Host, Union, and Fire (7/14)

WFH, CA -- SEA let a draw slip away as Chicago Fire FC made an impressive debut with a 2-1 win over the defending MLS champs.  Robert Beric had a sweet backheel dribble behind his back to get one-and-one with the GK which he buried to break the scoreless match.  SEA tied in the 77' but a sweet back post run by Mauricio Pineda gave CHI the lead in the 84'.  CHI, which had been moved from Group A to Group B to replace DAL when NSH dropped out (leaving Group A with 5 teams), is in pole position for Group B with two matches left.

Host ORL got off to a strong start with a brace from Chris Mueller in the first 10 minutes en route to a 3-1 win over NYC to move closer to the Knockout stage.  The ref actually held up 10 minutes of stoppage time in the second half which just allowed NYC to run up the shots on ORL, finishing with a tourney high 26 shots.

PHI scored in the 5' and in the second half to outlast expansion MIA, 2-1, to secure themselves and ORL into the knockout round.  PHI and ORL will play each other to determine the Group A winner.

Since the opponents changed, the CHIvSEA and PHIvMIA results do not count in the pool standings.  Just 4 got ORL right putting Six Foot Box and TomJ into a tie for first with Kona Coast Fauci's and Kona Coast Sliders with 5 pts.  BigRedMessi 2 is still in last with one lone point.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC finally gets to play tomorrow!  And they are huge underdogs to SJ (+300) but not a bad as CIN to ATL (+475) and LA to LAFC (+325).  It's the lone match of the day.