Orlando City SC Open Cup records

Overall: 13-6-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 3-5-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 3-6-0

As MLS: 1-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 0-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 1-0-0

Last entry: 2014 (as USL PRO) (Lost 5-2 at Colorado Rapids of MLS in Round 4)

Best finish: 2013 Quarterfinals (Lost 5-1 at Chicago Fire of MLS)

Chicago Fire Open Cup records

Overall: 36-12-3 (2-1 PKs) | Home: 22-1-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 18-7-1 (1-0 PKs)

Last entry: 2014 (Lost 6-0 at Seattle Sounders of MLS in Semifinals)

Best finish: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006 US Open Cup champions

WINNER WILL … play at Philadelphia Union or New York Red Bulls in Semifinals

LIVE VIDEO: ORLANDO CITY SC AT CHICAGO FIRE (July 22 – 8:30 p.m. ET, YouTube.com)

HOW THEY GOT HERE …

Orlando City SC

Round 4: 4-4 draw (8-7 PK win) at Charleston Battery (USL)

Round 5: 2-0 vs. Columbus Crew (MLS)

Chicago Fire

Round 4: 1-0 OT win vs. Louisville City (USL)

Round 5: 3-1 win vs. Charlotte Independence (USL)

By Jeff Engelhardt

When the Chicago Fire and Orlando City SC meet Wednesday in the Quarterfinals of the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup it is going to look a lot different than their clash in the 2013 Quarterfinals.

Orlando City is no longer a third division side riding out a Cinderella dream in pursuit of a US Open Cup title and the Chicago Fire are now two years removed from Mike Magee’s MVP season that ended with the team missing the MLS Playoffs by one game. Chicago certainly cannot expect a repeat of the 5-1 drubbing they delivered in that 2013 matchup.

When Orlando City walks into Toyota Park Wednesday, it will be the team flexing its muscles led by former World Player of the Year Kaka and a young core quickly coming together in its first year as a MLS club. The Lions already showed the ability to succeed in Toyota Park, taking a 3-2 victory in Bridgeview on June 6, which became part of the 1-6-1 streak the Fire are currently experiencing in league play.

In the June 6 league clash, Orlando City showed the poise and determination of a veteran club, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes to rally for the 3-2 victory after trailing 2-1. While a wonder strike from Cyle Larin leveled the game, it was a second Adailton own-goal that did the Fire in. Adailton has not featured much for the club since the first-ever two own-goal performance in MLS history.

Both teams are expected to field strong sides for Wednesday’s match as each club has different reasons to value America’s most storied soccer trophy. For the Fire, the US Open Cup remains a point of pride in a season where their pride has been wounded. Chicago earned the moniker King of the Cup for hoisting the trophy a MLS record four times – a record shared with Seattle – in the Modern Era.

The tournament remains the Fire’s best and possibly only chance for glory in 2015 as the MLS Supporters’ Shield is far out of reach and a playoff spot is a distant dream that would require a miraculous run. Despite the 1-6-1 run of league form, Chicago can carry confidence knowing it has reached the US Open Cup Semifinals the past two years and boasts a 22-1-1 home record in the tournament. In fact, only two other clubs in the 102-year history of the tournament have more than 12 Quarterfinal appearances (Kutis SC with 17, FC Dallas with 14)

Orlando City, meanwhile, has declared the US Open Cup a top priority on multiple occasions this season and will be eager to win its biggest trophy in club history. While Orlando City FC holds the final playoff spot in the MLS Eastern Conference, a run to MLS Cup is much further away than the three victories needed to claim the Open Cup.

The Lions showed its ambition in its Fifth Round game against the Columbus Crew as team captain Kaka made his Open Cup debut and scored a goal in the 2-0 home victory against the Crew. Kaka became the third World Cup winner to score in US Open Cup history. The second goal came off the foot of Carlos Rivas, who is tied for the most goals in the tournament with four.

The shutout against the Crew was a strong bounce back performance from Orlando City’s Round 4 performance that saw the MLS club pushed to penalty kicks by the USL’s Charleston Battery.

Since the Fifth Round victory against the Crew on June 30, Orlando City has stumbled in league play with a three-game winless streak (0-2-1) with multiple cases of falling to 10 men because of red cards, including one issued to Kaka.

Despite the longer stretch of poor play, Chicago has enjoyed more success since its June 30 Fifth Round 3-1 victory over Charlotte Independence. Since that game, the Fire have gone 1-2-1 in league play.

Unlike Orlando City, which played an MLS side in the Fifth Round, the Fire hosted USL side Charlotte Independence. After falling 1-0 in the opening minutes, the Fire put together their best performance of the tournament as a returning Mike Magee scored two goals and defender Lovel Palmer added another.

The performance was an improvement over Chicago’s Third Round match against USL side and Orlando City affiliate Louisville City FC. The Fire took a 1-0 victory in that match courtesy of a Quincy Amarikwa header in the 115th minute. Amarikwa has since been traded to the San Jose Earthquakes. Both Louisville City FC and Charlotte Independence are first-year clubs that had never competed in the Open Cup.

Adding to the difficulty of stepping up in class is the schedule congestion the Fire are attempting to navigate. Wednesday’s match will be their fourth match in 11 days across all competitions. The usual depth has been hindered by injuries to usual-captain Jeff Larentowicz, designated player Shaun Maloney and designated player David Accam. Joevin Jones is also on international duty with Trinidad & Tobago.

A win Wednesday for Orlando City would mean a ticket to uncharted territory as the furthest it has ever gone is that 2013 quarterfinal match against Chicago in club history. A win for the Fire Wednesday would mean a third straight appearance in the Semifinals and an opportunity to win an all-time record-tying fifth cup.

Whichever team wins Wednesday will go on the road to face the winner of Tuesday’s contest between New York Red Bulls and last year’s runner-up Philadelphia Union.