2008 Woodie Awards
Fire wins fourth U.S. Open Cup
Phil Crivellone
Issue date: 10/2/06 Section: Sports
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Believe it or not, there was champagne flowing on the South side.
The same week the White Sox saw their chances at a repeat squashed, the Chicago Fire captured its fourth U.S. Open Cup Championship Wednesday night, beating Landon Donavan and the L.A. Galaxy 3-1 before a marginal yet enthusiastic crowd.
"I can't help but smile," Fire head coach Dave Sarachan said after the win, his players in the locker room unleashing the contents of Cristal bottles all over. "It's just not very often you get to say you're a champion, and we've made it a priority this year to try to win a couple championships."
With the MLS playoffs on the horizon, winning the U.S. Open Cup has legitimized the Fire as potentially the best team in the country. If they can just secure 'The Double' and win the MLS Cup this November, they can secure their inaugural season at Bridgeview's state-of-the-art Toyota Park as a monumental sporting achievement.
The Fire struck early with a Nate Jaqua header in the 10th minute. With the ball loose after brief touches by forward Andy Herron and defender C.J. Brown, Jaqua used his 6-foot-3 frame to beam the ball into the back of the net after Herron's shot had ricocheted off the keeper.
Six minutes later, Herron would take a well-struck cross from midfielder Justin Mapp and head the ball perfectly past Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman for an early 2-0 Fire lead by the break.
"I never score with my head; that's not my strong part," Herron said after the game, draped in the flag of his home country of Costa Rica. "But it was awesome."
The Fire defense-anchored by backup keeper Matt Pickens- stymied the usually electric Galaxy attack led by Donavan, Cobi Jones and Chris Albright.
But everyone knew that two goals up on last year's 'Double' champions did not mean the game was close to being over.
"We knew even 2-0 at halftime, that we would be in for a fight," Sarachan said. "L.A. didn't make it easy."
- Page 1 of 2 next >
The same week the White Sox saw their chances at a repeat squashed, the Chicago Fire captured its fourth U.S. Open Cup Championship Wednesday night, beating Landon Donavan and the L.A. Galaxy 3-1 before a marginal yet enthusiastic crowd.
"I can't help but smile," Fire head coach Dave Sarachan said after the win, his players in the locker room unleashing the contents of Cristal bottles all over. "It's just not very often you get to say you're a champion, and we've made it a priority this year to try to win a couple championships."
With the MLS playoffs on the horizon, winning the U.S. Open Cup has legitimized the Fire as potentially the best team in the country. If they can just secure 'The Double' and win the MLS Cup this November, they can secure their inaugural season at Bridgeview's state-of-the-art Toyota Park as a monumental sporting achievement.
The Fire struck early with a Nate Jaqua header in the 10th minute. With the ball loose after brief touches by forward Andy Herron and defender C.J. Brown, Jaqua used his 6-foot-3 frame to beam the ball into the back of the net after Herron's shot had ricocheted off the keeper.
Six minutes later, Herron would take a well-struck cross from midfielder Justin Mapp and head the ball perfectly past Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman for an early 2-0 Fire lead by the break.
"I never score with my head; that's not my strong part," Herron said after the game, draped in the flag of his home country of Costa Rica. "But it was awesome."
The Fire defense-anchored by backup keeper Matt Pickens- stymied the usually electric Galaxy attack led by Donavan, Cobi Jones and Chris Albright.
But everyone knew that two goals up on last year's 'Double' champions did not mean the game was close to being over.
"We knew even 2-0 at halftime, that we would be in for a fight," Sarachan said. "L.A. didn't make it easy."
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