Fire stays hot, earns shot at fifth Cup title

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Updated: November 4, 2011 7:01PM

The Fire is one of four clubs to win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup four times, and No. 5 could be in the offing.

Its 2-1 victory Tuesday over the Richmond Kickers sent the Fire to the Open Cup final Oct. 4 against the host Seattle Sounders.

‘‘It’s a special moment,’’ said interim coach Frank Klopas, whose team has a four-game unbeaten streak in Major League Soccer ­after a disappointing first five months of the season. ‘‘You get an opportunity like this, and you can’t let it slip away. Our guys know the traditions from the past, but they want to make their own history. And now they’re one game away.’’

The Fire caught a weary team in the minor-league Kickers, who were playing their sixth match in 20 nights. Richmond, a member of the United Soccer League’s Professional Division, eliminated two other MLS teams — the Columbus Crew and Sporting Kansas City — on the road to get to the semifinal match, played before 8,909 at Toyota Park.

This Fire success was different from the others in that two of the key late-season acquisitions weren’t on the field much. Pavel Pardo, nursing a sore calf, was left off the game roster, and Sebastian Grazzini left at halftime with a hamstring injury after scoring the game’s first goal on a penalty kick.

Grazzini got his chance to score after Richmond’s Luke Vercollone knocked down Patrick Nyarko from behind, setting the stage for the PK in the 32nd minute.

The lead grew to 2-0 in the 61st on a dazzling goal by Dominic Oduro. He has nine in MLS play since joining the Fire in the first month of the season, but his goal Tuesday was one for the highlight reel.

‘‘It was fantastic. He cuts inside, a world-class goal,’’ Klopas said. ‘‘He’s been super for us.’’

Klopas used Daniel Paladini the entire game in Pardo’s place, and Baggio Husidic took over for Grazzini in the second half. Nyarko, playing up front with fellow Ghana forward Oduro, set up the first Fire goal by drawing a foul. He also set up the second with his pass to Oduro, who hit the net from 19 yards out.

The Kickers, who won the Open Cup in 1995 — the year before MLS teams entered the competition — cut the deficit when William Yomby headed in a long ball from Michael Callahan in the 68th minute.

The Fire, which doesn’t play again until Sept. 10, when it returns to MLS ­action in a road match against the San Jose Earthquakes, won the Open Cup in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006.

The Sounders have won the last two Cups. They’re trying to become just the second team in the 98 years of the tournament to win three consecutive titles, joining New York Greek-American, which won three in a row from 1967 to ’69.

Contributing: AP