BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.
– The Chicago Fire secured their passage into the fifth round of the US Open Cup with a somewhat fortuitous rule call when stormy weather deemed the match unplayable after taking a 2-1 halftime lead over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Toyota Park on Wednesday.
With the game delayed almost two hours before kick off because of torrential rain, thunder and lightning, the hosts forged a 2-0 lead by the 39th minute through close-range strikes from
Grant Ward
and
Mike Magee
.
However, the USL PRO visitors struck back through Andrew Marshall to leave them trailing 2-1 at the break.
And just as referee Alex Chilowicz was about to get the second half underway, the heavens reopened and the players were called off the pitch.
The players returned over an hour later an played three minutes before the game was abandoned. Subsequently, per US Open Cup regulations, the Fire were declared winners of the tie, having held a halftime lead, and they will now progress to face the Columbus Crew in the next round.
Chicago Fire 2 – 1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Chicago Fire: Sean Johnson; Matt Watson, Patrick Ianni, Bakary Soumare, Greg Cochrane; Grant Ward, Jeff Larentowicz ©, Logan Pause, Harry Shipp; Mike Magee, Quincy Amarikwa
Substitutes not used: Kyle Reynish, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Steven Kinney, Alex, Benji Joya, Chris Ritter, Juan Luis Anangono
Pittsburgh Riverhounds: Hunter Gilstrap; Robert Vincent, Brian Fekete, Andrew Marshall, Sterling Flunder; Alfonson Motagalvan, Kevin Kerr, Daniel Earls, Matthew Dallman, Jose Angulo; Collins John ©
Substitutes not used: Michael Lisch, Michael Green, Mike Seth, Joseph Ngwenya, Seth C’deBaca, Anthony Obodai, Anthony Arena
Scoring Summary
CHI – Grant Ward (Quincy Amarikwa) 22’
CHI – Mike Magee (Jeff Larentowicz) 40’
PIT – Andrew Marshall (unassisted) 41’
Misconduct Summary
none
Assistants: Andrew Bigelow, Brandon RinkenbergerReferee: Alex Chilowicz
Fourth Official: Miguel Panduro Jr.
Attendance: 5,716
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.
– The Chicago Fire secured their passage into the fifth round of the US Open Cup with a somewhat fortuitous rule call when stormy weather deemed the match unplayable after taking a 2-1 halftime lead over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Toyota Park on Wednesday.
With the game delayed almost two hours before kick off because of torrential rain, thunder and lightning, the hosts forged a 2-0 lead by the 39th minute through close-range strikes from
Grant Ward
and
Mike Magee
.
However, the USL PRO visitors struck back through Andrew Marshall to leave them trailing 2-1 at the break.
And just as referee Alex Chilowicz was about to get the second half underway, the heavens reopened and the players were called off the pitch.
The players returned over an hour later an played three minutes before the game was abandoned. Subsequently, per US Open Cup regulations, the Fire were declared winners of the tie, having held a halftime lead, and they will now progress to face the Columbus Crew in the next round.
Chicago Fire 2 – 1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Chicago Fire: Sean Johnson; Matt Watson, Patrick Ianni, Bakary Soumare, Greg Cochrane; Grant Ward, Jeff Larentowicz ©, Logan Pause, Harry Shipp; Mike Magee, Quincy Amarikwa
Substitutes not used: Kyle Reynish, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Steven Kinney, Alex, Benji Joya, Chris Ritter, Juan Luis Anangono
Pittsburgh Riverhounds: Hunter Gilstrap; Robert Vincent, Brian Fekete, Andrew Marshall, Sterling Flunder; Alfonson Motagalvan, Kevin Kerr, Daniel Earls, Matthew Dallman, Jose Angulo; Collins John ©
Substitutes not used: Michael Lisch, Michael Green, Mike Seth, Joseph Ngwenya, Seth C’deBaca, Anthony Obodai, Anthony Arena
Scoring Summary
CHI – Grant Ward (Quincy Amarikwa) 22’
CHI – Mike Magee (Jeff Larentowicz) 40’
PIT – Andrew Marshall (unassisted) 41’
Misconduct Summary
none
Assistants: Andrew Bigelow, Brandon RinkenbergerReferee: Alex Chilowicz
Fourth Official: Miguel Panduro Jr.
Attendance: 5,716
