Only five MLS participants are guaranteed a home fixture for the Third Round with Sporting Kansas City, Columbus Crew, FC Dallas, San Jose Earthquakes and Philadelphia Union welcoming Second Round winners.

The Houston Dynamo, who just opened the brand new BBVA Compass Stadium are the only club that will have to travel, though the trip will stay within Texas as they were paired with the Heat and expansion North American Soccer League San Antonio Scorpions.

Five NASL clubs and five members of USL Pro will have an opportunity to host an MLS team if they prevail.

Travel-wise, there are several pairings that could see extensive miles logged. Among them are Orlando City to Kansas City; Charlotte to Dallas; Fort Lauderdale to San Jose; Los Angeles Galaxy to Carolina; Colorado to Tampa Bay; and Seattle to Atlanta.

TheCup.us US Open Cup Bracket |  Details on Hosting Selection Process

LAMAR HUNT US OPEN CUP SECOND ROUND – Tuesday, May 22

Michigan Bucks (PDL) at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO)
Chartiers Valley Stadium; Bridgeville, Pa.; 7 p.m. ET

Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO)
Skyline Sports Complex; Harrisburg, Pa.; 7 p.m. ET

Cal FC (USASA) at Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO)
Legion Sports Park; Wilmington, N.C.; 7 p.m. ET

Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Jacksonville United (NPSL)
Patton Park; Jacksonville, Fla.; 7 p.m. ET

Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) at Chicago Fire PDL (PDL)
Toyota Park Practice Field; Bridgeview, Ill.; 7 p.m. ET

PSA Elite (USASA) at Carolina RailHawks (NASL)
WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.; 7:07 p.m. ET

Fresno Fuego (PDL) at Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL)
Lockhart Stadium; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; 7:30 p.m. ET

KC Athletics (USASA) at Orlando City SC (USL PRO)
Seminole Soccer Complex; Sanford, Fla.; 7:30 p.m. ET

Reading United AC (PDL) at Charleston Battery (USL PRO)
Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C.; 7:30 p.m. ET

Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (USASA)
Maryland SoccerPlex Stadium; Boyds, Md.; 7:30 p.m. ET

Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) at Georgia Revolution (NPSL)
RYSA Soccerplex; Conyers, Ga.; 7:30 p.m. ET

Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) at Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO)
Sahlen’s Stadium; Rochester, N.Y.; 7:35 p.m. ET

Ventura County Fusion (PDL) at Los Angeles Blues (USL PRO)
Hal Shurbeck Field, Fullerton College; Fullerton, Calif.; 8 p.m. ET

Laredo Heat (PDL) at San Antonio Scorpions (NASL)
Blossom Athletic Center; San Antonio, Texas; 8:30 p.m. ET

Minnesota Stars FC (NASL) at Des Moines Menace (PDL)
Valley Stadium; Des Moines, Iowa; 8:30 p.m. ET

Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO) at El Paso Patriots (PDL)
Patriots Stadium; El Paso, Texas; 10 p.m. ET

LAMAR HUNT US OPEN CUP THIRD ROUND – May 29 (except where noted)

Houston Dynamo (MLS)
at Laredo Heat (PDL): Texas A&M IU Soccer Complex; Laredo, Texas; 7:30 p.m. CT
OR
at San Antonio Scorpions (NASL): Heroes Stadium; San Antonio, Texas; 7:30 p.m. CT

Chicago Fire (MLS)
at Michigan Bucks (PDL): Ultimate Soccer; Pontiac, Mich.; 7:30 p.m. ET
OR
vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO): Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill.; 7:30 p.m. CT

Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
vs K.C. Athletics (USASA)/Orlando City (USL PRO): LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.; 7:30 p.m. CT

D.C. United (MLS)
at Richmond Kickers (USL PRO): Richmond City Stadium; Richmond, Va.; 7 p.m. ET
OR
vs Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (USASA): Maryland SoccerPlex Stadium; Boyds, Md.; 7:30 p.m. ET

Columbus Crew (MLS)
vs Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO)/Chicago Fire PDL (PDL): Columbus Crew Stadium; Columbus, Ohio; 7:30 p.m. ET

FC Dallas (MLS)
vs Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO)/El Paso Patriots (PDL): FC Dallas Stadium; Frisco, Texas; 7:30 p.m. CT

San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
vs Fresno Fuego (PDL)/Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL): Cagan Stadium, Stanford University; Stanford, Calif.; 7:30 p.m. PT

Philadelphia Union (MLS)
vs Brooklyn Italians (NPSL)/Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO): PPL Park; Chester, Pa.; 7:30 p.m. ET

New England Revolution (MLS)
vs Long Island Rough Riders (PDL): Soldiers Field Soccer Field, Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass.; 7:30 p.m. ET
OR
at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO): Skyline Sports Complex; Harrisburg, Pa.; 7 p.m. ET

New York Red Bulls (MLS)
vs Reading United AC (PDL): Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J.; 7 p.m. ET
OR
at Charleston Battery (USL PRO): Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C.; 7:30 p.m. ET

Chivas USA (MLS)
vs Ventura County Fusion (PDL); TBD; Time TBD
OR
at Los Angeles Blues (USL PRO): Titan Stadium, Cal State Fullerton; Fullerton, Calif.; 7 p.m.

Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)
vs PSA Elite (USASA): The Home Depot Center; Carson, Calif.; 7:30 p.m. PT
OR
at Carolina RailHawks (NASL): WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.; 7:07 p.m. ET

Colorado Rapids (MLS)
at Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL): Al Lang Stadium; St. Petersburg, Fla.; 7:30 p.m. ET
OR
vs Jacksonville United (NPSL): Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, Colo.; 7 p.m. MT

Portland Timbers (MLS)
vs Cal FC (USASA) / Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO): JELD-WEN Field; Portland, Ore.; 7:30 p.m. PT – May 30

Seattle Sounders (MLS)
at Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL): Atlanta Silverbacks Park; Atlanta, Ga.; 7:30 p.m. ET – May 30
OR
vs Georgia Revolution (NPSL): Starfire Sports Complex; Tukwila, Wash.; 7 p.m. PT

Real Salt Lake (MLS)
at Minnesota Stars FC (NASL): National Sports Center; Blaine, Minn.; 7:30 p.m. CT
OR
vs Des Moines Menace (PDL): Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah; 7 p.m. MT

May 22, 1966
In the first leg of the US Open Cup Final, Philadelphia’s Ukrainian Nationals defeated Orange County SC 1-0, at Racho Cienega Stadium in Los Angeles. Carlos Yacovino scored the winning goal in the 78th minute.

May 23, 1976
San Francisco’s Greek American AC defeat New York’s Inter-Giuliana 1-0, to win the US Open Cup. Andy Ateugbu scored the game winner as Greek American AC become the first club from San Francisco to win the title.

May 23, 1993
Bavarian SC from Milwaukee defeat the Louisville Alliance 2-0 in the Region II Semifinals. No team from the state of Kentucky has entered since.

May 24, 1943
In what may be the longest Cup game in U.S. History, Brooklyn Hispano and Pittsburgh’s Morgan-Strasser contested the National Challenge Cup Final for 153 minutes before the referee called a halt to their 2-2 draw at Starlight Park in the Bronx.  Pete Pawlick opened the scoring for Strasser at the 37th minute, and Billy Gonsalves tied the game just after the start of the second half. The teams then proceeded to play three full fifteen minute extra sessions without a score. Finally, Fabri Salcedo scored for Brooklyn with two minutes left in the fourth extra period, only to see Strasser equalize through Felix Mitchell a minute later. Three minutes into the fifth extra period, the referee brought a halt to the match, noting the players’ exhaustion, as well as the impending darkness. All told, the teams played for two hours and thirty-three minutes.

May 25, 1975
In the Semifinals, New York’s Inter-Giuliana defeated the Croatian Rebels 5-3 to advance to their first of two straight US Open Cup Finals.

May 26, 1946
Ponta Delgada from Fall River, Mass. Defeated the Brooklyn Wanderers 2-1 in the first leg of the National Quarterfinals. However, Brooklyn protested the result, claiming that the first half was cut short by eight minutes. The protest was upheld and the game was ordered to be replayed after the second leg was complete. After the “second leg” finished 1-1, Ponta Delgada would go on to win the first leg replay by a score of 3-1 to advance to the Semifinals.

May 27, 1973
With their 3-1 victory over New York Greek American at Metropolitan Oval in Queens in the Eastern Final, Cleveland’s Inter-Italia stops a seven year streak of German American Soccer League clubs winning the US Open Cup. Greek American had won three of the titles, and Elizabeth SC winning two, and New York Hota and Ukrainian Nationals getting the others. On the other side of the bracket, Maccabee AC defeated Croatian 1-0 to join them in the Final.

May 27, 1946
Viking AA of Chicago advances to their first (and only) championship game by defeating Heidelberg SC 3-1 in the third leg of their Semifinal series. This would be the last time the tournament would ever use a three-leg series to determine a winner.

Danny Barrera scored two in the First Round | Photo: PSA Elite

The 22-year-old Danny Barrera may be looking for a second chance. There is probably no better place to look for an example than the very team his two goals helped beat in the First Round, earning him TheCup.us Player of the Round honors for Cal FC’s 3-1 road win against the reigning PDL champion Kitsap Pumas.

The Player of the Round award is voted on by the staff of the definitive US Open Cup site TheCup.us and a select panel of members of the North American Soccer Reporters, which also selects the MLS Player of the Week.

Barrera scored the club’s first two goals in the contest, firing a low shot that the goalkeeper was unable to handle and ended up putting it into his own net trying to collect it. This gave the visitors the advantage a minute before the break.. The second goal came in the 66th minute when he twisted past a defender to double the advantage with what proved to be the game-winner.

Over the last five years Barrera has flirted with breaking through to the next level, playing for the United States at the 2007 Pan-American Games as well as briefly being a member of the U17 and U18 National Teams in the residency program. After finishing school at UC Santa Barbara, where he helped the Gauchos win the 2006 NCAA title, he went to Europe, signing with Serbian first division club FK Spartak Zlatibor Voda.

After playing in just one game, however, Barrera is looking for a second chance via a club built in the past year by former US National Team star Eric Wynalda, a team made for unknown players needing to be seen or players who deserve a second chance.

One great story of getting a second chance this past year, which actually made headlines these past few weeks, came through Kitsap, a team Barrera knows well. As a member of the PDL Ventura County Fusion, he helped lead the California club to the league championship in 2009 with a 2-1 win over the Pumas in the conference final, tallying an assist on the opening goal in the match held in Laredo, Texas.

That story is of goalkeeper Bryan Meredith, who stayed in the Seattle area after being drafted by the Sounders but going unsigned. He guided Kitsap to the PDL championship with an 11-1-3 record, nine shutouts and .535 goals-against average in goal. When the Sounders lost a back-up to injury last year, they added Meredith to the squad. He proved himself in training and at the beginning of the month when starter Michael Gspurning came out at halftime with a hip injury, Meredith made his MLS debut to finish the match for a shutout win against the Los Angeles Galaxy. He then went on to shutout Philadelphia and Dallas in the next two games.

With three professional clubs in the greater Los Angeles area and the contacts of Eric Wynalda, it not unreasonable to think a similar opportunity is within reach for Barrera.

HIGHLIGHTS: Cal FC vs. Kitsap Pumas

Photo: Kellie Sullivan | KellieSullivanPhotography.com

The Kansas City Athletics scored three unanswered goals to overcome an early deficit to defeat the PDL’s Real Colorado Foxes, 3-1, at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colo. In doing so, the Athletics became the first USASA club in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present) from the state of Kansas to win a US Open Cup game.

You couldn’t have picked a better day in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains for a US Open Cup match with a game-time temperature of 85 degrees under cloudless skies; and you couldn’t have finished with  a more classic storyline as the undermanned amateurs from Missouri rallied for the win. Kansas City had only 12 eligible players and was six hundred miles from – not to mention 4,000 feet above – home.

At the 15-minute mark, it didn’t look good for the visitors.  Outplayed in every way in the early going, Colorado was one goal up on a pretty finish from defender Michael Lind of a perfect cross from the left corner.

The Foxes had virtually all of the possession, and had peppered KC keeper Steven Grow with seven shots as the first half closed with the Foxes in control of the ball and seemingly the game. It appeared that the home team had a clear edge in skill, speed and sheer numbers.  It seemed a matter of time until they overwhelmed their opponents.  But unfulfilled chances left them with only a one-goal advantage, which they would rue.

If Kansas City was employing the rope-a-dope, they ran it to perfection.   Less than a half-hour into the second half, the game was over.

It started innocuously enough.  In their first sustained foray into the Foxes’ penalty area, goalkeeper Roberto Perez was unable to handle a shot and had to lunge at a KC player-coach Kyle Perkins for the rebound, and got it wrong. Kansas City’s Kevin Shrout converted the penalty without incident in the 52nd.

Ten minutes later, an excellent shot from 12 yards cannoned off the crossbar and into the net.  Marty Johnson took the ball from the right flank and beat the Foxes back line before dropping the ball off to Perkins for the go-ahead goal.

Their sustained attack produced another in a line of dangerous crosses in the 67th minute that deflected in for their final score.  A give-and-go between Peter Karioris and Miguel Rodrigues created an opportunity for Rodrigues to fire a well-paced ball into the area that would be inadvertently redirected into the goal in the 68th minute.

At that point, it became all about running out the clock as the visitors bunkered down and prevented Real Colorado from finding any good opportunities, sending the Athletics on an even longer trip to Orland, Fla. for the Second Round.

After the game started as an end-to-end affair, the Fusion proved to win that game even-handed. Michael Roman took the feed from Kennedy Chongo in the back of the penalty box at 17′, and lofted it over Fullerton keeper Geovanni Hernandez to put Ventura on the board. Fullerton insisted in continuing the fast pace, and were torched again at 22′. The Rangers were caught napping, as three Ventura County players found themselves onside at close range. Francisco Lopez received from Chris Tsonis at close range, and slotted his second. Realizing their situation, Fullerton slowed the game down, their defense holding serve to prevent more damage going into the half.

The urgency started to build for the Rangers early in the 2nd half, and they started clawing their way back 55 minutes in. David Arvizu slid the ball in past Sam Hayden, cutting the deficit down to 1. Despite Sean Toth recieving a red for his second booking, Fullerton rallied around their lost man and leveled at the 67′ mark, with Eder Roldan doing the honors. Roldan put an excellent shot past Hayden, shocking Ventura. With both defenses proving sturdy, neither team could capitalize on rare chances by the end of regulation.

However, Ventura attacked early in extra time, and it paid off. Chongo was fouled in the box by the Rangers’ Leobardo Alvarez, and Francisco Lopez calmly slotted home the penalty bottom left to restore Ventura’s lead three minutes in. They seemingly plunged the dagger in at 98′, Chongo sliding in to restore the two-goal lead. Daniel Steres and Rodrigo Lopez would propel the Fusion into history with goals in the last ten minutes. Ventura County ended with four tallies in extra time, tying a Pro Era record. Miami FC notched the same amount in ET against the Central Florida Kraze (now Orlando City U23s) in the first round of 2010. Ventura’s chemistry proved to be electric to equal that goal, and look to continue that momentum next Tuesday, as they travel to Fullerton Stadium to play the Los Angeles Blues at 7:30 PM Pacific.

Photo: Leah Parr / Portland Timbers

PSA Elite made the trip north to Portland and emerged with a 3-1 win over the Portland Timbers Under 23s in the First Round of the US Open Cup on Tuesday night. Two goals from Davis Paul sandwiched Christian Ramirez’s tally to separate the two sides on the final score line in an evenly played match.

The visitors escaped two terrific first half chances from the home standing U23s as goalkeeper Trevor Whiddon brilliantly saved a Steven Evans shot in the second minute and the crossbar kept out a Mark Sherrod header in the 27th.

While the Timbers were active and enthusiastic offensively, their chances were just slightly off. Evans’ shot wide of the right post in the 44th minute was emblematic of the night for the home side. Roberto Farfan flicked a ball in the box back to Evans, whose shot had Whiddon well beaten, but so too the post.

The visitors nearly opened scoring in the 13th minute when Brent Whitfield poked in a rebound after Spencer Richey could not hold Paul’s shot. But Whitfield was ruled offside and PSA had to wait until the 24th minute for the game’s first goal. A long throw-in from Joseph Sophia reached the six-yard box where Paul headed past Richey for a 1-0 lead. In the 39th minute, Ramirez lifted the ball off the turf, from Jonathan Prieto’s pass, and fired in PSA Elite’s second goal, easily beating Richey to the top left corner.

Portland pulled a goal back in the 56th minute when Eric Miller claimed a deflection and scooted into the box, firing at the near post past Whiddon. That goal delighted the home crowd and changed the pace of the game. PSA sat in defensively, only emerging on counter attacks through Whitfield and later substitute Andrew Riemer. Said PSA manager Gary Berry, “When you’re forced to play a young team, you certainly want to take the opportunities when they come and not force the ball.” Indeed, the visitors were patient as they weathered a late onslaught from the Timbers.

The Timbers’ best chance at an equalizer came in the 75th minute when Whiddon was called upon again, this time denying Mark Sherrod at the near post. A minute later, shots from Cameron Vickers and Evans were denied by deflections as Portland filled the box with just a quarter hour to play.

Yet Paul’s influence on the game for PSA was complete when he fired in the game’s final goal. The bending, one-time shot to the top left corner came from just inside the box and put the game finally out of reach for the visitors.

Said manager Gary Berry afterward, “The Timbers were super excited to be in the Open Cup and the Portland fans were right behind them. It was tough to come here and play on their turf, and they really had us on our toes.”

Michael Orr is a freelance soccer writer in Portland. Follow him on Twitter @maofootball.

Scoring Summary:
PE: Paul (Sophia), 24
PE: Ramirez (Prieto), 39
POR: Miller, 56
PE: Paul (Ramirez), 89

Misconduct Summary:
POR: Miller (Caution), 60

Lineups:
POR: GK Spencer Richey, D Reed Matte (John McFarlin, 78), D Marc Tonkel, D Chris Harms, D Anthony Hobbs, M Eric Miller, M Andrew Ribeiro, M Steven Evans, F Mark Sherrod, F Roberto Farfan (Clark Phillips, 53), F Emery Welshman (Cam Vickers, 34)

Subs not used: GK Justin Baarts, M Ricardo Carrillo, M Joey De Mare

PE: GK Trevor Whiddon, D Joseph Sophia, D John Lee (Luc Harrington, 85), D Joel Smith (Adrian Avila, 83), D Edwin Miranda, M Miguel Lopez, M Jonathan Prieto, M William Lopez, F Brent Whitfield (Andrew Reimer, 64), F Christian Ramirez

Subs not used: GK Michael Oseguera, M Martin Ontiveros, D Cameron Dunn

El Paso Patriots News Release

Naoyas Aizawa sandwiched an assist between two goals, and while it wasn’t quite a feast for the El Paso Patriots, a 3-1 win over the North Texas Rayados was satisfying enough to whet their appetite for more in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

They’ll get all they can handle next Tuesday, May 22nd, when the Charlotte Eagles of the USL Pro division come calling.

Until then, Patriots’ fans can feel satisfied after watching Aizawa and fellow forwards David Salas and Michael Griego take bite after bite of the North Texas defense.

If there was disappointment, it was in squandered opportunities for more offense. Consistent in possession and dominant in midfield, El Paso found itself on the Rayados’ doorstep time-after-time Tuesday night, only to be turned away by the solid goalkeeping of Raul Herrera or by its own errant shots.

Griego has only been able to practice with the team twice, once again donning his hometown side’s jersey after completing the season as coach of his own young club team. The rust showed at times Tuesday night, but so did the solid positioning and passing.

Perhaps it was head coach Hugo Samano’s decision to go at North Texas with a 3-4-3 lineup, but it always seems El Paso’s offensive anemia is cured by the transfusion Griego brings. A team that scored only twice in its first two Premier Development League games suddenly scores three times.

It has been the same the last few years, as well.

Aizawa had a lot to do with the end result Tuesday, but Griego’s presence as a holding forward provides a fulcrum on which the rest of El Paso’s offense swings.

It was that solid build-up and some hard work on the wings by Aizawa’s fellow former CF Indios teammate, Sergio Villasenor, that put El Paso on the board in the 26th minute.

From Griego to Villasenor to the nimble feet of Salas to Aizawa, the Patriots danced into the Rayados area; Aizawa taking the final few steps that got him past his marker and got Herrera diving for the shot the forward didn’t take until the goalie was in the dirt.

As pretty as the first goal was, the second may have been the ugliest Griego has scored in his Patriots career. Stretching North Texas on the counter, Aizawa lasered a beautiful cross from the right wing. Griego only clipped the ball. Perhaps Herrera was surprised the ball actually kept moving…but it did, all the way into the net in the 61st minute.

Halftime substitute Raul Rodriguez got Rayados on the board in the 78th minute, blasting a 22-yard direct kick bomb past the Patriots’ wall and goalie Victor Rodriguez.

But as North Texas pushed for the equalizer, El Paso’s counterattack finished the game. No dancing from Aizawa this time, only a 20-yard blast from the top of the box that beat Herrera in the 84th.

The Patriots will hit the road this weekend for a pair of PDL away games against arch-rival Laredo Friday and Austin Saturday before returning home next Tuesday for the Open Cup’s second round against Charlotte.

After that much road food, the Patriots can only hope the home cooking is just as good next week.

The Brooklyn Italians’ extra practice from starting their season earlier seemed to pay off as they were sharp and clinical from the outset despite having to travel to Maine for the game. The Italians pounced on an ill-prepared Portland defense when Nathaniel Simons nodded a header home in the fifth minute off a ball played by forward Oscar Castillo.

Just two minutes later the Italians doubled their advantage on a free kick by midfielder Christian Turizo from about 30 yards out, giving them a 2-0 advantage over the Portland Phoenix at the break.

Portland stormed out of the break re-charged and made a real game of the second half. Even though Portland pressed, they were unable to find a goal in the early going of the second half.

In the 78th minute, Brooklyn Italians looked to be in the clear when striker Jumol Harewood scored his team’s third goal from a set piece.

However, mere seconds after the restart Portland Phoenix rallied to get one back as Nathaniel Short played in Blaike Woodruff in the 80th minute.

Unfortunately for the Phoenix faithful who showed up to the match in cold, wet conditions, the team left their comeback too late as Woodruff was unable to pull them within one until the 91st minute.

Brooklyn Italians walked out of Memorial Field at Deering High School with a 3-2 victory, giving the club a Second Round date with the famous 1999 tournament champion Rochester Rhinos of USL Pro, the last lower division team to win the event. Sahlen’s Stadium will be waiting with open arms to receive the NPSL team to compete for a chance to play against an MLS team.

The Brooklyn Italians are long-time Open Cup veterans.  The New York City-based club, with a team now playing in the NPSL, lifted the trophy twice in 1979 and 1991.  The team, founded in 1949 by Italian immigrants, has also appeared in two other Open Cup finals in 1981 and 1990.  All of their cup success has occurred in the amateur era, before the creation of MLS, however.

In the first round last year, Brooklyn Italians were eliminated by another New York City amateur team, and in 2010 they were defeated by the Harrisburg City Islanders.

“I’m elated,” said Hawks coach Jonathan Knight. “Our goal this year was to get to the second round and we achieved it.”

With the professional clubs entering in the future stages, the First Round is contested by clubs from the amateur leagues like the Aegean Hawks as well as PDL teams such as Carolina, whose rosters consist of current college players seeking added playing and development time during their schools’ offseason.

The Hawks jumped into the lead in the 21st minute when Carolina goalkeeper Joseph Goodwin (UNC) couldn’t control a routine back pass at the top of the penalty area, allowing Larrabee to tackle the ball past Goodwin and into the net.

“I knew it was slick ground and touches were going away from defenders,” Larrabee said. “I saw the goalie get the ball and I knew there was a chance of a bad touch so I went for it.”

Larrabee got his and the Hawks’ second goal less than a minute into the second half, heading the ball off a cross from halftime substitute Ernesto Marquez. Goodwin had no chance at the well-struck low effort.

“[Marquez] served me a great ball that caught the defender off guard,” Larrabee said.

In the 85th minute, Carolina briefly reduced the deficit to one when English midfielder Thomas McReady (Limestone College) fired a low free kick from the top of the penalty that went through the scattered Aegean Hawks’ wall and beat goalkeeper Chris Fenner to his left.

But the plucky Hawks responded only a minute later when midfielder Matt Ney took advantage of

Carolina’s high defensive line to score with a shot off the far post on a breakaway and put away the match.

“It’s a great accomplishment,” Ney said. “We’re an amateur club that trains only a couple times a week. [Carolina] is younger and fitter, but everyone did a great job.”

The Dynamo, preferring to focus on their PDL efforts, started a young squad that had eight changes to the team that won, 5-1, over Real Maryland on Saturday and featured six players making their first start for the club.

“It was quite a naïve performance in many ways,” said Carolina coach Marc Nicholls. “I was a little bit disappointed but it was a good learning experience.

Despite possessing the ball more for long stretches of both halves, the Dynamo struggled to create chances in open play. Carolina’s best opportunity came on a free kick by left back Daniel Lovitz (Elon) in the 67th minute that took a slight deflection of the wall and whistled past the post, left of Fenner.

While they may be an amateur team, the Hawks feature multiple players with minor pro or NCAA Division I experience Larrabee, Marquez (George Mason), Ney (Holy Cross), Erwin Diaz (Maryland) and Danny Irizarry (Ohio State). The club has been a power in local amateur play for the last seven years and has now participated in three Open Cups along with winning the 2009 USASA Amateur Cup national title.

The Hawks will host the Kickers on May 22 at the Maryland Soccerplex in the Second Round of the tournament. Carolina will travel to face the Nashville Metros in league play on Saturday.

Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks 3:1 Carolina Dynamo
Maryland Soccerplex – Germantown, Md

AH: Scott Larrabee 21
AH: Scott Larrabee (Ernesto Marquez) 46
CD: Thomas McCready 85
AH: Matt Ney 86

Yellow Cards: AH:  Barnes, Prather, CD: K. Okiomah
Red Cards: none

Shots: AH: 5, CD: 8
Corner Kicks: AH: 4, CD: 2

Lineups:
AH: Fenner; Barnes, Selwood, Kpainay, Carter; Irizarry (Golden 78), Prather, Diaz (Marquez 46); Fonseca (May 67), Scales, Larrabee
CD:  Goodwin; Howard, Linville, Lovits, Mamadee (McCready 46), Okwonu, F. Okiomah (K. Okiomah 16), Reifscneider, Simonin, Sloan

Referees: Sean Fitch (CR), Matthew Nelson (AR), Dean Fairweather (AR), Alex Luttman (4th)

Highlights

Early in the match, the Heat appeared to be in great position to earn the result that the club was looking for after dropping their season opener over the weekend. In only the eleventh minute, midfielder Ernesto Serrato converted a penalty kick to give the hosts the 1-0 lead.

ASC New Stars made the first substitution of the night 23 minutes in, and drew level with the Heat only minutes later on an equalizing goal by Lukas Simon.

For the remainder of the first half, both sides held their ground and went into the break still level at 1-1 and had to feel that it was anyone’s game in the second half.

That all changed in the 47th minute as the Heat’s Irving Villanueva scored shortly to put Laredo back in front, 2-1.

The game could have gotten out of hand after a straight red card was issued to New Stars player Marcos Carrizales after a hard tackle in the middle third of the field gave the Heat a man advantage for the remaining 30-plus minutes of the match.

However, the New Stars gave a valiant defensive effort to keep the game close until the late stages. The Heat coaching staff brought in substitutions late to hold the lead, with the first goal scorer Serrato being replaced by Eduardo Gonzalez in a straight swap at forward in the 76th minute. This was followed by another substitution as Martin Moreno was moved to the bench in favor of midfielder Placide Buduri as the Heat looked to finish off the game.

The clock hit 90:00 and with three minutes of added time indicated, the Heat only had to hold on for a while longer to advance for the first time since making the Open Cup field in 2006. But a goal late in stoppage time by the New Stars’ Peter Kozlowski gave the Houston side new life, even as they were still down a man.

The match would be decided in extra time, and with the man advantage, the Heat were just too much for the New Stars. Buduri, the late substitute, rewarded his coaching staff with a goal in the first 15 minutes of extra time and then scored his second in the 119th minute, just before the final whistle would sound, giving Laredo the 4-2 victory over the visiting New Stars.

The Heat now moves on to face the San Antonio Scorpions on the road in the second round of the Open Cup. The game will be played on May 22.