Nemanja Nikolic’s goal in the 54th minute gave the Fire a 1-0 win against Atlanta United on Wednesday night in the Round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Nikolic’s goal was assisted by Luis Solignac and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Solignac passed the ball from the left side of the net past Atlanta keeper Alec Kann to a wide-open Nikolic just in front of the opposite post.
Fire goalie Richard Sanchez made four saves for the shutout. The match set the U.S. Open Cup record for attendance with 41,012 tickets sold, breaking the previous mark of 35,615 in 2011 when the Fire lost in the final to the Sounders in Seattle.
The Fire advance to the quarterfinals on July 18 against Louisville City of the USL, that league’s last remaining club in the tournament.
The Fire’s four U.S. Open Cup titles are tied for the most by an MLS team with the Sounders and Sporting Kansas City. Their last championship in the event came in 2006.
