Bridgeview, IL — Detroit City Football Club exited the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Wednesday evening, falling to Chicago Fire FC 4-0. It was a difficult night, as Fire controlled possession throughout the match, not letting Detroit get anything going in the attacking third.
Head Coach Danny Dichio made two changes to the starting XI that took the field in Indianapolis on Saturday night: Carlos Saldaña replaced Carlos Herrera in net, and Rhys Williams started ahead of Haruki Yamazaki.
Detroit’s troubles started early in this game, after a Carlos Saldaña goal kick in the fourth minute, Chicago’s high line pressed the Detroit players into a turnover in the box, and Chicago’s Hugo Cuypers made sure the ball found the back of the net, giving the Fire a 1-0 lead.
Carlos Saldaña made multiple crucial saves in this game to keep Detroit in the match. In the 10th minute, off a corner kick, Saldaña made a huge diving save, temporarily stopping the Chicago attack.
Detroit would come close to a tying goal in the 30th minute. A brilliant free-kick was played into the box by Jeciel Cedeño. The ball would find Michael Bryant, but his header just missed the far post.
Off a Chicago corner kick in the 35th minute, the ball was thrown into the box, and off a Darren Smith deflection, the ball went into the back of the net, doubling the Fire’s lead to 2-0.
Ryan Williams picked up the match’s first yellow card in the 41st minute off a late tackle.
Exiting the halftime break, Chicago came out and played with the same intensity as in the first half. That resulted in Omari Glasgow finding the back of the net in the 50th minute, giving Chicago a 3-0 lead.
Dichio and the staff would shuffle the deck in the 57th minute with a triple change that saw Ben Morris, Shane Wiedt, and Marcello Polisi enter for Darren Smith, Michael Bryant, and Ryan Williams.
Saldaña was called into action again in the 60th minute, as off another corner he was forced into an incredible save to keep the scoreline from growing even larger.
Detroit made another change in the 66th minute as Jordan Adebayo-Smith entered the match for Connor Rutz.
Alex Villanueva would come close in the 67th minute to an opener for Detroit, as his shot from inside the box forced the Chicago keeper into a diving save.
Chicago’s Maren Haile-Selassie would pick up the Fire’s fourth goal of the night on the counterattack in the 71st minute.
Detroit’s final change of the evening would see Haruki Yamazaki replace Alex Villanueva in the 77th minute.
Chicago found the back of the net twice in the final 20 minutes, but both were ruled offside.
No stoppage time was added, and Detroit’s run in the 110th Lamer Hunt US Open Cup came to a close. It was Detroit’s first loss in any competition since the 2-0 loss at Louisville City FC on March 29th.
Detroit’s road trip continues Saturday as they travel to Connecticut to face Hartford Athletic. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Le Rouge will return to Keyworth Stadium on May 24th to take on Charleston Battery. Kickoff from Keyworth Stadium is set for 4 p.m. Tickets for all Detroit City matches are available at www.detcityfc.com/tickets.
For more information about Detroit City FC, visit detcityfc.com and follow @DetroitCityFC on X and Facebook and @detroitcityfootballclub on Instagram.
Detroit City Starting XI – Carlos Saldaña, Alex Villanueva (77’), Stephen Carroll, Devon Amoo-Mensah, Michael Bryant (57’), Ryan Williams (57’), Jay Chapman, Jeciel Cedeño, Rhys Williams, Darren Smith (57’), Connor Rutz (66’)
Detroit City Substitutes – Shane Wiedt (57’), Ben Morris (57’), Haruki Yamazaki (77’), Carlos Herrera, Ates Diouf, Marcello Polisi (57’), Jordan Adebayo-Smith (66’)
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Primary Media Contact: Jarrett Maki (Sports Information Director, jarrett.maki@detcityfc.com)
