In a battle of two amateur teams from the Pacific Northwest, playing in downtown Seattle under the shadow of the Space Needle, OSA FC were able to knock off Seattle Sounders U-23s in a penalty shootout. The NPSL side advanced 5-3 on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw in the First Round of the 2017 US Open Cup.
Neither team was able to find the net in regulation or in the 30 added minutes of extra time. The deadlock continued through the first five penalty kicks taken, each team converting, until the Sounders’ Macauley King tried to chip his penalty down the middle. OSA keeper Joshua Adachi kept his nerve, made the save, and allowed OSA to make their next two kicks to ice the victory.
The Sounders U-23s, who play in the Premier Development League (PDL), caused problems for their NPSL opponents and city rivals in the first half. Forward William Bagrou was able to get himself free on multiple occasions, the most dangerous of which came in the 39th minute, when he shed his defender to get on the end of a cross, but could only head the ball down into the turf and to a grateful Adachi.
OSA began forcing the action in the second half. Everything they did came through Alex Roldan – whose older brother Cristian is a regular for the Seattle Sounders of MLS. Alex Roldan created several chances seemingly out of nothing throughout the game, often serving as a one-man counterattack, and was named the man of the match for his efforts.
The closest anyone came to scoring in regulation, though, was when the Sounders hit the post in second-half stoppage time. Sergio Rivas was free on goal and shot past the keeper, but just off the outside frame of the goal.
OSA returned the favor in extra time, with Hamza Haddadi heading strongly against the woodwork from close range just before the final whistle blew to take the game into penalties.
Although OSA FC were the designated home team, the field was not their typical home field. Both teams usually play in locations south of the Seattle city center. Instead, on Wednesday, the scene was Memorial Stadium, the home of Seattle Reign FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.
OSA FC had made it to the tournament once before, in 2015, albeit under a different name in a different city. Then known as FC Tacoma 253, they fell to Kitsap Pumas in the first round. The Sounders U-23s were making the team’s third trip to the US Open Cup. Both times they won their match in the first round before falling in the second – last year, they defeated Outbreak FC before they were knocked out by that same Kitsap Pumas club.
As first-round winners, OSA FC will get the rare opportunity to host a professional side. Their next Cup match takes place in the Pacific Northwest, a second-round contest on May 17 against USL expansion side Reno 1868 FC. Reno are in their first season and have never appeared in the US Open Cup.
PENALTIES
OSA Blanchard- make
Sounders Rivas- make
OSA Roldan– make
Sounders Keitz – make
OSA Jackson– make
Sounders King – saved
OSA Haddadi– make
Sounders Sandbekkhaug – make
OSA Bwana- make