PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The New England Revolution fell to Chicago Fire FC, 3-1, in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 on Tuesday night at Chapey Field at Anderson Stadium on the campus of Providence College.
Despite New England outshooting Chicago 9-4, the visitors used a late first-half goal to swing momentum against a young Revolution lineup.
New England almost opened the scoring in the 27th minute, as defender Brandon Bye glanced a header off a corner kick right at Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady. Bye suited up for his ninth U.S. Open Cup appearance tonight, his fifth career start in the tournament. Chicago broke the stalemate in the 38th minute as forward Jonathan Bamba delivered a cross into the box that deflected off Revolution midfielder Eric Klein and into the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead just shy of halftime.
Chicago started the second half on the front foot, with Hugo Cuypers scoring an insurance goal in the 70th minute. Fire FC midfielder Philip Zinckernagel put the game out of reach with the visitors’ third goal in the 79th minute. New England pulled one back with a late 89th-minute goal, as Cranston, R.I., native Gevork Diarbian fired a shot from inside the box that deflected off Chicago defender Justin Reynolds and into the net. Diarbian, playing at his alma mater tonight, logged 23 minutes in his second U.S. Open Cup appearance.
Allan Oyirwoth, an 18-year-old from Uganda, led New England’s attack with four shots in his 90-minute outing. Fellow teenager Damario McIntosh, a 17-year-old Academy product, earned a start in his first team debut after signing a Homegrown Player contract in January. Tonight’s match saw three more Revolution II players collect their senior team debuts with New England: Alex Monis, Victor Souza, and Hesron Barry.
