The New England Revolution advanced to the Lamar Hint U.S. Open Cup final for the third time when it beat the Chicago Fire, 3-1, at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday night. Kei Kamara, Je-VaughnWatson and Teal Bunbury scored to eliminate the Fire in the semifinals for the fourth year in a row.
U.S. Open CupSchedule:
Semifinals
Aug. 10 in Carson, Calif.
LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas (TV: ESPN2, 10 p.m. ET)
Final
Sept. 21
New EnglandRevolution vs. LA Galaxy-FC Dallas winner
The Revs will face thewinner of Wednesday’s LA Galaxy-FC Dallas game in the final on Sept. 21. They won the Open Cup in 2007, six years after losing to the Galaxy in the final. The Fire has won the Open Cup four times butnot once in the last decade.
Watson scored the winner on a header in the 42nd minute, two minutes after David Accambeat him for the tying goal. The versatile Jamaican, who wasacquired from FC Dallas on the eve of the 2016 MLS season, has emerged as a key acquisition for the Revs. He came forward from his defensive position to score the winner on a rebound of ball playedinto the area and then deflected off a corner kick, and he finished the game in midfield.
“When you’re in a good spot like that and you just see the ball, you finish it,” Watson said. “Evenbefore I tapped it in the goal, I said, ‘Oh my God, it’s a goal again.”
Aug. 9 in Foxboro, Mass.
New England Revolution 3 Chicago Fire 1. Goals: Kamarapen. 16, Watson 42, Bunbury (Kamara) 85; Accam (de Leeuw) 40.
New England Revolution — Knighton, Farrell, Tierney, Watson (Herivaux 88), Goncalves, Fagundez (Nguyen 62), Koffie(Woodberry 75), Rowe, Caldwell, Bunbury, Kamara.
Chicago Fire — Lampson, Kappelhof, Campbell, Harrington, Ramos (Vincent 46), Alvarez, Accam, Goossens, Thiam (Polster 67), Cocis, deLeeuw.
Red Card: Chicago Fire — Accam 89.
Att.: 9,801.