QUARTERFINAL ROUND
Real Salt Lake at FC Dallas
Pizza Hut Park – Frisco, TX
July 12 – 9:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast: FCDallas.com (Video)
Real Salt Lake
Third Round: Wilmington Hammerheads (USL Pro) 0:2 Real Salt Lake (MLS)
Looking to book their return to the CONCACAF Champions League where they were in the Final just months prior, RSL handled the overmatched Wilmington Hammerheads with ease for a 2-0 win. It took 40 minutes to register the team’s control on the scoreboard when Tony Beltran took a pass from Jean Alexandre on the right side, beating Hammerheads goalkeeper Kyle Polak with a close angle shot to the near post, just outside the 6-yard box. Then in the 44th, Canadian international Will Johnson played in Alexandre, who worked past a defender and pulled Polak off his line to increase the lead to 2-0. It was RSL’s first Open Cup victory since 2006. Full Recap [+]
How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.
This Month in MLS: In a wild Fourth of July contest, RSL kicked the month off in dramatic fashion against the New England Revolution, erasing a two-goal deficit from the first 16 minutes on a Will Johnson strike in the 24th and a penalty from Alvaro Saborio in the 56. Saborio would connect with Fabian Espindola for another equalizer in the 83rd in a 3-3 final scoreline. The team heads into the two-match league-Cup series with Dallas on a high note, blanking the Texas side 2-0 in Utah Saturday. Andy Williams netted two minutes into the second half and Espindola struck four minutes into stoppage time to rub salt in the wound.
Last Five: W-D-W-D-D | Season Record: 8-3-6 (2-2-3 Away), Fourth in Western Conference, Fourth overall.
Open Cup History: This is Real Salt Lake’s first time in the Open Cup since 2006, struggling as much in tournament qualifying as they have in the tournament itself. The team bowed out to second division Minnesota Thunder in 2005, and making the quarterfinals the next year, before bowing out to Rocky Mountain Cup rivals Colorado Rapids.The team would not make it out of qualification again since, having earned an automatic spot for this year’s tournament.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 2-2-0 | 0-1-0 vs. MLS teams
FC Dallas
Third Round: Orlando City (USL Pro) 2:3 FC Dallas (MLS)
The hosts had to work for the victory against the lower division visitors as Orlando City got the surprising lead 24 minutes in. Jackson, on an assist from Ricardo Villar, would score in the 39th minute to make it 1-1 at the break. Villar would tally himself five minutes into the second half for what looked increasingly like the winner until Orlando found an equalizer in stoppage time. But less than a minute later the stunned home crowd were sent into a frenzy when Jackson found Milton Rodriguez for the winner. Full Recap [+]
How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.
This Month in MLS: Dallas took advantage of a possibly disheartened Columbus side that was coming off the Open Cup upset loss, blanking the visiting Crew 2-0 July 2 on second half goals from Brek Shea and Jackson to claim the Pioneer Cup. Dallas would meet the same fate themselves on the road though Saturday, falling 2-0 in Utah. RSL struck for two unanswered goals in the second half.
Last Five: L-W-W-W-L | Season Record: 10-5-4 (7-2-2 Home), Third in Western Conference, Third Overall.
Open Cup History: Up to 2009, FC Dallas could claim the distinction of being the only MLS team to participate in every Pro Era Open Cup tournament since the league began in 1996. Dallas found success early in their Open Cup history, reaching the Semifinals in 1996 and winning the title on penalties over DC United in 1997. This is Dallas’ 12th Quarterfinals appearance, which is more than any MLS team in the Pro Era (1995-present). They enter Tuesday’s contest with a 5-5-1 (1-0 in PKs) all-time in Quarterfinals.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 20-12-4 (4-0 in PKs)| 5-8-2 vs. MLS teams
Head to Head 2011
The teams will be very familiar with each other, as Real Salt Lake defeated Dallas over the weekend, notching a 2-0 home win on July 9. The teams played to a scoreless draw on May 22 in Dallas.
2011 US Open Cup Semifinal Scenarios
Seattle Sounders / LA Galaxy at Real Salt Lake
9:00 pm – Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
OR
FC Dallas at Seattle Sounders
10:00 pm – Starfire Sports Stadium; Tukwila, Wash.
OR
Los Angeles Galaxy at FC Dallas
9:00 pm – Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas