What is the most memorable Brimstone Cup moment?
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The more the kindled combat rises high'r,
The more with fury burns the blazing fire.
--Virgil, Aeneid VII (Inscribed on the Brimstone Cup trophy)
The Brimstone Cup, which dates back to 1998 but was officially chartered in 2001, is FC Dallas’ oldest rivalry series. The derby was created by supporters of Dallas and the Chicago Fire, and the name Brimstone Cup was chosen in homage to the Burn (Dallas’ original team name) and the Fire. The winner of the series is determined in head-to-head regular season, Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and playoff matchups. Chicago won the initial year’s derby in 2001, but FC Dallas has retained the Cup every year since, winning it outright seven times.
PURCHASE TICKETS: FC Dallas vs. Chicago Fire, March 19 at 7:30 pm
What truly makes the Brimstone Cup special is that it was created by the Supporters themselves, and hence retains special significance to the most passionate and loyal of FC Dallas fans. In 2010, after retaining the Cup for the ninth straight time, team captain Daniel Hernandez presented the trophy to the Supporters to raucous applause from the FC Dallas faithful.
Brimstone Cup History (shaded section denotes results before official designation in 2001):
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>YEAR</strong></span> |
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>WINNER</strong></span> |
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>FCD PTS</strong></span> |
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>CHI PTS</strong></span> |
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>HIGHLIGHTS</strong></span> |
2010 |
FC Dallas |
4 |
1 |
Despite missing several starters, FC Dallas clinches their first playoff berth since 2007 with a 3-0 win over the visiting Fire to decide that season's Brimstone Cup. Milton Rodriguez, Marvin Chavez and Jeff Cunningham score in the rout, and Cunningham's tally ties him with Jamie Moreno for first on the all-time MLS career scoring list. |
2009 |
None (FCD retains) |
3 |
3 |
FCD and Chicago tie, with each earning 3 points on the other's home field. Kenny Cooper notches a noteworthy goal in the first leg, scoring off a long-range bomb from beyond midfield. |
2008 |
FC Dallas |
6 |
0 |
FC Dallas dominates the series, and Cunningham scores two at Chicago in the second leg to ice the overall win for Dallas. |
2007 |
FC Dallas |
4 |
1 |
FC Dallas heads into Leg 2 at home with a one goal lead, but Chicago quickly evens the score on their home turf. As the second half winds down, the series appears headed for a tie -- that is, until FCD's Carlos Ruiz nets a goal in stoppage time to seal the series win and retain the Cup for Dallas once again. |
2006 |
FC Dallas |
6 |
0 |
The Brimstone Cup opens up the 2006 season at Pizza Hut Park. Dallas wins 3-2 to take a slim lead into Chicago, where they are forced to make a come-from-behind effort to win the trophy outright for the third straight year. |
2005 |
FC Dallas |
6 |
3 |
FCD and Chicago split the regular season, making their US Open Cup matchup the deciding game. Ronnie O'Brien nets in the first Brimstone Cup held at Pizza Hut Park to give FCD the win and the trophy. |
2004 |
Dallas Burn |
6 |
0 |
Dallas dominates the regular season matchups, outscoring Chicago 6-1 overall and notching their second official Brimstone Cup victory. |
2003 |
None (Dallas retains) |
3 |
3 |
In the midst of the worst season in club history, Dallas loses the first leg but fights back in the second to tie the series and retain the Cup. The showing of heart in the Leg 2 win also marks the debut of new Dallas head coach Colin Clarke. |
2002 |
Dallas Burn |
6 |
0 |
Dallas wins at Chicago for the first time in club history, beginning the current run of nine straight years of ownership of the Brimstone Cup. |
2001 |
Chicago Fire |
5 |
11 |
The first official year of the Brimstone Cup brings high drama, with Dallas player Lubos Kubic earning a straight red card from the warm-up area during the final regular season matchup of the two teams. The Cup is decided in the playoffs, where Chicago beats Dallas 2-0-1 in the three game series to earn the victory and the first official Brimstone Cup title. |
2000 |
Chicago Fire |
6 |
9 |
Dallas and Chicago meet five times during the regular season (including one USOC match) and Chicago wins three of the five. Dallas had a chance to win the second leg, which would have been the first win in Chicago, but fell in overtime despite a 3-1 lead and being up a man for much of the match. |
1999 |
Dallas Burn |
12 |
9 |
The regular season ended with two wins apiece for the respective sides, meaning that a three-game playoff series would decide the outcome. Dallas won the first and third games to advance to the next round, but it was the second leg that is best remembered. During a 4-0 Chicago win, Fire defender Dema Kovalenko made a late challenge against Dallas defender Brandon Pollard, breaking Pollard's leg and adding considerable fuel to the future Brimstone Cup rivalry. |
1998 |
Chicago Fire |
3 |
9 |
Many consider the August 4, 1998 USOC semifinal match in New Orleans to be the beginning of the Dallas-Chicago rivalry. Dallas was the defending US Open Cup champion, and Chicago's 3-2 victory knocked them out of the tourney. The hotly contested match featured three red cards (two to Chicago and one to Dallas) and sparked the rivalry between the two sides. They would meet one more time in 1998 during the MLS regular season, where perhaps the most dramatic moment in the history of the series occurred. Down 2-0 early, Dallas fought back to tie the score at 2. With only 20 seconds left on the clock, Dallas brings the ball the length of the field, where Zarco Rodriguez scored with only two seconds left to win the game. The goal is one of the most famous in Dallas club history. |