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US Open Cup Round-Up: Upsets Par for the Course
The U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals always seem to boast several upsets, and this year is no exception.
Jul 9, 2008 1:23:12 AM
It's either a sign that Major League Soccer is not as strong as it
thinks it is or that MLS teams simply don't take the U.S. Open Cup very
seriously. Regardless, two MLS teams fell to lower-league competition
in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday night.
The Charleston Battery and Seattle Sounders may paly in the USL First Division (equivalent of the U.S. second division), but they both earned upsets against MLS teams. Charleston thrashed reeling FC Dallas, 3-1, while Seattle eked by the Kansas City Wizards on penalties after finishing 0-0 in regulation.
In the other two quarterfinal matches, the New England Revolution and USL 2nd Division side Crystal Palace Baltimore drew 1-1 and the Revs needed a shootout to advance, while D.C. United bested the Chicago Fire, 2-1, in extratime in the only all-MLS contest.
The results set up a situation that guarantees a USL club will reach the final. Charleston will host Seattle at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C., on August 12. A non-MLS team has reach the final of the U.S. Open Cup only twice since MLS's founding in 1996. The Rochester Rhinos took the trophy in 1996 and then lost to the Colorado Rapids in the 1999 final.
The other semifinal this year will see the Revolution travel to Washington to face United also on August 12. The site is still to be determined.
New England Revolution 1 - 1 Crystal Palace Baltimore (5-4 PKs)
Gambian international striker Kenny Mansally got his first Cup goal for the Revolution just six minutes into the action. The 19-year-old was released behind the defense by a long ball from Brandon Tyler and he made no mistake with the finish.
But Crystal Palace evened things up in the 20th minute through Dan Lader. A post-corner kick scramble left a loose ball at the top of the area, and Lader fired it home.
In the shootout, the Revolution went 5 for 5, and goalkeeper Doug Warren made a save on Val Teixeira to get the win.
D.C. United 2 - 1 Chicago Fire (a.e.t.)
Playing at the Maryland Sportsplex, DC fought back from a goal down to nab the win in overtime. Fire reserve Daniel Woolard opened the scoring in the 36th minute, finishing a bouncing cross from Logan Pause.
In the 77th minute, United's Liberian striker Francis Doe evened things up redirecting a pretty Luciano Emilio cross. Then, nine minutes into the overtime period, Bryan Namoff gave the home side the victory with a near-post header on a corner kick. In the 108th minute, some afters saw the Fire's Cuauhtemoc Blanco and United's Marc Burch sent off.
FC Dallas 1 - 3 Charleston Battery
The Battery marched into Pizza Hut Park and took it to the home side. A long-range goal from Lazo Alavanja in the 28th minute gave them the lead, which, after a lightning delay, was doubled in the 43rd through Ian Fuller.
The score remained the same for most of the second stanza. But in stoppage time, Randi Patterson tripled Charleston's lead int he 91st minute. FCD, which has won only twice in its last ten games all competitions, pulled one back through Kenny Cooper in the 94th minute.
Seattle Sounders 0 - 0 Kansas City Wizards (6-5 PKs)
After 120 minutes of scoreless play at Qwest Field, thanks mainly to a scintillating performance from Seattle goalkeeper Chris Eylander, the home side finally prevailed. Eylander totaled 13 saves on the night and then stopped two KC penalties to give his team the win.
Seattle, which will join MLS in 2009, went 6 for 7 in the shootout, with only star midfielder Sebastian Le Toux missing his spotkick. For KC, both Jimmy Conrad and Tyson Wahl saw their PKs saved by Eylander.
-- Goal.com
The Charleston Battery and Seattle Sounders may paly in the USL First Division (equivalent of the U.S. second division), but they both earned upsets against MLS teams. Charleston thrashed reeling FC Dallas, 3-1, while Seattle eked by the Kansas City Wizards on penalties after finishing 0-0 in regulation.
In the other two quarterfinal matches, the New England Revolution and USL 2nd Division side Crystal Palace Baltimore drew 1-1 and the Revs needed a shootout to advance, while D.C. United bested the Chicago Fire, 2-1, in extratime in the only all-MLS contest.
The results set up a situation that guarantees a USL club will reach the final. Charleston will host Seattle at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C., on August 12. A non-MLS team has reach the final of the U.S. Open Cup only twice since MLS's founding in 1996. The Rochester Rhinos took the trophy in 1996 and then lost to the Colorado Rapids in the 1999 final.
The other semifinal this year will see the Revolution travel to Washington to face United also on August 12. The site is still to be determined.
New England Revolution 1 - 1 Crystal Palace Baltimore (5-4 PKs)
Gambian international striker Kenny Mansally got his first Cup goal for the Revolution just six minutes into the action. The 19-year-old was released behind the defense by a long ball from Brandon Tyler and he made no mistake with the finish.
But Crystal Palace evened things up in the 20th minute through Dan Lader. A post-corner kick scramble left a loose ball at the top of the area, and Lader fired it home.
In the shootout, the Revolution went 5 for 5, and goalkeeper Doug Warren made a save on Val Teixeira to get the win.
D.C. United 2 - 1 Chicago Fire (a.e.t.)
Playing at the Maryland Sportsplex, DC fought back from a goal down to nab the win in overtime. Fire reserve Daniel Woolard opened the scoring in the 36th minute, finishing a bouncing cross from Logan Pause.
In the 77th minute, United's Liberian striker Francis Doe evened things up redirecting a pretty Luciano Emilio cross. Then, nine minutes into the overtime period, Bryan Namoff gave the home side the victory with a near-post header on a corner kick. In the 108th minute, some afters saw the Fire's Cuauhtemoc Blanco and United's Marc Burch sent off.
FC Dallas 1 - 3 Charleston Battery
The Battery marched into Pizza Hut Park and took it to the home side. A long-range goal from Lazo Alavanja in the 28th minute gave them the lead, which, after a lightning delay, was doubled in the 43rd through Ian Fuller.
The score remained the same for most of the second stanza. But in stoppage time, Randi Patterson tripled Charleston's lead int he 91st minute. FCD, which has won only twice in its last ten games all competitions, pulled one back through Kenny Cooper in the 94th minute.
Seattle Sounders 0 - 0 Kansas City Wizards (6-5 PKs)
After 120 minutes of scoreless play at Qwest Field, thanks mainly to a scintillating performance from Seattle goalkeeper Chris Eylander, the home side finally prevailed. Eylander totaled 13 saves on the night and then stopped two KC penalties to give his team the win.
Seattle, which will join MLS in 2009, went 6 for 7 in the shootout, with only star midfielder Sebastian Le Toux missing his spotkick. For KC, both Jimmy Conrad and Tyson Wahl saw their PKs saved by Eylander.
-- Goal.com
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