In a rare all-USL Quarterfinal match, the Carolina RailHawks advanced to the Semifinals with a 1-0 win at home over the Richmond Kickers. Connally Edozien was the hero for the home side scoring in the 64th minute on a cross from Jonny Steele.
The Hawks will play the New England Revolution (Edozien’s former club) in the final four.
The Kickers, the defending Second Division champions, showed little fear, and at times, controlled the run of play against the First Division expansion side.
However, it was the home team that would break the scoreless tie, when Steele streaked down the right wing and sent a cross to the far post. The ball found the foot of Edozien who found net for his fourth goal of the tournament, tied for second in the competition behind Seattle’s Sebastien Le Toux (5).
Richmond nearly equalized in the 90th minute, but Carolina defender Frankie Sanfilippo made an acrobatic clearance off the line on a ball that was destined for the back of the net.
This was the third all-time meeting between two USL clubs in the Quarterfinals. The other two times included the 2004 Open Cup when the Charleston Battery edged the Rochester Raging Rhinos 1-0 and in 1999 when Charleston beat the Staten Island Vipers (A-League) 2-1.