Winning Open Cup team task for FCD
Organization sees importance of winning tournament
"It's a very important game for us, a very important tournament as well," FCD head coach Steve Morrow said. "We're very excited to be hosting a final here at home. It means a lot to our team, the organization and the Hunt family. We feel that it's a very important game and a very important championship for us to win. We're very much looking forward to it."
But the Hoops come into the game with a worrying lack of form recently. FCD was dumped out of the group stage of SuperLiga in July in a first chance to win a trophy, and has stuttered in their drive to the MLS Cup Playoffs, losing five of their last seven games. Yet despite his side's recent struggles, Morrow feels Wednesday's final is up for grabs.
"A cup final is a one-off game," he said. "Our league form hasn't been as good as what we want it to be recently. We see this game as one where anything can happen. The results in the league of late haven't affected the team. We're still in a very good condition mentally and physically, are looking forward to the game. We know we can win. We will put our recent league form behind us and concentrate on winning this game."
So far this year, FCD has dropped both of its games against New England. In April, the Revs came to Frisco and left with a 1-0 victory and last month, they handed the Hoops a 4-2 setback at Gillette Stadium. But neither of those results linger with Morrow or any of his players.
"I think we've had two very close and competitive games against New England so far -- a 1-0 defeat at home here that was a close game and a defeat at New England that was the same," he said. "We will do all the things we normally do to prepare for a game. I don't see past results as having too much of an impact on this particular game."
If FCD is to emerge victorious, it could be because of captain Carlos Ruiz, who has found his scoring touch of late. After going three months without a league goal, Ruiz has scored five goals in the last 10 FCD league games, and added two more in both SuperLiga and the Open Cup.
"I have more confidence (now)," Ruiz said. "We know that this is a big game. I know what it takes to win a final. We have a few other players who know what it takes to win a championship. We know that we have the confidence to win this game."
FCD is just two years removed from their last appearance in the Open Cup Final, when they fell 1-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center. Twelve current members of the Hoops roster remain from that team, seven of which played in that title tilt and they all remember the disappointment they felt after it was done.
"It was a disappointing game, especially with the way we lost it," said Hoops left back David Wagenfuhr. "I thought we had a few chances and had a good chance to win the game. It was disappointing when we didn't. You don't know how many you're going to play in, so it's always a great experience."
Ruiz didn't play in that final but was on the field for the 2002 Open Cup Final when he was with the Galaxy, a match they lost 1-0 to Columbus.
"That final was different because after we won the MLS Cup, we thought that we had won everything and nobody put much importance on that match," Ruiz said. "It's very exciting for the team to play in this final. This is exciting for the Hunt family, our fans and this team to play it in this stadium."
Hosting this final isn't something that Morrow sees as putting more pressure on his team but the first-year head coach was sequestering his team away in a local hotel from Tuesday afternoon until they arrived at the park before kickoff on gameday.
"No, I don't think we feel added pressure," he said. "We are glad to be hosting a final here at home and want to use that to our advantage. For me, the hardest pressure is getting through a cup final. We want to make sure we do all the right things to get through it. Getting to play in front of our home fans makes it a special moment and we want to make the most of it."
The FCD boss has at least one major lineup decision to make. Denilson, FCD's designated player, was substituted for in the second half of the 3-0 loss to Houston on Sunday. The World Cup-winning Brazilian midfielder has been a disappointment in his first six games and could find himself out of the team to start the final.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
