J.T. Alwin

Sigi Schmid: Greatest coach in US Open Cup history, dies at 65

January 7, 2019 by J.T. Alwin

Sigi Schmid of the Seattle Sounders FC is showered with champagne during his post-game preference after winning the 2010 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup championship.

There are very few boxes that Sigi Schmid could not check off in his coaching career.

NCAA championship? Check.

Major League Soccer championship? Check.

Major League Soccer Supporters’ Shield? Check.

US Open Cup championship? Check.

CONCACAF championship? Check.

Schmid passed away on Christmas Day, leaving behind a legacy not only of success on the field, but as an elite level scout who had an exceptional eye for talent.

Since his passing, so much attention has been paid — and rightfully so — to his accomplishments as a coach. In his career at the professional level, he won 11 US Soccer Majors (2 MLS Cups, 3 MLS Supporters’ Shields, 5 US Open Cups and 1 CONCACAF Champions Cup), which is more than any coach during the Modern Era (1995-present).

One aspect of his lengthy resume that has been overlooked are the five US Open Cup titles that he won. He led the Los Angeles Galaxy to the club’s first US Open Cup title in 2001, which marked the first time a Southern California team had lifted the trophy in 20 years. Then, he helped Seattle Sounders FC make history by winning three straight championships from 2009-2011 before leading them to a fourth title in 2014.

When the Los Angeles Galaxy won the 2001 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, they were the first Southern California team to lift the trophy since 1981 (Maccabee AC). Photo: LA Galaxy

Not only does no coach in the Modern Era have more than three US Open Cup championships, but TheCup.us research has found that no coach in the 105-year history of the tournament with more titles than Sigi Schmid. In fact, Schmid is just one of two coaches in history to win US Open Cup titles with two different clubs and he is one of only three coaches to lead a team to three straight US Open Cups.

When Schmid led the Seattle Sounders to his fifth title in 2014 US Open Cup championship, he broke a tie with legendary coach Sam Mark for the all-time record. Mark led the Fall River Marksmen to four titles: one in 1927 and then three straight from 1930-1932 (in 1932, the team had moved to New Bedford, Mass. and changed their name to the Whalers).

In the Modern Era, Schmid holds the record for most US Open Cup games coached (53), and most wins (35). Even with that many games under his belt, Schmid ranks sixth in the Modern Era in advance percentage (.755) and eighth in win percentage (.660). He also is tied for the most draws (6), but in those six draws, his teams won five of the resulting penalty kick shootouts – another Modern Era record for a coach. His only loss in a PK shootout was a disappointing 2012 final decision Sporting Kansas City, which denied Seattle the first-ever “four peat” in tournament history.

After a successful playing career at UCLA, Schmid started his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater in 1977. Although he took over as head coach in 1980, the position was not full-time at UCLA until the 1984 season. He would lead the Bruins to the College Cup in 1985, 1990, and 1997, before moving to the professional ranks in 1999.

US Open Cup championships (1914-present)
Sigi Schmid	LA Galaxy (2001) Seattle Sounders FC (2009-11, 2014)	5
Sam Mark	Fall River Marksmen (1927, 1930-31), New Bedford Whalers (1932)	4
Azriel Arnaldes	Maccabee AC (1975, 1978, 1981)	3
Tate Brady	Scullin Steel (1922) Stix, Baer & Fuller (1933-34)	3
Alkis Panagoulias	(NY) Greek American SC (1967-69)	3
Mimis Papaioannou	NY Pancyprian Freedoms (1980, 1982-83)	3
Peter Vermes	Sporting KC (2012, 2015, 2017)	3
Source: TheCup.us

When Schmid took over the LA Galaxy that year, the team was 3-3 and stumbling after winning the Supporters’ Shield the year before. Schmid then guided them back to the top of the Western Conference and to the 1999 MLS Cup Final, earning the Galaxy a berth into the 2000 CONCACAF Champions Cup (now known as the CONCACAF Champions League). That competition would be the first of many professional cup victories for Schmid, as the Galaxy defeated Olimpia of Honduras, 3-2, to lift the trophy. No MLS team has won the competition since.

The 2001 season brought Schmid his first US Open Cup when the Galaxy beat the New England Revolution 2-1 in extra time. The next year he bagged a double, with the Galaxy clinching the Supporters’ Shield, then dispatching the Revs again (on the road) in the MLS Cup Final. Despite these accomplishments, and having never missed the playoffs with him in charge, the Galaxy let Schmid go in the middle of the 2004 season.

Schmid then took the reins of the United States Under-20 men’s team, a team he had previous coached to the knockout stage of the Under-20 World Cup. In 2006, he moved back to MLS to take over the Columbus Crew. The Crew were facing a massive rebuild, so while Sigi missed the playoffs his first two years at the helm, their patience with the coach paid off in a big way in 2008. That year, Columbus took the Supporters’ Shield, then completed the double with a 3-1 triumph over the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup Final. Coming off the club’s most successful season, Schmid decided to return to the West Coast to take on the challenge of managing an expansion team.

I have no words – simply devastated. I have no career without this man. My heart goes out to his family – RIP – https://t.co/F2udd8sTpq

— Eric Wynalda (@EricWynalda) December 26, 2018

Schmid took over the reins of Seattle Sounders FC in impressive fashion, not only leading them to the playoffs, but guiding the Sounders to the US Open Cup by beating D.C. United 2-1. This put Seattle in rare company, being the first expansion team since the 1998 Chicago Fire to win the Cup. However, the coach was far from done with rewriting history. After Open Cup wins in 2010 (2-1 over his former club, the Columbus Crew) and 2011 (2-0 over the Chicago Fire), Seattle became the first Modern Era team to win back-to-back Cups, and became only the third team in competition history to three-peat.

After falling short of a “four-peat” in that 2012 penalty kick shootout, Schmid would lead the Sounders to another title in 2014, this time with a 3-1 extra time win over the Philadelphia Union. This put the Sounders into a tie for the most cups in the Modern Era with four, tying the Chicago Fire (Sporting Kansas City has since joined the four cup club). Although the Sounders made the playoffs every year and had continued success in the Cup, a rough start to the 2016 season led to both Seattle and their coach to part ways.

The Galaxy brought Schmid back in the middle of a dismal 2017 season, with an eye on overhauling the roster. After landing Zlatan Ibrahimovich, LA was in position to make the playoffs again before the coach resigned due to health reasons. The team missed the playoffs in the last game of the season, only the fourth time a team led by Sigi missed the playoffs in 19 seasons (including partial seasons).

Schmid was well known in US soccer circles for his ability to spot and develop talent. Ten of the players he coached at UCLA have played on the US Men’s National Team at a World Cup between 1990 and 2006, and three of them – Brad Friedel, Cobi Jones, and Joe-Max Moore – played in three World Cups.

Schmid was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2015, and rightfully so. His 240 regular season and 266 total victories are the most in MLS history. He also owns the most trophies by any MLS coach, with 11, as well as the aforementioned most Open Cup trophies. He also owned a college coaching record of 322 wins against 63 losses and 33 draws, and missed the NCAA playoffs only twice in 19 seasons at UCLA on top of his three College Cup wins. Sigi was a legendary force in American soccer, and a large measuring stick for future coaches to be held up to.

2018 US Open Cup Round 3: Who should be the TheCup.us Player of the Round?

May 25, 2018 by J.T. Alwin

Now that the Third Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is finished, it’s time to look back at some of the standout performances of the 12 matches.

From dominant displays to rocket shots to vital moments, there are plenty of great performances to choose from for TheCup.us Player of the Round.
The staff of TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters vote for the award, but if you had a vote, who would you choose?

Reyno Bustamante (Fresno FC, USL)
With Fresno FC locked in a tough extra-time period on the road against Sporting AZ FC (USASA), Bustamante worked some magic to score the game-winner in the 99th minute.

Austin da Luz (North Carolina FC, USL)
The veteran NCFC midfielder da Luz put on quite a performance, scoring the game-winning goal at home in a 4-1 victory against the Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL). He also assisted twice, on the game’s opening goal, as well as NCFC’s first insurance goal.

Allisson Faramillio (FC Golden State Force, PDL)
Going up against USL side Las Vegas Lights at home, Faramillio provided all of the offense Golden State needed. He scored the opener in the 75th minute, breaking a scoreless tie. After Vegas had tied the game a short time later, the Force earned a penalty kick in stoppage time, and Allisson was able to find the net to send his side home 2-1 winners.

Luiz Fernando (Richmond Kickers, USL)
With Richmond hosting fellow USL side Penn FC, Fernando started the game off on fire. He notched his first goal just 11 minutes in, and repeated the feat again in the 22nd minute. The Kickers would end up moving on to the Fourth Round, winning 3-2.

Christian Okeke (NTX Rayados, USASA)
After coughing up a 2-0 home lead within a span of five minutes against FC Wichita of the NPSL, the Rayados were on the ropes when they subbed in Okeke in the 82nd minute. Their faith in the forward was repaid just four minutes later, as he notched the game-winner in a 3-2 victory.

Jorge Rivera (Penn FC, USL)
Playing on the road against fellow USL team Richmond Kickers, Penn FC was on their heels after Luiz Fernando had a hot start (see above). However, Rivera helped dig the visitors out of the hole, getting them on the board at 36th minute, then tying the game with a half hour left. While his team would ultimately lose, Rivera’s effort was nothing short of heroic to prevent a possible blowout and rally his team.

Sean Totsch (Louisville City FC, USL)
King’s Cup rival Saint Louis FC (USL) came to town, in a match that largely came down to defense, and Totsch helped City’s backline limit chances and helped keeper Tim Dobrowolski keep a clean sheet. However, it was on the other end where Totsch was vital, running on the ball and launching an absolute screamer from five yards outside the box into the top left corner of the net, giving the home team a 1-0 win.

2016 US Open Cup Round 2: Louisville City claws out 3-1 PK victory over Detroit City FC

May 23, 2016 by J.T. Alwin

Louisville City vs. Detroit City in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Alena Shuckmann | Louisville City

Louisville City FC rode a little bit of luck and a lot of grit to beat amateur side Detroit City FC (NPSL) 3-1 in a penalty shootout after clawing out a 1-1 draw in extra time. Ilija Ilich salvaged what could have been a game of missed opportunities to counter a Sebastian Harris goal earlier in extra time, and Scott Goodwin allowed only one ball past him from the spot in during the shootout, notching a save while two Detroit kicks were no threat to the Louisville goal.

The game, played at Frazier Stadium on the campus of Bellarmine University due to scheduling conflicts with Slugger Field, had the hosts facing northward and pushing down on the gas. After the teams exchanged initial possessions, Louisville held possession for the most part, usually winning the ball back quickly from Detroit before they could get any sort of counter started. The home team got a scare early, after midfielder Kadeem Dacres hit the netting behind the goal after contact with Detroit keeper Steinwascher, and came up limping. Dacres stayed in, though would be subbed out at the half.

Louisville had a great chance early when midfield Aodhan Quinn was fouled hard by Zach Schewee just outside the box, earning a yellow for DCFC. Paolo DelPiccolo, however, sent the ensuing free kick wide right of the goal. This seemed to be the theme for most of the night for the Louisvillans, who dominated possession throughout the game, led 9-0 in both shots and corner kicks at the half, but only managed one shot on goal. Whether it was poor service on free and corner kicks, or crosses that were either just too far from the receiver or too close to a defender, or passing on clear chances for shots to get a closer look and coming up empty, a lack of finishing for the team in purple kept the game scoreless. A solid goalkeeping performance from Nathan Steinwascher, who replaced the reigning TheCup.us Player of the Round Evan Louro in net.

As Detroit built up momentum in the second half, Steinwascher’s brilliance was matched by Louisville City keeper Scott Goodwin. Goodwin sniffed out multiple crosses and free kicks, suffocating Detroit’s counterattacks. This set the stage for one of the unpredictable extra time periods that make the Open Cup what it is.

Louisville sub Ilija Ilich was attempting to corral a blocked shot ten minutes into the first extra period, when he was brought down by Matt Nance inside the box. Nance received a yellow, and Ilic a penalty kick. While the Serbian missed, a scrum after the rebound ended with Tyler Stevens being shown a straight red card. DCFC coach Ben Pirmann was heated over the call, and just two minutes later was shown the door himself after verbally confronting the ref. This seemed to energize the Michigan bunch, as a counterattack found Sebastian Harris fouled in front of the box a few moments later. Detroit sub Ali Al-Gashamy sent the free kick into the box, where Harris slotted home to give the visitors the lead.

Things seemingly went from bad to worse for Louisville in the second extra time period, as Conor Shanosky was tagged very quickly with his second yellow for dissent five minutes in. However, being at ten men each seemed to open things up for Louisville, as the rebound from a free kick in the final minute went right to Ilich, who made sure things would continue on even terms. The home side did not quit pressing for a winner, but ran out of time before they could do so.

Detroit City suddenly found themselves up again after the first round of penalty kicks, as Harris made his goal while LCFC’s Quinn had his shot saved. However, the hosts rebounded, as Paolo DelPiccolo and Ilich made their shots, followed by a George Davis miss, while Al-Gashamy and Dave Edwarson missed their shots, while Tyler Channell’s effort was saved. This left Cameron Lancaster with a chance to seal the victory, and he deked Steinwascher to end the match.

Louisville will travel up I-65 to play the NASL’s Indy Eleven on Wednesday, June 1 in Round 3.

2016 US Open Cup Round 1: West Chester United mark debut with PK shootout win over Fredericksburg

May 14, 2016 by J.T. Alwin

West Chester United scored first and survived a late tying goal by Fredericksburg FC, eventually earning advancement with a 8-7 edge in a penalty kick shootout in the First Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Wednesday evening.

The match was played at the University of Mary Washington’s Battleground Athletic Complex and marked the first-ever Open Cup win for the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) side from West Chester, Pa. It was the second loss in two tries for the Fredericksburg FC National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) franchise, who dropped their opening match of the 2014 tournament to the Richmond Kickers (USL).

The guests from the Philadelphia area came out of the gates fast and controlled the play for the first 10-15 minutes before Fredericksburg settled into the match and play began to even out.

Despite its early presence in the FFC attacking third, it was the hosts that would get the first quality scoring chance of the evening, but WCU goalie Charles Sales dove to his right to deny a Juan Monge’s free kick in the 24th minute.

West Chester immediately came back the other way, but their counter attack came up empty when Fredericksburg goalie Carlos Canas slid out to collect a through ball before WCU’s Charles Wilson could get onto the end of it.

The teams pretty much played to a stalemate for the next 15 minutes with Fredericksburg maintaining most of the possession and West Chester looking for counterattacks.

FFC would get another quality chance in the 40th minute. After stringing together some nice passes, Ivan Sakou ripped a shot from about 20 yards out, but Sales dove to his left to make the save.

WCU quickly went on the counter after the play and ended up with the ball deep in the left corner of Fredericksburg’s defensive third. Justin McCall then sent a cross in front that found the head of Matthew Poole, but his header from 10 yards out floated over the crossbar.

Play was opening up a bit as the half wound down and FFC nearly took advantage of it. Sakou lofted a diagonal ball over the WCU defense to the right side to a streaking Ryan Zinkhan, but Sales went low to his right to save Zinkhan’s ensuing shot to keep the game scoreless going into halftime.

The second half was more of the same as the first from both teams, FFC enjoying much of the possession and WCU staying organized defensively and trying to hit counter attacks when they presented themselves.

One of those eventually led to the go-ahead goal when Joseph Sales took a pass on the left side deep in the Fredericksburg end and skipped a well-placed shot past a diving Canas, off the right post and in to put West Chester ahead 1-0 in the 59th minute.

With the lead, WCU emphasized its organized defense even more and almost saw out a 1-0 victory, until the closing minutes.

With FFC pushing hard for a tying goal in front of an exuberant home crowd, Zinkhan took a ball at the top of the West Chester goal area, took a few touches to his left and fired a shot toward goal that caromed off a WCU defender’s arms just inside the box resulting in a penalty kick.

Zinkhan calming stepped up to the spot and buried a shot past Sales in the 87th minute to tie the game 1-1 before racing to the corner of the field to celebrate with the FFC youth players he coaches when not captaining the NPSL side.

The clearly drained teams played out the ensuing 30 minutes of extra time with neither really getting any clear chances to take the lead meaning the game would move on to a penalty kick shootout to determine who advanced to next Wednesday’s second round.

The first seven shooters for each team coolly converted their spot kicks, but the eighth round would begin a dramatic shootout finale.

First, FFC’s Canas dove to his right to deny West Chester’s David King, giving the home side a chance to win with a its next kick.

Fredericksburg’s Cedric Ekoue then sent his ensuing kick to the left, but WCU’s Sales ranged to his right to make the save and force another round of kicks.

West Chester’s Thomas Ryan then strolled up and put the first shot of the ninth round away, but Fredericksburg’s Sakou could not follow with the same, sending his kick over the crossbar and the WCU players into a frenzy of celebration in the penalty area.

West Chester now advances to face the United Soccer League’s Harrisburg City Islanders in next Wednesday’s Second Round. West Chester will host the clash between Pennsylvania opponents, with kickoff set for 7 p.m.

SUMMARY

LINE-UPS (not by position, just starters and subs):
WCU—Charles Sales, Mark Fetrow, James Graf (Peter Janelli 73’), David King, Jordan LeBlanc, Justin McCall (Julien Aoyama 61’), James Miller, Matthew Poole, Thomas Ryan, Joseph Sales, Charles Wilson (Jeremy Payne 69’). Subs not used: Anthony Noel, William Brown, Patrick Tobey, Samuel Yarosh.
FFC—Carlos Canas, Juan Monge, Assane Keita (Francesco Amorosino n/a), Matthew Carragher (Simond Kargbo n/a), Cedric Ekoue, Michael Bennett (Patrick Sedjro 66’), Romena Bowie, Nick Rich, Uriah Bentick, Ryan Zinkham, Ivan Sakou. Subs note used:

SCORING:
WCU—Joseph Sales 59’
FFC—Ryan Zinkhan (PK) 87’

CARDS:
FFC—Ryan Sinkhan 45’
WCU—Jordan LeBlanc 53’
FFC—Matthew Carragher 73’
FFC—Cedric Ekoue 103’

2015 US Open Cup Round 5 review: Red Bulls sweep New York, Dwyer shines as MLS reigns supreme

July 2, 2015 by J.T. Alwin

While the lone NASL and USL sides were already guaranteed the prize money for the furthest round reached by each league, their upset bids came up short in Round 5. Major League Soccer ruled the day, and there were few upsets of note. Home field seemed to be the biggest factor in this round, as the home teams went 7-1. The Quarterfinals will feature an all-MLS field for just the third time (2000, 2006) since MLS joined the competition in 1996.

UPDATE: Dom Dwyer of Sporting Kansas City was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

Here is a brief recap of each Fifth Round game with links to the full match report:

DC United’s Jairo Arrieta scored three minutes after a controversial red card on Union’s CJ Sapong. However, Eric Ayuk and Fabinho would strike for Philly in the second half, ending DC’s goal of a second Open Cup in three years. The Union will travel across the river to New Jersey to take on the Red Bulls in the Quarterfinals. FULL MATCH REPORT »

Sal Zisso (Red Bulls) and Lucky Mkosano traded goals in a rematch of last year’s Cosmos win, but any thought of a repeat was short-lived. Anotole Abang, Sacha Kljestian, and Mike Grella all scored, turning the game into a Red Bulls rout. The ‘Kings of New York’ will host the Philadelphia Union in the Quarterfinals. FULL MATCH REPORT »

While Thomas Zahorski put Charlotte up within five minutes, they couldn’t keep up with the Fire. Mike Magee and Lovel Palmer scored three goals between them, assuring the Independence wouldn’t score another MLS upset. The Fire will host Orlando City SC in the Round of 8. FULL MATCH REPORT »

After Orlando blew a two-goal lead in extra time the previous round, they were determined to hold the lead against the Crew. Kaka and Carlos Rivas both scored which was enough to send City through against a listless Columbus side. The Lions will travel to Chicago in the Quarterfinals to take on the Fire, who eliminated the USL version of Orlando City in 2013. FULL MATCH REPORT »

After plenty of lightning postponing the start of the match, Mauro Manotas would provide the only strike in the match. Joe Willis kept the clean sheet for Houston, as the Rapids struggled to muster any effective offense on the waterlogged pitch. The Dynamo will continue into the Quarterfinals, traveling to Sporting Kansas City. FULL MATCH REPORT »

Dom Dwyer and Krisztian Nemeth ran rampant for KC, rolling over FC Dallas. Dwyer became the first Sporting Kansas City player, and the first Englishman, to score a hat trick in the Modern Era (1995-present) and Nemeth notched a brace in a 6-2 blowout. Sporting will roll into the next round against another Texas team, hosting the Houston Dynamo at Sporting Park. FULL MATCH REPORT »

UPDATE: Dom Dwyer of Sporting Kansas City was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

In the scorching Utah heat, neither team was able to muster much offense, as both the Timbers and Salt Lake combined for only four shots on goal. Sebastian Jaime and Javier Morales were able to find the net for Real in the second half, securing their advancement in a rematch of the 2013 Semifinals. Real Salt Lake will host the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Quarterfinals. FULL MATCH REPORT»

Jose Villareal scored early for the Galaxy, who held on to beat the San Jose Earthquakes for the fifth time in a row in Open Cup play. The Quakes were missing last round’s hero Chris Wondolowski, who is on Gold Cup duty with the US National Team, and were never able to find a replacement on offense. Los Angeles will travel to Utah to play Real Salt Lake in the Quarterfinals. FULL MATCH REPORT »

2015 US Open Cup Round 4 review: MLS teams dominate; New York Cosmos win thrilling East River Derby

June 18, 2015 by J.T. Alwin

Photo: Gabrielle Dewey | New York Cosmos

MLS entered the competition in Round 4, and proved to be far and away the superior sides, going 10-1-4 (3-1 in shootouts) in their games against lower competition. Only the New York Cosmos (winning 4-3 in PKs after a 2-2 draw) and the Charlotte Independence (1-0 win) advanced from the lower tiers.

While MLS has the better record, many of the teams had to work for it, as six of those games went into extra time or a shootout, while another extra-time game had a plot line so unbelievable Hollywood could never have come up with anything like it.

Here is a brief recap of each Third Round game with links to the full match report (Check back as more will be added).

UPDATE: The Round of 16 draw was conducted by the US Soccer Federation on Thursday morning.

Philadelphia keeper John McCarthy went from near-goat to hero against his former team. After a couple of poor decisions to come out of the box nearly cost his team goals, he redeemed himself in the shootout, making three saves to see the Union through to Round 5. FULL MATCH REPORT »

Lloyd Sam and Ronald Zubar struck early for the Red Bulls, and Sean Davis iced the game with 20 minutes to play. Atlanta only managed one shot on goal all night, as a full-strength New York side guaranteed advancement. FULL MATCH REPORT »

Pittsburgh’s Rob Vincent equalized Facundo Coria’s opener in a closely played game that needed bonus time to decide. Kofi Opare netted the game-winner just into extra time, while the Riverhounds were unable to attack successfully. FULL MATCH REPORT »

Kwadwo Poku scored a pair of goals to put NYCFC up 2-0 in the second half, but a goal from Leo Fernandes and a stunning 90th minute equalizer by Lucky Mkosana sent the game into extra time. After NYCFC failed to capitalize on a penalty kick in the 98th minute the game went to penalty kicks where the Cosmos rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the final two rounds to win it 4-3. FULL MATCH REPORT »

It took Quincy Amarikwa’s deflection four minutes from the end of extra time for the Fire to break through against a game Louisville City squad. Both teams had chances and were evenly matched throughout, until a road-weary Louisville team lost their legs, allowing Chicago take control in the last ten minutes. FULL MATCH REPORT »

In the only Round 4 match featuring a pair of US Open Cup champions, Adam Bedell notched two goals to help the Crew win their first road game of the season. Ethan Finley notched the game-winner around Bedell’s brace, while Fred Owusu Sekyere temporarily restored Richmond onto level terms.FULL MATCH REPORT »

In Orlando City’s Open Cup debut as a Major League Soccer franchise, Carlos Rivas became the first player in the Modern Era to score three penalty kicks to give his team a 4-2 lead in extra time. That lead wouldn’t last long as the Battery tied the game up on a pair of Justin Portillo goals. Orlando would prevail in a dramatic shootout 8-7 as Charleston would exit the tournament for the second year in a row at the hands of an Orlando City team. FULL MATCH REPORT SOON »

While most MLS team were able to take tight matches, the Charlotte Independence, an expansion team, was able to strike a blow for the USL. Jorge Herrera scored a wonder goal ten minutes after halftime, and fended off the Revolution the rest of the way to become the only USL team to advance to Round 5. FULL MATCH REPORT »

The first Battle of I-70 proved to live up to its name, as the only goal was scored in the 70th minute. Graham Zusi was able to head home a Benny Feilhaber cross to fend off a Saint Louis side that matched up pretty well with their top-division neighbors. FULL MATCH REPORT »

FC Dallas was able to shrug off their league form and roll over Oklahoma City on Tuesday night. Micheal Barrios and David Texeira both notched braces by the 51st minute, allowing the Hoops to cruise to a Fifth Round berth. FULL MATCH REPORT »

Rookies Dominique Badji and Joseph Greenspan scored for the Rapids, while Dillon Serna tacked on an insurance brace. Josh Phillips was shown a straight red in the 62nd minute, which led to Serna’s first goal while his replacement was waiting to be subbed in.FULL MATCH REPORT »

Leonel Miranda opened the scoring for Houston, but the Aztex remained dangerous throughout. The Dynamo were unable to breathe easy until Ricardo Clark scored two minutes into 2nd half stoppage time, securing Round 5 placement. FULL MATCH REPORT »

Joao Plata and Javier Morales were the heroes in the desert, Morales clinching the game for Real midway through the second half. Sam Garza struck in first half stoppage time, putting RSL on their heels, but Sounders 2 weren’t able to find the goal again. FULL MATCH REPORT »

While this game will be remembered for Clint Dempsey tearing up the card book in protest of Daniel Radford’s refereeing, there was still a game to be played, with Portland unable to close out a nine-man Sounders side in regulation. Rodney Wallace managed to score ten minutes into extra time, with Maximiliano Urruti tallying after the Sounders were dropped to seven men. FULL MATCH REPORT »

After struggling in the knockout stage at the 2014 World Cup, Chris Wondolowski came through in spades for San Jose, nullifying goals by the Republic’s Rodrigo Lopez and Emrah Klimenta. The shootout went to eight rounds, as Shaun Francis shot true while Sacramento’s James Kiffe shot above the bar. FULL MATCH REPORT »

PSA Elite struck early, but it only served to wake up the defending MLS Cup winners. Robbie Keane had a hat trick (his first three tournament goals of his career), as the Galaxy scored six straight to roll to the Fifth Round. FULL MATCH REPORT »

2015 US Open Cup Round 2: Jersey Express earn second straight shutout in 1-0 upset of New York Red Bulls 2 (video)

May 22, 2015 by J.T. Alwin

The Jersey Express defense held strong against New York Red Bulls 2 (USL) in the team's second straight shutout. Photo: Bob Larson | Stellar Performance Photography — The Jersey Express defense held strong against New York Red Bulls 2 (USL) in the team’s second straight shutout. Photo: Bob Larson

A bait and switch occurred on Wednesday evening at NJIT Stadium in Newark, NJ. Despite their canary yellow kits and the seven Brazilians in the starting lineup, the home team, in fact, was not the Brazilian National Team; and although the visitors wore red and white uniform with a Red Bulls logo in the middle of their jersey, they were not same New York Red Bulls 2 that had played this season in the USL.

The members on loan from the Major League Soccer Red Bulls did not dress for Red Bulls 2’s first-ever Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match. Instead seven players from the Red Bulls U-18 to U-16 development academy squads dressed for the club’s Second Round match against the Jersey Express of the Premier Development League (PDL). Two of those academy players – Derrick Etienne and Juan Sanchez – got the start.

MORE: Check out Bob Larson’s photo gallery from the match

Similarly to the Express’ first round Open Cup victory against the New York Greek American SC, a header near the hour mark proved to be the winner. Jersey took a lead in the 58th minute off a powerful header Chris Karcz from a Brayan Martinez corner. The Express would survive multiple close calls to earn a 1-0 victory and advance to Round 3.

That goal was Karcz’s second of this year’s Open Cup tournament and the third of his career. The clean sheet was second for goalkeeper Matthew Turner.

The Red Bulls had the more talented individual players, nevertheless their youth and lack of chemistry showed. Jersey replied heavily on good organization, maintaining their shape in the back, and their maturity. In the first half New York enjoyed much of the possession, but failed to produce a shot. In the first half, the Express took nine and forced New York’s keeper, Rafael Diaz, into three saves.

“I thought we were the better team in the first half, but that’s soccer,” said Red Bulls 2 head coach John Wolyneic, who scored three Open Cup goals in his playing career. “I think the best stretch that we had came five minutes before they scored.”

Photo: Bob Larson | Stellar Performance Photography — Photo: Bob Larson

The goal by Karcz was against the run of play as Red Bulls 2 turned up the pressure in the second half. Jersey was efficient in their second half chances. In one of the few times the Express got into New York’s third, Marko Drljic ripped a left footed shot from outside the box led to the eventual game-winning corner.

Minutes later, the Baby Bulls, as many refer to them as, nearly answered with their own set piece goal off a corner kick. Red Bulls centerback Konrad Plewa’s open header from the far post somehow fell just wide right of goal. It stood as the visitor’s best chance on goal in the match.

The Express’ backline hold on for the next 30 minutes as the Red Bulls continued to throw numbers forward. After being emotionally amped up in their first tournament game last week, the Jersey Express steadied themselves to play controlled and smart soccer for the full 90.

“This is not our first home game anymore. We took advantage of playing home,” said Jersey Express coach Francisco ‘Chiquino’ Da Silva Jr. “After a while we got used to it and they were just playing against another eleven.”

With this victory the Jersey Express move on to play the New York Cosmos on the road. Originally the Express were to host the Third Round match in Newark, but maintenance to the turf forced the match on Wednesday, May 27 to be played at Belson Stadium at St. John’s University in Queens, NY.

Full match replay: NY Red Bulls 2 at Jersey Express

2015 US Open Cup Round 1 recap: Record number of PKs highlight exciting First Round

May 15, 2015 by J.T. Alwin

Jersey Express celebrate as they defeated New York Greek American SC 3-0 in Round 1. Photo: Bob Larson

The Opening Round of the 2015 US Open Cup started off with most teams on very even terms, so even seven games went to penalty shootouts, a record for most shootouts in one round. While the PDL teams sent eleven teams through, the NPSL sides went 4-0 in games decided by penalties. Sixteen games were decided by one goal or shootout, with many game-winners coming in the closing minutes of the game or in extra time.

Earlier Wednesday we attempted to launch TheCup.us 2.0, but encountered some technical difficulties, forcing us to revert back to the old site. While most of you are sleeping, our team is working on fixing it so that it will back up and running in the morning, along with game recaps.

Reading United AC (PDL) 1 : 0 Maryland Bays (USASA)

Brett Campbell’s 19th minute score managed to hold up for Reading, thanks to a stingy defense and three late saves from United keeper Kyle Morton. Reading will host the Harrisburg City Islanders in Round 2 on Wednesday.

West Virginia Chaos (PDL) 1 : 0 Fort Pitt Regiment (NPSL)

West Virginia’s Daniel Smee netted an early goal, and the Chaos held Fort Pitt in check to take the victory. The Chaos will travel north to play the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in Wednesday’s Second Round matchup.

Greater Binghamton SC Thunder (NPSL) 1 (4) : 1 (3) Western Mass Pioneers (PDL)

Zeb Cross of Binghamton equaled the Pioneers’ tally from Ryan Taylor, helping force the shootout. Western Mass botched two shots in the shootout, allowing the NPSL side to move on. The Rochester Rhinos will host the Thunder in the Second Round on Wednesday.

Lansing United (NPSL) 0 (4) : 0 (2) RWB Adria (USASA)

Lansing could only muster one shot on goal during the game, but were perfect from the spot to advance. They will host Louisville City FC next Wednesday in the Second Round.

Miami United (NPSL) 2 : 1 Southwest Florida Adrenaline (PDL)

Manuel Abirached would score in stoppage time to secure United’s win. Miami will face a tough Second Round matchup Wednesday, as they travel to Open Cup veterans Charleston Battery.

Upward Stars (NPSL) 3 (3) : 3 (1) Triangle Brigade (USASA)

Both sides would rally from one-goal deficits, where Upward hit all of their penalties to ensure the win. They will head on the road in the Second Round to play the Charlotte Independence on Wednesday.

Virginia Beach City (NPSL) 3 : 2 AC Connecticut (PDL)

Pat Thomas scored two minutes from time to steal the win for Virginia Beach. They will make the jaunt to Richmond on Wednesday to play the Kickers in the Second Round.

Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) 3 : 1 Brooklyn Italians (NPSL)

Joe Holland wrapped a brace around his assist on Yevener Guerrier’s game winner for the Rough Riders. Their Second Round opponent, Real Monarchs, will travel to Long Island on Wednesday.

Michigan Bucks (PDL) 3 : 0 Detroit City FC (NPSL)
Nick Wysong and Peri Marosevic would score in the first ten minutes, as Michigan stifled their intrastate opponent. Portland Timbers will journey east to oppose the Bucks in Wednesday’s Second Round matchup.

Chattanooga FC (NPSL) 1 (5) : 1 (3) Ocala Stampede (PDL)

Luke Winter saved the home team’s tournament with minutes to spare, countering Ocala’s earlier score from Lewis Wilson. Chattanooga’s Greg Hartley was the shootout hero, recording two saves as well as the clinching penalty. Wilmington Hammerheads will host the NPSL side in the Second Round on Wednesday.

Jersey Express (PDL) 3 : 0 New York Greek-American Atlas (USASA)

Greek-American Atlas held up early, but couldn’t withstand the Express’ Juan Correa picking apart their defense to assist on two of their three late goals. They will host Red Bull 2 Wednesday in the Second Round.

Seacoast United Phantoms (PDL) 2 : 1 GPS Massachusetts (USASA)
Sofiane Tergou scored to cap a rally over a 1:0 GPS lead, despite being down to ten men. Their Second Round matchup is a trek to Oklahoma to play the Tulsa Roughnecks on Wednesday.

Des Moines Menace (PDL) 2 : 1 Madison Fire (USASA)

Charles Bales would assist for Vince Ciccarelli and Ramon Howell on both sides of the break, and the Menace would hold on for the Victory. They will head to St. Louis FC next Wednesday in the Second Round.

Midland/Odessa Sockers (PDL) 3 : 1 Tulsa Athletics (NPSL)

The Sockers got a first half lead thanks to Tucker Hume and Andrew Lopez, then equaled Tulsa in the second half to get the win. They will host their Second Round game on Wednesday, as the Oklahoma City Energy comes to West Texas.

Laredo Heat (PDL) 0 (4) : 0 (2) NTX Rayados (USASA)

This was a defensive battle throughout, however the Heat had truer legs in the shootout, connecting on all four penalty shots. The Heat will hit the road to play the Austin Aztex in the Second Round on Wednesday.

Harpo’s FC (USSSA) 0 (4) : 0 (2) BYU Cougars (PDL)

Utah hosted another defensive struggle, as Harpo’s Zac Gibbens held his ground in the shootout, while his teammates were able to finish perfect from the spot. Harpo’s will make an in-state trip on Wednesday as they play the Colorado Springs Switchbacks in the Second Round.

Kitsap Pumas (PDL) 5 : 2 FC Tacoma 253 (NPSL)
Braces by Joe Masumiya and Carlos Patino helped the Pumas jump out to a five goal league, then withstand Tacoma’s late rally. Kitsap goes across Puget Sound again in the Second Round, taking on Seattle Sounders 2 on Wednesday night.

Sonoma County Sol (NPSL) 2 : 1 (AET) Burlingame Dragons (PDL)

The header of Alfonso Verde would be nullified at the death by the Sol’s Arnoldo Salazar, with Angel Acevedo putting away the extra time winner for Sonoma County. They will travel east for the Second Round, playing the Sacramento Republic on Wednesday.

Ventura County Fusion (PDL) 3 (6) : 3 (5) Cal FC (USASA)
While Ventura gained the lead three separate times behind Carlos Martinez, Javier Castro, and Julian Zamora, Cal FC would answer each time through Danny Barrera, Chris Cummings, and Edgar Espinoza. The shootout would last eight rounds, with the Fusion surviving 6-5. They will travel back to Los Angeles again for the Second Round, playing LA Galaxy II on Wednesday.

PSA Elite (USASA) 7 : 1 Golden State Misioneros (PDL)
PSA looked to retain their winning ways from last year’s Cup, rolling out to a 4-1 halftime lead before cruising past Golden State. They will attempt to duplicate last year’s feat of knocking out a USL side next Wednesday when they host the Orange County Blues.

Chula Vista FC (USASA) 2 : 1 (AET) FC Tucson (PDL)

Brandon Zambrono put Tucson ahead in the second half, but Chula Vista answered with goals by Alejandro Lopez late, and Angel Pinal in bonus time. Chula Vista will return to Arizona on Wednesday, taking on Arizona Republic SC in the Second Round.

2014 US Open Cup Quarterfinals review: Three former champions, Philadelphia Union advance to Semifinals (video)

July 10, 2014 by J.T. Alwin

The Seattle Sounders needed overtime to eliminate the Portland Timbers to earn their 7th trip to the Semifinals in 8 years. Photo: Seattle Sounders FC

UPDATE: Blas Perez of FC Dallas was named TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Quarterfinals

The Semifinals of the 2014 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup are complete with a trio of former tournament champions advancing to the Final Four along with the Philadelphia Union completing the all-MLS field.

July 9: Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) 3:1 (AET) Portland Timbers (MLS)
It took a flurry of goals in extra time after a Portland red card, but Sounders FC have made their way back to familiar turf. With a 3-1 win over the Timbers the Sounders will reach the Semifinals for the 7th time in the last 8 years. This is actually the first of two matches between these Cascadian rivals in five days, as Portland will travel back up the I-5 on Sunday for a league match.

Osvaldo Alonso drew opening blood in the 69th minute, scoring his 7th career tournament goal in acrobatic fashion. It seemed as though the Sounders would move on in regulation but Darlington Nagbe somehow found a Steve Zakuani pass in traffic to send the game into bonus soccer in second half stoppage time.

The game changed in the 99th minute when Portland’s Diego Chara made a rash challenge on the Sounders’ Marco Pappa and was sent off with a straight red card. 11 minutes later, Kenny Cooper scored his fourth goal of the tournament, tying the Timbers’ Gaston Fernandez (and Indy Eleven’s Blake Smith) for the lead, while helping send Fernandez’s team packing from the Open Cup. Marco Pappa sealed the deal in the 116th minute as Seattle will move on to host the Chicago Fire on August 13 in a rematch of the 2011 Final. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT WITH VIDEO

HIGHLIGHTS: PORTLAND TIMBERS AT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

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July 9: FC Dallas (MLS) 5:2 Carolina RailHawks (NASL)
The 5-2 scoreline doesn’t do the game justice as FC Dallas scored a pair of late goals to beat the Carolina RailHawks to reach the Semifinals for the 8th time. Up until the final minutes of the game, it was a close, up-and-down affair, with Dallas’ Blas Perez netting a hat trick that would prove to be the difference.

Five goals were scored in the first half with Dallas taking a 3-2 lead into the halftime break. The second half featured much of the same up-and-down action, except without the goals. The outcome was very much in doubt until a minute left in regular time, when Maurio Diaz cashed in to ice the game, followed by Perez’s third goal of the game at the very end of the match. They will travel to play the Philadelphia Union on August 12th. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

UPDATE: Blas Perez of FC Dallas was named TheCup.us Player of the Round

HIGHLIGHTS: FC DALLAS AT CAROLINA RAILHAWKS

July 9: Chicago Fire (MLS) 3:1 Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL)
With the Silverbacks this year, it seems that red cards are as common as goals, and sure enough, there were two red cards in this game before a goal was even scored. Chicago was able to get past the rough play and net two late goals to advance to the Open Cup Semifinals.

An otherwise quiet first half erupted 31 minutes in, as Atlanta’s Jesus Gonzalez and the Fire’s Mike Magee became entangled, then started fighting, earning them both straight reds. Mark Watson also came dangerously close to putting Chicago down two men, earning a yellow in the 34th and coming close to his second two minutes later, before being subbed out at the half.

The scoring picked up some in the second half, as Quincy Amarikwa netted the ball in the 50th minute for Chicago, only to have Atlanta’s Deon McCaulay level it four minutes later. It took until the 82nd minute for Chicago to pull away, as Jeff Larentowicz slotted a PK, and Alex stole a bad clearance and sealed the game three minutes later. The Fire travel to Cascadia to play Seattle Sounders FC at Starfire Soccer Complex on August 13. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

MATCH REPLAY: CHICAGO FIRE AT ATLANTA SILVERBACKS

July 8: Philadelphia Union (MLS) 2-0 New England Revolution (MLS)
Miroslav Klose of Germany wasn’t the only soccer player to set scoring records on July 8. While Klose claimed the career World Cup scoring record in the afternoon, on Tuesday evening Sebastien Le Toux of the Union set the Open Cup (Modern Pro Era) career scoring record in a 2-0 handling of New England.

Conor Casey got Philly going early, only needing nine minutes to put his side up. The historic moment was set up as the Union lost a free kick set up by a yellow card on the Revs’ AJ Soares. Seba, who cut his Open Cup teeth with the USL-1 version of the Seattle Sounders, and also won an Open Cup with the MLS version, caught the rebound from a scrum and shot true only two minutes out of halftime. The Union advance to their second Semifinal in the last three years and will travel to Frisco to take on FC Dallas in the Semifinals on Aug. 12. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

2014 US Open Cup Semifinals

Philadelphia Union (MLS) at FC Dallas (MLS)
Toyota Stadium; Frisco, TX – Aug. 12 at 9 p.m. ET

Chicago Fire (MLS) at Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
Starfire Soccer Complex; Tukwila, WA – Aug. 13 at 10:30 p.m. ET

2014 US Open Cup Quarterfinals preview: Three former champions join Philadelphia Union in Semifinals

July 9, 2014 by J.T. Alwin

UPDATE: Thanks to goals from Conor Casey and Sebastien Le Toux, the Philadelphia Union defeated the New England Revolution 2-0 to reach the Semifinals for the second time in three years. Read the full recap, including Sebastien Le Toux’s record-breaking performance HERE.

UPDATE: The last remaining NASL clubs have been eliminated as the Chicago Fire defeated the Atlanta Silverbacks 3-1 and FC Dallas scored some late goals to pull away from the Carolina RailHawks 5-2. The last remaining Quarterfinal match (Seattle vs. Portland) can be seen below. In the final Quarterfinal game, the Seattle Sounders needed extra time to defeat the Portland Timbers 3-1. The Sounders will host the Fire on Aug. 13, while FC Dallas will host the Union on Aug. 12. Stay tuned for full recaps of each game.

We have now entered into the Quarterfinals of the 2014 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, with two lower division sides still in the hunt, as well as four previous Open Cup winners from Major League Soccer hoping to recapture past glories.

The NASL (Division 2) has two teams left playing the Cinderella role. The Atlanta Silverbacks have already advanced their furthest ever in the tournament, while the Carolina RailHawks are looking to reach the Semifinals for the second time in club history. The Chicago Fire, FC Dallas, New England Revolution, and Seattle Sounders FC own nine titles between them, while the Philadelphia Union and Portland Timbers are looking to capture their first. All eight teams will be looking to keep the dream alive on Tuesday and Wednesday.

All three Wednesday games will have online video broadcasts available, but Tuesday’s lone contest with the Philadelphia Union hosting the New England Revolution can only be seen by the fans in attendance at PPL Park. According to the Philadelphia Union Twitter account, the reason for the lack of a broadcast is that the US Soccer Federation denied their broadcast request due to an “incompatible graphics package” that is required for all US Open Cup video broadcasts.

LIVE VIDEO: PORTLAND TIMBERS AT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

Both @PhilaUnion and @NERevolution wanted to stream the match, but #USOC required an incompatible graphics package.

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) July 8, 2014

We will have all of the available live video embedded in this article below.

As always, use and follow the #USOC2014 hashtag on Twitter for all the latest updates from all four games. You can also follow TheCup.us at @USOpenCup.

Here is a closer look at Wednesday’s games:

FC Dallas (MLS) at Carolina RailHawks (NASL)
WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, NC – 7:30 p.m.
BROADCAST: Live video
The winner will host Philadelphia Union (Aug. 12) or New England Revolution (Aug. 13)

FC Dallas Open Cup records
Overall: 25-15-4 (4-0 PKs) | Away: 10-8-2 (2-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 15-1-2 (2-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2013 (Lost 3-2 vs. Portland Timbers of MLS in Quarterfinals)
Best finish: 1997 US Open Cup champions
How they got here:
Round 4: 2-0 home win vs. San Antonio Scorpions (NASL)
Round 5: 3-2 road win in OT vs. Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Leading goalscorers: Fabian Castillo (2), Andres Escobar (2), Tesho Akindele (1)

Carolina RailHawks Open Cup records
Overall: 15-5-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 15-2-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 5-4-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2013 (Lost 3-0 at Real Salt Lake of MLS in Quarterfinals)
Best finish: 2007 Semifinals (Lost 2-1 in OT at New England Revolution of MLS)
How they got here:
Round 3: 2-0 home win vs. Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO)
Round 4: 1-1 home draw, 3-2 PK win vs. Chivas USA (MLS)
Round 5: 1-0 home win in OT vs. Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)
Leading goalscorers: Nazmi Albadawi (1), Jun Marques Davidson (1), Daniel Jackson (1), Zack Schilawski (1)

LIVE VIDEO: FC DALLAS AT CAROLINA RAILHAWKS

By Neil Morris | @ByNeilMorris

The last time the Carolina RailHawks hosted a Quarterfinal match in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup was 2007. It was the inaugural season for the RailHawks hatchlings, and despite a woeful losing regular season record, Carolina improbably advanced to the semifinals of the US Open Cup before losing in overtime to the New England Revolution. This Wednesday, July 9 the Open Cup Quarterfinals return to WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC as the RailHawks host FC Dallas. Carolina, one of two North American Soccer League (NASL) members remaining in the tournament, advanced to the quarters, just like they did in 2007, by winning three home games. They defeated the Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO) 2-0, edged Chivas USA in penalty kicks and beat a first-team LA Galaxy team in extra time. Carolina have hosted 19 of their 22 tournament matches since their debut in 2007 (advancing in 16 of those games), and currently hold a 23-match home unbeaten streak in all competitions.

On the other hand, this will be FC Dallas’ second straight road game of the tournament. Dallas opened their 2014 Open Cup journey by downing the San Antonio Scorpions at home 2-0, then traveled to Houston where they defeated the Dynamo 3-2 in overtime to reach their record 13th Quarterfinal appearance. FC Dallas has been paced by Andres Escobar and Fabian Castillo, who have each notched two goals over their team’s two Open Cup victories. Currently fourth in the MLS Western Conference standings, manager Óscar Pareja also boasts the playmaking skills of Blas Perez, the team’s co-leader in goals and assists.

“They’re a good team, very good going forward,” RailHawks manager Colin Clarke says. “Right now they’re playing more of a 4-4-2 with (Tesho) Akindele and Perez up front, two big, strong, lively center forwards who we’re going to have to deal with. They’re getting a few of their star players back from injury. They’re good in the center of the park, good in possession and passing, and love to get the fullbacks forward. So, it’ll be a good test for us.”

Meanwhile, the RailHawks sail in on the tailwind of two consecutive wins over MLS opponents and home ground confidence. They’re also riding the coattails of backup goalkeeper Scott Goodwin, who has started in all three Open Cup wins — his first three starts of his pro career — for the RailHawks after an injury to starter Akira Fitzgerald. All Goodwin has done is surrender one goal over those three matches, making 24 total saves in the process. Against Chivas USA, he made 11 saves over 120 minutes over regulation and extra time before stopping three shootout kicks from the penalty mark to secure the victory. Then, he made eight more saves and kept a clean sheet against Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and the Galaxy and earned TheCup.us Player of the Round honors. Carolina’s four goals in the tournament have come from four different players. Of note, reserve forward Daniel Jackson converted the game-winning kick from the mark against Chivas USA then scored the game-winning goal in extra time against the Galaxy.

However, two of Carolina’s key contributors were forward Mike Grella and defender Toni Stahl, who both left the RailHawks once their spring season contracts expired following the Chivas USA win. Carolina was unable to resign either player for the fall campaign, but the team still ousted the Galaxy without them. Despite their intangible advantages, Clarke knows his team has a talent disadvantage against their MLS foes. “In these games, we know that they’re going to have the ball,” Clarke admits. “We’ve got to be good when we have the ball. It was a great result against LA Galaxy, we need to be better when we have the ball to relieve that pressure and put under pressure.”

There is also a bit of history between Clarke, Pareja and FC Dallas. Clarke managed FC Dallas (originally the Dallas Burn) from 2003-2006, leading the club to its first and only regular season Western Conference crown in 2006 before being unceremoniously sacked. Pareja finished his playing career for Clarke from 2003-2005, after which Clarke hired Pareja as one of his assistant coaches. Pareja remained a FC Dallas assistant coach until 2011, when he was hired to manage the Colorado Rapids.

The RailHawks warmed up for Wednesday’s game with a 2-1 exhibition win over Mexico’s Puebla FC.

—-——————–
Chicago Fire (MLS) at Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks Park; Chamblee, GA – 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: Live video (embedded below)
Winner will play at Seattle Sounders or Portland Timbers on Aug. 13

Chicago Fire Open Cup records
Overall: 33-11-3 (2-1 PKs) | Away: 12-10-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 5-3-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2013 (Lost 2-0 vs. DC United of MLS in Semifinals)
Best finish: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006 US Open Cup champions
How they got here:
Round 4: 2-1 home win vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO) — match abandoned at 49th min.
Round 5: 4-2 home win in OT vs. Columbus Crew (MLS)
Leading goalscorers: Juan Luis Anangono (2), Quincy Amarikwa (1), Patrick Ianni (1), Mike Magee (1), Grant Ward (1)

Atlanta Silverbacks Open Cup records
Overall: 10-9-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 5-3-0 | vs. MLS: 2-4-1 (0-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2013 (Lost 3-2 in OT at Real Salt Lake of MLS)
Best finish: 2004 Fourth Round (Lost 4-1 vs. Kansas City Wizards of MLS)
How they got here:
Round 3: 5-0 road win at Chattanooga FC (NPSL)
Round 4: 2-1 home win vs. Real Salt Lake (MLS)
Round 5: 2-1 road win at Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Leading goalscorers: Junior Burgos (3), Jaime Chavez (3), Deon McCauley (1), Kwadwo Poku (1), Junior Sandoval (1)

LIVE VIDEO: CHICAGO FIRE AT ATLANTA SILVERBACKS

By Laura Taylor

The Chicago Fire head down south to Atlanta for the Quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Frank Yallop’s club defeated the Columbus Crew 4-2 in extra time to earn their place in the final eight. The Fire got goals from Patrick Ianni, Quincy Amarikwa, and a pair from Juan Luis Anangono to make its 11th Quarterfinal appearance. The four-time champions are expected to have injured forward Mike Magee back from injury and will look to bring that same balanced attack to Atlanta where the Silverbacks will be considerably shorthanded.

The Silverbacks will have their work cut out for them with three starters cut out from their lineup by virtue of a trio of red cards earned in last round’s ‘Mile High Melee’ against Colorado. Missing the match will be Borfor Carr, Kwadwo Poku, and Jaime Chavez, with Chavez and Poku playing a huge part in the Silverbacks’ attack in this Open Cup campaign. Also suspended are technical director Eric Wynalda and assistant coach Ricardo Montoya who were both sent off in the aftermath of the pushing and shoving. If the Silverbacks are to take down their third consecutive MLS side, they’ll need to rely on veterans such as Lucas Paulini, Junior Sandoval, and perhaps youngsters like the exciting Alex Harlley.

Chicago started back from the World Cup break with a pair of 1-1 draws in MLS play. They played from beind in both cases, with Harry Shipp salvaging a tie at home against Toronto FC, and Magee earning a road point against Sporting Kansas City. While they haven’t had the worst form, they have shown a lack of finishing touch, going 0-2-4 since their last win on May 18. They have a whopping 10 draws in 16 games, yet are only four points out of the playoffs with a game in hand. They will play away from home for the first time since the opening round in 2013 when they defeated the Charlotte Eagles.

Atlanta will end their mid-year break on Saturday, traveling to Florida to play the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Silverbacks are hoping their Open Cup run will spur their league play, as they try to improve on their eight-place finish during the Spring Season.

—-——————–
Portland Timbers (MLS) at Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
Starfire Soccer Complex; Tukwila, WA – 10:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: Live video
Winner will host Chicago Fire or Atlanta Silverbacks on Aug. 13

Portland Timbers Open Cup records
Overall: 12-8-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 7-3-0 | vs. MLS: 2-4-1 (0-1 PKs)
As MLS: 5-2-0 | Away: 2-1-0 | vs. MLS: 2-1-0
Last entry: 2013 (Lost 2-1 at Real Salt Lake of MLS in Semifinals)
Best finish: 2013 Semifinals (Lost 2-1 at Real Salt Lake of MLS)
How they got here:
Round 4: 3-0 home win vs. Orlando City U23s (PDL)
Round 5: 3-1 road win at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Leading goalscorers: Gaston Fernandez (4), Will Johnson (1), Taylor Peay (1)

Seattle Sounders Open Cup records
Overall: 31-12-5 (3-2 PKs) | Home: 24-2-2 (2-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 15-7-3 (2-1 PKs)
As MLS: 16-1-3 (2-1 PKs) | Home: 13-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 11-0-2 (1-1 PKs)
at Starfire (overall): 16-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | (as MLS): 11-0-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2013 (Lost 1-0 at Tampa Bay Rowdies of NASL – Round 3)
Best finish: 2009, 2010, 2011 US Open Cup champions
How they got here:
Round 4: 5-0 home win vs. PSA Elite (USASA)
Round 5: 1-1 draw (4-1 PK win) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Leading goalscorers: Kenny Cooper (3), Brad Evans (1), Sean Okoli (1), Zach Scott (1)

LIVE VIDEO: PORTLAND TIMBERS AT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

By Kristen Gehrke

Perhaps the most heated rivalry in Major League Soccer will be renewed Wednesday in the Quarterfinals of the US Open Cup. The Portland Timbers will travel to meet the Seattle Sounders for the first of two meetings between the two sides in less than a week. The game will be played at Starfire Soccer Complex, a place the Sounders have never lost (16-0-1, 1-0 PKs), which will guarantee a cozy, intense atmosphere for yet another Cascadia rivalry match.

It’s unclear whether the Sounders will still be without defender DeAndre Yedlin, one of two players away with the US Men’s National Team at the World Cup, as forward Clint Dempsey, the other Sounder with the team, is likely unavailable. Forward Obafemi Martins was out for this last weekend’s match against Vancouver with a strained hamstring. Look for Marcus Hahnemann in goal for the Sounders after a solid performance in their last Open Cup match, as it was announced before the tournament that the veteran, who made his Open Cup debut for Seattle back in 1995, will be the keeper of choice for this tournament run. He replaces No. 1 goalkeeper Stefan Frei, who played in Saturday’s road loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps. That game was played with the Sounders not only short Dempsey, Martins, and Yedlin, but also were missing Osvaldo Alonso and Gonzalo Pineda, who missed the match due to yellow card accumulation.

After dismissing the USASA’s PSA Elite in their opening game, the Sounders’ unbeaten record at Starfire was nearly ruined as the Earthquakes took them to a penalty kick shootout. Seattle ultimately prevailed 4-1 to reach their 5th Quarterfinal appearance in the last six years.

Portland will likely start Diego Chara at midfield (out for yellow card accumulation for the coming weekend’s MLS match) and backup keeper Andrew Weber. The Timbers will most likely look to Fanendo Adi and the tournament’s co-leader in goals Gaston Fernandez for firepower up top. Portland has struggled since the restart, losing 1-0 at home to Sporting Kansas City and notching a 2-2 road tie against the Los Angeles Galaxy.

This is the fifth time the two teams will meet in Open Cup play, but this will be the first time both will take the field as MLS teams. In those four previous meetings, the Timbers won the first game back in 2005, but the Sounders won the rematch in 2007 and then were victorious as a MLS side in 2009. Their last Open Cup meeting in 2010 went to penalty kicks with the Sounders advancing 4-3 en route to the second of their three straight tournament titles.

2014 US Open Cup Semifinals: Potential pairings/hosts

Philadelphia Union / New England Revolution winner @
– PHI @ FC Dallas: August 12, 8:00 CT – Toyota Stadium
– PHI @ Carolina: August 12, 7;30 ET – WakeMed Soccer Park
– NE @ FC Dallas: August 13, 8:00 CT – Toyota Stadium
– NE @ Carolina: August 13, 7:30 ET – WakeMed Soccer Park

Chicago Fire / Atlanta Silverbacks winner @
– Seattle: August 13, 7:30 PT – Starfire Sports Complex
– Portland: August 13, 8:00 PT – Providence Park