For the second year in a row, Detroit United has captured the Michigan Open Cup title and has punched their ticket to the USASA Region II tournament. They defeated a Michigan Bucks “reserve” squad registered under the name “MBSC Rush,” 2-1, in extra time with Tommy Eller scoring both goals for United, overcoming a goal by Soony Saad early in the second half.
Eller, who was a key player on last year’s team that qualified for the 2010 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, scored the equalizing goal on a penalty kick in the 87th minute. He followed that up with the game-winner in extra time in the 100th minute (SEE VIDEO BELOW). Eller scored the game-winning goal in last year’s Michigan Open Cup final, beating Ann Arbor Elite FC, 1-0.
Saad, the former University of Michigan star and US Under-20 player, who recently left school after his freshman year to pursue a pro career, was last seen playing for NSC Minnesota of the NASL. He was a surprise addition to the MBSC Rush roster which was full of former great Bucks players. The roster for the newest member of the Michigan United Soccer League read like a all-star reunion team, including former Bucks like Nate Craft, Simon Omekanda, Spencer Thompson and the PDL’s co-all-time leading goalscorer, Kenny Uzoigwe (76 career goals). The Bucks formed the team after a merger with the local club, the Michigan Rush.
Tommy Eller’s game-winning goal for Detroit United in 100th minute (MLive.com/soccer)
As of the day of this game, only four other teams have been confirmed as participants in the 2011 Region II finals. Detroit will join Bavarian SC (Wisconsin), Des Moines Menace Reserves (Iowa), AAC Eagles (Illinois) and last year’s Open Cup entrant, KC Athletics (Kansas). The registration deadline has passed and an announcement is expected to be made soon.
Both teams entered the match looking to find some cohesion. Neither club had played together much more than a single practice session entering the final, so it was hard to predict at the outset how the match was going to play out. On paper, the MBSC Rush had the bigger names, and the stronger resumes, but it was Detroit United who had most of their roster from last year coming back for 2011.
In the early going, it was the Rush who had the advantage, but Detroit still managed a couple chances. Seventeen minutes into the match, Adam Brent thwarted an attack by clearing a cross off the back post. A few minutes later, Saad earned a corner kick and the ball was played into a dangerous spot, forcing United goalkeeper Ryan Mathe to paw the ball away.
Jake Munchiando fed Taiwo Olorunnimbe from the right wing in the 25th minute, but Jeff Weiss dove to make the low diving save. Three minutes later, Saad was taken down just outside the penalty area on the right wing, and took the free kick himself. He blasted the ball toward the near post, but United defender Thomas Stark deflected it out for a corner kick. That ensuing corner by former Penn State star Simon Omekanda, was sent into the box where it was cleared high into the air (avoiding the rafters of the indoor stadium). When the ball came down the Rush headed the ball toward goal and someone the ball got behind the goalkeeper, but the Detroit defense cleared it off the line.
The best chance of the half came in the 43rd minute when the ball fell to Chris Edwards in the penalty area. The former Bucks player fired a shot which forced a highlight reel save from Mathe.
“They were the better team in the first half,” said Detroit United captain Thomas Stark. “But in typical Detroit United fashion, we fought and clawed and found a way.”
In the second half, both teams came out firing. In the 53rd minute, Eller launched a half-volley from the right side of the penalty area that just went over the bar. A couple minutes later, Spencer Thompson (Michigan State grad, who was drafted by Toronto FC in the MLS Supplemental Draft) had a shot of his own just float over the bar.
It was Saad who had the game’s first breakthrough in the 58th minute. After dribbling down the left wing, the former Wolverine cut inside and took a low shot to the far post which beat the keeper. Even with the 1-0 lead, MBSC continued to pressure with scoring chances for Jake Stacy, Saad and an open shot from Edwards at the top of the penalty arc.
It appeared as though the Rush were going to hold on until MBSC defender Wade Allen took down Detroit’s Renato Susnja in the penalty area, forcing the referee to point to the spot.
Tommy Eller converted the penalty kick in the 87th minute to tie the game at 1-1. The Bucks would mount one more attack before Stacy’s shot from the left side of the penalty area would find side-netting in the 90th minute.
In the extra time session, both teams played attacking soccer, but the number of quality chances were minimized by some solid defense.
The tie would be broken in the 100th minute when Detroit won the ball in midfield and Kenny Simon found the ball at his feet, crossing midfield and dribbling down the middle of the park. With his options on the wing cut out by Rush defenders, Simon played a perfectly placed ball down the middle as Eller was making a diagonal run. He got in behind the defender Allen and Eller shot the ball across goal, and underneath the goalkeeper for what would prove to be the winning goal.
“It’s the Michigan Bucks, they’re one of the best teams in the country,” said Stark. “So you know that when they put out a team, it’s going to be good, and to have a player like Soony Saad out there, one of the best college players in the country, it was definitely a challenge. But in the end, we deserved to win today.”
Detroit United, led by manager George Juncaj, will now move on to the Region II finals where they will attempt to become the first USASA team from Michigan to qualify for the US Open Cup two years in a row in the Modern Era (1995-present).
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2011 US Open Cup qualifying
Michigan Open Cup final – April 9, 2011
Detroit United 2:1 MBSC Rush (After Extra Time)
United Soccer Arenas – Pontiac, Mich.
Scoring Summary
MBSC: Soony Saad (Unassisted) – 58th minute
DETU: Tommy Eller (PK) – 87th minute
DETU: Tommy Eller (Kenny Simon) – 100th minute
MBSC Rush lineup: Jeff Weiss (GK), Nate Craft, Ryan Rzepka, Stewart Givens, Adam Brent, Chris Edwards, Piotr Nowak, Spencer Thompson, Simon Omekanda, Kenny Uzoigwe, Soony Saad | Subs: Wade Allen, Brent McIntosh, Nicholas Dreshaj, Jake Stacy
Detroit United lineup: Ryan Mathe (GK), David Nesbitt, Thomas Stark, Zachary Wilker, Jacob Munchaindo, Renato Susnja, Kenny Simon, Nik Djokic, Ryan Montegue, Tommy Eller, Taiwo Olorunnimbe | Subs: Mark Berisha, Benni Tetaj