When it comes to the US Open Cup, Columbus Crew SC simply cannot solve the Chicago Fire.
The Men in Red extended their long-running USOC hex over their Ohio counterparts on Tuesday, outlasting Crew SC 2-1 at Toyota Park via a David Accam brace to run their all-time Open Cup record vs. Columbus to 6-0-0.
Accam put his side in the driver's seat with some early heroics, taking a feed from John Goossens and firing a lovely curling blast inside the far post from just outside the penalty box in the 7th minute. He would double the Fire's advantage just shy of the half-hour mark, coolly sidefooting home from close range after Rodrigo Ramos and Nick LaBrocca combined to set him up.
Those early goals allowed Chicago to settle in and dare Crew SC – who were trying out a new-look formation built on a three-man defense – to come at them, and despite plenty of possession the visitors found it difficult to test goalkeeper Matt Lampson.
Wil Trapp came off the bench and sparked a late rally, with Ethan Finlay earning, then finishing a penalty kick in the 79th minute. But the Fire sweated out a nervy final 10 minutes to advance to the Open Cup quarterfinals where they will face Orlando City or the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
Lineups:
Chicago (4-4-2, left to right): Matt Lampson – Brandon Vincent, Jonathan Campbell, Johan Kappelhof, Rodrigo Ramos – Michael Stephens, Razvan Cocis, Nick LaBrocca, John Goossens (Eric Gehrig 60') – David Accam (Joao Meira 69'), Kennedy Igboananike (Joey Calistri 80')
Columbus (3-4-2-1, left to right): Brad Stuver – Tyson Wahl, Michael Parkhurst, Chad Barson – Waylon Francis, Tony Tchani (Wil Trapp 45'), Rodrigo Saravia, Hector Jimenez – Justin Meram (Emil Larsen 70'), Cristian Martinez – Ola Kamara (Ethan Finlay 45')
