Chicago Fire vs. Colorado Rapids Gamethread - USOC #1

Tonight's U.S. Open Cup match kicks off at Peoria's Shea Stadium at 6:30 PM CST.  The Chicago Fire website is streaming the game live and team writer Jeff Crandall and team communications manager Brendan Hannan are all lined up to broadcast the call.  

Sam Stejskal is reporting that Bratislav Ristic and Marko Maric are both ruled out for the match.  What should concern fans the most is Josip Mikulic picked up a quad injury in pratice yesterday.  Trainers will be on hand.  Whether or not he starts will be a game time decision.  Veteran defender Dasan Robinson or newly acquired Yamith Cuesta were mentioned by coach Carlos de los Cobos as being the main options for Mikulic's spot.  Orrin Schwarz had some interesting quotes from CDLC on Kwame Watson-Siriboe.  They should be read first hand but suffice to say it would be a total shocker if Watson-Siriboe got the nod at CB.

I do expect to see the team roll out the 3-5-2.  Stejskal has some quotes on CDLC using the his top starters.  It should be just like this past Saturday: Sean Johnson; Cory Gibbs, Josip Mikulic, Jalil Anibaba; Gonzalo Segares, Marco Pappa, Baggio Husidic, Logan Pause, Patrick Nyarko; Diego Chaves, Gaston Puerari.  As for Colorado, Chris 'Uz' White over at Burgundy Wave was suggesting that there will be some changes to the first team but they could come anywhere depending on whose most fatigued.  Most likely Omar Cummings and Conor Casey are going to be sitting this one out.  Hopefully such 'non-starts' play into the Chicago Fire's hands and the club can make it in to the U.S. Open Cup.  If the Fire lose, this will be the first time the team has ever not made it into the USOC.