Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Gerald Barnhart

2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Richmond Kickers at Sporting KC Preview

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QUARTERFINAL ROUND

Richmond Kickers at Sporting Kansas City
LiveStrong Sporting Park – Kansas City, Kan.
July 12 – 8:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: TBA

Richmond Kickers

Founded in 1993, the club is one of two USL teams (the other being the Rochester Rhinos) 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 in USL PDL, 2006 and 2009in USL-2/USL Pro) 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 [+]

Third Round: Richmond Kickers (USL Pro) 2:1 Columbus Crew (MLS)
The Kickers defeated an MLS club on the road in the US Open Cup for the first time. Former Crew player Stanley Nyazamba set up the opener by sending the ball to the top of the box, where Nozomi Hiroyama sent a bending ball into the back of the net. Columbus rookie Justin Meram helped level the score in the 37th minute when he broke into the box and found fellow rookie Cole Grossman at the far post for his first professional goal. The 67th minute proved to be an important turning poin,t as the Crew dodged a bullet when a Matthew Delicate header hit the post and was cleared by the Columbus defense. Moments later though, Danny O’Rourke was sent off after he retaliated on some physical play. Five minutes from time, Delicate would find the winner against the shorthanded Crew on a diving header. Recap [+]

Path to Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

This Month in USL Pro: Richmond’s rough midseason stretch was compounded with a congested two-week league campaign that has seen them play four times. They opened the month with a 2-1 loss July 1 in Rochester with their only tally coming courtesy of a Rhinos own goal. They returned home for a Fourth of July celebration, rallying from an early Dayton penalty to top the Dutch Lions 3-1. David Bulow set up Ryan Heins for the equalizer and notched the winner himself from the spot before Edson Elcock secured the win. The Kickers then played a home-away series against Charlotte, falling to the Eagles in Richmond 2-1 on a stormy night July 8 despite Yomby William scoring the opener. The next night in Charlotte Luke Vervollone and Elcock broke a scoreless deadlock in the second half en route to a 2-1 road win.

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  USISL Premier (now the 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. 2011 marks the fourth time the club has reached the Quarterfinals (2001, 2004, 2007, 2011) in 14 appearances, defeating MLS clubs three times. Aside from this year’s upset of the Crew, 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 Los Angeles Galaxy weeks before David Beckham’s arrival, but were eliminated by the Second Division Carolina RailHawks in the Quarterfinals, 1-0.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 21-11-1 (1-0 in PKs) overall | 4-8-0 vs. MLS | 1st meeting vs. Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City

Third Round: Chicago Fire PDL (USL PDL) 0:3 Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
A former rival of the Chicago Fire PDL team, Teal Bunbury got the hosts off to an early lead against the development side with a strike just three minutes in. Chicago would keep the game close though, before back-to-back second half goals put the match out of reach. Milos Stojcev tallied in the 58th, with Kei Kamara finding the back of the net again a minute later. Recap [+]

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 the overtime game-winner 1-0 at Houston on April 6. 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.

Special Note: Sporting KC has not lost in 10 MLS league play matches (4-0-6) since qualifying for the tournament with its first home game of the year, although at an alternate venue.

This Month in MLS: Sporting Kansas City has been a busy club since winning its US Open Cup opener at the new Livestrong Sporting Park, playing three league contests. The team kicked the month off July 2 in Portland with a 2-1 victory over the Timbers. CJ Sapong tallied first in the 15th minute and helped set up Aurelien Collin four minutes later, which proved to be the winner. They returned home for a 1-1 midweek draw July 6 against the Colorado Rapids, on a 62nd minute equalizer from Graham Zusi. The club heads into the Quarterfinal contest with a second consecutive 1-1 draw, coming from behind again with Omar Bravo scoring an equalizer three minutes into stoppage time to secure a point at home against Chivas USA.
Last Five: D-D-W-W-D | Season Record: 5-6-7 (2-0-3 Home), Tied for fifth in Eastern Conference, Tied for 10th 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 the 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. On the occasions they made the quarterfinals they advanced no further, falling to the USL version of the Seattle Sounders in 2008, then to the MLS version the next year. The team was upset the only other time they faced a 3rd division team, as San Francisco Bay Seals prevailed 2-1.
PRO ERA RECORD: 11-9-3 (1-2 in PKs) | 0-1-0 vs. 3rd Division | 1st meeting vs. Richmond Kickers

2011 US Open Cup Semifinal Scenarios

Chicago Fire / NY Red Bulls at Sporting Kansas City
8:30 p.m. – LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.
OR
Richmond Kickers at Chicago Fire
8:30 p.m. – Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill.
OR
Richmond Kickers at New York Red Bulls
8:00 p.m. – Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J.

2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: New York Red Bulls at Chicago Fire Preview

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UPDATE: Due to power outages at Toyota Park, tonight’s Quarterfinal match vs. New York Red Bulls has been moved to a 6 p.m. ET kickoff (5 p.m. local time). Tickets and parking for the match are free and the broadcast is still on. TheCup.us Live Blog will now start at 5:30 p.m. ET.

QUARTERFINAL ROUND

New York Red Bulls at Chicago Fire
Toyota Park – Bridgeview, Ill.
July 12 – 6 p.m. ET
Broadcast: Chicago-Fire.com (Video)

New York Red Bulls

Third Round: FC New York (USL Pro) 1:2 New York Red Bulls (MLS)
Scoreless through the first half of the local derby, the Red Bulls found themselves surprisingly trailing at the 56th minute mark. Two minutes later Juan Agudelo found Corey Hertzog to quickly level terms. Defender Tim Ream would set up John Rooney for the winner in the 65th minute. Recap [+]

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: The month started off well for New York, posting a 2-2 draw in California July 2 against San Jose on a pair of Joel Lindpere strikes. They then dominated Toronto FC in a stunning 5-0 thumping July 6. Jan Gunnar Solli set up Thierry Henry and Luke Rodgers in the first half with Joel Lindpere advancing the lead to three in the second half before setting up a pair of Juan Agudelo strikes to complete the contest. On Saturday though, it was all about the recent trade as former Red Bull Dwayne De Rosario burning New York just after the hour mark to give DC the 1-0 road win.
Last Five: L-W-D-D-L | Season record: 6-4-10 (1-2-7 Away), tied for first place in Eastern Conference, tied for fifth overall.

Open Cup History: The Red Bulls have come close early in their history, with trips to the Semifinals in 1997, 1998 and 2000, but have never won the US Open Cup. The closest they came was in 2003 when they lost to the Chicago Fire in their only trip to the championship game. Since then, it’s been a series of short runs in the tournament, with a 1-5 record the last five times they have qualified. New York did not qualify in 2007 or 2009. New York is 3-2-1 all-time in Quarterfinal matches, with Five of the Red Bulls’ six Quarterfinal matches have been against MLS clubs. This is their second match against Chicago, the other being the 2003 final loss.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 13-12-1 (1-0 in PKs) | 5-6-1 (1-0 in PKs) vs. MLS teams | 0-1-0 vs. Chicago (2003 Final)

Chicago Fire

Third Round: Chicago Fire (MLS) 1:0 Rochester Rhinos (USL Pro)
The only MLS club on the road for the Third Round, the Fire faced a tight one against giant-killer Rochester and came away with a narrow 1-0 win. Diego Chavez created the play that led to his goal, feeding Corben Bone the ball in the 37th minute. Bone drove past a defender and let loose a shot that the goalkeeper knocked away. The rebound popped up into the center of the box where Alfonso Motagalvan tried to clear on the volley only to see it skim off the side of his shin and fall to Chaves, who fired a low ball into inside the right post from 18 yards. Recap [+]

How They Qualified: Seeded fourth overall, the Fire opened the play-in tournament in the second round of the western bracket of MLS qualifying. They defeated the defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids March 30 with a 2-1 victory. Gaston Puerari, who was recently sold to Atlas (Mexico), scored the opening goal moments before the break, with Andre Akpan answering back in early in the second stanza. In the haze remaining from flares set off at the hour
mark, defender Jalil Anibaba let loose a shocking 45-yard strike that surprised the keeper and proved to be the winner. Trailing San Jose by two goals in the finale for the bracket, Chicago’s Orr Barouch pulled a goal back in the 61st and Yamith Cuesta leveled terms in the 76th, sending the match to penalties, where two Earthquakes rang shots off the crossbar in a 5-4 decision to send the Fire to the Open Cup.

This Month in MLS: The Fire have struggled to find some offense in the two weeks of league play since the Third Round, playing to a 1-1 draw July 2 on the road versus Chivas USA with Dominic Oduro netting the opener. The result in their second consecutive at the Home Depot Center did not get any better against the Galaxy Saturday. Cristian Nazarit leveled the score in the 58th minute, four minutes after Landon Donovan’s opener, only to see David Beckham hit for a winner three minutes later.
Last Five: L-D-D-D-D | Season Record: 2-5-12 (1-1-6 Home), tied for seventh in Eastern Conference, tied for 14th overall.

Open Cup History: The Fire are one of the most successful Pro Era teams, winning the Cup four times (1998, 2000, 2003 against the New York MetroStars, 2006) and finishing runner-up in 2004. The team has qualified for the Open Cup every year since their founding in 1998. However, since the 2006 Cup title, the team entered this year having only won one game in the tournament since, going 1-3-1 (0-1 in PKs). The Fire are 5-1-2 all-time in Quarterfinal matches and haven’t played a Quarterfinal game at Toyota Park since 2006, when they defeated New England 2-1.
PRO ERA RECORD: 26-8-3 (2-1 in PKs) | 15-4-1 (1-0 in PKs) vs. MLS teams | 1-0-0 vs. New York (2003 Final)

Head to Head 2011
The two teams drew 1-1 in Toyota Park on June 26. Chicago will travel to Red Bull Arena on August 13.

2011 US Open Cup Semifinal Scenarios

Chicago Fire / NY Red Bulls at Sporting Kansas City
8:30 p.m. – LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.
OR
Richmond Kickers at Chicago Fire
8:30 p.m. – Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill.
OR
Richmond Kickers at New York Red Bulls
8:00 p.m. – Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J.

2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Real Salt Lake at FC Dallas Preview

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QUARTERFINAL ROUND

Real Salt Lake at FC Dallas
Pizza Hut Park – Frisco, TX
July 12 – 9:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast: FCDallas.com (Video)

Real Salt Lake

Third Round: Wilmington Hammerheads (USL Pro) 0:2 Real Salt Lake (MLS)
Looking to book their return to the CONCACAF Champions League where they were in the Final just months prior, RSL handled the overmatched Wilmington Hammerheads with ease for a 2-0 win. It took 40 minutes to register the team’s control on the scoreboard when Tony Beltran took a pass from Jean Alexandre on the right side, beating Hammerheads goalkeeper Kyle Polak with a close angle shot to the near post, just outside the 6-yard box. Then in the 44th, Canadian international Will Johnson played in Alexandre, who worked past a defender and pulled Polak off his line to increase the lead to 2-0. It was RSL’s first Open Cup victory since 2006.  Full Recap [+]

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: In a wild Fourth of July contest, RSL kicked the month off in dramatic fashion against the New England Revolution, erasing a two-goal deficit from the first 16 minutes on a Will Johnson strike in the 24th and a penalty from Alvaro Saborio in the 56. Saborio would connect with Fabian Espindola for another equalizer in the 83rd in a 3-3 final scoreline. The team heads into the two-match league-Cup series with Dallas on a high note, blanking the Texas side 2-0 in Utah Saturday. Andy Williams netted two minutes into the second half and Espindola struck four minutes into stoppage time to rub salt in the wound.
Last Five: W-D-W-D-D | Season Record: 8-3-6 (2-2-3 Away), Fourth in Western Conference, Fourth overall.

Open Cup History: This is Real Salt Lake’s first time in the Open Cup since 2006, struggling as much in tournament qualifying as they have in the tournament itself. The team bowed out to second division Minnesota Thunder in 2005, and making the quarterfinals the next year, before bowing out to Rocky Mountain Cup rivals Colorado Rapids.The team would not make it out of qualification again since, having earned an automatic spot for this year’s tournament.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 2-2-0 | 0-1-0 vs. MLS teams

FC Dallas

Third Round: Orlando City (USL Pro) 2:3 FC Dallas (MLS)
The hosts had to work for the victory against the lower division visitors as Orlando City got the surprising lead 24 minutes in. Jackson, on an assist from Ricardo Villar, would score in the 39th minute to make it 1-1 at the break. Villar would tally himself five minutes into the second half for what looked increasingly like the winner until Orlando found an equalizer in stoppage time. But less than a minute later the stunned home crowd were sent into a frenzy when Jackson found Milton Rodriguez for the winner.  Full Recap [+]

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: Dallas took advantage of a possibly disheartened Columbus side that was coming off the Open Cup upset loss, blanking the visiting Crew 2-0 July 2 on second half goals from Brek Shea and Jackson to claim the Pioneer Cup. Dallas would meet the same fate themselves on the road though Saturday, falling 2-0 in Utah. RSL struck for two unanswered goals in the second half.
Last Five: L-W-W-W-L | Season Record: 10-5-4 (7-2-2 Home),  Third in Western Conference, Third Overall.

Open Cup History: Up to 2009, FC Dallas could claim the distinction of being the only MLS team to participate in every Pro Era Open Cup tournament since the league began in 1996. Dallas found success early in their Open Cup history, reaching the Semifinals in 1996 and winning the title on penalties over DC United in 1997. This is Dallas’ 12th Quarterfinals appearance, which is more than any MLS team in the Pro Era (1995-present). They enter Tuesday’s contest with a 5-5-1 (1-0 in PKs) all-time in Quarterfinals.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 20-12-4 (4-0 in PKs)| 5-8-2 vs. MLS teams

Head to Head 2011
The teams will be very familiar with each other, as Real Salt Lake defeated Dallas over the weekend, notching a 2-0 home win on July 9. The teams played to a scoreless draw on May 22 in Dallas.

2011 US Open Cup Semifinal Scenarios

Seattle Sounders / LA Galaxy at Real Salt Lake
9:00 pm – Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
OR
FC Dallas at Seattle Sounders
10:00 pm – Starfire Sports Stadium; Tukwila, Wash.
OR
Los Angeles Galaxy at FC Dallas
9:00 pm – Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas

2011 US Open Cup: Richmond Kickers are ‘The Last Men Standing’

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Heading into the 2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinals the Richmond Kickers are the last men standing as representatives of the lower divisions in the tournament. As the lone underdog in the Elite Eight, the club will need to defeat three top flight Major League Soccer teams in order to become the second lower division team to win the championship since the 1996 launch of MLS.

Richmond coach Leigh Cowlishaw Photo: Suz Kitsteiner

And for Richmond, that would mark the second title for a team that was the last to win the tournament beforehand, capturing the double in 1995.

The ‘Last Men Standing’ club is a small group comprised now of seven sides that have been the solitary lower division team remaining in the tournament on nine occasions with the Rochester Rhinos and Charleston Battery being the only two to achieve that status twice. All but one lost their very next game. The lone victory by a Last Men Standing team came in the 1999 Open Cup championship when the Rhinos defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-0 at Columbus Crew Stadium as the Rhinos were one of two lower division teams in the Semifinals that year along with the Battery.

DC United defeated the last two Last Men Standing clubs, topping the Rhinos in the 2009 Semifinals and the Battery in the 2008 Championship by the same 2-1 scoreline. They also lost, 2-1, in the 1997 Semifinals to the San Francisco Bay Seals, the first club to claim Last Men Standing status.

Richmond’s Quarterfinal opponent Sporting Kansas City knocked out Last Men Standing side Milwaukee Rampage in the 2000 Quarterfinals, 2-0.

Last Men Standing History

2011 – Richmond Kickers – Quarterfinals – TBD
2009 – Rochester Rhinos – Semifinals – Lost 2:1 to DC United
2008 – Charleston Battery – Final – Lost 2:1 to DC United
2005 – Minnesota Thunder – Semifinals – Lost 5:2 to LA Galaxy
2004 – Charleston Battery – Semifinals – Lost 1:0 to Chicago Fire
2002 – Milwaukee Rampage – Quarterfinals – Lost 2:0 to Kansas City Wizards
1999 – Rochester Rhinos – Final – Won 2:0 versus Colorado Rapids
1998 – Nashville Metros – Quarterfinals – Lost 5:1 to Dallas Burn
1997 – San Francisco Bay Seals – Semifinals – Lost 2:1 to DC United

The Last Men Standing – The Team

The Kickers could probably best be described as a club of consistency. They are a team comprised of a high rate of return among its roster every year and are perennial contenders for the league championship.

Richmond has reached the league final six of the last nine campaigns, winning a pair of championships. The club has missed the postseason only once since its second season in 1994. In many markets around the country, that would make the Kickers stars of the community, but in Richmond they play in the regional shadow of DC United, stealing a little bit of the limelight on occasion in the US Open Cup with victories against MLS. But even in the Open Cup that has been a difficult task as DC has reached the semifinals four of the last five years.

Richmond coach Leigh Cowlishaw, however, disputes being in DC’s shadow. “DC United has limited impact in the Richmond market,” he says. “We have always focused on creating a club structure that will lead the way as the future for US Soccer.  Regardless of how the Kickers are perceived from the outside, we continue to work toward that goal.”

The Third Round victory against Columbus made the Crew the fourth MLS club that the Kickers have upset in the tournament having previously knocked out DC (2004), Colorado (2000) and the LA Galaxy (pre-Beckham 2007). All were at home.

With DC struggling in league play for a fourth consecutive season and missing the tournament for the first time since 2002, the Kickers are poised to step fully into the spotlight of the region should they defeat Kansas City at their newly unveiled LiveStrong Sporting Park to reach the semifinals for the first time since winning the title in 1995.

As for the roster stability, five of the players who started all three Open Cup matches this year are in their third season with the club.

Goalkeeper Ronnie Pascale leads the pack in his 12th campaign with a back line consisting of Sascha Gorres (7th season), Henry Kalungi (3rd season), Yomby William (3rd season) and Luke Vercollone (4th season) in front of him.

“It always makes the coaching staff’s job much easier when we work with players who are familiar with the tactics and systems we wish to implement,” said Cowlishaw, adding “We have always focused on signing players who we know can not only excel on the field but also act as positive role models for our youth players and surrounding community.”

Among the other veteran players on the side are strikers Matthew Delicate and David Bulow, who are both in their fifth season with the team. Bulow has played in all three games, starting the first round win against Dayton and the second round victory versus Pittsburgh before coming off the bench in Columbus. Meanwhile, Delicate started the past two games after sitting out the first match.

In addition to being great players in the air, Cowlishaw noted their ability to “lead the line defensively, and most importantly have the ability to score important goals when the team needs them most” as for their importance to the team.

Bulow is coming off of tallying a goal and an assist in their last league outing, a 3-1 victory at home on July 3 against Dayton that gave the club only its second win in its last eight league contests. After opening the season 6-0-1, the team has surprisingly struggled in USL Pro action with a record of 2-4-2, registering just as many wins against their own league foes in the US Open Cup along with their surprising victory in Columbus. They face Charlotte on back-to-back nights in league play Friday and Saturday in advance of their Quarterfinal contest in Kansas City.

And don’t consider for a second that having won numerous league championships has led to the club shifting focus to the tournament as a new challenge. According to Cowlishaw, a member of the team who won the 1995 US Open Cup, priority number one remains qualifying for the USL postseason.

The coach says their “eyes are definitely more focused on securing an USL playoff spot. Unfortunately our Open Cup success along with several injuries to important players and a small squad of players has made the congested schedule difficult to manage.”

“Our mentality is the same as it has been over the previous 20 years.  We have always strived to develop teams that can on their day compete with any professional team in the country.  The squad is not designed to win a regular season championship; however, we have a small squad of players who are confident and excited about upcoming Open Cup and USL matches.”

The Last Men Standing – The Players

Bangura, Shaka:  In only his second season as a professional player, Bangura joined the Kickers after playing for the Puerto Rico Islanders in 2010 and has a goal and assist in the 2011 tournament. He tallied both in his tournament debut, a 4-1 victory against league foe Dayton in the First Round, and has appeared in all three matches thus far. Although he did not see any action in the Puerto Rico’s CONCACAF Champions League campaign a year ago, he made 14 appearances in league play as a rookie.

Bulow, David: The striker is quickly becoming a rising star not only in the current edition of the tournament with five goals, but also for the Professional Era (1995-present), sitting level with Jaime Moreno and Johnny Menyongar with 13 at the top of the goal scoring table. This is the fourth tournament which he has scored in playing for Richmond (2007, 08 & 09) and the sixth overall having also scored for the Cape Cod Crusaders (3 in 2004 & 2 in 2006).

Burke, Michael: Likely only to be seen patrolling the sidelines as an assistant, the longtime midfielder is still on the roster and could be used in the future should an emergency arise. He has been with the club since 2000, scoring his lone Kickers Open Cup goal in 2001. He also tallied once in the 1999 tournament for the Charleston Battery.

Callahan, Michael: He is in his first season with Richmond, but has plenty of US Open Cup experience from six appearances in the last two years of the tournament while playing for the Austin Aztex.

Delicate, Matthew: Tied for eighth on the Professional Era goal scoring list for the tournament with nine goals, Delicate is having his best tournament statistically with three tallies in two appearances after sitting out the First Round match. The striker scored two goals in last year’s Open Cup campaign and also in the 2007 campaign while playing for Rochester, whom he also tallied one for in 2006. A product of the club’s former PDL team (2003-04), he spent two seasons in Richmond before spending three with the Rhinos prior to returning.

Dos Santos, Gerson: In his third season with the club, Dos Santos has played in the tournament the past two years, but has yet to make an appearance in 2011 after suffering an injury June 17 versus Harrisburg. He is slated to return to the squad soon.

1995 US Open Cup champions: Richmond Kickers
After playing the El Paso Patriots to a 1-1 draw, the Richmond Kickers captured the 1995 US Open Cup title by defeating the Patriots on penalty kicks 4-2. Photo: Richmond Kickers

Elcock, Edson: The striker has become a regular for the Kickers in the Open Cup, setting up two goals in three appearances this year and playing in two contests a year ago. He joined the club in 2009 after stints with the Kansas City Wizards and Puerto Rico Islanders, but made his first appearance in the tournament in 2006 with the Virginia Beach Submariners in the PDL, playing in a first round loss to Wilmington.

Foglesong, Robert: In his second season as a professional, the midfielder has played in one Open Cup match this season after making two appearances a year ago.

Gorres, Sascha:  A member of the team since 2005, Gorres has been a staple in the club’s lineup for years. He played in two games last year and has seen action in all three this year. He is one of four players on the squad with two assists in the Open Cup campaign.

Harding, Evan: With the club up 3-1 in the Second Round versus Pittsburgh, Harding came on for only his second appearance overall on the season having only played one minute in the regular season prior to a halftime insertion July 3. The defender has been with the club since 2007.

Heins, Ryan: Heins has had a limited role in the Open Cup campaign with one appearance in his first year with the team despite being a regular in league play. He spent the past three seasons in Rochester, registering his lone Open Cup goal in 2009. He also played in the tournament for Harrisburg in 2008 as well as in three tournaments (2004, 05, 07) while playing for the PDL’s Ocean City Nor’easters (formerly Barons).

Hertel, Dave: In his second season with the club, the midfielder has made two appearances for the Kickers in the last two Open Cup campaigns. He also played in the tournament in 2008 as a member of the Michigan Bucks in the PDL.

Hiroyama, Nozomi: New to the American game, the midfielder has made two appearances in the tournament and scored the opening goal of the club’s 2-1 victory in Columbus in the Third Round.

Kalungi, Henry: In his third season with the club, the defender has increasingly become a part of the team’s Open Cup campaigns. He has played in all three matches this year after making two appearances in 2010 and one in 2009. His tournament debut, ironically came against Richmond in 2008 as a member of the Fredericksburg Gunners in a 3-0 first round loss.

MacKenzie, Ross: Though the midfielder has seen limited action in league play, he has made the most of two appearances in the Open Cup with a pair of assists. In his third year with the team, he previously made an appearance in the 2009 tournament for the Kickers and made his Open Cup debut in 2008, coming off the bench for the Carolina RailHawks.

Nyazamba, Stanley: One of four players on the team with two assists, the midfielder has played in all three games in the tournament this year in his return to the club for the first time since 2008 when he played in two Open Cup matches. He spent 2009 with the Columbus Crew, who he tallied one of the assists against, and made an appearance in the tournament last year while playing for FC Tampa Bay.

Pascale, Ronnie: A member of the team since 2000, Pascale has been the number one netminder for the club since 2002 and has stepped aside on very few occasions in league and Open Cup play. He has played every minute of the 2011 Open Cup campaign, allowing only one goal per game with one coming via the penalty spot.

Vercollone, Luke: A veteran professional that has played with the Kickers since 2008 after two years with Charleston Battery, the defender has played in all three Open Cup games so far this year, marking his sixth consecutive year of playing in the tournament. He scored two goals for the Battery in their 2007 Quarterfinal run.

Wallace, Jamel: Despite limited time in the lineup on the season, Wallace has made two starts in the tournament, including against Columbus in the Third Round. He also played in the Open Cup a year ago with the Kitsap Pumas.

William, Yomby: One of the leaders on the club, the defender has played in all three games of the current Open Cup campaign and made appearances in his previous two seasons with the Kickers. The defender developed his tournament acumen with the Puerto Rico Islanders in 2008, coming off the bench in the first leg of their Preliminary Round series of the CONCACAF Champions League in Costa Rica. He would go on to start in five of the six group stage matches as the Islanders advanced to the CCL Quarterfinals. He joined the Islanders on a transfer from Kansas City, where he did not make a first team appearance with the club despite being the 23rd overall pick by the then-named Wizards.

2011 US Open Cup: Semifinal host scenarios unveiled

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The United States Soccer Federation announced the pairing and hosting scenarios for the 2011 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Semifinals Thursday, unveiling that Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City would host the winners from the opposite side of their bracket with victories in the Quarterfinals.

The USSF also officially revealed a schedule change for the Quarterfinals. The contest between the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles Galaxy was moved back one day to July 13 with the three other matches remaining on July 12.

The lone remaining lower division club Richmond Kickers learned that it will face another contest on the road should they register a second consecutive upset over an MLS team. The Kickers, currently coming off a road victory against the Columbus Crew, will travel to play either the Chicago Fire or New York Red Bulls if they defeat Kansas City.

The Kickers and the Galaxy are the only two clubs that are guaranteed to play away from home. The Galaxy will travel to play the winner of the quarterfinal between RSL and FC Dallas.

Of the six potential 2011 semifinal hosts, the Sounders will be the only club slated to utilize an alternate venue from league play. Seattle also played both semifinals in 2009 and 2010 at the Starfire Sports Complex en route to winning the championship.

Should the Red Bulls and Kickers fall Tuesday, it would mark only the third time in the Professional Era in which no club from the Eastern Time Zone advanced to the semifinals of the tournament. Dallas and the Galaxy were both members of the final four the previous two times in 2002 and 2005.

2011 Semifinal Host Scenarios – August 30

Chicago Fire / NY Red Bulls at Sporting Kansas City
8:30 pm – LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.
OR
Richmond Kickers at Chicago Fire
8:30 pm – Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill.
OR
Richmond Kickers at New York Red Bulls
8:00 pm – Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J.
———————————————————————
Seattle Sounders / LA Galaxy at Real Salt Lake
9:00 pm – Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
OR
FC Dallas at Seattle Sounders
10:00 pm – Starfire Sports Stadium; Tukwila, Wash.
OR
Los Angeles Galaxy at FC Dallas
9:00 pm – Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas

^All times ET. Schedule subject to change

2011 US Open Cup Third Round: Michael Fucito finds spotlight for Sounders, earns TheCup.us Player of the Round honor

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For three years Michael Fucito has been buried deep in the Seattle Sounders depth charts behind numerous star strikers, seeing very limited time on the field. In the Third Round Tuesday night he made his US Open Cup debut and scored both Sounders goals in a 2-1 victory, feeling the limelight many of his teammates have experienced the past two years.

Fucito earned the honor in a two-person race with Matthew Delicate, who led the Richmond Kickers to the lone upset in the Third Round. The Player of the Round award is voted on by the staff of the definitive US Open Cup site TheCup.us and a selected panel of members of the North American Soccer Reporters, which also selects the MLS Player of the Week.

Photo: Seattle Sounders

The Harvard graduate has had to show an enormous amount of patience in his young career, waiting for rare opportunities to step into the lineup. Those chances have typically come in situations with the club looking to rest its starters. His first year in 2009 was wiped out by the conclusion of his academic collegiate responsibilities along with injury, resulting in no appearances. In 2010, he made only four appearances during the season and tallied just one goal.

His first big break, though, came under unfortunate circumstances as the club enlisted its reserves for the CONCACAF Champions League last fall after losing its first two group contests. Fucito came off the bench in the third match, a 2-0 loss in Costa Rica, and went on to start the next three with positive results. He forced an own goal and tallied one of his own in his first pro start as they lost 3-2 in Mexico to eventual CCL champion Monterrey and went on to tally two in a 2-0 victory at home against Marathon, the club’s lone win in the group.

His success led to a postseason appearance, though under trying circumstances again coming off the bench in the second leg as the team trailed by three goals versus the LA Galaxy.

After only playing 483 minutes in nine appearances (six starts) so far this season, Fucito finally may be ahead of the curve, starting in the club’s first game of a quest to three-peat.

Facing the local Kitsap Pumas who ventured across the Puget Sound via ferry, the Sounders found a new Open Cup hero courtesy of its previous one. Continual pressure from the top flight club finally found a result in the 39th minute when Nate Jaqua, who scored five goals in the three previous Open Cup games at Starfire Sports Stadium the past two years, knocked the ball down for Fucito.

Rushing into the box, Fucito left his feet to send the volley from the left corner of the area inside the right post for the opening marker.

Fucito would double the advantage in the 62nd minute by dancing through the Kitsap defense and around the goalkeeper, 2011 Sounders draft pick Bryan Meredith, before finding the back of the net. He started the play with the ball in the upper left corner of the box again, beating a defender and then Meredith, who had come well out on the play, in the center of the 18 before letting loose what proved to be the game-winner. The player of the game would leave the contest six minutes later in favor of defender Jeff Parke.

Fucito’s honor marks the sixth time in the past three tournaments in which a Sounder has been recognized as TheCup.us Player of the Round. Only three other players have managed to knock Seattle from the spotlight in their nine rounds of play thus far. Jaqua was honored in the Quarterfinals and Semifinals with two-goal performances with Sanna Nyassi taking the honor with two strikes in the Final. In 2009 it was Sebastien Le Toux in the Semifinals and Fredy Montero in the Championship.

2011 US Open Cup Third Round Recap: Richmond Kickers post lone upset on night of close contests

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Photo: Columbus Crew

With what is arguably a contingent of the hottest teams currently in Major League Soccer taking the pitch Tuesday night for the Third Round of the US Open Cup, the top flight saw seven of the eight clubs advance to the Quarterfinals for the first time under the current format since it was introduced initially in 2002 before returning permanently in 2007.

On a night in which it was the first time no game in the Round of 16 went to overtime, the tally of seven also marked a high for the league since it comprised the full field in the 2006 US Open Cup Quarterfinals. The league had six teams among the final eight a year ago.

It is only the fifth time in 15 years of the tournament MLS has had at least seven remaining at the quarterfinal stage, hitting the mark in 2002 and 1998 and also previously sweeping the field in 2000 as well as 2006. There are two clubs that have been a part of all five of these high-percentage MLS fields: New York and Dallas. While both have changed names since their early years, they were among the field of at least seven on each of the previous four occasions. The Red Bulls earned a narrow 2-1 victory against their local lower division rivals and FC Dallas nabbed a last-second 3-2 win in a thrilling finish.

The lone exception on a night filled with close contests and dramatic finishes was the defeat suffered by the Columbus Crew at the hands of the Richmond Kickers, who registered their 4th upset over an MLS team in the tournament since winning it in 1995, the beginning of the Professional Era of the tournament.

Overall, despite the losses it was a respectable evening for USL as only two of the seven defeats were by more than one goal and they led in three. One of those two multi-goal losses was the amateur Chicago Fire PDL side and the other the Wilmington Hammerheads, who had a vast trip crossing three-quarters of the country and experiencing a significant elevation change in playing at Real Salt Lake.

FC New York 1:2 New York Red Bulls – Recap [+]

One of four MLS clubs to fall behind on the night, the Red Bulls rallied with two unanswered as US international Gold Cup returnees Juan Agudelo and Tim Ream played key roles as Corey Hertzog equalized and John Rooney hit the winner. TheCup.us Match MVP: John Rooney

Chicago Fire 1:0 Rochester Rhinos – Recap [+]

The Rhinos’ nine-game unbeaten streak (7-0-2, PK 2-0) at home came to an end with the 37th minute strike from Diego Chaves, also giving the Fire their first regulation win in three tries in Rochester. TheCup.us Match MVP: Diego Chaves

Richmond Kickers 2:1 Columbus Crew– Recap [+]

A Matthew Delicate diving header five minutes from time proved the difference as the Kickers finished the night as the only remaining lower division club. TheCup.us Match MVP: Matthew Delicate

Chicago Fire PDL 0:3 Sporting Kansas City – Recap [+]

Three different scorers gave Sporting KC its first-ever Open Cup win at its new home, two coming a minute apart in the second half. TheCup.us Match MVP: Milos Stojcev

Wilmington Hammerheads 0:2 Real Salt Lake – Recap [+]

The Hammerheads traveled a long way to see a four-minute span end the club’s run in the tournament as Jean Alexandre set up a goal and connected for one of his own in the final five minutes of the first half for the 2011 CONCACAF Champions League finalists. TheCup.us Match MVP: Jean Alexandre

Orlando City SC 2:3 FC Dallas – Recap [+]

Trailing, the lower division Orlando City thought they extended the game to overtime with a stoppage time equalizer from Yordany Alvarez only to have their hopes dashed less than a minute later with a Milton Rodriguez winner for Dallas at the other end. TheCup.us Match MVP: Jackson

Kitsap Pumas 1:2 Seattle Sounders – Recap [+]

Mike Fucito scored twice for the two-time defending champions, but it nearly proved to not be enough for Kitsap as the Pumas rallied in the Puget Sound Showdown. TheCup.us Match MVP: Mike Fucito

LA Blues 1:2 LA Galaxy – Recap [+]

The current MLS Player of the Week for his role in goal for the Galaxy for more than a half in a scoreless draw three days prior in San Jose, midfielder Mike Magee was the hero yet again with the game-winner nine minutes from time to conclude the Galaxy’s rally for the win. TheCup.us Match MVP: Mike Magee

2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinal Schedule

New York Red Bulls (MLS) at Chicago Fire (MLS)
Toyota Park – Bridgeview, Ill. – 8:30 pm ET

Richmond Kickers (USL Pro) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
LiveStrong Sporting Park – Kansas City, Kan. – 8:30 pm ET

Real Salt Lake (MLS) at FC Dallas (MLS)
Pizza Hut Park – Frisco, TX – 9:00 pm ET

Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) at Seattle Sounders (MLS)
Starfire Sports Stadium – Tukwila, Wash. – 10:00 pm ET

LINKS

2011 US Open Cup goalscoring leaders [+]
2011 US Open Cup bracket [+]
2011 US Open Cup participant map [+]
Meet the USASA: Class of 2011 [+]

2011 US Open Cup Third Round: Seattle Sounders quest for three-peat opens with 2-1 win over Kitsap Pumas

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The defending two-time US Open Cup champion Seattle Sounders grabbed a two-goal lead on a pair of Mike Fucito goals, but were unable to cruise to victory in a Puget Sound showdown against the local PDL Kitsap Pumas, who fought back in a contest that finished in a back-and-forth 2-1 decision.

Photo: Corky Trewin / SoundersFC.com

With a ninth consecutive tournament victory (in regulation or penalty kicks) over the course of three years, the MLS club made history with the longest such streak as they started their quest to become the first team to three-peat since New York Greek American Atlas, who accomplished the feat from 1967-69.  Seattle advances to the Quarterfinals to face the Los Angeles Galaxy, who are also looking for a third US Open Cup championship.

Continual pressure from the top flight club finally found a result in the 39th minute when Nate Jaqua, who scored five goals in the three previous Open Cup games at Starfire Sports Stadium the past two years, knocked the ball down for Fucito.

Fucito would double the advantage in the 62nd minute by dancing through the Kitsap defense and around the goalkeeper, 2011 Sounders draft pick Bryan Meredith, before finding the back of the net.

With Kitsap appearing to tire and a win appearing to be in hand, the Pumas dug deep and found a second breath. Leading the resurgence was former MLS number one draft pick Nik Besagno. A cross from Second Round hero Robbie Christner found Besagno for the easy finish in the 71st minute, setting up a tense finish.

Four minutes later Meredith made an excellent save, one of several on the night, to deny Miguel Montano from restoring a two-goal Sounders advantage, and then stopped Jaqua as well.

Warlen Silva had a great opportunity for an equalizer with a breakaway but missed on a brilliant chance. Meredith was forced to play the hero again, making yet another save after Osvaldo Alonso beat three tied Pumas players for a chance.

With the final seconds ticking away, Stephen Mohn sent in a cross to Silva for a final look that, symbolically, proved just a shade too high for the onrushing Brazilian.

TheCup.us Match MVP: Mike Fucito

Scoring Summary
SEA — Mike Fucito (Nate Jaqua) 39
SEA — Mike Fucito (unassisted) 62
KIT — Nikolas Besagno (Robert Christner) 71

Misconduct Summary
KIT — Taylor Hyde (caution; Reckless Tackle) 43
KIT — Dan Scott (caution; Tactical Foul) 80

Lineups

Kitsap Pumas — Bryan Meredith, Stephen Mohn, Taylor Hyde, Dan Scott, Mark Lee, Matt Friesen (David Gray 84), Nikolas Besagno, Elliott Fauske, Cameron Hepple (Tye Perdido 83), Robert Christner, Bryan Burke (Warlen Silva 69).
Substitutes Not Used: Zac Lubin, Samuel Roca, Chris Andre, Kendell McFayden.

Seattle Sounders — Terry Boss, Zach Scott, Leo Gonzalez, Taylor Graham, Michael Tetteh, David Estrada (Pat Noonan 54), Osvaldo Alonso, Mike Seamon (Servando Carrasco 85), Miguel Montano, Mike Fucito (Jeff Parke 68), Nate Jaqua.
Substitutes Not Used: Roger Levesque, Lamar Neagle, Tyson Wahl, Josh Ford.

Referee: Tyler Ploeger
Referee’s Assistants: Mike Rottersman; Jeff Hosking
4th Official: William Niccolls
Weather: Cloudy and 63 degrees
Attendance: 3,811

2011 US Open Cup Third Round: Orlando City’s hearts broken, 3-2, in frenzied finish at FC Dallas

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FC Dallas - Orlando City - 2011 Third Round
Photo: FC Dallas

Minus overtime or penalty kicks, it does not get as dramatic a finish as what Open Cup fans witnessed from Frisco’s Pizza Hut Park Tuesday night in the Third Round of the tournament. With the host Major League Soccer side FC Dallas leading the third division Orlando City, the visitors leveled the score in stoppage time only to see the home side answer back moments later nearly at the death for a 3-2 victory.

It was a head-spinning turn of events as FC Dallas looked to be headed toward a quarterfinal match against Real Salt Lake when Yordany Alvarez stunned everyone with a blast from outside the penalty area to tie the match at 2-2. It was his second attempt as goalkeeper Kevin Hartman had tipped away a shot moments before by Alvarez, who defected from the Cuban national team in 2008 and signed with the Austin Aztex, moving with much of the team to create Orlando City this offseason.
Less than a minute later though Milton Rodriguez headed a Jackson cross by Miguel Gallardo to avert a trip into overtime for the 2010 MLS Cup runners-up. It was a second effort on Jackson’s initial corner that was not cleared.

RicardoVillar scored his first career US Open Cup goal in the 50th minute. Photo: Erik Davila | FC Dallas

Orlando City, back on domestic soil after a Friday-Sunday double-dip road trip to Antigua on the weekend, had one last gasp seconds later at the other end, but were unable to find another miracle tally.

It was a heartbreaking finish for Orlando City, who had initially taken the lead in the match courtesy of USL Pro leading scorer Maxwell Griffin, who finished a great play. Midfielder Lewis Neal crossed the ball to Kevin Molina at the back post for a flick back to the center of the six, where Griffin would rise above Ugo Ihemelu for the opening strike of the game 24 minutes in.

The man who set up the winner would provide the Dallas equalizer in the 39th minute, picking up a long ball behind the defense from Ricardo Villar and placing a shot past Gallardo for a level score at the break. It was his third consecutive match with a goal in all competitions.

Five minutes into the second stanza Villar put himself on the highlight reel with a 20-yard free kick from the left side that looped inside the far post for a 2-1 Dallas lead.

TheCup.us Match MVP: Jackson

SCORING
ORL – Max Griffin (Kevin Molino) 24th min.
DAL – Jackson (Ricardo Villar) 39th min.
DAL – Ricardo Villar 50th min.
ORL – Yordany Alvarez 90+ min.
DAL – Milton Rodriguez (Jackson) 90+ min.

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
ORL – Jerome Mechack (caution; reckless foul) 59
ORL – Max Griffin (caution; reckless foul) 61
ORL – Jack Traynor (caution; reckless foul) 68
ORL –Jamie Watson (caution; tactical foul) 72

LINEUPS

FC Dallas – Kevin Hartman, Zach Loyd (Bruno Guarda 68), Ugo Ihemelu, Andrew Wiedeman, Jair Benitez, Bobby Warshaw, Andrew Jacobson (Eric Alexander 46), Ricardo Villar, Jackson, Brek Shea, Ruben Luna (Milton Rodriguez 52).
Substitutes Not Used: Chris Seitz, Moises Hernandez, Peri Marosevic, Victor Ulloa.

Orlando City SC – Miguel Gallardo, Jack Traynor (Jamie Watson 69), Demar Stewart, Rob Valentino, Jerome Mechack, Erik Ustruck, Lawrence Olum, Yordany Alvarez, Lewis Neal, Max Griffin, Kevin Molino (Dennis Chin 79).
Substitutes Not Used: Sean Kelley, Luke Boden, Justin Fojo, Charlie Campbell.

Referee: Armando Villarreal
Referee’s Assistants: Greg Boles, Jonathan Johnson
4th Official: Jorge Luna Hernandez
Attendance: 1,876
Weather: Fair, 95 degrees

2011 US Open Cup Third Round: Chicago Fire snare narrow 1-0 road win over Rochester Rhinos

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The old adage third time’s a charm proved to come true as the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer earned their first regulation victory in three US Open Cup trips to Rochester, downing the Rhinos 1-0 in the Third Round Tuesday night on a goal from Diego Chaves in the 37th minute.

Photo: Rochester Rhinos

The Fire had lost at Rochester 1-0 in 1999 during the Rhinos championship campaign and advanced via penalties 5-4 after a 1-1 draw in the 2005 Quarterfinals. More importantly, the victory ended a two-year run of being eliminated in the Third Round by lower division clubs, falling 1-0 to Wilmington Hammerheads in 2009 and being bounced in penalties 3-0 by the Charleston Battery after a scoreless draw a year ago.

It was the first loss at home in the 2011 campaign for the Rhinos, who entered the match 4-0-1 at Sahlen’s Stadium and in a three-way tie for second overall in the league table. And the game could have gone to overtime or penalties if it weren’t for the unfortunate goal.

Going back and forth in a scrappy contest with a reserve-filled Fire squad, the Rhinos saw Chaves send the ball out to the left flank to Corben Bone in the 37th minute. Bone would drive past a defender toward the box and let loose a ball that forced goalkeeper Neal Kitson to knock it away. The rebound popped up into the center of the box where Alfonso Motagalvan tried to clear on the volley only to see it skim off the side of his shin and fall to Chaves, who fired a low ball into inside the right post from 18 yards.

It was the fifth goal of the year for Chaves, who is second on the MLS season for the Fire in scoring and games started. He also set up the opening goal of the club’s 2-1 qualification victory against Colorado in the opening game of this year’s Open Cup campaign.

It was a crushing blow for the 5,558 on hand who had seen the Rhinos come up short on several chances in the first half hour. The first great opportunity came in the 16th minute when a turnover led to a Kendall Jagdeosingh chance that narrowly soared over the cross bar from 10 yards. Three minutes later goalkeeper Sean Johnson, one of the two regular starters in the lineup, stopped a dangerous Tony Donatelli cross from being finished. And striker Andrew Hoxie couldn’t get his foot on the ball in a heart-stopping moment around the six in the 29th minute.

Johnson, who started both of the team’s qualification matches and is 2-2-7 in the regular season, proved key in the performance, also coming out to stop a potential breakaway by Jagdeosingh in the 64th minute on a ball from Donatelli that got behind his defense. The scrappy Rhinos also nearly got the equalizer in stoppage time with a frenzy around the ball in the area, but the goal evaded them and the final whistle sounded moments later.

Even though the Rhinos have not exactly been dominant in league and Open Cup play going into the contest, the team had not been shutout in nine matches with the last coming in a scoreless draw May 20 against current league leader Orlando City.

The loss also snaps the Rhinos’ 9-game home unbeaten streak in the tournament, dating back to 2007. During that span, they were 7-0-2 (2-0 in PKs) in their home stadium.

TheCup.us Match MVP: Diego Chaves

Scoring Summary

CHI: Diego Chaves (Unassisted) – 37th min.

Lineups

Chicago: Sean Johnson, Bratislav Ristic, Josip Mikulic, Dasan Robinson (Jalil Anibaba 49), Pari Pantazoplouis; Corben Bone (Dominic Oduro 75), Mike Videira, Daniel Paladini, Gabriel Ferrari (Patrick Nyarko 46); Cristian Nazarit, Diego Chaves

Rochester: Neal Kitson; TJ Gore (Rich Costanzo 44, Troy Roberts, Tyler Bellamy, Quavas Kirk; Alfonso Motagalvan, Tony Donatelli, Michael Tanke (Isaac Kissi 79), Tyler Rosenlund; Andrew Hoxie (JC Banks 67), Kendall Jagdeosingh

Discipline

ROC: Troy Roberts 26 – caution
CHI: Mike Videira 72 – caution
ROC: Rich Costanzo 87 – caution
CHI: Cristian Nazarit 90 – caution
ROC: Alfonso Motagalvan 90 – caution

Attendance: 5,558

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