Open Fire

Since mid-season, whether it be in league play or U.S. Open Cup action, the Chicago Fire have been on fire. They've made a commitment to physical defending and their blend of scrappiness and finesse up top has created 39 goals, second most in the conference. These attributes were on display in their 3-1 drubbing of the Galaxy in the U.S. Open Cup Final.

The Fire got on the board early as C.J. Brown - their center back, mind you - won a header in the Los Angeles box that a teammate then sent bouncing across the mouth of the goal to Nate Jacqua who headed it home. It was a play that highlighted the Fire's desire to win as two Chicago attackers hustled to get behind the ball-watching Galaxy defenders for the score. Scrappiness? Check.

Soon thereafter, Chicago padded their lead as outside midfielder Justin Mapp's cross glanced perfectly off the head of striker Andy Herron and into the far corner of the net. He might tell you otherwise, but there was no way that Mapp knew where Herron was in the box after firing the cross without so much as glancing at his target. But when things are going your way, those types of plays materialize. As for Herron's header: downright dirty. Heavily marked, he rose up above the defender and deftly put it where Hartman had no chance to make the save. Finesse? Check.

Aside from the early part of the second half in which the Chicago defense took a less is more approach to marking and let up a goal, the Fire looked unbeatable on this night, adding an insurance goal to further ruin the Galaxy's already waning collective self-esteem.

They can ill afford many defensive lapses when they take on D.C. United in the conference finals but the addition of a legitimate attack to a traditionally industrious back line has the Fire as serious contenders for the Eastern Conference crown.