US Open Cup tips: Cincinnati and Chicago Fire red-hot favourites to progress into semis
- Seb Sternik
- 5 June 2023
Tuesday night sees the first set of US Open quarter-finals, with FC Cincinnati taking on Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Chicago Fire hosting Houston Dynamo.
Cup football fever takes over the United States this midweek as the battle for the semi-finals heats up.
Schedule, date and time
FC Cincinnati vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Wednesday, June 7, 00:00 (BST) / Tuesday June 6 19:00 (ET)
Chicago Fire vs Houston Dynamo, Wednesday, June 7, 01:30 (BST) / Tuesday, June 6 20:30 (ET)
Predicted Scores
FC Cincinnati 3-1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Chicago Fire 2-1 Houston Dynamo
Suggested Bets
Verdict
The quarter-final round kicks off in Cincinnati as the MLS side welcome heavy underdogs Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
Both teams are flying in their respective leagues, with Cincinnati currently top of the Eastern Conference and Pittsburgh second in the Championship.
Both clubs are also enjoying great recent form, meaning we could be in for a classic cup encounter.
Cincinnati, for instance, have won 10 of their last 11 games and haven't been beaten since mid-April.
Chris Albright's men have won eight matches in a row and kept a clean sheet in half of those outings.
Pittsburgh have also impressed. The Championship outfit have won their last six games in a row, scoring 10 goals and keeping four clean sheets along the way.
The Riverhounds are unbeaten in nine straight outings, and they will arrive at the TQL Stadium with plenty of momentum.
Despite this, our recommendation is to back the hosts. Cincinnati have won all of their 11 games at home this year and are arguably one of the frontrunners for the MLS crown this season.
We're backing to hosts to progress, but over 2.5 goals and both teams to score are two other bets which have caught our eye.
Elsewhere, Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo will square off in an all-MLS clash.
With both teams struggling in the MLS this season, the US Open Cup offers them a great opportunity at claiming silverware.
Chicago have the second worst record in the Eastern Conference, winning just three of their 16 games.
Houston aren't exactly flying themselves considering they have won just five of 15 MLS games this season.
Location could prove pivotal as Chicago are far better on Soldier Field than they are on the road.
Fire are yet to lose a home game this year, although six of their 10 games have ended up in draws.
Houston, on the other hand, have only managed one away win this season and conceded nine goals from their last two games on the road.
With that in mind, Chicago is the team to back in the outright market.
