MORE: 2019 US Open Cup qualifying results/schedule
The second game of the 2019 US Open Cup open division local qualifying tournament would see two teams from the Bay State Soccer League face off for the second year in a row. Last year in the opening round, the Kendall Wanderers beat the Boston Siege FC, 5-2. This year, the Wanderers advanced once again but they had to work a little harder for it. After 90 minutes of scoreless soccer, and an intense 30 minutes of extra time, the score would finish 2-2. Then Kendall eliminated Boston in the longest penalty kick shootout in the four-year existence of this new qualifying tournament, winning 9-8.
Upon kickoff it would be the Kendall Wanderers who once would again get the better of the possession and chances. However, the Siege held their own, keeping the Wanderers scoreless and creating good chances of their own when they had the ball. The half ended without a goal, and after the break, the roles would be reversed.
The Siege controlled much of the possession and went about threatening Kendall’s defense throughout the second half. The Wanderers were left to attack, while still dangerous, against the run of play. In the end, neither team could find the breakthrough as the score would remain 0-0 through the end of regulation.
In extra time, the game opened up significantly. Both teams were now trading shots, the deadlock was finally broken on a Wanderers’ goal scored directly from a corner kick in the 97th minute.
The game’s urgency intensity ramped up in the minutes that followed as players came together in the 103rd minute. A Wanderers’ player claimed he was elbowed in the face, shoved a Boston player. Luckily for both teams, once the dust settled, no one was sent off.
The incident may have sparked the Wanderers because they doubled their lead just before the first extra time break.
As the teams went to their respective benches for OT halftime, another confrontation broke out. This time, multiple players from both teams were jawing at each other and would have have to be separated by their teammates and the referees. After the break, an energized Boston Siege team quickly cut the deficit in half less than two minutes into the second half of extra time. By the 112th minute, the score was tied once again and it would stay tied through 120 minutes forcing penalties.
The penalty kick takers would remain perfect through six rounds of penalties until both teams missed their shots in the 7th round. Finally, in the 10th round, and with the two final outfield players Boston Siege’s Mario Martinez missed and Declan Hunter scored putting the Kendall Wanderers through to the second round of the qualifying tournament as the club attempts to qualify for the US Open Cup for the second year in a row, and the second time in club history.