Open Cup: Revs and Fire are struggling

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Aug 9, 2016

The Revs will be favored when they host the Fire at Gillette Stadium in the semifinals on Tuesday. Chicago is playing in a record 12th Open Cup semifinal but has not won a game on the road in MLS or Open Cup play in more than two years and lost in its last four meetings at New England.

U.S. Open Cup Schedule:
Semifinals
Aug. 9 in Foxboro, Mass.
New England Revolution vs. Chicago Fire (TV: ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET)
Aug. 10 in Carson, Calif.
LA Galaxy vs. FC Dallas (TV: ESPN2, 10 p.m. ET)
Final: Sept. 21

The Fire is tied with the Seattle Sounders for the most Open Cup titles by an MLS with four but its last championship was a decade ago. New England's only Open Cup title came a year after that in 2007.

Forwards David Accam, who is second in the 2016 Open Cup with four goals, and Michael de Leeuw both came off at halftime of the Fire's 3-1 loss at Real Salt Lake on Saturday that extended its winless streak to four games. Only two other starters from the Fire's 2-2 tie with the New York Red Bulls on the Sunday after the All-Star Game started on Saturday, so the Fire is well rested.

Armenian forward David Arshakyan is eligible, but the Fire's other new signing, Luis Solignac, is cup-tied, having played this season for the Colorado Rapids. Arshakyan will have to compete with six other Fire international players for the five starting spots allowed in the Open Cup.

An excess of international players is not a problem for the Revs, who have also struggled recently, losing their two games since the All-Star break, 3-1 and 4-1. Andrew Farrell and Scott Caldwell sat out Saturday's loss at Toronto FC, while Teal Bunbury and Je-Vaughn Watson came on as subs.

U.S. Open Cup Results:
First Round: May 11
Second Round: May 18
Third Round: June 1
Fourth Round: June 14-15
Fifth Round: June 30
Quarterfinals: July 15