Aaron Stollar

2008 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Sounders create all-USL Semifinal with upset of Wizards

July 8, 2008 by Aaron Stollar

Chris Eylander of the Seattle Sounders makes a save in the PK shootout against the Kansas City Wizards in the Quarterfinals of the 2008 US Open Cup. Photo: Seattle Sounders

With the steady hands of goalkeeper Chris Eylander leading the way, the Seattle Sounders are on their way to a second straight US Open Cup Semifinal appearance, after defeating the Kansas City Wizards on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw.

Both teams had good opportunities to jump in the lead in the first half. In the 3rd minute, Seattle’s Andre Schmid found himself found himself one on one with Wizards goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, but as Kronberg came out to cut down the angle of the shot, Schmid sent the ball wide right of the goal. Nearly fifteen minutes later, Mike Kraus received a through ball from John Leathers, and shot point blank from the top left corner of the penalty area, but Eylander made a sliding save.

Seattle Sounders vs KC Wizards 2008 US Open Cup Quarterfinals — The Seattle Sounders celebrate after defeating the Kansas City Wizards in a PK shootout in the Quarterfinals of the 2008 US Open Cup. Photo: George Holland

Near the end of the half, Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar found Sebastian Le Toux in the box with a perfect through ball. Le Toux was brought down by Wizards defender Rauwshan McKenzie, but no penalty was called.

MORE: Chris Eylander voted Player of the Round

Midway through the second half, Seattle seemed to have the goal they were looking for, but were denied. Alcaraz-Cuellar again found Le Toux, who then chipped a shot over the head of Kronberg. As the ball moved towards an open net and a sure goal, defender Tyson Wahl cleared the ball off the line to keep the game scoreless. Seattle has not allowed a goal in any of their four Open Cup games this year.

After extra time ended scoreless, the match moved on to penalty kicks. After the first five rounds, both teams had converted four kicks apiece. Eylander saved the shot from Jimmy Conrad, and tournament goal scoring leader Le Toux missed his spot kick, hitting the underside of the crossbar. After Michael Harrington (Kansas City) and Yousouff Kante (Seattle) each converted their kicks in sudden death, Eylander denied the man responsible for keeping the game scoreless, Tyson Wahl. This left Zach Scott to put Seattle in the Semifinals, which he did by driving his shot high into the back left corner.

Seattle will now face the Charleston Battery in an all-USL First Division Semifinal, guaranteeing the league a spot in the US Open Cup Final on August 26.

2008 First Round: Harrisburg spoils Yakima’s cross country trip

June 10, 2008 by Aaron Stollar

The Harrisburg City Islanders wasted no time making sure the Yakima Reds wasted their cross-country trip, scoring in the first minute en route to a 5-1 drubbing of the PDL club. The Open Cup draw forced the Washington state-based PDL team to travel to City Island in Harrisburg, Pa. and the extra travel showed on the field as the City Islanders jumped on the Reds early.

David Schofield needed only 30 seconds after the kickoff to bead Yakima goalkeeper Robert McCurdy for a 1-0 lead, and the City Islanders never looked back. The lead doubled when a shot deflected off Yakima defender Joshua Hacker for an own goal. Harrisburg widened their lead to 4-0 by halftime through goals from Brett Wiesner and Almir Barbosa.

Geoff Bloes pushed the lead to 5-0 in the 57th minute. In the dying moments of the game, Alonzo Rojas ensured the Reds wouldn’t go home empty-handed, scoring with four minutes remaining to make the final score 5-1. The City Islanders will visit fellow USL-2 side Crystal Palace Baltimore in the Second Round on June 24.

2007 US Open Cup Round 3: Carolina RailHawks eliminate defending champion Chicago Fire

July 15, 2007 by Aaron Stollar

A fourth MLS team has fallen in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The Carolina RailHawks eliminated the Chicago Fire, the defending Open Cup champions, 1-0 in front of a packed crowd at SAS Stadium in Cary, NC. In the 56th minute, McColm Cephas received a fortunate bounce just outside the penalty area, dribbled in and fired a low shot to the near post, past Fire backup goalkeeper Jon Busch. The RailHawks saw a brave performance from their own backup goalkeeper, John O’Hara, who held Chicago scoreless, despite not playing a single minute during the regular season.

The expansion RailHawks are led by head coach Scott Schweitzer, who helped lead the Rochester Rhinos of the A-League (now the USL First Division) to the 1999 US Open Cup championship. That Rhinos team defeated four MLS clubs on their way to the title.

The Chicago Fire have competed in the Open Cup every year since their inaugural season in 1998. This is only the third time that they have been eliminated by a team from the USL First Division, with all three of those losses coming in their first game of the competition, and all by a scoreline of 1-0. Schweitzer’s Rhinos beat them in 1999 and the second came in 2002 against the now-defunct Milwaukee Rampage.

Prior to the beginning of the Third Round, Carolina fans figured an upset over Chicago would earn them a date with David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy. However, the Richmond Kickers pulled off the upset and now the USL is guaranteed to have a representative in the Open Cup Semifinals. Carolina will host the Kickers at SAS Stadium on August 7 in the Quarterfinals.

2007 US Open Cup Round 3: FC Dallas reaches Quarterfinals with PK win over Atlanta Silverbacks

July 9, 2007 by Aaron Stollar

FC Dallas needed six rounds of penalty kicks to finish off the USL First Division’s Atlanta Silverbacks at Pizza Hut Park in a Third Round Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match. The two teams finished regulation tied 1-1 and after 30 minutes of scoreless extra time, the home team moved on to the Quarterfinals with 4-3 shootout win.

Carlos Ruiz of Dallas scored the opening goal on a counterattack in the 74th minute on an assist by goalkeeper Dario Sala. This marked just the third time in the US Open Cup’s Modern Era that a goalkeeper earned an assist.

Four minutes later, Atlanta’s Dan Antoniuk tied the game up on an assist by David Hayes, however, four minutes from then Antoniuk would exit the game he helped save. The team’s leading scorer was sent off in the 82nd minute, leaving the Silverbacks a man short for the remainder of the match.

Despite being shorthanded, Atlanta managed to keep Dallas off the scoresheet for the remainder of regulation and extra time. Ryan McIntosh of Atlanta, and Dario Sala of FC Dallas both made big saves throughout the match, but it came down to a shootout where Silverbacks midfielder Scott Buethe missed high in Round 6, and Arturo Alvarez converted to send the MLS side through to the next round.

PK Shotout Summary
ATL 1 – Rios (Goal)
DAL 1 – Ruiz – (Goal)
ATL 2 – Moore – (Save)
DAL 2 – Richetti – (Save)
ATL 3 – O’Brien – (Wide Left)
DAL 3 – Toja – (Save)
ATL 4 – Rivillo – (Goal)
DAL 4 – Gbandi – (Goal)
ATL 5 – Hayes – (Goal)
DAL 5 – Thompson – (Goal)
ATL 6 – Buete – (High)
DAL 6 – Alvarez – (Goal)

Lineups

Atlanta’s starters: Ryan McIntosh, David Hayes, Matt Bobo, Martyn Lancaster, Justin Moore, Rodrigo Rios, Tony McManus, Scott Buete, Rafique Hassim (John Queeley – 66) (Angel Rivillo – 114), Daniel Antoniuk, Warren Ukah (Corey Woolfolk – 74) (Dayton O’Brien – 119).
Goals: Antoniuk – 78 (Hayes)
Cautions: McManus – 72; Rios – 82; Lancaster – 92; Bobo- 96
Ejections: Antoniuk – 82

Dallas’ starters: Dario Sala, Chris Gbandi, Pablo Richetti, Juan Toja, Ramon Nunez (Dominic Oduruo – 69), Clarence Goodson (David Wagenfuhr – 113), Arturo Alvarez, Drew Moor (Abe Thompson – 91), Aaron Pitchkolan, Bobby Rhine (Michael Dello-Russo – 117), Carlos Ruiz.
Goals: Ruiz – 74 (Sala)
Cautions:
Ejections: