carleton excelled in his first-team start in the last round of the Cup, and could make his first career start at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Alec Kann shined in the last round and could be back in goal for the next one. The Five Stripes have improved so much in depth this year that Tata Martino trusts players like Romario Williams, Miles Robinson or Brandon Vazquez to come in and make an impact. Meanwhile, more minutes could only help Tito Villalba’s return from injury, and Barco’s start in the last cup match shows Tata is prepared to put in the big guns to get a result. It’s an unpredictable lineup in an unpredictable fixture, a perfect combination for an exciting do-or-die cup match.
Chicago Fire
The Chicago Fire enter the match on a tough stretch of form with only three wins since the beginning of May, but last year’s rise up the Eastern Conference showed this team has the quality to take on any opponent. Their success has been built on the midfield partnership of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Dax McCarty – and having the reigning Golden Boot winner up top doesn’t hurt either. But striker Nemanja Nikolic and winger Luis Solignac were actually the only regular starters that featured in the team’s last outing in the U.S. Open Cup. And with the team needing to put a run of form together in the league, and facing a cross-country trip to take on the Sounders on the weekend, it’s possible Chicago goes to its depth players once again.
In that last cup match –– a penalty kick shootout win over the Columbus Crew –– Nikolic did chip in with the two goals from open play. But the Fire’s 2018 MLS SuperDraft pick, 22-year-old Costa Rican winger Diego Campos, showed promising signs in a rare start, as did a back line made up almost entirely of recent collegiate athletes. But these players are dangerous; they know a big performance could mean more first-team minutes and they’re hungry for the opportunity. Add in some MLS veteran leadership in midfielder Tony Tchani and you have a team that’s motivated, with fresh legs and rearing to play spoiler in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Follow Along:
Make sure to tune in as Atlanta United and the Chicago Fire fight for their tournament lives under the lights at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EST. Make sure to get your tickets here, or tune in for a live stream of the match at ATLUTD.com/live.
