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Silverbacks Host Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire on Wednesday

July 8, 2014 - North American Soccer League (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks News Release


Atlanta, Ga. (July 8, 2014) - The Atlanta Silverbacks will look to continue their historic Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run when they host Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Atlanta Silverbacks Park.

The Fire are the Silverbacks' third straight MLS opponent, and the second one to come to Atlanta within the last month. The Silverbacks knocked off last year's MLS runner-up, Real Salt Lake, 2-1 at Atlanta Silverbacks Park on June 14, and followed that up with another 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on June 24.

Wednesday night's game will mark the first time the Silverbacks have ever reached a Cup quarterfinal, and the team will enter the game with confidence, having knocked off two straight MLS sides.

"I think it's a wonderful opportunity for our players to continue to show the quality inside our organization," said Silverbacks Technical Director Eric Wynalda. "We want to keep showing that the MLS level is not beyond our reach by any means."

While the Silverbacks will be riding high entering Wednesday's quarterfinal affair, they will be missing several key players and coaches. Midfielder Borfor Carr, forwards Kwadwo Poku and Jaime Chavez, assistant coach Ricardo Montoya, and Wynalda will all be suspended following dismissals in the team's win over the Rapids in Colorado. Forward Deon McCaulay will be one of several players that will need to step up against the Fire, and he is confident that he and his teammates will be able to answer the call.

"The players that will be missing are definitely a big part of this team, but at the end of the day, this is a team and we have players that need to step up," McCaulay said. "I think those players will come in and execute the game plan well."

The Fire enters Wednesday night with a relatively clean bill of health and no suspensions to speak of, but their recent league schedule has put their team fitness to the test. Head Coach Frank Yallop's side has played three games since June 25, and two of them have come in the last six days. After playing 120 minutes in a 4-2 Cup win over the Columbus Crew on June 25, the Fire hosted Toronto FC last Wednesday and visited Sporting KC this past Sunday - both of which ended in 1-1 draws. The Fire visits the New England Revolution on Saturday, adding another long road trip to their already hectic schedule. The Silverbacks, who are one of just two NASL teams left in the Cup, have trained during that time, but haven't played a single game since June 24, meaning they will be well-rested for Wednesday.

Sitting second from the bottom in the MLS Eastern Conference standings and desperately needing some results in league play, one might wonder what sort of team Yallop will field on Wednesday in Atlanta. The team's schedule will force the England-born coach to make some interesting personnel decisions when it comes to resting or playing certain players. Either way, the Fire's roster is star-studded. 2013 MLS MVP Mike Magee is a proven goalscorer and a handful for opposing back lines, while youngster Harry Shipp has burst onto the scene this season, scoring a team-high six goals and tallying a team-high four assists in league play.

Atlanta native Sean Johnson, who has been capped four times by the U.S. Men's National Team, is among the top goalkeepers in MLS, and has held the Fire's number one spot for several seasons. The 25-year-old goalkeeper grew up in Lilburn and went to Brookwood High School. Conyers native Clint Mathis, a former U.S. Men's National Team member that played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, is another Fire member with local ties. He serves as an assistant coach under Yallop.

Although they respect the Fire's pedigree, the Silverbacks have had success in the Cup by focusing on their own gameplan and not worrying about the opposition. Wynalda's side has looked fearless against MLS competition, often times controlling the majority of the possession and creating countless scoring chances.

McCaulay, the all-time leading goalscorer for the Belize National Team, will get his shot to make an impact up top in the absence of Chavez and Poku. Midfielders Junior Burgos and Junior Sandoval have been outstanding in Cup play, and will need to continue that run of form if the Silverbacks are to achieve a result. Defenders Mike Randolph, Beto Navarro, and Ramiro Canovas were all key players in the club's win over Colorado, and they will need to bring their best yet again when they line up across from the likes of Magee, Shipp, and Quincy Amarikwa.

"We can't give their forwards time to turn and get looks at the goal," Randolph said. "They have a couple quality strikers in Magee and Shipp, so it'll be important to limit their opportunities on offense."

Wednesday's game will represent the first ever meeting between these two sides, and only the second time a MLS club has visited Atlanta Silverbacks Park. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are still available. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 404-969-4900.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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