Alan Hainkel

Alan Hainkel has covered Sporting Kansas City since 2008, first as a photographer and then as a writer. He studied at Northwest Missouri State University and has his own blog at FountainCitySoccer.com.

2023 US Open Cup Round 3: Sporting KC blanks Tulsa Athletic to earn first win of 2023

April 28, 2023 by Alan Hainkel

Daniel Salloi of Sporting Kansas City fires a shot against Tulsa Athletic in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City withstood an early error by goalkeeper John Pulskamp and won their first competitive game of 2023, defeating Tulsa Athletic 3-0 in front of 9,912 at Children’s Mercy Park.

Daniel Salloi opens his home scoring account!

His 8th @opencup goal in his career ????#SportingKC | #SKCvTUL pic.twitter.com/bFLPSnTN30
— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) April 26, 2023

Sporting KC equaled their MLS goal total for the season in the win, with Daniel Salloi, Alan Pulido, and Marinos Tzionis putting their names on the score sheet. Pulido’s goal was his first since 2021, having missed all of last season due to a knee injury.

In the 17th minute, Tulsa forward Jordan Watson latched onto a long ball over the top that put him in alone on Pulskamp, who brought Watson down in the penalty area. Referee Jose Lara immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Defender Chris Taylor stepped up to take the penalty, but his attempt was blocked by a good save from Pulskamp to keep the game scoreless.

Sporting KC drew first blood in the 33rd minute. Salloi dispossessed midfielder Roman Torres and unleashed a shot from just outside the 18. Tulsa goalkeeper Bryson Reed got a hand to the shot, but the ball went off the post and into the back of the net.

Alan Pulido with his first since returning from injury ????

2-0 on the night ????#SportingKC | #SKCvTUL pic.twitter.com/qan2ibOkR5
— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) April 26, 2023

The hosts doubled their lead in the 54th minute through Pulido, making his U.S. Open Cup debut. Salloi received a pass on the left side of the penalty area from Sporting KC II loanee Ethan Bryant. Salloi then drove toward the end line and crossed it toward the back post. Pulido was waiting and redirected the ball past Reed for his first goal since 2021, having missed the entire 2022 season due to a knee injury.

When asked about Pulido’s goal after the match, Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said, ?I’ll give a lot of credit to him because after the game on Saturday, on the plane he came to me right away and he said, ?isten, I really want to play on Tuesday. I have got to keep increasing not just my minutes, but I?e got to keep getting around the ball and be in the game and be around 11v11.?At the time, I was not even considering him for the game.?

Tzionis finished the scoring in the 68th minute. The Cypriot international ran onto the penetrating pass of midfielder Erik Thommy and put a low shot just past the near post from a sharp angle for his third career goal for the club.

Tzionis for the third on the night ????#SportingKC | #SKCvTUL pic.twitter.com/sruz4QGZRk
— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) April 26, 2023

Asked whether or not the confidence gained from the win will carry over to league play, Vermes said, ?ell, I hope it does. We had to change the team up again. That? normal; other teams are doing the same thing. You lose some continuity. We haven’t had a lot of that as well. But it was good for those guys, like I said, to hit the back of the net. I think that part was important.?

Sporting KC resumes league play on Saturday with a home match against CF Montreal. They will learn their next US Open Cup opponent on Thursday during the 4th round draw.

2018 US Open Cup Round 5: Daniel Salloi of Sporting KC voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

June 29, 2018 by Alan Hainkel

Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi has been named the TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Fifth Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Salloi started in his team’s 3-2 win over FC Dallas and played 85 minutes, scoring twice, before making way for Yohan Croizet.

Orlando City SC goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr., Chicago Fire forward Nemanja Nikolic and Los Angeles FC forward Diego Rossi were second, third and fourth, respectively, in the voting. Even Croizet’s five minutes of game action that produced a game-winner that is one of the best goals of the tournament received consideration.

The award is voted on by the staff of TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.

Salloi equalized the match in the 43rd minute. After the club had hit the woodwork twice in quick succession, the ball got played out to Graham Zusi about 35 yards away from goal. Zusi played an inch-perfect cross in to Ike Opara at the back post, who headed the ball across the goal mouth. It appeared it might have been going in anyway, but Salloi made absolutely sure and tucked it in the back of the net.

Salloi then gave the club the lead in the 66th minute. After Johnny Russell intercepted a poor pass from a Dallas defender, he gave it to defender Jaylin Lindsey. Lindsey fed it to Wan Kuzain, who dribbled through three Dallas players before giving it to Salloi. Salloi buried it in the lower right corner past goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez to put his side up 2-1. Dallas would equalize again before Croizet’s spectacular volley would win it.

The 21-year-old Salloi, a Hungarian international, signed a Homegrown Player contract with Sporting Kansas City on January 13, 2016. His first exposure to manager Peter Vermes and the Sporting KC style of play came at the club’s academy, while Salloi was an AFS exchange student during the 2014-15 school year.

Salloi did not feature in the 2016 tournament, as he spent the last six months of that year on loan back in his native Hungary. He scored three goals during the 2017 tournament, including the game-winner in the 2-1 win against the New York Red Bulls in the US Open Cup Final.

Vermes credits the progress Salloi’s made at the club to his attitude.

“I would go all the way back to when he started here in the Academy,” Vermes said during the post-game press conference after the league match against Houston on Saturday. “He’s had a very good progression. He’s had some really good learning moments that maybe weren’t the easiest for him. And at the same time, and I say this to him all the time now, that the reason why he is doing as well as he is or why he is in good form, or why he is getting better from game to game, week to week, is because of his attitude. You know there’s so much you can do when you have a good attitude with anything you do in life. And he has the right attitude at the moment, and if he keeps that, his trajectory is straight up.”

Opara said Salloi’s brace against Dallas was huge for the club.

“Obviously to tie the game, it gave us momentum going into the half,” Opara said in the locker room. “I don’t know how he gets it off so quickly but that second goal was wonderful. It gave us breathing room to really put them under. We had opportunities for a third goal but an unfortunate mistake led to their goal. We showed our character to finish off the job.”

While Salloi is the first Hungarian to win TheCup.us Player of the Round, he’s not the first to a TheCup.us award. Krisztian Nemeth was named the 2015 TheCup.us Player of the Tournament as he led Sporting Kansas City to the club’s third US Open Cup title. Salloi is the eighth Sporting Kansas City player to ever win a Player of the Round or Player of the Tournament award.

2018 TheCup.us Player of the Round winners

Preliminary Round: Rasmus Hansen (Brooklyn Italians, NPSL)
First Round: Chuka Aruh (Inter Nashville FC, NPSL)
Second Round: Christian Okeke (NTX Rayados, USASA)
Third Round: Allisson Faramilio (FC Golden State Force, PDL)
Fourth Round: Brian Ownby (Louisville City FC, USL)
Fifth Round: Daniel Salloi (Sporting Kansas City, MLS)

Too many moonlight stunners seem to cool in the warmth of the sun…

But last night's 89th minute winner? Nope! 500 loops later, it's still absolute .

ICYMI: every angle from all 3 goals here ⬇️ #CupStaysHere #ForGloryForCity pic.twitter.com/4wwPTHfWrr

— Sporting KC (@SportingKC) June 17, 2018

2018 US Open Cup Round 5: Croizet’s “best goal”, Salloi’s brace keep Sporting KC perfect vs. FC Dallas

June 17, 2018 by Alan Hainkel

Yohan Croizet celebrates his game-winning goal for Sporting Kansas City in the club's Fifth Round match against FC Dallas in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC — Yohan Croizet celebrates his game-winning goal for Sporting Kansas City in the club’s Fifth Round match against FC Dallas in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC

For the fourth time in their respective club histories, Sporting Kansas City hosted FC Dallas in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. On Saturday night, Sporting KC defeated FC Dallas for the fourth time in the Open Cup, winning 3-2 in front of 15,238 fans at Children’s Mercy Park.

After Daniel Salloi’s brace gave Sporting a 2-1 lead, Roland Lamah of FC Dallas tied the game in the 77th minute. It appeared as though the match was headed to extra time, but Yohan Croizet, who entered the game to replace Salloi, sent an unstoppable volley into the upper 90 of the goal to send the defending US Open Cup champions into the Quarterfinals for the second year in a row and the third time in the last four years.

The game took a while to get on track as both teams felt each other out. Manager Peter Vermes told the post-game press conference the club wasn’t sure whether Dallas would play a five-man midfield or a 4-4-2. He said they adjusted well to the 4-4-1-1 Dallas ended up in.

Dallas struck first in the 18th minute. Off a throw-in, Maxi Urruti put a ball into the penalty area that Michael Barrios got on the end of. Goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas made the initial save, but the ball rebounded back to Barrios, who put a looping shot back on frame. It initially looked as if the ball was across the line before Carlos Gruezo got a touch on it, but the goal was eventually given to Gruezo, staking Dallas to a 1-0 lead.

After the goal, Sporting KC seemed to get much more of the possession and it paid off. Shortly after having hit the woodwork twice in quick succession, Graham Zusi put a cross into the penalty area from about 30 yards away, finding Ike Opara at the back post. Opara’s header across the goal mouth was tapped in by Salloi from close range to tie the match in the 43rd minute.

After halftime, Sporting continued to take the lion’s share of the possession, taking six of the first seven shots of the second half. That domination led to Salloi’s second goal of the contest. Jaylin Lindsey found Wan Kuzain near the top of the penalty area, who squeezed a ball through two Dallas defenders to Salloi. The Hungarian settled the ball quickly with his left foot and shot with his right, putting the ball past goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez to tie the game.

Combined with his three goals in last year’s tournament, the brace gave Salloi his fifth US Open Cup goal, the most by an active Sporting KC player and second only to Dom Dwyer’s six goals in club history.

In the 77th minute, it was Dallas’s turn to equalize, and the goal came against the run of play. After a poor punch by Zendejas, the ball fell to Roland Lamah. Lamah took one touch, taking the ball to his left. Lamah’s shot then somehow found its way through four Sporting KC players before settling in the back of the net to tie the game at 2-2.

The match seemed destined to follow last year’s route into extra time, but Yohan Croizet had a different idea. After subbing into the match for Salloi in the 85th minute, Croizet had not yet been on the pitch for four minutes when he hit a candidate for goal of the tournament. While trying to clear a ball intercepted from Khiry Shelton, Maynor Figueroa popped the ball up in the air. Croizet waited for the spinning ball to come down and hit it on the half-volley, giving Gonzalez no chance and putting Sporting KC into the Quarterfinals.

89′ ⚽️… Pin this goal tweet to the moon. @SportsCenter, keep it in your top-10 until 2039. @TimesSquareNYC, don’t show the ball drop on NYE, just loop this greatness.

GAME WINNER. @Yohancroizet #SKCvDAL #CUPSTAYSHERE pic.twitter.com/5FPaUwkoUs

— Sporting KC (@SportingKC) June 17, 2018

After the match, Croizet said, “Seriously, it’s my best goal in my career. In the last minute. I’m really, really happy tonight.” It was the second-latest regulation game-winner in Sporting Kansas City history. The latest game-winner by the club came in the 2006 Third Round when Scott Sealy scored in the 90th minute against the PDL’s Des Moines Menace. “I had the perfect angle,” Opara said. “I saw him winding up. He hit it great with contact. Well, maybe sliced it a little bit, but it was good contact to begin with. The keeper had no chance. That’s a goal that wins a game right there.” Sporting KC will travel to face the winner of Monday’s Minnesota United-Houston Dynamo match in the next round. If Houston wins, the game will take place on July 18. If Minnesota wins, the game will take place at a date still to be determined.

Too many moonlight stunners seem to cool in the warmth of the sun… But last night’s 89th minute winner? Nope! 500 loops later, it’s still absolute . ICYMI: every angle from all 3 goals here ⬇️ #CupStaysHere #ForGloryForCity pic.twitter.com/4wwPTHfWrr — Sporting KC (@SportingKC) June 17, 2018

2018 US Open Cup Round 1 review: Thrillers, PK drama and former NASL teams advance

May 11, 2018 by Alan Hainkel

Detroit City FC fans celebrate a PK shootout win over the Michigan Bucks in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Jon DeBoer | DCFC

The First Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is in the books and it featured plenty of drama as teams advance to Round 2. Of the 22 teams that advanced to the Second Round, 22 of them will face professional teams from the United Soccer League.

Scroll down to get a brief recap of all 26 games (with links to match reports where available)

#USOC2018 coverage:
* 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup schedule, results
* 2018 US Open Cup statistical leaders

News
* USSF allows NY Cosmos B, Miami FC 2, Jacksonville Armada into 2018 US Open Cup
* El Farolito, 1993 US Open Cup champions, disqualified from 2018 tournament
* Why is it against the rules to change leagues during the US Open Cup?
* FC Cincinnati at Gettler Stadium: “Like Metallica playing a small venue”

2018 Meet the Underdogs series
* Christos FC
* FC Denver
* FC Kendall
* Kendall Wanderers
* La Maquina FC
* Los Angeles Wolves FC
* NTX Rayados
* Red Force FC
* Rochester River Dogz
* Santa Ana Winds
* Sporting AZ FC

Qualifying
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying results
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Win & You’re In review
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Round 2 review
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1 review

* Things you should know about the First Round of the US Open Cup

* Support TheCup.us: Special “TheCup.us” Del Rey City jerseys available for purchase
* Appreciate what we do at TheCup.us? Donate here
* TheCup.us is looking for writers/editors, graphics, WordPress gurus & people who can handle digital ad sales (paid position). Email us here

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The Portland Timbers U23 squad thumped the Kitsap Pumas 5-0 in the opening match of the First Round, held on Tuesday, May 8. The Pumas went down a man early due to a straight red card to defender Kevin Francis. Rey Ortiz-Flores put the ensuing free kick into the back of the net and the Timbers never looked back. Two Pumas own goals marked the first time in the Modern Era (1995-present) one team had ever had two in the same game. The Timbers will travel to Greater Nevada Field in Round 2 to take on Reno 1868 FC on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL) advanced to the Second Round with a 3-0 road win over the NPSL’s AFC Ann Arbor. Williams N’Dah, Simone Raioli, and Fredinho Mompremier all scored and former Manchester City youth academy product Deri Corfe dished out two assists. It was the 11th all-time tournament win by the Nor’easters, and the 10th shutout win. Ocean City will now travel to North Carolina to take on the Charlotte Independence of the USL in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The reigning NPSL champion Elm City Express advanced to the Second Round with a 2-1 win on the road over the Western Mass Pioneers (PDL). Anthony Asante got both goals for the Express, capitalizing on an error by the Pioneers goalkeeper to nab the game-winner in the 82nd minute. Brazilian forward Alencar Junior tallied the lone goal for the Pioneers. This is Elm City’s first tournament win in their first appearance, and the first win by a Connecticut-based club since Milford International beat the Chicago Lightning in the First Round of the 2006 US Open Cup. They will travel to Amesbury, MA to play the Seacoast United Phantoms in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Former MLS midfielder Dilly Duka’s two goals led FC Motown (NPSL) to a come-from-behind win over the New York Red Bulls U-23s (PDL) squad despite Walter Calderon’s 84th minute red card. Duka spent part of 2017 with the Red Bulls, appearing in three games each for the senior team and Red Bulls II in the USL. FC Motown will host the USL’s Penn FC (formerly the Harrisburg City Islanders) on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT with photos

Christos FC (USASA) and Reading United AC (PDL) locked horns in a tense battle in Round 1 that went all the way to penalties. Tyler Rudy opened the scoring in the fifth minute for Christos FC, benefiting from a deflection on a free kick that directed the ball into the back of the net. Kieran Roberts equalized for Reading United just shy of the hour mark and that is where the score stood at the end of extra time. Reading United goalkeeper Bennet Strutz came up with a save in the shootout to secure a 5-4 win in penalties. Reading, who are competing in their 10th consecutive tournament (a Modern Era record for an amateur team), advance in their opening round game for the seventh year in a row. They will host the Richmond Kickers (USL) in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Erie Commodores FC (NPSL) edged the Rochester River Dogz (USASA) to reach the Second Round. Cameron Philpot got things started with his goal in the 27th minute and Austin Gerber equalized just before halftime. That would be all the scoring either team could manage until the penalty kick shootout. Erie pulled out the 5-4 win in the shootout to move on to Round 2 on May 16. They will host the USL’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The Jacksonville Armada used second half goals by Joshua Castellanos and Joshua Doyle to advance to the Second Round in a 2-0 win over SIMA Aguilas. This marks the first time Jacksonville has won two games in the same US Open Cup tournament. They will host the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL one year to the day since Tampa Bay defeated the Armada U-23s 3-0). [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

In one of the more surprising results of the First Round, Inter Nashville FC (NPSL) went on the road to play the defending PDL champion Charlotte Eagles and it wasn’t close. Chuka Aruh scored two goals early (fifth and sixth minutes) in a 6-1 thumping. Aruh became the second English player to score a Modern Era hat trick (joining Dom Dwyer) when he scored in the 34th minute. Nashville also got a brace from Ivan Sakou and a goal from Richard Reichenberger to complete the rout. Todd Fidler’s penalty in the 56th minute was Charlotte’s only score. Inter Nashville will take on Nashville SC of the USL in Round 2 on May 16. This will mark the first time in the history of the tournament that two Tennessee-based clubs will play each other in the tournament. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Miami FC 2 hosted Red Force FC in their First Round match in the 2018 USOC. The pros from Miami used goals from Tyler Ruthven, Kris Tyrpak, Dylan Mares and Dario Suarez to cruise to a 4-0 victory. They will host Miami United in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Detroit City FC hosted Michigan Bucks FC in their third USOC match-up in the last four years and the two sides did not disappoint. Shawn Lawson opened the scoring in the 58th minute for Detroit City. Alfonso Neto equalized with five minutes left in the second half. Despite Detroit City going a man down in extra time, no one managed to score and the match had to be decided by a penalty kick shootout. Detroit City prevailed in the shootout, 6-5 as they eliminate the Bucks for the second year in a row. They will travel to face FC Cincinnati in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

South Georgia Tormenta FC scored two late goals to grab a road win against the Myrtle Beach Mutiny. Rooby Delusma got Myrtle Beach on the board first in the 56th minute. Jad Arslan and Jordan Walshaw scored in the 76th and 82nd minutes, respectively, to give Tormenta FC the 2-1 win. They will travel to Charleston, SC, on May 16 to take on the Battery in Round 2. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The Seacoast United Phantoms hosted the Kendall Wanderers in a back-and-forth affair. Braima Samati scored first for the Wanderers in the 37th minute. The Phantoms then equalized in the 44th minute on a goal by Donnett Sackie. The Phantoms would take a 2-1 lead in the 86th minute on a goal from Juli Jordan. The Wanderers equalized in the 90th minute on an Eric Robertson strike. After extra time failed to separate the two sides, the match went to penalties. The Phantoms prevailed 6-5 in the shootout to move on to Round 2. They will host the Elm City Express on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Miami United, led by David Ochoa’s hat-trick, eliminated FC Kendall in a battle of South Florida clubs in Round 1. Tomas Granitto and Nicolas Gorobsov also scored for United in their 5-2 win. Alessandro Mion got a late consolation goal for the visitors. United will play Miami FC in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The Brooklyn Italians of the NPSL hosted amateur side Landsdowne Bhoys FC for a trip to the Second Round. Landsdowne got goals from Daryl Kavanagh and Mamadou Guirassy in a 2-0 win at LIU, the same field that Brooklyn upset the New York Cosmos B a few days before. Brooklyn kept pressing until the end, but just weren’t able to get on the board. Landsdowne will travel south to play the USL’s North Carolina FC in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The Long Island Rough Riders played host to Kingston Stockade FC in a wild 6-3 affair in Round 1. Kingston took a 2-0 lead on goals by Bruce Jeter and Michael Creswick. Long Island forced extra time by getting second half goals from Alexander Dexter and Thomas Wharf. After a scoreless first period of extra time, Long Island scored four times in the second period with goals by Junior Rosario, Tyler Botte and a brace from Charlie Ledula. Kingston managed just one tally in extra time, a goal in the 116th minute by Matt Koziol. Long Island will travel to Kentucky to play Louisville City FC of the USL on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The New Orleans Jesters hosted Mississippi Brilla in a back-and-forth affair. The teams seemed to be evenly matched, with both teams having a goal called back (one for offside and the other for a foul). Brilla scored first with Oliver Brock putting in a shot from about 40 yards out in the 62nd minute. Thomas Peers equalized for the Jesters in the 74th minute. It would remain tied at one through two periods of extra time with Mississippi claiming victory in the penalty shootout 3-2. Mississippi will host the USL’s Indy Eleven in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

FC Wichita used a pair of Leo Sosa goals in the first half to secure victory over the OKC Energy FC U-23 squad in Wichita. Josh Garcia pulled one back for the Energy in the 78th minute, but Ben Andoh ended the visitors’ hopes with a 90th minute strike for the final 3-1 margin. Wichita will be on the road in Round 2 when they take on the Tulsa Roughnecks of the USL on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

It was a game full of firsts as Dakota Fusion FC, the first North Dakota-based club to ever qualify for the US Open Cup traveled to Duluth, Minn. to take on Duluth FC, the first amateur team from Minnesota to qualify in the Modern Era. Dakota opened the scoring in the first minute of their match-up with Duluth FC on a strike from Miah Willis. The goal was scored 22 seconds into the half, making it one of the fastest goals of the Modern Era. Duluth answered with goals by Joel Watt (31′), Ricardo Ramos (33′) and Sean Morgan (35′) to take a two-goal lead into the break. Jade Johnson scored two goals in two minutes just after halftime to knot the game at three. Ramos got his second of the match a minute after Johnson’s second to retake the lead. Jacob Weiler equalized again in the 63rd minute, and that’s where the score would stay through extra time. Duluth, however, struck three times in the shootout for a 3-0 win, making it just the second time that a shootout has finished with the scoreline of 3-0. They are planning to host the USL’s Saint Louis FC on May 16 in Round 2. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The Midland-Odessa Sockers played host to the Lakeland Tropics in their First Round tilt. The Sockers got goals from Xavi Lao, Peter Dominguez and Jhonatan Velasquez to cruise to a 3-0 victory. The Sockers will host the USL’s San Antonio FC in Round 2 on May 16.

Amateur side NTX Rayados defeated NPSL side Fort Worth Vaqueros 2-1 in their First Round match. Rayados opened the scoring in the fifth minute on a tally by Lucio Martinez. The Vaqueros tied it up 20 minutes later on a strike from Bobby Edet. The match would remain 1-1 until the second half of extra time when Christian Okeke’s goal in the 115th minute provided the game-winner for the Rayados. Now, after seven straight Open Cup appearances, the Rayados earned their first tournament victory in club history (They advanced via PKs in 2014 vs. Austin Aztex, which is officially considered a draw). They will host the USL’s Oklahoma City Energy in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

San Francisco City FC of the PDL traveled across the bay to Oakland to take on CD Aguiluchos USA of the NPSL. San Francisco were not good guests as they scored four goals, two in each half, for a 4-0 victory in their Open Cup debut. They will travel to the capital for Round 2 as they face Sacramento Republic of the USL on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

FC Denver (USSSA) used a hat trick from Cesar Castillo en route to a 4-2 victory over Azteca FC. With the score at 3-1 in the 73rd minute, FC Denver player Kyle Heppenstall was on the receiving end of a nasty collision and had to be taken off the field by ambulance after a lengthy delay, necessitating 16 minutes of stoppage time in the second half. Aguilera pulled one back for Azteca FC in stoppage time, but Castillo completed his hat trick as the full-time whistle blew. Heppenstall was released from the hospital later that night and seems to be recovering. FC Denver will take on the USL’s Switchbacks in Colorado Springs on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

FC Golden State Force (PDL) played host to LA Wolves FC (USASA) in a First Round tussle. The Force got goals from Marcelo Manfredini, Allisson Faramilio and Amilcar Lopez-Ruiz to build a 3-0 lead. Gomez pulled one back for the Wolves in the 84th minute, but it was too little too late. The Force will travel to Irvine, CA, in Round 2 to take on the USL’s Orange County SC on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The NPSL’s Orange County FC used a brace from Daniel ten Bosch and a goal from Alessandro Canale to send Santa Ana Winds FC (USASA) out of the tournament. It was a bit of revenge for Orange County after losing to Winds FC on penalties in their United Premier Soccer League Fall Season Championship Semifinal in 2017. Orange County will travel to the USL’s Fresno FC for Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Sporting AZ FC used a 73rd minute goal from Jon Guse to beat FC Arizona in their First Round match. The game was a physical affair with a total of eight yellow cards being shown during the match. Sporting AZ FC will play host to the USL’s Phoenix Rising FC in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

FC Tucson (PDL) defeated La Maquina FC (USASA) 2-1 in their First Round clash. La Maquina opened the scoring in the second minute on a goal by Jason Romero. FC Tucson responded with a goals by Alejandro Velaquez (32′) and Alejandro Gonzalez (55′) to book their place in Round 2. FC Tucson will travel to Sin City to take on USL expansion side Las Vegas Lights FC in Round 2 on May 16. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

2017 US Open Cup: Tim Melia of Sporting KC voted TheCup.us Player of the Tournament

October 12, 2017 by Alan Hainkel

Tim Melia of Sporting KC became just the fourth goalkeeper in the Modern Era to play in and win multiple US Open Cup Finals. Photo: Bob Larson

Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia has been named the TheCup.us Player of the Tournament for his performance in the club’s march to their third Open Cup title in the last six years and fourth overall.

Melia posted a 0.35 goals against average, including three shutouts, while going 4-0-1 (1-0 in PKs) in the tournament. He allowed two goals in five matches, a total of 510 minutes. Melia also extended his personal unbeaten streak in the tournament to 13 matches (11-0-2, 2-0 in PKs) dating back to 2010.

Melia was also named Player of the Round for the final, the second time he’s won the award. His previous award was for the final of the 2015 tournament.

Lower Division Player of the Tournament winner Mitch Hildebrandt and his FC Cincinnati teammate Djiby Fall finished second and third in the voting, respectively. Defender Ike Opara, Melia’s teammate with Sporting KC, finished fourth.

The award is voted on by the staff of TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.

In the locker room after the final, captain Matt Besler talked about Melia’s importance to the club.

“He’s been a rock all year long,” Besler said. “We have had to lean on him for so many games. Tonight was another game we had to lean on him. He is a confident presence back there for us. I’m just very happy for him because he deserves all the credit he is going to get and I just hope he can continue winning championships for us. I hope I can continue playing with him behind me.”

Sporting’s run to the Final began where it would eventually ended. They hosted Minnesota United at Children’s Mercy Park and had no trouble with the MLS expansion side, winning 4-0. The Kansas City backline was so strong that Melia didn’t have to make a single save to earn the shutout.

After a 2-0 road shutout of the Houston Dynamo (2 saves), Kansas City hosted the defending Open Cup champions FC Dallas in the Quarterfinals.

Melia told TheCup.us the biggest moment of the tournament, besides lifting the trophy, was that victory in the quarterfinal.

“For us, the biggest moment was the Dallas game,” Melia said. “We lost Seth (Sinovic) pretty early on … and it was a game that we really had to rally and come together as a team and we were up against it. Dallas is a very good team, a very good attacking team and we shut them down for 120 minutes and ended up opening up the game at the end. I think that was a turning point for us.”

Sinovic was sent off in the 15th minute of the match, receiving a straight red card (the first of his professional career) after tripping Dallas forward Michael Barrios and being ruled to have denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. The match remained scoreless until stoppage time for the first extra time period. Latif Blessing scored twice and Daniel Salloi added a third to power Sporting KC to a 3-0 victory and a berth in the semifinals.

According to Melia, the death of team co-owner Neal Patterson two days before the game provided an extra push.

“Something that we played with a lot of pride after one of our ownership passing away in the middle of that too was important to us,” said Melia, who finished the tournament with six career Open Cup clean sheets.

After giving up a 4th minute goal to Danny Hoesen in the Semifinals, Melia kept the San Jose Earthquakes off the scoresheet for the remaining 116 minutes as the match had to be decided by penalty kicks. Melia only had to make two saves to send Kansas City to the Final and improve his career PK shootout record to 4-0. No goalkeeper in the Modern Era has won more than two Open Cup shootouts in a career.

In the championship game against the New York Red Bulls, Melia made six saves to help Sporting Kansas City lift the trophy, 2-1. Melia would have ended the tournament with a shutout, but after making a late save, Bradley Wright-Phillips pounced on the rebound at close range and cut the lead in half. With the win, Melia won his second Open Cup title (2015) and became just the fourth goalkeeper in the Modern Era to win multiple finals.

Melia’s 13-game unbeaten streak in the Open Cup dates back to the quarterfinal round in 2010, when he was with the Charleston Battery. When asked if he treated cup games differently, he said no.

“It’s the same for every game,” Melia said. “Cup games, I guess there’s a little bit more on the line, there’s that desperation aspect of it that there isn’t, at times, in the regular season. Sometimes, you’re on the road, I mean, you’re taking a 0-0 draw, you’re trying to get some points accumulated, where the cup games are just gotta advance by any means. The score’s irrelevant. Plays are irrelevant. Whatever happens, you’ve just gotta come out on the right side.”

Melia also said his approach is a reflection of the club’s philosophy of taking every tournament seriously.

“We put out our strongest teams at the time that are healthy and in form,” Melia said, “And things like that get really important in the later parts of this tournament.”

With this trophy, Melia became the third goalkeeper in club history (joining Tony Meola and Jimmy Nielsen) to win two major trophies. After the final, manager Peter Vermes was asked about Melia’s legacy with the club.

“Let’s talk about it when he’s done,” Vermes said. “He’s playing really well, that’s what I would say. He’s playing really well. He’s taken such a big step, especially this year. It’s so obvious. And no disrespect to the rest of the goalkeepers in the league, but he has been lights out.”

2017 US Open Cup Final: Tim Melia of Sporting KC named TheCup.us Player of the Round

September 24, 2017 by Alan Hainkel

Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia has been named the TheCup.us Player of the Round for his performance in his club’s 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in Wednesday’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final.

Melia’s six saves helped Sporting KC lift its third Open Cup trophy in the last six years and fourth overall. For Melia, this is the second time he has won the award, the first was for his performance in the 2015 Final in helping Kansas City win the club’s third title.

A close second in the voting was midfielder Roger Espinoza. Midfielder Benny Feilhaber (assisted Daniel Salloi’s game-winner), defender Graham Zusi (assisted on the first goal) and forward Latif Blessing (scored the first goal) also received solid support.

The award was voted on by the staff of TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.

In the locker room after the game, captain Matt Besler talked about Melia’s importance to the club.

Tim Melia and Roger Espinoza of Sporting Kansas City celebrate the club's 2017 US Open Cup championship. These two players were the top two vote-getters for TheCup.us Player of the Round. Photo: Sporting KC — Tim Melia and Roger Espinoza of Sporting Kansas City celebrate the club’s 2017 US Open Cup championship. These two players were the top two vote-getters for TheCup.us Player of the Round. Photo: Sporting KC

The first time the club leaned on Melia in the final came in the 14th minute. After Melia went down to stop a Kemar Lawrence shot that ended up getting blocked by Ike Opara, he had to get right back up for a stop to his left on Sacha Kljestan.

Melia’s other big save came in the first minute of the second half. Fidel Escobar played a long ball across the pitch to Alex Muyl from left to right, and Muyl headed it toward Bradley Wright-Phillips. Wright-Phillips then chested it down to volley it with his right foot, but Melia went down to his left to punch it away.

In fact, the only mistake Melia made came just as the match went into second-half stoppage time. After Gonzalo Veron took a shot just outside the penalty area, Melia went down to his right to stop it. He made the save, but allowed a rebound, which Wright-Phillips pounced on for New York’s only tally of the contest.

While Melia is arguably one of the best goalkeepers in MLS, it took him a long time to get there. His first taste of the Open Cup USOC came in 2007, while playing for the Long Island Rough Riders of the PDL. His side, which included current Red Bulls midfielder Mike Grella and MLS veteran (and former Red Bulls defender) Steve Jolley, fell 1-0 to the Rochester Rhinos that day.

The following season, Melia joined the Rhinos and began his professional career. In the two years he played for Rochester, Melia appeared in three USOC matches (1-1-1) with 13 saves and a 1.10 goals against average en route to the 2009 semifinals.

After Rochester, Melia found his way to Real Salt Lake as a backup for Nick Rimando. RSL loaned Melia to the Charleston Battery, where he again played well in the USOC. He made eight saves to shut out the Chicago Fire and saw the Battery through to the quarterfinal round. That 3-0 loss to the Columbus Crew is the last time Melia lost an Open Cup match.

After the 2011 season, Melia joined Chivas USA, where he served as a backup to Dan Kennedy. In two and a half seasons with Chivas, Melia made three starts in the Open Cup, helping the Rojiblancos to the 2012 semifinals.

In the second half of 2014, Melia served as an MLS pool goalkeeper. He earned emergency call-ups to playoff participants Sporting KC (August), FC Dallas (October), and D.C. United (November). He appeared on the bench for three MLS matches at then-Sporting Park and made a Champions League road trip to a match in Nicaragua.

Since signing with Sporting KC to begin 2015, Melia has lifted the US Open Cup trophy twice (2015, 2017) and extended his own unbeaten run in the competition. Since that quarterfinal loss to Columbus in 2010, Melia is 11-0-2 (2-0 in PKs). In his career, he is 13-3-4 (4-0 in PKs).

Melia also joined former club goalkeepers Tony Meola and Jimmy Nielsen as having won two major trophies with the club. After the match, he was asked why he doesn’t like talking about that yet.

“I still consider myself young enough in the goalkeeper world and I hope I’m here for a very long time,” Melia said. “I have a lot of years to play still and I’ll think about that when I’m starting to get ready to stop playing.”

2017 US Open Cup Final: Sporting KC holds off Red Bulls to win fourth Open Cup title (video)

September 21, 2017 by Alan Hainkel

Sporting Kansas City celebrates after defeating the New York Red Bulls 2-1 in the 2017 US Open Cup Final. Photo: Bob Larson

For the third time in six years, and the fourth time in club history, Sporting Kansas City won the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup by defeating the New York Red Bulls 2-1 in front of a crowd of 21,523 at Children’s Mercy Park. It was the third largest crowd in park history and the fourth largest crowd for the final in the history of the tournament.

Latif Blessing scored a first half goal and Daniel Salloi added another in the second half as Kansas City became just the eighth club in history to win four US Open Cup titles.

From the opening kickoff, the game was played at a very brisk pace. It was also very physical, with 32 fouls called and a few more that could have been.

Latif Blessing opened the scoring in the 25th minute. Defender Graham Zusi played an inch-perfect cross in from the right wing that found the head of Blessing, remarkable for a player listed at five feet, three inches tall. Blessing’s header rocketed past goalkeeper Ryan Meara to give Sporting KC a 1-0 lead. For Blessing, it was his third goal of the tournament.

Both clubs traded chances chances for most of the half. The best chance Sporting KC had came in the 42nd minute. Headers from Roger Espinoza, Matt Besler and Diego Rubio were off the crossbar, saved and over the crossbar, respectively in a matter of five seconds.

Moments after that flurry, Sporting KC was forced into their first substitution as Blessing came off in favor of striker Daniel Salloi.

Daniel Salloi of Sporting KC scores what would prove to be the game-winner in the 66th minute against the New York Red Bulls in the 2017 US Open Cup Final. Photo: Bob Larson

Salloi repaid manager Peter Vermes’ faith in him with a goal in the 66th minute. Midfielder Benny Feilhaber played a long ball forward from just inside the midfield stripe to Salloi just outside the arc on the penalty area. Meara had come out to challenge for the ball, but Salloi toe-poked it past him and it slowly rolled into the net to double Sporting’s advantage.

Salloi said that he’d been prepared to come in earlier than one might expect.

“Before we walked out, Roger (Espinoza) came up to me and told me, ‘Every final, we get someone hurt, so be ready and come in focused,’” Salloi said. “And I was like, ‘Okay, good.’ and at halftime he told me, ‘You see, I told you so.’ So I’m happy that I was prepared and could step up to the moment.”

Salloi’s goal became even more important after Bradley Wright-Phillips pulled one back in the first minute of second-half stoppage time. Gonzalo Veron took a shot that Tim Melia got down to his right to save, but Wright-Phillips pounced on the rebound and put the hearts of most Sporting KC supporters into their throats as they narrowed the margin to 2-1.

For Wright-Phillips, it was his fourth goal of the 2017 US Open Cup, leaving him tied for the tournament lead in goals and puts him alone at the top of the competition’s scoring chart (4 goals, 1 assist, 9 points). Wright Phillips is just the second New York player to lead the tournament in scoring, the first was Amado Guevara (4 goals, 2 assists) in 2003.

Sporting KC’s defense absorbed quite a bit of pressure during the total of six minutes of stoppage time added on to the second half, but they managed to close out the game and claim the club’s third title in six years, but only the first Open Cup title that didn’t require extra time.

Vermes spoke in the post-game press conference about how a lot of people were talking about the young players New York had, but he wanted to make sure his young players got credit for how well they played.

“Yeah, I mean, you guys need to take note,” Vermes said. “Obviously not only did Jimmy Medranda come in, you had (Daniel) Salloi, Ilie, Kevin (Oliveira) who we just signed last week. So, when you look at those things, it’s a real credit to the structure that we put in place here and being able to bring those guys along. Our B Team, the Swope Park Rangers, the coaching staff has done a great job in preparing those guys for the first team. So, to see those guys come on to the field and help us secure a championship is an incredible confidence builder for those guys. Because the other piece is that our older players are doing the mentoring that they need to do to bring those guys along for them to understand that this club truly is about winning. It’s not just talk. So now that they’ve had this.

With the win, Sporting Kansas City wins $250,000 in prize money and a spot in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League. New York wins $60,000 as the runner-up. FC Cincinnati was awarded $15,000 as the Division 2 club to advance the farthest (Semifinals) and Christos FC also won $15,000 as the Division 4 (amateur) club to reach the farthest (Round 4).

HIGHLIGHTS: 2017 US OPEN CUP FINAL

SPORTING KC: ROAD TO 2017 US OPEN CUP TITLE

POSTGAME: GRAHAM ZUSI

POSTGAME: ROGER ESPINOZA

POSTGAME: MATT BESLER

2017 US Open Cup Final preview: Sporting KC, NY Red Bulls battle to be crowned 104th USOC champion

September 20, 2017 by Alan Hainkel

On Wednesday, two former division rivals will clash for silverware as the New York Red Bulls visit Children’s Mercy Park to take on Sporting Kansas City in the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final. To say both clubs prepared very differently would be an understatement.

In Sporting KC’s last match on Saturday, manager Peter Vermes used a starter-heavy lineup to take down 10-man New England, 3-1. Diego Rubio scored twice with the man advantage for the club’s first win since their last home match, Aug. 19 against FC Dallas.

Vermes has told reporters on numerous occasions he puts out the best lineup he can to win as many matches as possible.

“The fact that we played here tonight on Saturday and are playing here on Wednesday, there is no doubt we can manage that from a physical perspective,” Vermes said during his post-game press conference Saturday. “I actually like the fact that we are in the rhythm to play the next game. Tonight wasn’t easy. No matter how you look at it, the final was in the back of their minds and so I thought the guys did a good job of managing this game, getting the points and no understanding that our focus and or preparation has to be on Wednesday.”

Contrast that with the Red Bulls’ last match. In Sunday’s scoreless draw with the Philadelphia Union, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Tyler Adams and Sacha Kljestan played 71 minutes between the three of them, with Kljestan playing the most at 32 minutes. It’s a risk for New York, considering they’re currently in the last playoff spot in the East.

Considering the travel and having less recovery time, Marsch defended the decision after the match. “I think it’s the right decision,” Marsch said. “Given everything, we want to win the trophy and you don’t have a lot of opportunities to play a final; clearly around this club, very few.”

It would be fair to say both clubs are shuffling a bit. New York has struggled to close out games recently, giving up three one-goal leads in two of their last three games. Sporting KC, on the other hand, has only two wins since the end of July, but both were at home.

The New York Red Bulls celebrate their 1-0 win over the New England Revolution in the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson

If you wanted to identify three key players for New York, you’d be hard-pressed to argue with Bradley Wright-Phillips, Sacha Kljestan and Luis Robles. Wright-Phillips leads the club with 15 goals, including two game-winners. Kljestan is the team’s best helper with 14 assists, including two game-winners, and two goals of his own. Robles has 12 wins along with eight clean sheets this season in league play.

However, Jesse Marsch recently announced that it will be Ryan Meara who will start in goal in the championship game. As a backup to Robles, Meara hasn’t appeared in a league game since 2015, but the Open Cup has been an opportunity for him to shine. The Fordham University grad, who was a second round pick in 2012, has been the starting goalkeeper throughout the Red Bulls’ 2017 run to the Final. He has played in nine tournament games since making his tournament debut for the Red Bulls in 2012, and has a 5-3-1 (1-0 PKs) record, allowing 11 goals in those games.

The three players to watch for Sporting KC would have to be Gerso Fernandes, Graham Zusi and Tim Melia. In the absence of Dom Dwyer, Gerso has stepped up and now leads the team with eight goals on a club where goals seem to come from unexpected places. Zusi, enjoying one of his better seasons after moving to right back, leads the club with six assists. Melia, a former league pool goalkeeper, has 10 clean sheets in league play to go along with his three Open Cup shutouts. Melia also has three penalty kick saves in league play on the five spot kicks he’s faced.

Melia is on one of the best runs for any goalkeeper in the Modern Era of the tournament. He hasn’t lost an Open Cup match since the 2010 Quarterfinals, boasting a 10-0-2 (2-0 PKs) record during that span. He has taken part in four penalty kick shootouts in his career and has never lost.

Both goalkeepers have experienced, and won, a penalty kick shootout during this year’s Open Cup.

Home is a beautiful place to be if you’re Sporting KC. The club has 101 consecutive league sellouts at Children’s Mercy Park, where they’ve not lost since May 27, 2016, a 1-0 loss to DC United on an 86th minute goal by Alhaji Kamara (an 85th minute substitute). The unbeaten streak has now reached 23 regular season MLS matches (26, if you count three USOC wins this season), tied for third-longest streak in league history.

Latif Blessing (right) and Benny Failhaber of Sporting Kansas City celebrate during a 3-1 win over FC Dallas in the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports | Sporting KC

Not only do the hosts have their crowds on their side, but Sporting KC also a history in cup finals at home. In franchise history, the club has played three USOC finals (2004, 2012 and 2015), with 2004 and 2012 played in front of their home fans. All three have been tied at the end of regulation, and two have been decided by penalty kicks (2012, 2015). The closest New York has come to a title was a 1-0 loss in the 2003 Open Cup Final to the Chicago Fire.

To reach the Final, Sporting KC defeated Minnesota United (4-0), the Houston Dynamo (2-0), FC Dallas (3-0, AET) and the San Jose Earthquakes (1-1, 5-4 on PKs). New York’s road to the final included wins over NYCFC (1-0), the Philadelphia Union (1-1, 5-3 on PKs), the New England Revolution (1-0), and FC Cincinnati (3-2, AET).

There are several connections between the two clubs. Both Vermes and his assistant Kerry Zavagnin played for the then-MetroStars. In fact, the two were traded for each other, with Vermes going to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for Zavagnin. Current Red Bulls players Sal Zizzo and Aurelien Collin both played for Sporting Kansas City, with Collin winning the MLS Cup with Sporting KC in 2013. Collin was also named the MVP of the MLS Cup final.

While this is Marsch’s first USOC final as a manager, he and his assistant Chris Armas won three USOC titles with the Chicago Fire (1998, 2000, 2003), with Armas winning a fourth title (2006). They were also both on the field at Arrowhead Stadium for the Fire when Zavagnin won his only Open Cup title as a player in 2004.

If the Red Bulls win, they will become the first New Jersey-based club to lift the trophy since 1972 when U.S. international Walter Schmotolocha scored the lone goal in Elizabeth SC’s 1-0 win over Yugoslav SC.

The only Kansas-based club to win the US Open Cup is Sporting Kansas City (2012, 2015), which has represented the state of Kansas since the club built Children’s Mercy Park on the Kansas side of the border in 2011. The team was based in Arrowhead Stadium, located on the Missouri side, in 2004.

Will New York finally win its first US Open Cup (or first tournament of any kind)? Or will Sporting Kansas City become just the eighth club in history to win a fourth tournament title? We will find out on Wednesday night.

2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final
New York Red Bulls (MLS) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, KS
BROADCAST: ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes / Watch ESPN app
Kickoff: 9 p.m. EST

New York Red Bulls Open Cup records
Overall: 21-17-3 (2-1 PK) | Home: 9-5-2 (1-1 PK) | Away: 11-11-1 (1-0 PK) | vs. MLS: 7-9-3 (2-1 PK)
Last entry: 2016 (Lost 2-1 at Philadelphia Union of MLS in Round of 16)
Best finish: 2003 Runner-up (Lost 1-0 vs. Chicago Fire of MLS)
Leading goalscorer: Bradley Wright-Phillips – 3 goals

How they got here

Round 4: 1-0 home win vs. New York City FC (MLS)
Round 5: 1-1 home draw (5-3 PK win) vs. Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Quarterfinals: 1-0 road win at New England Revolution (MLS)
Semifinals: 3-2 (AET) road win at FC Cincinnati (USL)

Sporting Kansas City Open Cup records
Overall: 25-13-6 (4-2 PK) | Home: 18-7-2 (2-0 PK) | Away: 7-6-4 (2-2 PK) | vs. MLS: 11-8-3 (3-0 PK)
Last entry: 2016 (Lost 3-1 at Houston Dynamo of MLS in Round of 16)
Best finish: 2004, 2012, 2015 champions
Leading goalscorer: Four players tied with 2 (Blessing, Fernandes, Opara, Salloi)

How they got here
Round 4: 4-0 home win vs. Minnesota United (MLS)
Round 5: 2-0 road win at Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Quarterfinals: 3-0 (AET) home win vs. FC Dallas (MLS)
Semifinals: 1-1 home draw (5-4 PK win) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)

US Open Cup Final history:

* A list of every US Open Cup Final (1914-present)
* US Open Cup Final All-Time Goalscorers
* 1923 US Open Cup Final: Paterson FC claims New Jersey’s “tainted” first title
* 2004 US Open Cup: How Sporting Kansas City won their first Dewar Cup

#USOC2017 coverage:

* 2017 TheCup.us Player of the Round winnners
* 2017 US Open Cup bracket (TheCup.us)
* 2017 US Open Cup statistical leaders
* A map of all 99 entries for the 2017 US Open Cup
* 2017 Meet the Underdogs series
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 2 review: 14 more teams advance as Round 3 moved to next year
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1: Scores and recaps from every game

#USOC2018 qualifying coverage

* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying begins this weekend (Sept. 23-24)
* Which NPSL teams will qualify for 2018 US Open Cup?
* Which PDL teams will play in the 2018 US Open Cup?

MORE:

* Cincinnati’s forgotten US Open Cup history
* 2017 US Open Cup Final will be broadcast live on ESPN networks
* California Clasico isn’t new: North has battled South in US Open Cup since 1950s
* Who is the US Open Cup equivalent to Lincoln City FC and their magical FA Cup run?
* Eric Wynalda hired to lead LA Wolves for 2017 US Open Cup run
* Reading United qualifies for record 9th straight US Open Cup, seeking more than an opening round win
* Biggest USOC controversies of last 100 years, Part 1: The Soccer War, boycotts, the ultimate sister kiss and more
* Biggest USOC controversies, Part 2: NASL bails, World Cup tickets, buying home field and more

* Support TheCup.us: New Del Rey City jerseys available for purchase
* Appreciate what we do at TheCup.us? Donate here
* TheCup.us is looking for writers/editors, graphics, WordPress gurus & people who can handle digital ad sales (paid position). Email us here

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2017 US Open Cup Semifinals: Sporting KC edge Earthquakes in PKs to reach third final in six years

August 10, 2017 by Alan Hainkel

Sporting KC players celebrate after defeating the San Jose Earthquakes in a PK shootout in the 2017 US Open Cup Semifinals. Photo: Sporting KC

For the third time in the last six years, Sporting Kansas City has advanced to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final, defeating the San Jose Earthquakes 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. A Modern Era record crowd of 16,193 at Children’s Mercy Park watched the home team not only earn a fourth all-time trip to the championship game, but Sporting will host the 104th U.S. Open Cup Final on Sept. 20.

After the match, manager Peter Vermes talked about why the club seems to have continued success in the competition.

Tim Melia of Sporting KC makes a save in the PK shootout against the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2017 US Open Cup Semifinals. Photo: Sporting KC

“I think every team in the league takes it serious, whichever competition we’re talking about, they all take it seriously,” Vermes said. “The difference is, do they win? I think there’s something to be said about – we use different players, we change things up and everybody contributes. That’s a really, really special aspect, and I’ll quote Benny (Feilhaber). After the game, he’s walking by me, and I can see that he’s a little frustrated that he didn’t score his penalty. I said, ‘hey, don’t worry about it, we won.’ He goes, ‘That’s what a team is, that’s why a team can win things and not just individual players.’ Our guys believe that. It’s one of our core values, team first.”

The Earthquakes struck first in the fourth minute on a strike from Danny Hoesen with an assist from Vako. It was Vako’s 40-yard through ball that put Hoesen in behind defender Ike Opara. Hoesen ran down to the top of the penalty area before cutting back to his right before putting a shot past goalkeeper Tim Melia and inside the far post.

COOL. CALM. COLLECTED. 1-0.#ForwardAsOne | #USOC2017 pic.twitter.com/8JocwFqv5F

— San Jose Earthquakes (@SJEarthquakes) August 10, 2017

Sporting KC controlled possession for most of the first half, finishing with 74% of the possession by halftime, and it paid off in the 32nd minute. In an 18-pass sequence, where every player on the pitch except Melia touched the ball, ended with defender Jimmy Medranda in the penalty area. Medranda crossed it to forward Diego Rubio who first-timed it past goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell at close range.

After an 18-pass sequence, @SportingKC find their equalizer. #USOC2017 #SKCvSJ pic.twitter.com/unD05hYKva — Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 10, 2017

Vermes was asked if the team had been a bit off after giving up the early goal.

“Actually, no,” Vermes said. “I thought we were playing really well. I thought they caught us on the counter. I’m not going to say that we were sleeping or whatever, sometimes you have to credit somebody for doing something that is really good. I thought that Hoesen made a really good play and had a great finish. But I go back to the key to me is how we responded and the maturity that we showed in the game to not lose ourselves and to basically chip away, chip away, chip away. The goal we scored was tremendous, we had 18 passes leading up to the goal. It was almost like a passing pattern that we do in training. It was just a fantastic finish, shoot we could have scored I don’t know how many more goals. Great character by the group.”

Sporting KC’s defense put in their usual blue-collar performance. They limited San Jose to 11 total shots, only three of which were on target. Melia, in 420 minutes of play in this year’s tournament has only allowed one goal from the run of play. The club also controlled the possession battle, keeping the ball 67.6% of the game.

All of this lead up to the penalty kick shootout after extra time. Benny Feilhaber, the team’s regular penalty taker went first and Tarbell saved the attempt. Chris Wondolowski, San Jose’s all-time leader in Open Cup goals, went first for the Earthquakes and Melia saved his effort.

Melia was asked after the match on what effect his save had on the rest of the team. “I just think it helped our confidence a little bit going into the next rounds of shooting,” Melia said. “Benny is the guy that I would bet the most on making a penalty, he’s allowed to miss one and fortunately we were able to win. So I think it was just the little confidence boost that we needed to get us through the rest of the shootout.”

After both teams missed in the first round, the clubs traded goals in each of the next four rounds to force sudden death. Defender Matt Besler went in the sixth round for Sporting KC and converted his attempt, forcing San Jose’s Victor Bernardez to convert to continue the shootout. It was not to be as Melia saved that shot as well to improve to 4-0 all-time in shootouts in his career.

Melia was asked about the goalkeeper duel after the match. Melia said, “I told him right before the penalties that I thought he had an excellent game and he kept his team in it and he got his team to that point and it was my job to take it away from him.”

Sporting KC, who have a seven-game tournament unbeaten streak at home, will host the winner of the other Semifinal between the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati. That game will be played on Aug. 15 at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. The Final will take place at Children’s Mercy Park on Sept. 20.

2017 US Open Cup Semifinals live video: Sporting KC, Earthquakes on different paths to Final

August 2, 2017 by Alan Hainkel

San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Wednesday, Aug. 9 – 8:30 p.m. EST
Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, KS
IF KC wins … they will host FC Cincinnati / NY Red Bulls winner
IF SJ wins … they will play at FC Cincinnati / NY Red Bulls winner

BROADCAST: Online video (above)

Links to full #USOC2017 coverage located at the bottom

If you had to pick an image to describe the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal match-up between Sporting Kansas City and the San Jose Earthquakes, you would be hard pressed to find a better one than two trains approaching each other on the same track from opposite directions.

On the one hand, Sporting Kansas City has been at or near the top of the MLS Western Conference standings for most of the season. They’re currently on a nine-match unbeaten streak and are looking for their third Open Cup title in the last six seasons and the fourth overall. In fact, if they are able to reach the championship game, they would join a select club as just the 15th team in the history of the tournament to play in four finals.

On the other, the San Jose Earthquakes, currently sixth in the conference standings, have had more than their share of struggles this season. It was bad enough the Quakes fired head coach Dominic Kinnear and assistant John Spencer at the end of June, although the timing was a bit odd, coming the day after the club’s 2-1 home win over Real Salt Lake. The Quakes are also in search of their first Open Cup final appearance.

This will be the third time the clubs will have played this season. In the first match at Children’s Mercy Park on March 18, it was an own goal by Quakes goalkeeper David Bingham that was the difference in Sporting KC’s 2-1 victory. That error in the 89th minute proved to be too much to overcome, even as San Jose midfielder Florian Jungwirth slotted home in second half stoppage time.

In the return match at Avaya Stadium on June 17, a depleted Quakes side managed a scoreless draw, despite getting outshot 10-0. Benny Feilhaber hit the post and Cordell Cato cleared a Roger Espinoza header off the line.

It would also be fair to say both teams will have to come up with different game plans from that last tilt. Sporting KC is without the recently-traded Dom Dwyer, while the four San Jose regulars who were either injured or suspended for the last game (Florian Jungwirth, Darwin Ceren, Marco Urena and Fatai Alashe) should all be available for selection by interim head coach Chris Leitch.

While Dwyer was Sporting KC’s all-time leading scorer in the Open Cup with six (including four in one match against FC Dallas in 2015), they are not without proven ability in the tournament. Soony Saad is the current active leader with four goals in Open Cup play.

San Jose, on the other hand, does have their all-time leading scorer when it comes to this competition. Forward Chris Wondolowski has six goals in the competition, including four in a Quakes kit.

One factor that cannot be ignored has to be the home-field advantage enjoyed by Sporting KC. They currently own a 21-match home unbeaten streak in league play, their last loss coming against DC United on May 27, 2016.

Their luck at home in Open Cup play is just as good. From 2011 (Children’s Mercy Park’s first season) to 2015, they played 14 of their 16 Cup matches at home. Both of those road matches were victories over the Philadelphia Union (2-0 in 2012 semifinal, 7-6 in penalties in 2015 final after 1-1 draw). In those home matches, they are 9-3-2 (2-0 in PKs), including winners of their last six. Last season, they played both matches on the road and fell to Houston in Round 5.

Danny Hoesen of the San Jose Earthquakes strikes a pose after scoring the third goal of the game (his second of the tournament) against the LA Galaxy in the Quarterfinals of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: ISI Photos | San Jose Earthquakes

One part of that home-field success is Sporting KC’s fanbase. In league play, they have sold out Children’s Mercy Park in 99 straight matches. The Open Cup is no exception. Sporting KC also is the current Modern Era record-holder for semifinal attendance. In 2015, a 3-1 victory over Real Salt Lake, 16,117 fans came through the gates.

San Jose, however, has found success in Kansas City. On Aug. 19, 2015, San Jose entered then-Sporting Park and came away with a 5-0 victory. Chris Wondolowski had a brace in that game. Shea Salinas, Quincy Amarikwa and David Bingham are other current members of the club who played in that match.

The Quakes are on a historic Cup run as far as their club is concerned. Entering the 2017 competition, San Jose had never beaten an MLS side in tournament play. They were 0-7-3 (0-3 in PKs). This season, they’ve beaten reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle, as well as their rivals to the south, the Los Angeles Galaxy. This is also the first tournament in which they’ve won three games. In their only other semifinal appearance, they only needed two wins to advance to the final four.

To reach this point in the competition, San Jose defeated the San Francisco Deltas (NASL) 2-0 at home, Seattle Sounders 2-1 at home and the Los Angeles Galaxy 3-2 at home.

Sporting KC defeated Minnesota United 3-0 at home, Houston 2-0 on the road and FC Dallas 3-0 (AET) at home.

The players to watch are pretty self-explanatory at this point. Sporting KC will need to keep an eye on Wondolowski. At 34, he’s turning into the wily veteran who knows how defenses will attempt to play him and how to beat them.

Sporting KC’s defense is the home side’s X-factor. They have yet to give up a goal in 300 minutes of play in this year’s tournament. Goalkeeper Tim Melia is having a great year and has 12 clean sheets across all competitions this season.

If Sporting Kansas City advance to the final, they will host the winner of the match between the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati at Children’s Mercy Park. If San Jose were to prevail, they would travel to the winner of the other semifinal, which will be played on Tuesday, Aug. 15, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati.

San Jose Earthquakes Open Cup records
Overall: 14-10-6 (3-3 PK) | Home: 7-5-2 (1-1 PK) | Away: 7-5-3 (2-1 PK) | vs. MLS: 2-7-3 (0-3 PK)
Last entry: 2016 (Lost 2-0 at Portland Timbers of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2004 Semifinals (Lost 1-0 at Kansas City Wizards of MLS)
Leading goalscorer: Chris Wondolowski & Danny Hoesen – 2

How they got here
Round 4: 2-0 home win vs. San Francisco Deltas (NASL)
Round 5: 2-1 home win vs. Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
Quarterfinals: 3-2 home win vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)

Sporting Kansas City Open Cup records
Overall: 25-13-5 (3-2 PK) | Home: 18-7-1 (1-0 PK) | Away: 7-6-4 (2-2 PK) | vs. MLS: 11-8-2 (2-0 PK)
Last entry: 2016 (Lost 3-1 at Houston Dynamo of MLS in Round of 16)
Best finish: 2004, 2012, 2015 champions
Leading goalscorer: Four players tied with 2 (Blessing, Fernandes, Opara, Salloi)

How they got here
Round 4: 4-0 home win vs. Minnesota United (MLS)
Round 5: 2-0 road win at Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Quarterfinals: 3-0 (AET) home win vs. FC Dallas (MLS)

#USOC2017 coverage:

Quarterfinals
* Wondolowski’s brace gives Earthquakes first USOC win over rival Galaxy
* Inspired Sporting KC explode in OT to dethrone FC Dallas
* BWP scores late winner as Red Bulls edge 10-man Revolution
* Djiby Fall’s historic winner, FC Cincinnati’s historic defense blanks Miami FC, 1-0

* 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup schedule, results
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 1 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 2 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 3 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 4 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Round of 16 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Quarterfinal review

* 2017 TheCup.us Player of the Round winnners
* 2017 US Open Cup bracket (TheCup.us)
* 2017 US Open Cup statistical leaders
* A map of all 99 entries for the 2017 US Open Cup
* 2017 Meet the Underdogs series
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 2 review: 14 more teams advance as Round 3 moved to next year
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1: Scores and recaps from every game