THIRD ROUND
Richmond Kickers at Columbus Crew
June 28, 7:30 p.m. ET Columbus Crew Stadium; Columbus, Ohio
Video/Audio: No video; Radio: Richmond
Chicago Fire PDL at Sporting Kansas City
June 28, 8:30 p.m. ET LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.
Video/Audio: TBA
Richmond Kickers
Founded in 1993, the club is the only other USL team to win the US Open Cup in the professional era (1995). An amateur team through 1995, the club played in USL’s top flight from 1996-2005 before joining the professional third division. It has only missed the postseason one time since 1994, winning the league title three times (1995, 2006, 2009) in eight appearances.
First Round: Dayton Dutch Lions (USL Pro) 1:4 Richmond Kickers (USL Pro)
The Kickers were well on their way to a First Round victory Tuesday against league foe Dayton with two goals from David Bulow in the first 17 minutes. The Dutch Lions answered back in the second half, but Bulow added a third from the penalty spot and Shaka Bangura finished the match in the 90th for the 4-1 win. Recap [+]
Second Round: Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL Pro) 1:4 Richmond Kickers (USL Pro)
For the second consecutive round, it was the same story as Bulow and the Kickers dominated a fellow USL Pro club. Bulow tallied 17 minutes in, with Pittsburgh equalizing in the 30th. Bulow restored the lead four minutes before halftime and Matthew Delicate scored two in the second half to put the match out of reach. The Riverhounds had rallied from two down in the first round, but couldn’t generate the same magic in the second. Recap [+]
- Path to Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.
This Month in USL Pro: The Kickers played to a scoreless draw Friday in New York. A week earlier at home June 17, the Kickers fell 1-0 to Harrisburg on a strike just before the break to snap their three-game unbeaten streak. They opened the month with a 2-0 victory in New York June 12. Richmond sits tied in second place in the American Division with a 7-3-3 record.
Open Cup History: The Kickers have the distinction of being the first club to win the tournament during the professional era, taking the title in 1995 when pro clubs began participating despite themselves being in the amateur PDL, where they also won the league title. Richmond won the Open Cup in penalties after a 1-1 draw against the El Paso Patriots in Texas. Since then, the club has reached the Quarterfinals three times (2001, 2004, 2007) in 13 appearances, defeating MLS clubs twice. In 2004 the club edged DC United, 2-1, in the Fourth Round before falling 1-0 to Chicago Fire. In 2007, the Kickers nipped the LA Galaxy weeks before David Beckham’s arrival, but were eliminated by the Second Division Carolina RailHawks in the Quarterfinals, 1-0.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 20-11-1 (1-0 in PKs) overall | 3-8-0 vs. MLS
Richmond Kickers vs. Columbus Crew: This will be the second all-time meeting between the Kickers and the Crew. Back in 2002, when the Kickers were a member of the A-League (pro 2nd Division) they met in the Third Round with the Crew winning 3-0 at Crew Stadium. Dante Washington scored twice and Brian McBride added a third as the Crew would move on to win the Open Cup title that year.
Columbus Crew
How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.
This Month in MLS: The Crew finished out the month coming from behind in a dominating 4-1 win at home over the Colorado Rapids. Columbus equalized from Eddie Gaven, got two goals from Andres Mendoza, and a final strike from Tommy Heinemann, as they took advantage of Conor Casey’s send off in the first half. Columbus started the month with a 1-1 draw on the road against the New York Red Bulls June 4, with Rich Balchan scoring the equalizer two minutes into stoppage time. The Crew won 2-1 four days later at home against Real Salt Lake, rallying from behind on a penalty from Andres Mendoza, who also set up Josh Gardner’s winner. The club fell at home June 12 against the Chicago Fire, 1-0. The Crew played their fourth match of the month against the Dynamo in Houston June 18, winning 2-0 on goals from Andres Mendoza and Bernardo Anor.
Last Five: W-W-L-W-D | Season Record: 6-4-6 (5-1-3 Home), Tied for second in Eastern Conference, sixth overall.
Open Cup History: The Crew didn’t enter the tournament until 1998, and have had many shaky runs. However, they have had some success, earning a title in 2002, as well as finishing in the final twice (1998, 2010). Since 1998, they have only missed qualification in 2007 and 2008, losing to the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Chicago Fire, respectively. Their most recent run led them to the final last year, falling short to defending champion Seattle Sounders FC 2-1. Before that 2010 run, the Crew were 2-5 previously, never getting past the quarterfinals.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 18-8-2 (0-2 in PKs) | 4-0-0 vs. 3rd Division teams
Chicago Fire PDL
Founded in 2001, the team was the second PDL club (Boulder Rapids Reserve) directly affiliated with an MLS team. It has been one of the most successful clubs in the league, finishing first in the division seven times and finished below second last year (fourth) for the first time in 10 seasons, missing the playoffs for the first time. The Fire hold the best record in the PDL over their time in the league. The club has reached the league final on two occasions (2003, 2009).
First Round: Chicago Fire (PDL) 1:0 Iowa Menace (USASA)
It looked as though the two PDL rivals, although the Menace qualified through the USASA, were going to see overtime in the First Round Tuesday, as they went into the final stages of regulation in a scoreless deadlock. Lightning struck in the form of Chris Estridge however, as his tally in the 87th provided a dramatic road win. Recap [+]
Second Round: Chicago Fire (PDL) 2:0 Madison 56ers (NPSL)
It took two nights to get the game in, as lightning wiped away a Chicago lead Tuesday night and forced a replay Wednesday. Two minutes in the second half proved the difference as Andrew Ribeiro tallied in the 66th minute and Estridge, who scored the night before, set up Thierry Zahui’s goal two minutes later. Recap [+]
Path to Open Cup: Of the nine PDL entrants, the club was one of two that finished the qualifying campaign with a loss. The team’s 3-0 start clinched the berth as the other clubs in the division knocked one another out. The club opened with a pair of 2-0 victories, winning the opener in Akron on goals from Chris Estridge and Josey Portillo and taking the second at home against Cincinnati with Estridge finding the net again. A 90th minute strike from Estridge in the third match against River City clinched the berth as David Meves posted his third shutout for the 1-0 win. The late winner denied the charging Michigan Bucks a chance to snare the spot, settling with a 2-0 win over the Fire in the finale.
This Month in USL PDL: The club felt little ill effects from the Open Cup delay, returning to play Friday with a 1-0 victory against Indiana on a penalty converted by Josey Portillo. The week before, Chicago returned to league action with a 2-1 loss June 16 at Louisville to River City Rovers. Trailing on two first half goals, Hunter Gorskie tallied in the 63rd, but could not find an equalizer. Chicago rebounded two days later though, netting a 3-0 victory in Cincinnati on goals from Josey Portillo, Paulo Vaz and Harrison Petts. They opened the month with a pair of home games, playing to a 3-3 draw against Hamilton June 3 and defeating Indiana 2-0 June 9. Five different players scored in the two contests. The club is 6-2-1 in the PDL Great Lakes Division.
Open Cup History: Perhaps taking after its four-time champion parent club in MLS, the team has had some success in its three previous appearances. In its 2004 debut, the PDL side opened with a 5-1 win over USASA side SAC Wisla before knocking off third division professional side New Hampshire Phantoms by the same, surprising, 5-1 scoreline. They would be eliminated in the Third Round 1-0 by the second division Rochester Rhinos. A year later, the club downed city rival AAC Eagles of the USASA 4-1, before falling 2-1 to the second division Minnesota Thunder. In 2009, they downed Bavarian SC (USASA) 3-1 before being eliminated once again by the Thunder, this time 4-0.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 6-3-0 overall | 1-3-0 vs. professional teams (0-0-0 vs. MLS)
How They Qualified: Back-up netminder Eric Kronberg and CJ Sapong were the stars in qualifying for Kansas City, which was seeded third and started in the second round of the eastern bracket in MLS qualifying. Sapong netted an overtime game-winner in the 92nd minute of a 1-0 decision against the Dynamo in Houston April 6 in their opening game. Kronberg earned the first of two shutouts, registering the second in the bracket finale May 25 against the New England Revolution, who brought a squad of nearly all reserves. Chance Myers scored the first two goals in the 5-0 win with Sapong adding two more to secure the berth.
This Month in MLS: Kansas City opened June with a scoreless draw in Toronto June 4 and repeated the result June 9 against the Chicago Fire, in the debut of LiveStrong Sporting Park. Eric Kronberg recorded the shutout in the first and relieved starter Jimmy Nielsen in the 67th minute of the second following a red card. The opening of the stadium marked the start in a winning trend as they blasted Dallas 4-1 June 12, as Graham Zusi scored twice and had an assist in the road win. The returned home for their first victory at the new park, edging San Jose June 17 on a CJ Sapong strike. They played to their third scoreless draw of the month June 22 in Philadelphia, before picking up another win at home Saturday, 2-1 against Vancouver, where they came from behind on goals from Omar Bravo and Julio Cesar.
Last Five: W-D-W-W-D | Season Record: 4-6-5 (2-0-1 Home), Tied for sixth in Eastern Conference, 14th overall
Open Cup History: The team formerly known as the Wizards have a checkered history in the US Open Cup. They won a championship in 2004 as part of a double-winning campaign (also capturing MLS Cup) when a Igor Simutenkov golden goal defeated the Chicago Fire 1-0 in the Final. In the last four years, Kansas City has missed out on qualifying twice (2007, 2010) and made it to the Quarterfinals twice (2008, 2009). In 2007, the Wizards lost in extra time to Real Salt Lake, while last year they lost in the first round of qualification to the Colorado Rapids. In both their quarterfinal trips, they advanced past their Third Round opponents (Carolina RailHawks, Minnesota Thunder), but fell on both occasions to the Seattle Sounders (2008 against the USL version in penalty kicks; 2009 versus the MLS expansion team).
PRO ERA RECORD: 10-9-3 (1-2 in PKs) | 2-0-1 (0-1 in PKs) vs. PDL
2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinal Scenarios
Columbus Crew / Richmond Kickers at Sporting Kansas City
LiveStrong Sporting Park – Kansas City, Kan. – 7:30 pm ET
OR
Chicago Fire PDL at Richmond Kickers
Richmond City Stadium – Richmond Va. – 7:00 pm ET
OR
Chicago Fire PDL at Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew Stadium – Columbus, Ohio – 7:30 pm ET
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