Fire reach U.S. Open Cup final

Dominic Oduro -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- It was not the smoothest of performances for the Chicago Fire. But the home side did its job on Tuesday in topping the USL Pro's Richmond Kickers, 2-1, in the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Toyota Park.

"It was a scrappy one, but we got it done," Fire defender Jalil Anibaba said.

Sebastian Grazzini netted a first-half penalty-kick goal and Dominic Oduro tallied a second-half game-winner as Chicago advanced to its sixth Open Cup final appearance. The Fire have won the Open Cup four previous times (1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006) and were the runners-up in 2004.

"Opportunities like this, you can't let them slip away," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "It was a special moment for the team, for our fans obviously, to put ourselves in this situation now in the final, to have an opportunity to win something. We knew what was at stake.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

LePeilbet called up to U.S. squad

Amy LePeilbet --
Getty Images

Eclipse Select Soccer Club alumna and Crystal Lake, Ill., native Amy LePeilbet was called up to the U.S. Women's National Team roster on Monday as part of a WNT "Celebration Series."

The Americans prepare for matches against Canada on Sept. 17 at Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan., and on Sept. 22 at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Ore.

LePeilbet is coming off a runner-up finish in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. The 2009 and 2010 Women's Professional Soccer Defensive Player of the Year advanced to this year's WPS postseason. But LePeilbet's Boston Breakers fell to magicJack, 3-1, in the first round of the playoffs.

Read more at USSoccer.com.

Fire host Kickers in Open Cup semis

Frank Klopas -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The four-time Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champion Chicago Fire have touted their best available lineup throughout this year's tournament.

The same cannot be said for some other MLS squads, and you only have to look at the Fire's 4-0 quarterfinal win over a reserve-laden New York Red Bulls side on July 12 to come to that conclusion.

But the semifinal round will not have that type of aura to it as Chicago hosts the USL Pro's Richmond Kickers on Tuesday at Toyota Park (broadcast available at Chicago-Fire.com). Being the only non-MLS team remaining in this year's tournament, the Kickers no doubt will try everything to halt the Fire's deepest run in the Open Cup since their 2006 championship over the Los Angeles Galaxy.

"This is a tournament that we take very seriously," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "This has been one of our goals from the beginning, to put ourselves in a position to win the U.S. Open Cup. Now we have a great opportunity on Tuesday. We're not going to underestimate anyone."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire blank Rapids for 2nd straight win

Fire's Gonzalo Segares -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Don't look now, but the Chicago Fire have put together a stretch of victories.

Dominic Oduro and Cory Gibbs each netted a goal and Chicago topped the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, on Saturday in front of 15,211 at Toyota Park.

It marked the first set of back-to-back wins for the Fire (4-7-15, 27 points) since the 2010 season, when they topped D.C. United and the Houston Dynamo on April 17 and 24, respectively.

While the Fire are building some needed momentum, the team knows it has to make up for some lost ground in getting back into the playoff picture.

"It's one game," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "The guys are not satisfied. We're not satisfied. This is behind us. We have to look at this match and look at the good things and what we have to improve."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire host defending champion Rapids

Fire's Dominic Oduro -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- It has been 16 months since the Chicago Fire have posted back-to-back victories. They have an opportunity to put an end to that trend when they host the 2010 MLS champion Colorado Rapids on Saturday at Toyota Park.

Saturday's match marks the start of a Western Conference-heavy schedule over the next month. After Saturday, Chicago takes a two-week break from MLS action but hosts the USL Pro's Richmond Kickers on Tuesday in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal.

The Fire have posted a 1-0-1 mark on their current homestand, most recently earning a 2-0 win against Toronto FC last Saturday.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Anibaba makes smooth 'D' switch

Fire defender Jalil Anibaba -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Chicago Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas made it clear following the team's 2-0 win over Toronto FC on Sunday where he prefers to play rookie defender Jalil Anibaba.

"I like him better as a center back," Klopas said of Anibaba, who opened the season as the Fire's regular right back. "He reads the game better there. For me, I think he can play both. But I see him as a better center back than on the right."

Anibaba's move to center back has been a smooth one, and that was evident when out of the blue he had to replace an injured Cory Gibbs in the opening minutes of a 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 3.

"In college, I was able to grow in that position more," Anibaba said. "When I made the transition to center back from attacking mid (where he played in his first two games at Santa Clara), it wasn't easy for me just because it takes time to get used to a new position. It's just a matter of me having more games underneath my belt at center back, and I've been able to transfer my experiences from college at center back to this level."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire defender Gargan creating buzz

Fire's Dan Gargan -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Defender Dan Gargan was a bit of a mystery man when he was traded to the Chicago Fire from Toronto FC on July 28.

Chicago appeared to have its defensive group set in stone. Rookie Jalil Anibaba and team captain Logan Pause manned the right back position, and Gonzalo Segares has been the season-long fixture at left back. So it was unknown as to what extent Gargan's immediate impact would be.

Some could argue that when the Fire sent Dasan Robinson to Toronto, the inclusion of Toronto's 2012 second-round draft pick looked like the most enticing part of the entire deal. But Toronto's loss already has become Chicago's gain.

Gargan has started at right back during the Fire's past three matches, posting a 1-0-2 record. Gargan also tallied a goal against his former Toronto squad on Sunday en route to a much-needed 2-0 Fire win.

It was an uplifting moment for the Fire, who earned only their third victory of the season.

"The moment was definitely heightened because of the [winless] run we've been on," Gargan said. "That goal took a little bit of the pressure off of us to win. That's definitely the most important -- getting those three points and hopefully getting us on the right side toward winning games for a little run that we need to go on."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire garner long-awaited win

Fire defender Dan Gargan (C) congratulated
by Logan Pause (R) and Marco Pappa (L)
-- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Toyota Park scoreboard was not a mirage.

The Chicago Fire finally found the win column for the first time in more than two months as they defeated Toronto FC, 2-0, on Sunday in front of 12,020 at Toyota Park.

Fire forward Dominic Oduro netted a 16th-minute goal, and defender Dan Gargan headed home a goal against his former Toronto team in the 69th minute to garner a long-awaited win for Chicago.

"It was huge. We needed it for team morale," Fire defender Cory Gibbs said. "We knew every week we've been playing well during that stretch and needed to get over that hump. Our perseverance is there. We pushed and we got the win. We needed it."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.