Union, Fire will play rapid rematch on Sunday

Now comes the hard part for the Union.

They earned a second consecutive trip to the U.S. Open Cup final with a 1-0 win over the visiting Chicago Fire on Wednesday, but they'll return to Major League Soccer duties against the same team.

And for both clubs, the situation isn't very pretty.

The Union (6-13-5) will host the Fire (6-12-4) on Sunday night at PPL Park. The Fire are in last place in the 10-team Eastern Conference but have two games in hand over the ninth-place Union.

Having gone 0-3-1 in their last four MLS games and with only 10 left in the season, the Union are clearly running out of time in hopes of earning one of the six Eastern Conference playoff spots.

So thoughts of the Union's Open Cup championship game at PPL Park against Sporting Kansas City on Sept. 30 will have to wait.

The hope is that when the Union play the Open Cup game, they are still in the MLS playoff hunt, which won't be easy.

"We will enjoy this one, but the attention shifts to Chicago again," midfielder Michael Lahoud said moments after the win. He later added: "We are coming here to beat them again, make no mistake about it."

Lahoud played only his second game since suffering a hip pointer on May 2. He played all 90 minutes for the first time since April 25. The Union haven't allowed a goal since his return, having played a scoreless draw at Orlando City on Saturday.

Lahoud and fellow defensive-minded midfielder Brian Carroll have shored up a weakness, at least temporarily. The Union have allowed 40 goals, the most in Major League Soccer.

The Union also need to capitalize more on their offensive chances. They controlled play for much of the game as Sebastien Le Toux scored the lone goal.

"You are always concerned, especially in this building," Union coach Jim Curtin said of the dearth of scoring.

The Union had the day off from training Thursday, one final day to let the U.S. Open Cup win sink in. Yet they will need a short memory because an MLS season is on the brink of falling apart if they can't duplicate their result of Wednesday against an equally hungry Fire team.

Sunday at 7 p.m., PPL Park. TV: Fox Sports 1.

Fire on the road: 0-7-3. Union at home: 5-5-2.

Goals: Fire, 24; Union, 29.

Goals against: Fire, 29; Union, 40.

Head-to-head: The Union earned a 1-0 semifinal win over the visiting Fire in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday. In MLS action, Chicago has won the only meeting, defeating the visiting Union, 1-0, on March 29.

Outlook: Brazilian designated player Gilberto made his Chicago debut Wednesday but left in the 21st minute with a thigh contusion. He is listed as questionable. . . . Midfielder David Accam leads the Fire (6-12-4) with six goals. He was limited to just one shot Wednesday, while other key offensive players Harry Shipp and Shaun Maloney, didn't get a shot. . . . Defender and captain Jeff Larentowicz, a product of Chestnut Hill Academy, has started 17 games for Chicago. . . . For the Union (6-13-5), the status of midfielder Vincent Nogueira (quadriceps) and keeper Brian Silvestre (hand) will be clearer when the team returns to practice on Friday, according to a team official. . . . John McCarthy started the last two MLS games in goal. . . . Midfielder Cristian Maidana, who has 11 assists, was the best player on the field Wednesday. . . . C.J. Sapong leads the Union with seven goals.

- Marc Narducci

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