United overcome Fire, advance to semis
D.C. eliminates four-time Open Cup champion Chicago
United made several changes from last week's Open Cup round-of-16 victory against Rochester, bringing veterans Clyde Simms and Bryan Namoff back into their usual roles while Pat Carroll pushed into a wide midfield role on the right. Fred stepped into central playmaking duties with Rod Dyachenko pushing up to a forward role alongside D.C.'s captain for the evening, Luciano Emilio.
Like United's opposition last week, the visiting Fire used a number of experienced contributors, arrayed in a 4-5-1 formation led by lone striker Chad Barrett as head coach Denis Hamlett looked to win the midfield battle with players like John Thorrington, Chris Rolfe and Logan Pause.
Emilio created a half-chance out of nothing barely two minutes into the match, contorting himself to lunge at a bouncing ball in the Chicago 18-yard box and nearly putting his lofted chip on target. Fire netminder Jon Busch immediately raced forward to give his defense an earful about the space allowed to the Brazilian so close to goal.
A poor touch from Bakary Soumare enabled Dyachenko to win a free kick just outside the Chicago box in the 11th minute. With everyone eyeing Marc Burch -- scorer of two sizzling set pieces a week ago -- Gonzalo Martinez tried to dip a right-footer over the wall at the near post, but saw his shot loop over the crossbar.
Local product Mike Banner's speed down the Fire left was discomfiting Namoff and the D.C. right back handed the Gonzaga College High School graduate a golden opportunity in the 21st minute when he chest-trapped a Brandon Prideaux long ball right into Banner's path inside the United box. But goalkeeper Zach Wells quickly stepped forward to cut down the angle and rescued his defender with a clutch save.
Barrett's bruising physical presence was giving the D.C. defense problems, as was his probing movement onto teammates' angled passes. The home side did not heed the warnings, however, and eventually paid the price in the 36th minute.
United had been looking to exploit the inexperience of Fire left back Daniel Woolard in the early going, but he struck back with his first foray forward as he ran onto Pause's long diagonal ball and took advantage of Carroll's hesitation, nipping in to collect the pass and chip a smart finish over the advanced Wells to give Chicago a 1-0 lead.
Amazingly, the Fire nearly scored off another such play moments later as Barrett lifted a hopeful pass into the vicinity of Rolfe -- and when no one in the United defense cut out the angled ball, Wells was left exposed, watching gratefully as Rolfe's finish dribbled just wide of the post.
Dyachenko had suffered through a forgettable first half, but it was Cordeiro and Carroll who were pulled out by head coach Tom Soehn at halftime, with Francis Doe and Craig Thompson entering in their stead.
Soumare bundled over Emilio on an aerial challenge four minutes into the second period and was yellow-carded by Shane Moody, the referee having seen enough persistent infringement by the Chicago center back. But Burch could not beat Busch with his long-range left-footer on the resulting free kick.
The Fire came close to seizing on yet another defensive blunder from United when Thompson had to scramble to win McTavish's underhit pass, then played a dangerous square ball directly to Pause at midfield. The Fire captain sent Barrett clear with a quick through ball that split McTavish and Burch, but Wells produced another huge one-on-one save to keep the score at 1-0.
The animated crowd were finally given reason to cheer when Soehn brought Bolivian legend Jaime Moreno off the bench in place of Dyachenko, and a clear scoring opportunity arrived just moments after him as Doe slipped past Soumare and lofted a short cross that barely eluded Emilio at the far post.
Thompson hustled onto the loose ball and his poke into the goalmouth was misplayed by Soumare, allowing the late-arriving Emilio to try a quick shot to the near post - but Busch was well-positioned to deny the scrappy bid.
Moreno's entry had helped settle United dramatically and the home side began to string together more meaningful possessions, while Hamlett signaled his intentions when he removed Barrett in exchange for Calen Carr's speed up top, as the Fire settled in to defend and counter.
But 14 minutes from full time, the Men in Red were pegged back by the same kind of ill-timed defensive error that they have so often preyed upon in their victories against United, switching the match's momentum in a flash.
Emilio had lost out to Wilman Conde as the two banged bodies on a United throw into the Fire box, but the Brazilian kept the pressure on his Colombian counterpart and blocked his clearance along the endline. Thompson slid in to win the loose ball and centered to Moreno, who fed a teasing ball into Doe's path -- and the Liberian did his part, flicking a cool finish past Busch at the far post to level matters at 1-1.
Instantly, the SoccerPlex burst into life and a revived D.C. began to press the issue. Thorrington betrayed his team's rattled nerves with a cynical chop on Moreno, earning a swift booking and handing Burch another chance to whiz a set piece blast towards Busch's goal, though he missed a few feet high of the target.
Chicago was surely glad to hear Moody's full-time whistle, and looked to regroup with the appearance of Cuauhtemoc Blanco for the start of overtime. But the Mexican star could do nothing as D.C. soon converted on the second of two quick corner kicks to surge into their first lead of the night.
Moreno's delivery was well met by Namoff's near-post run, and the Illinois-born defender flicked an accurate header across the face of goal and into the far inside netting for his second goal of the 2008 campaign as the SoccerPlex erupted.
But Moreno apparently tweaked his left hamstring on the play, as he walked over to confer with Soehn on the bench and was soon replaced by defender Gonzalo Peralta. The Argentinean's size and strength was soon put to good use as he won two headers in quick succession to clear the United box.
Blanco was working hard to find space and draw free kicks, and his abrasive approach soon helped spark a heated tussle at the end of the first period. Fred had fouled Thorrington as the two leaped for a ball in front of the team benches, and as Moody arrived to card United's Brazilian midfielder Chicago tried to play the free kick to Blanco quickly.
Moody turned to stop play but the veteran Mexican had already been knocked to the turf by a hearty block from Burch, and in the mass of angry bodies that quickly congregated Blanco put his hands to Simms' face, drawing an angry reaction from Burch. Moody and his assistants waded in to calm the melee and eventually, handed out red cards to Blanco and Burch -- a development the United fans cheered wildly despite their own player's ejection.
Mere seconds into the second stanza, Carr nearly fooled Wells with a well-aimed turn-and-shoot from long range, forcing the D.C. 'keeper to palm the effort wide of the top corner.
The visitors were pushing the tempo as United clung to their lead, with Conde pushing into the center of the park as Mapp tried to create on the left. But D.C. almost caught their rivals on the counter in the 114th minute as Martinez roamed forward to receive Fred's cross-field pass and bear down on goal, only for Busch to make a crucial block of his low shot.
The Fire tried to exploit D.C.'s center backs -- as they had earlier in the match -- with probing high balls down the middle, but were unable to produce a late equalizer and a flagging United side welcomed the final whistle with open arms. D.C. advances to take on another conference rival, the New England Revolution, in the Open Cup semifinals next month.
Charles Boehm is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
