2009 Third Round recap: Portland, Seattle renew rivalry, Houston face Battery (again)
Posted on 01. Jul, 2009 by in 2009, Recaps, Third Round
The underdogs of the United Soccer Leagues ruled on day one of the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, but the Seattle Sounders and the Houston Dynamo each earned wins on Wednesday to level the tournament with four MLS teams and four USL teams in the Quarterfinals. The draw for the next round dictates that for the second year in a row, the USL will have at least one team in the Semifinals.
The Houston Dynamo defeated the Austin Aztex 2-0 on Wednesday to set up a date with the Charleston Battery next Tuesday at Blackbaud Stadium. This will be the third year in a row that the Battery and the Dynamo square off in the Open Cup with Charleston eliminating Houston in both years.
Later that night, the Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders renewed their rivalry in front of a sold-out PGE Park in Portland, Ore. The more than 16,000 fans in attendance was the fourth largest attendance (Source: Kenn.com) during the Professional Era (1995 – present) and a modern era first for the Timbers.
The biggest upsets of the night came from USL Second Division clubs. In New Britain, Conn., the Harrisburg City Islanders defeated the New England Revolution 2-1 in extra time. Ahead 1-0, the Revs allowed the game-tying goal after losing a player to injury after having used all of its substitutions. Another New England player left near the end of full time due to injury, leaving the MLS side with just nine men. The City Isles took advantage and scored the game-winning goal in extra time.
In Wilmington, the USL-2 Hammerheads edged out the four-time Cup champion Chicago Fire 1-0. TheCup.us Player of the Second Round Kenny Bundy scored the deciding goal in the 37th minute to give Wilmington just their second win over an MLS foe in Open Cup play. With Rochester winning their penalty kick tiebreaker over the Columbus Crew after a 1-1 draw, the two clubs will meet in the quarterfinals, assuring the USL of at least one club in the Semifinals for the third year in a row.