The defending champion Chicago Fire remain in the hunt for the 2004 U.S. Open Cup championship after beating the Richmond Kickers, 1-0, on Wednesday night in Richmond, Va.
Forward Dipsy Selolwane scored the game's only goal in the 56th minute for the Fire, which is looking to reach the final for the fifth time in seven years. It won the Open Cup title in 1998, 2000 and 2003.
The Fire faces the Charleston Battery Aug. 25 at Benedetti-Wehrle (formerly Cardinal) Stadium in Naperville, Ill. The Battery, the 2003 A-League champion but last the 2004 overall standings (three wins in 21 games), upset the Rochester Rhinos, 1-0, at the Rhinos' Frontier Field on a seventh-minute goal by Gabe Valencia.
The Battery are the first A-League team in the semifinals since 1999, when Charleston and the Rhinos both qualified for the semifinals. That year was also the last time and the only time since MLS joined the competition that an A-League team won the Open Cup. Rochester took the crown.
The defending MLS champion San Jose Earthquakes beat the A-League's Minnesota Thunder on penalty kicks after their game in Blaine, Minn., ended in a 2-2 tie.
The Quakes face the Kansas City Wizards, 4-0 winners over the Dallas Burn on goals by Chris Klein, Davy Arnaud, Justin Detter and Alex Zotinca. The Wizards-Quakes match will be played Aug. 24 at the Blue Valley Athletic Complex in Overland Park, Kan. Both San Jose and Kansas City are seeking their first appearance in the Open Cup final.