Fans in Chester have to settle for Open Cup semi
The Philadelphia Union will not lose in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final on home ground for a third time in five years. That much we know after Monday’s Open Cup draw.
The Union were granted a home game in the semifinal against the Chicago Fire, but should they prevail, they will hit the road for the finale, per the draw of sites held Monday by U.S. Soccer.
The Union will host Chicago Aug. 8 at Talen Energy Stadium at 7 p.m. Television/live-streaming details will be determined at a later date. Los Angeles FC will travel to Houston the same day for the other semi at BBVA Compass Stadium (where the Union play their next MLS game Wednesday night).
For the final, Chicago was awarded the first seeding priority, meaning the championship game will come to Bridgeview if the Fire win their semifinal. The Union got the fourth seeding priority, so it will visit whichever side advances from the western semifinal.
The date of the final depends on the participants. Should the Union win, they would play Sept. 26. Chicago would host the final Oct. 3.
The draw was supposed to be held last Friday but postponed while Portland appealed the result of quarterfinal match, citing a violation of limits on non-domestic players by LAFC.
That claim was thrown out.
The Union, who sit seventh in the Eastern Conference, are two wins from the franchise’s first trophy. The Union lost the 2014 final at PPL Park to Seattle, 3-1 after extra time, and fell in penalty kicks in 2015 to Sporting Kansas City (1-1 AET, 7-6 penalties).
The Union have not lost in regulation in their last 13 Open Cup matches. They’ve beaten Chicago twice this season: 3-0 in Chester May 30 and 4-3 in Bridgeview July 11. The Union were drubbed in Los Angeles, 4-1, June 30.
Chicago has won the U.S. Open Cup on four occasions, the last in 2006, a team that Union manager Jim Curtin was part of. Houston, despite twice winning MLS Cup and making the playoffs eight of 12 years since relocating from San Jose in 2006, has never made a U.S. Open Cup final. LAFC is in its expansion season.