Kitsap Pumas advanced to the second round of the US Open Cup after beating Chivas El Paso Patriots on a penalty shoot out.
The Bremerton side played 120 scoreless minutes in temperatures of over 90 degrees in Texas and kept the home side out despite goalkeeper Zac Lubin making his season debut.
They will host the Real Colorado Foxes next Tuesday at the Memorial Stadium with the winners on schedule for an MLS opponent.
Forward Brian Burke scored the final penalty in a shoot out in which the Pumas had trailed after an earlyRobbie Christner miss.
Taylor Hyde, Stephen Mohn, David Gray, Elliott Fauske and Nik Besagno also netted for the Pumas.
A jubilant Pumas head coach Pete Fewing said:
“Brian Burke is a good finisher. I’m glad he took the last one. I had the first seven lined up before hand. Then I had to improvise. Normally Nik Besagno doesn’t doesn’t like to take penalties. I’m so proud of him. I’m so proud of them. We resolved not to make any excuses about getting up early and the heat and flying.
I’m so proud of the guys’ effort. Zac Lubin came up huge in the second half. He made great back to back saves. The guys did a great job.”
Penalties List:
| Chivas El Paso Patriots |
5:6 | Kitsap Pumas |
| 1. Enrique Cervantes – goal 2. Mike Griego – miss 3. Francisco De Anda – goal 4. Hugo Samano – miss 5. Rodrigo Morin – goal 6. Omar Tena – miss 7. Christian Landa – goal 8. Diego Briseno – goal 9. Ariel Chavez – save |
1. Robbie Christener – miss 2. Taylor Hyde – miss 3. Stephen Mohn – goal 4. David Gray – goal 5. Elliot Fauske – goal 6. Chris Andre miss 7. Mark Lee – goal 8. Nik Besagno – goal 9. Brian Burke – goal |
Diego Briseno was starting his first game in goal this season for El Paso Patriots and Zac Lubin started in goal for the Pumas in his first game following the late withdrawal of Bryan Meredith with a foot injury.
Pumas had the better of the early running. A Stephen Mohn throw-in was headed over the bar by Nik Besagno inside two minutes. Ten minutes later Daniel Scott headed a David Gray free kick wide.
Pumas kept up the pressure and had nine corners in the first quarter hour.
Kitsap were handed a perfect chance with a penalty in the 22nd minute awarded for a foul on Nik Besagno but free kick expert Matt Friesen hit the post and the ball bounced to safety.
Scott provided Robbie Christner with a chance he fired wide and Chivas’ Jorge Orona was taken off for an extended period in 34 minutes as the last ten minutes of the first half beckoned.
Three minutes before the interval, debutant Briseno dived at full length to deny Friesen from the top of the penalty box
After dominating the half though, the Pumas couldn’t ball in the net.
HALF TIME
The first chance of the second half came when Cameron Hepple was fouled by the left corner of box and from 30 yards out, Friesen drove the free kick which was saved by Briseno at his left post.
Briseno gathered a Gray shot easily on 62 and Gray drove high over the El Paso bar ten minutes later.
With just eight minutes left, the game was heading towards extra time despite Friesen glancing a header just wide of the post.
Patriots finished the 90 minutes stronger and a Hugo Samano header floated high over the Kitsap bar with seconds to go until extra time. Just after that, Mike Griego failed to get sufficient connection on a header to trouble Zac Lubin.
END OF REGULATION TIME
Briseno tipped a Friesen effort out seven minutes into the first half of extra time but there was danger at the other end and Pumas full back Mark Lee had to be alert to clear the danger while Pumas substitute Elliot Fauske tried his luck from over 40 yards to no avail.
Rookie goalkeeper Lubin saved the Pumas with a sensational fingertip save from Rodrigo Morin and then prevented a rebound in a moment he will remember for a long time.
He saved again from Morin four minutes before the end of extra time as penalties loomed and the chance for one of the two rookie keepers to be a hero.
Mike Griego headed the last chance over for the Patriots and penalties loomed, but not before Benjamin Vazquez was red carded for a foul on Burke.
The game went to penalties and despite trailing after Robbie Christner missed the first one, the Pumas stormed through to the next round.
RECAP: El Paso Times
Kitsap Pumas: Zac Lubin, Daniel Scott, Mark Lee, Steven Mohn, Taylor Hyde; Matt Friesen, Nik Besagno (Elliot Fauske), Cameron Hepple (Chris Andre), David Gray; Tye Perdido (Brian Burke 63), Robbie Christner,
Substitutes: Dustyn Brim, Warlen Silva
Chivas El Paso: N/A
Special thanks to Steve Clare of Prost Amerika. Follow him on Twitter @ProstSoccer.