Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Nick Schiffler

2017 US Open Cup Round 4: Seattle Sounders win reserves-heavy rematch with Portland Timbers

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Aaron Kovar of the Seattle Sounders celebrates his 3rd minute goal in the club's Fourth Round match against the Portland Timbers in the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Seattle Sounders
Aaron Kovar of the Seattle Sounders celebrates his 3rd minute goal in the club’s Fourth Round match against the Portland Timbers in the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Seattle Sounders

In 2015, the last time the Seattle Sounders met the Portland Timbers in the US Open Cup, the match featured a 3-1 Seattle home loss, three red cards and Clint Dempsey ripping up the referee’s notebook. This time around, the Sounders were able to enact their revenge.

Aaron Kovar opened the scoring early on for Seattle, and Zack Mathers contributed the game-deciding penalty kick in the second half, as the Sounders knocked off the Timbers 2-1 in the Fourth Round of the 2017 US Open Cup at Starfire Sports Complex.

The game had barely kicked off before the Sounders opened the scoring. In just the third minute, Nouhou Tolo whipped in a cross from the left wing that eluded three Timbers defenders, falling for an open Kovar to slam home.

Kovar was one of a small number of Sounders in the lineup with previous experience playing for the first team, and served as the spearhead of the attack while he was on the field.

“It felt good,” Kovar said. “That was my first competitive start in a while so it was good to get back.”

Seattle had the run of play for the first 30 minutes before Portland started to work their way into the game. Ben Zemanski was the main orchestrator of the Timbers offense, and he helped create their equalizer in the 38th minute. His well-taken corner kick to the back post was nodded down by Rennico Clarke and bundled into the net by Augustine Williams. The Timbers nearly got a second just before the halftime whistle, with an outstretched save from Tyler Miller keeping Zemanksi’s laser of a shot from finding the net.

To start the second half Seattle raced into the attack with renewed energy. That quickly turned into a penalty kick when Felix Chenkam’s close-range shot was blocked by a Portland arm in the box. Mathers stepped up and calmly rolled his penalty into the right side of the net to give the Sounders back the lead. Portland occasionally threatened during the rest of the half but never came particularly close to scoring again.

While this meeting featured the tension and chippy play that is expected when these two bitter Cascadia rivals face off, it did not get quite as explosive as their famous 2015 match – with just one yellow card handed out on the night. Part of that may have been due to both teams fielding lineups relying heavily on players called up from their second teams in the USL, T2 and S2. Portland signed 11 such T2 players to short-term, first-team contracts to play in the match and Seattle signed nine S2 players of their own.

Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer gave credit to those call-ups for helping earn the victory and praised the growth of the Sounders organization as a whole.

“There’s been a lot of hard work by Ezra and the academy guys and that’s pushing up to our level,” Schmetzer said. “I thought all of our S2 players played extremely well.”

It was Schmetzer’s first US Open Cup match as full-time manager of the club in MLS. He was at the reins for Seattle when they played in the USL, and guided the then-minor league team to back-to-back Semifinal cup runs in 2007 and 2008.

The Sounders will find out who they face in the next round of this year’s tournament during the Round of 16 draw on June 15.

“This club’s had a lot of success in this tournament and I won it one year, so that was a pretty cool experience,” Kovar said. “It would be fun to do it again.”

2017 US Open Cup Round 2: Reno 1868 FC needs PKs to become first pro team from Nevada to advance

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Reno 1868 FC logo

Reno 1868 FC were able to make their first Open Cup match a successful one – but they had to battle through 120 minutes of soccer and a penalty shootout to do it.

The first-year USL club traveled to Seattle to take on OSA FC, winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout after playing to a 1-1 draw in the second round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Reno goalkeeper Russ Klabough saved two penalties in the shootout, and Junior Burgos converted his to send Reno into the third round of the tournament.

OSA, an amateur team from the fourth-division NPSL, came out hot playing at home. They pressed Reno from the opening whistle and were rewarded 15 minutes into the match, when Eli Gordley collected the ball bouncing around in the six-yard box stabbing it home into the net.
Buoyed by the goal, OSA kept up the pressure, hitting the crossbar twice in ten minutes, but Reno turned the game around and equalized in the 30th minute. Cameron Vickers laid a pass toward goal to Dembakwi Yomba, who used his strength to hold off the OSA defense and his finesse to slot the ball into the net.

Reno controlled most of the rest of regulation, and Mackenzie Pridham hit the crossbar himself. The road team had three glorious chances in quick succession to score the winning goal in second-half stoppage time. The best of those chances required a game-saving tackle from behind from OSA defender Beau Blanchard to stop a sure Reno goal.

Neither team could find the same level of inspiration in the 30 minutes of extra time – although OSA goalkeeper Joshua Adachi was forced into making several fine saves – so on it went to penalties.

Blanchard shot first for OSA and had his effort saved. The teams traded marks before Reno’s Antoine Hoppenot, a former Philadelphia Union player, blazed his effort over the bar to level the shootout. But Klabough gave Reno the advantage back by making a dramatic kick-save on OSA substitute Hamza Haddadi.

Neither team missed from the mark again. It came down to Reno’s final shooter, Junior Burgos, who coolly tucked his penalty into the net before racing into the corner to celebrate the hard-fought victory with his teammates.

OSA had also gone to penalties in their first round match against the Seattle Sounders U-23s. In that game, they played 120 minutes of scoreless soccer before making all 5 of their penalty kicks to advance – making an appearance in the second round of the tournament for the first time in their history. They’ll now turn their focus back to NPSL league play.

Reno entered the tournament as the first pro club from Nevada to qualify for the US Open Cup, and now they are the first to advance. The club’s reward for the victory is a Third Round US Open Cup match on May 31 at fellow USL club Sacramento Republic. The winner of that game will get the chance to face an MLS opponent in the fourth round of the tournament.

Reno Lineup: Klabough, Griffiths, Ward, Richards, Felipe, Casiple, Pridham, Ward, Silva, Burgos, Yomba
OSA Lineup: Adachi, Blanchard, Jackson, S. Rogers, Ocampo, Anderson, Bwana, Russell, Shaxton, Roldan, Gordley

SUBS
62′ Reno Hoppenot on, Yomba off
67′ OSA Ayala on, Shaxton off
79′ Reno Lagrassa on, Pridham off
105′ Reno Mfeka on, Vickers off
109′ OSA Haddadi on, Gordley off
119′ OSA Wright on, Russell off

GOALS
16’ OSA – Gordley
30’ Reno – Yomba (assisted by Vickers)

PENALTIES
OSA Blanchard- saved
Reno Casiple – make
OSA Roldan– make
Reno Richards – make
OSA Jackson– make
Reno Hoppenot – miss
OSA Haddadi– saved
Reno LaGrassa – make
OSA Wright – make
Reno Burgos – make

2017 US Open Cup Round 1: OSA FC need PKs to eliminate Sounders U23s in Pacific Northwest amateur stalemate

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OSA_FC_Club_CrestIn a battle of two amateur teams from the Pacific Northwest, playing in downtown Seattle under the shadow of the Space Needle, OSA FC were able to knock off Seattle Sounders U-23s in a penalty shootout. The NPSL side advanced 5-3 on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw in the First Round of the 2017 US Open Cup.

Neither team was able to find the net in regulation or in the 30 added minutes of extra time. The deadlock continued through the first five penalty kicks taken, each team converting, until the Sounders’ Macauley King tried to chip his penalty down the middle. OSA keeper Joshua Adachi kept his nerve, made the save, and allowed OSA to make their next two kicks to ice the victory.
The Sounders U-23s, who play in the Premier Development League (PDL), caused problems for their NPSL opponents and city rivals in the first half. Forward William Bagrou was able to get himself free on multiple occasions, the most dangerous of which came in the 39th minute, when he shed his defender to get on the end of a cross, but could only head the ball down into the turf and to a grateful Adachi.

OSA began forcing the action in the second half. Everything they did came through Alex Roldan – whose older brother Cristian is a regular for the Seattle Sounders of MLS. Alex Roldan created several chances seemingly out of nothing throughout the game, often serving as a one-man counterattack, and was named the man of the match for his efforts.

The closest anyone came to scoring in regulation, though, was when the Sounders hit the post in second-half stoppage time. Sergio Rivas was free on goal and shot past the keeper, but just off the outside frame of the goal.

OSA returned the favor in extra time, with Hamza Haddadi heading strongly against the woodwork from close range just before the final whistle blew to take the game into penalties.

Although OSA FC were the designated home team, the field was not their typical home field. Both teams usually play in locations south of the Seattle city center. Instead, on Wednesday, the scene was Memorial Stadium, the home of Seattle Reign FC of the National Women’s Soccer League.

OSA FC had made it to the tournament once before, in 2015, albeit under a different name in a different city. Then known as FC Tacoma 253, they fell to Kitsap Pumas in the first round. The Sounders U-23s were making the team’s third trip to the US Open Cup. Both times they won their match in the first round before falling in the second – last year, they defeated Outbreak FC before they were knocked out by that same Kitsap Pumas club.

As first-round winners, OSA FC will get the rare opportunity to host a professional side. Their next Cup match takes place in the Pacific Northwest, a second-round contest on May 17 against USL expansion side Reno 1868 FC. Reno are in their first season and have never appeared in the US Open Cup.

PENALTIES
OSA Blanchard- make
Sounders Rivas- make
OSA Roldan– make
Sounders Keitz – make
OSA Jackson– make
Sounders King – saved
OSA Haddadi– make
Sounders Sandbekkhaug – make
OSA Bwana- make

2016 US Open Cup Round 4: After 70 minute scare, Seattle Sounders pull away from PDL’s Kitsap Pumas, 2-0

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The Seattle Sounders celebrate a goal against the Kitsap Pumas in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Seattle Sounders FC
The Seattle Sounders celebrate a goal against the Kitsap Pumas in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Seattle Sounders FC

The last amateur team left in the 2016 US Open Cup made the Seattle Sounders sweat for 70 minutes, but its efforts weren’t quite enough to cause what would have been a monumental upset.

Cristian Roldan and Joevin Jones scored second-half goals to send the Sounders past the Kitsap Pumas, 2-0, in a Fourth-Round matchup at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash.

The Sounders created more chances all night than their in-state opposition, and always looked more likely to score. Kitsap, a member of the fourth-division PDL, defended stoutly for the entire match and were able to fashion a few scoring chances of their own.

“ did a good job of being very organized,” said Sounders assistant coach Brian Schmetzer, filling in as head coach for the suspended Sigi Schmid. “They brought numbers back. It’s hard to play against teams sometimes when they pack it in. After the first goal they had to open up, and that made it easier to get some chances, get some counters.”

The Pumas opted to field a nearly first-choice lineup, while the Sounders, anticipating a cross-country road trip to take on the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, mixed in a large number of reserves. Regulars Roldan, Herculez Gomez and Zach Scott all started on the field for Seattle, but backup goalie Tyler Miller got the call in net, and midfielder Zach Mathers received a start in his first official match as a Sounder.

For the most part, Seattle was held in check in the first half, aside from Scott skimming the crossbar with a contested header. Late in the half Nathan Sturgis was forced off with an injury after colliding with Kitsap keeper Matt Grosey in the air. Erik Friberg replaced Sturgis to start the second half, and he immediately made an impact in midfield.

The game opened up in the second half. Kitsap’s Hamza Haddadi forced Miller into a rare save with a decent shot in the 56th minute. For the most part, Kitsap tried to create chances for a shock goal with their big defenders, sending them forward on set-piece opportunities whenever they could.

“That was a big team,” Schmetzer said. “We were a little concerned about that. We didn’t want to give away any unnecessary corner kicks and set pieces. I thought Tyler did a fantastic job commanding his six-yard box, I had no doubt in my mind that he was in control back there.”

Despite Kitsap’s best efforts Seattle began dominating possession, creating a string of crosses and set-piece opportunities that were repeatedly turned away. Finally Roldan was able to break the deadlock.

Roldan, already playing one of his best games for Seattle, got the Sounders on the board in the 71st minute with his first official goal for the team. Aaron Kovar’s cross into the box was deflected by a Kitsap defender and fell to Roldan in the box, who poked the ball up and over Grosey to loop into the back of the net.

“You know what you get out of every single time,” Schmetzer said. “He covers a lot of ground, he wins tackles, and he’s deceptively good in the air.”

Roldan was also influential in the second goal for the Sounders in the 90th minute. With Kitsap pressing forward in search of an equalizer, Roldan bodied a Pumas defender off the ball cleanly to win possession and tap a pass to Friberg. The Swede split the entire Kitsap defense with his pass to a sprinting Joevin Jones, who easily slotted his shot past Grosey to put the game away.

The two teams had faced off in the Cup once before on the very same field in the 2011 edition of the tournament. The Sounders won a close 2-1 contest thanks to a pair of Mike Fucito goals. They won the tournament that year for their third-straight championship.

A silver lining for the Pumas is that they win the tiebreaker with La Maquina for the $15,000 Division 4 (amateur) prize money for the team that advanced the furthest in the tournament. This is despite the fact that Kitsap is the only pro team in the PDL, a fully amateur league. (Kitsap’s professional status was grandfathered in when the league made the change to become all-amateur) They accomplish this because they don’t have any active NCAA players on their roster.

HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

2016 US Open Cup Round 2: Seattle Sounders U23s eliminate Kitsap Pumas in all-PDL matchup

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seattle sounders u23s logoIt took 90 minutes for the Kitsap Pumas to find their first goal, but once they did, they had safely booked their passage into the third round of the 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Javier Castro smashed in a close-range shot in the final minute of regulation to lead Kitsap to a 1-0 victory over their PDL Northwest Division rivals, Seattle Sounders Under-23s, in Bremerton, Wash. on Wednesday night.

With the victory, the Pumas will travel to face Sacramento Republic of USL on June 1, with the winner of that match getting a chance to face off with a MLS squad. Sacramento easily defeated CD Aguiluchos USA 5-0 in their own Second Round matchup.

The Sounders began Wednesday’s match on the right foot, with David Olsen breaking into open space before firing a shot over the crossbar, but that was the best chance the visiting side would create in the first half. Kitsap began to earn more possession, resulting in a few dangerous looks at goal that kept Sounders goalkeeper Paul Christensen alert and busy.

Eighteen minutes into the first half, Kitsap’s Buba Jammeh smashed a long-range shot that the Sounders keeper was able to stay in front of and keep from the net. Then, in the 37th minute, Kitsap midfielder Jesus Sanchez curled a shot just to the outside of the post.

Kitsap continued to control possession as the second half began, although the Sounders were able to counter with numerous scoring chances of their own. One such opportunity from a free kick beat Kitsap keeper Matt Grosey but safely deflected off the crossbar.

The Pumas poured on the pressure as the second half wound down, hitting the bar once themselves and having a near-goal cleared off the goal line by a Sounders defender. But despite all the chances neither side could find the back of the net.

David Olsen came inches from giving the visitors the lead in the waning moments of the match. With the score somehow still 0-0, Olsen slalomed through the Kitsap defense, getting away a shot that caromed off the underside of the crossbar. But the ball did not go across the line, setting the stage for Kitsap’s Castro to provide a dramatic finish to the contest.

His goal came off a scramble in the goal box. The ball pinballed around the area until it deflected to Castro, lurking at the back post. He spun on his left foot and forced the ball into the net with his right, setting off a jubilant on-field celebration in front of the hometown Kitsap fans. Although there were still three minutes of stoppage time to be played, the wind was out of the Sounders’ sails and the game was effectively over.

Kitsap is in the middle of its sixth trip to the US Open Cup. Their most recent appearance came in 2015 when they crushed FC Tacoma 253 in the first round, 5-2, before getting knocked out 4-2 by Seattle Sounders FC 2.

The Sounders U-23s last entered the US Open Cup in in 2013 where they, too, succumbed in the second round. They defeated amateur side Doxa Italia 5-1 before being eliminated from the tournament by the then USL-PRO Charlotte Eagles.

The Pumas have had a rough start to the 2016 season. They sit at the bottom of the Premier Development League’s Northwest Division with -2 points after three games – the club was docked three points and awarded a forfeit for a violation of league roster rules in their opening match of the season.

There will be plenty of chances for the Sounders to gain revenge in the coming months. The two Northwest Division rivals face each other three more times in the 2016 PDL season, with the next matchup between the two coming in just 10 days.

But it will be Kitsap who moves on in the US Open Cup to face a very good Sacramento team – and maybe even get the chance to move on a little bit further.

2014 US Open Cup Semifinals: Seattle Sounders dominate Chicago Fire, reach 5th Final in 6 years

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The Seattle Sounders FC celebrate after midfielder Andy Rose (5) scored a goal against the Chicago Fire during the second half at Starfire Soccer Stadium. Seattle defeated Chicago 6-0. Photo: Steven Bisig | USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Sounders are on their way to their fifth U.S. Open Cup Final in the last six years – and they couldn’t have gotten there in a more emphatic fashion.

Led by two goals each from Kenny Cooper and Andy Rose, the Sounders dismantled the visiting Chicago Fire 6-0 in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup at Starfire Sports Complex. Seattle will travel to play the Philadelphia Union in the final of the tournament on September 16.

Chad Barrett opened the scoring in the first half, and Obafemi Martins came off the bench in the second half in his U.S. Open Cup debut to add another insurance tally for the Sounders.

“When it rains it pours,” said Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid. “We did well finishing tonight, the early goal got us off to a really good start. Bringing in some guys with fresh legs, Cooper, Barrett, Andy Rose getting back into the mix, really helped us at the end of the day. made us a little quicker, a little sharper, which is what we wanted to achieve.”

Seattle Sounders FC forward Chad Barrett (19) slide tackles Chicago Fire midfielder Matt Watson (22) during the first half at Starfire Soccer Stadium. Photo: Steven Bisig | USA TODAY Sports

Both teams started without their top goal-scorers on the pitch. Chicago was missing Mike Magee due to a red card he picked up in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal victory at Atlanta, while Martins was on the bench for Seattle and Clint Dempsey was not even in uniform.

But Seattle proved to be just fine with their reserve strikers starting, and it was Barrett who got the Sounders on the board just six minutes into the match. Cooper received the ball from Rose on the right hand side and created space with a sharp cut-back before rolling a cross into the penalty area. The ball eluded three Fire defenders on its way to Barrett, and the one-time Chicago player smashed a shot into the net past a helpless Sean Johnson.

Seattle’s first goal brought about Chicago’s best spell of the evening. The Fire created several opportunities over the next ten minutes, largely through Quincy Amarikwa’s harassing runs.

Chicago’s best chance to equalize came in the 22nd minute after an Osvaldo Alonso foul on the edge of the penalty area. Chicago worked a tricky set-play to give Jeff Larentowicz a clear shot at goal, but Seattle keeper Stefan Frei was just able to block Larentowicz’s blast before Seattle’s defense scrambled clear.

However, Fire head coach Frank Yallop did not think that his team converting on one of their early chances would have altered the way the game unfolded.

“You can’t play the game and concede six goals in the match,” Yallop said. “Whether we scored or not, I don’t think it would have changed anything.”

Seattle stifled Chicago’s growing momentum with their second goal in the 33rd minute. After a blasted shot by Alonso forced a corner for Seattle, Marco Pappa’s corner kick found Rose at the back post and the Englishman headed it down and into the corner of the net.

The Sounders took that 2-0 lead into the locker room, and only took 13 minutes to add to it in the second half. Again, it was Pappa finding Rose.

Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Marco Pappa (10) dribbles the ball while being defended by Chicago Fire midfielder Lovel Palmer (5) during the first half at Starfire Soccer Stadium. Photo: Steven Bisig | USA TODAY Sports

This time, Pappa dribbled into the corner, then spun around to set up his preferred left foot. His cross again found Rose open at the back post, and Rose again headed the ball past Johnson and into the net to put the game out of reach. It marked his second goal of the game in just his second start of the season.

“He’s been held back a little bit with injuries,” Schmid said. “ can give you something, because when he can come forward he’s dangerous on set pieces. It was his ball into Cooper that set up that first goal. Andy can play very simple and sees things like that.”

Soon after, Yallop substituted on Matthew Fondy for Chicago, adding a second striker onto the field in an effort to produce some sort of attacking spark.

For their part, the Sounders brought on designated player Obafemi Martins as a substitute in the 74th minute, and it only took him five minutes to get on the board. Martins ran onto a flicked pass from Cooper and simply ran at the tired Chicago defense until space opened up, which the Nigerian took to slot home the fourth goal of the night.

After that, Chicago’s spirit visibly was broken, and the Sounders showed no mercy. Cooper capitalized by scoring Seattle’s fifth and sixth goals in a span of three minutes.

First, Cooper, left completely unmarked in the box, headed in a pinpoint cross from DeAndre Yedlin in the 82nd minute. About 75 seconds later, Martins slid a pass through for an onrushing Cooper to slot home for his second goal, sending the capacity Starfire crowd into delirium.

“I think our guys thrive on the closeness of the crowd,” Schmid said. “It helps spur them on to good performances.”

Seattle’s performance might have been the best of their 2014 season, and it left them one victory away from their MLS record-tying fourth U.S. Open Cup title.

HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

2014 US Open Cup Round 5: Seattle Sounders remain unbeaten at Starfire, edge San Jose Earthquakes in penalty kicks (video)

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The Seattle Sounders eliminate the San Jose Earthquakes in penalty kicks to remain undefeated at Starfire Sports Complex. Photo: Seattle Sounders FC
The Seattle Sounders eliminate the San Jose Earthquakes in penalty kicks to remain undefeated at Starfire Sports Complex. Photo: Seattle Sounders FC

It took extra time, a penalty shootout and a couple of local heroes to send the Seattle Sounders on in the Fifth Round of the US Open Cup.

Seattle native Marcus Hahnemann made a key save in the shootout and Federal Way’s Lamar Neagle converted the match-winning penalty as the Sounders knocked off the San Jose Earthquakes 4-1 in penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time.

Steven Lenhart’s superb opening goal in the 24th minute was matched immediately after by Kenny Cooper’s equalizer. Neither team would find the back of the net again until the penalty shootout.

“It’s just exciting,” Sounders coach Sigi Schmid said. “People like a shootout. Coaches really don’t, but the fans love them.”

The result sets up another potential blockbuster Cup match. With the win Seattle will take on regional rival Portland Timbers in the Quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m. on July 9 at Starfire Sports Complex.

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2014 Quarterfinal draw scenarios

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2015 US Open Cup qualifying news

The First Cup series (1913/14)

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Gonzalo Pineda, Marco Pappa, Brad Evans, and Neagle each made their penalties for the Sounders. Khari Stephenson scored the first for San Jose before Alan Gordon slammed his off the post and J.J. Koval saw his effort saved by Hahnemann.

A very physical, scrappy game came to life in the twelfth minute. Neagle got his head on the end of a Pappa cross, and his header was bound for the top corner of the net before David Bingham made a superb, one-hand reaction save.

It was the Earthquakes who broke the deadlock in the 24th minute through Lenhart. San Jose, as they did all night, attacked by playing a long ball to their big forwards. Lenhart fought off Zach Scott to win the ball, turned and fired a rocket inside Marcus Hahnemann’s near post and into the net.

Just two minutes later, Kenny Cooper tied things up again for the Sounders. After Neagle received the ball at the top of the 18-yard box with his back to goal, he held possession and held off three defenders until he spotted Cooper, whom Neagle teed up for a curling strike past Bingham.

Seattle’s goal seemed to re-energize the Sounders, and they spend the remainder of the half with most of the ball and more attempts at goal. The closest came just before the halftime break when Earthquakes defender Clarence Goodson deflected a wicked cross from Evans off his own post.

Against the run of play, San Jose almost went up 2-1 early in the second half. Goodson, a central defender, made a long run to receive the ball in the box after some neat passing. He poked a shot just wide of the goal that easily could have gone in.

The Sounders kept knocking.

Photo: Seattle Sounders FC
Photo: Seattle Sounders FC

First Pappa, the most dangerous player on the field for Seattle, ripped a long shot just past the post. Cam Weaver then got his head on the end of a Pappa corner kick, but couldn’t keep his header down.

Chad Barrett came on as a substitute on for the Sounders in the 78th minute and nearly scored with his first touch. He headed a long cross goalward, but Bingham ranged to his left and made a sprawling save. Two minutes later, Barrett stepped up to a loose ball in the penalty area and smashed a shot off the far post that careened to safety.

Despite the Sounders outshooting the Earthquakes 21-9 in regulation, the home side couldn’t find a winner before the 90 minutes were up.

“I thought we deserved to win it, but it just wasn’t falling for us.” Schmid said. “Even towards the end with all the corners and opportunities. I thought we were a little bit snakebit, but the guys did well and came through on the penalties.”

With the threat of penalties looming, Seattle continued to press in the first half of extra time. A goal seemed inevitable when Pappa found Lamar Neagle with a long ball into the box, but Bingham somehow kept out Neagle’s point-blank effort from going in.

In the second added period, J.J. Koval had an excellent chance to send San Jose home with a win, but he blazed over the bar from about eight yards out. Seattle had numerous good opportunities, including two more shots from Neagle that were brilliantly kept out, before the whistle blew for the last time and the game was decided by spot-kicks.

HIGHLIGHTS: SAN JOSE AT SEATTLE

POST-GAME: MARCUS HAHNEMANN

POST-GAME: SIGI SCHMID

THE FINAL KICKS, SEATTLE CELEBRATION

MATCH REVIEW: RAVE TV

FULL MATCH REPLAY: SAN JOSE AT SEATTLE

2014 US Open Cup Round 4: Seattle Sounders flex muscle, crushing last amateur club PSA Elite, 5-0 (video)

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Kenny Cooper of the Seattle Sounders scored his 8th and 9th career US Open Cup goals in the Sounders' 5-0 win over PSA Elite. Photo: Seattle Sounders
Kenny Cooper of the Seattle Sounders scored his 8th and 9th career US Open Cup goals in the Sounders’ 5-0 win over PSA Elite. Photo: Seattle Sounders FC

It had been two years since Seattle Sounders FC had played a US Open Cup match at their home fortress of Starfire Sports Complex. They made sure not to waste the opportunity.

In front of a standing-room-only crowd, the Sounders swept aside amateur club PSA Elite 5-0 to reach the fifth round of the tournament. Kenny Cooper scored a pair of goals, Brad Evans and Cam Weaver added first-half tallies and Sean Okoli chipped in with a fifth late in the match.

“We weren’t happy with how we started the Open Cup last year, so we wanted to make sure we got off to a better start,” said Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid.

The Sounders certainly did that in a match that was never in doubt. They controlled play from the opening whistle, owning the vast majority of possession, and while PSA Elite defended in an organized, composed fashion for the first twenty minutes, it all came undone when they conceded a needless penalty.

Seattle’s Aaron Kovar worked his way into the box on a tricky run, then had his legs cut out from underneath him by a reckless tackle. The referee had no choice but to point to the spot, leaving Brad Evans to step up and send keeper Earl Edwards, Jr. the wrong way, coolly converting the penalty for the first goal of the match.

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The goal clearly settled the Sounders’ nerves, and it seemed inevitable they would score again. In the 40th minute, they did. This time it was defender Zach Scott getting on the end of a Kovar cross and heading it in at the far post.

Seattle kept bombing in crosses, and the amateur side had no match for the two big forwards they were facing. A cross from David Estrada led to Cooper’s first goal, a point-blank header that Cooper smashed into the net for a 3-0 lead just before the halftime whistle.

“We wanted to have a little bit of a bigger team to take advantage of set pieces, because we knew they weren’t an overly big team and it’s a small field,” Schmid said.

One of those set pieces led to Cooper’s second goal in the 56th minute. After the Sounders won a corner kick and Kovar played it into the box, Zach Scott kept the ball alive and poked it free towards Cooper. The 6’3” forward then executed a successful bicycle kick from about six yards out to make the score 4-0, and left the PSA defense throwing up their hands in frustration.

The Irvine, Calif.-based amateur team never gave up on trying to sneak a goal against the Sounders – they began in a 4-5-1 formation before substituting on an extra forward at halftime – but it took until the 50th minute for them to register their first shot of the match, a fairly tame effort by Michael Salazar. It was also their last shot of the match. Seattle out-shot PSA Elite 21-1 throughout the game.

With five minutes left in regulation and the match no longer in doubt, Okoli tapped in a cross from substitute Chad Barrett to make it 5-0. It was his first goal for the Sounders. Okoli, who played for the Sounders FC Academy and U-23 teams, grew up in Federal Way, just 13 miles south of Starfire.

The Sounders avoided being knocked out in their first match of the US Open Cup for the second straight year. They fell on the road to NASL side Tampa Bay Rowdies 1-0 in 2013, putting an end to their all-time US Open Cup record 22-game unbeaten streak.

PSA Elite were trying to win their second straight match against a professional club, after knocking out LA Galaxy II in penalties in the Third Round. However, they were still the only club from the USASA ranks to reach the fourth round of the tournament.
Seattle will now host the San Jose Earthquakes (2-1 winners over Sacramento Republic) in the Fifth Round of the US Open Cup, at Starfire Sports Complex on June 24 at 7:30 p.m. local time.

REPLAY: PSA ELITE AT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Fresno Fuego burns Orange County Blues for first upset in over a decade

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Fresno FuegoThe Fresno Fuego pulled off one of the upsets of the Second Round in the US Open Cup, knocking off professional side Orange County Blues 2-0 behind some solid defending and two opportunistic goals.

Abraham Campos and Jose Cuevas scored within three minutes of each other late in the first half, which was enough for the PDL side to knock off the USL-PRO Blues and move on to the Third Round. The amateur squad last defeated a professional team in the tournament in 2003.

“We defended extremely well,” said Fuego head coach Scott Alcorn, who was ejected in the final 10 minutes of the match. “It was the best defensive effort this season. But the difference tonight was that we won the 50-50 balls.”

Fresno ran into trouble before the match even kicked off, as three of their players were ruled ineligible. Alfred Edmonds and Elliot Hord were both forced into the starting 11 for the Fuego at the last minute, and the match kicked off nearly 45 minutes late as a result of the roster confusion.

Despite the early drama, and despite temperatures at kickoff nearly reaching 100 degrees, Fresno started the first half brightly, creating as many chances as their USL-PRO opponents. Fresno winger Paul Islas forced Blues keeper Mohammad Mohammadi into a good save, tipping a shot over the bar. Soon after, Orange County’s Enrique Cardenas zipped a shot just past the post and wide.

It was the Fuego who would get on the board first at the end of the first half. In the 41st minute, Campos lined up over a free kick about 25 yards out, and banged a low shot that beat Mohammadi, deflected off the post and into the net.

Three minutes later Fresno doubled their advantage. Tyler Reinhart forced Mohammadi into a save, but the rebound deflected right back to the forward. Reinhart nudged it to Cuevas, who slotted in the goal from about eight yards out for the 2-0 lead.

Desperate to find some kind of offensive spark, the Blues made substitutions early – they had used all three by the 60th minute. Orange County was able to turn up the pressure on Fresno, controlling the majority of possession as the second half wore on, but it couldn’t put any good chances on goal.

“To get the second goal right before half totally changed what we wanted to do. We wanted to still put pressure on them,” Alcorn said. “As the second half of the half moved on, obviously we dropped into a little more low-pressure, and the last 20 minutes we basically bunkered in.”

The Blues were given additional life when Fresno defender Trevor Spurgeon was shown a red card in the 85th minute, reducing the hosts to ten men. Five minutes of stoppage time were added, but Fresno defended well and held on for the shutout victory.

Fresno was making its third trip to the US Open Cup. Most recently, in 2012, they defeated Stanislaus United Turlock Express in the First Round, before getting hammered 7-2 by the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the NASL.

Orange County, then known as the Los Angeles Blues, entered the US Open Cup in the Second Round in 2013. They defeated the Ventura County Fusion 5-1 before being knocked out of the tournament by Chivas USA of MLS for the second straight year.

Fresno will travel a few hours north for their next Cup match on May 28 to take on the Sacramento Republic, who defeated the Ventura County Fusion 2-1 in the Second Round. The winner of that game will get the chance to take on an MLS club in the tournament’s Fourth Round.

“We’ve played exhibition games against MLS teams, and we feel we can play with any of them,” Alcorn said. “We’re just not as deep as they are. win just earns respect for the PDL, and the PDL is such a high level that doesn’t get the respect it deserves. it just shows you that USL soccer is at an extremely high level.”

2014 US Open Cup qualifying: Seattle Sporting, Spartans FC advance in inaugural NPSL Northwest opener (video)

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Spartans Futbol Club and Seattle Sporting FC are each one step closer to making the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in their debut seasons in the National Premier Soccer League’s brand-new Northwest Conference.

The two clubs will face each other in the NPSL Northwest qualification tournament final after winning their semifinal matches this weekend. Spartans pounded SO Samba FC 6-0, while Seattle Sporting saw off city rivals Inter United FC 1-0 in the first competitive fixture for both teams.

Sporting got a goal in the 13th minute from Avimael Castro, who ran down a long free-kick and chipped it past the Inter keeper. Unfortunately for Seattle, Castro was forced to exit the match 14 minutes later with a leg injury. Sporting was the more aggressive team offensively, and they held onto their one-goal lead through a physical second half.

“With the team we played today, only been training together for two weeks,” head coach Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar said. “So we have some chemistry issues, but with time hopefully they’ll start to gel.”

It was the first victory for the Sporting head coach, who previously has played in the US Open Cup with the USL’s Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders.

“We have had scrimmages where we have given up two, three or four goals, so to get a shutout today, the defense stepped up,” Alcaraz-Cuellar said. “They improved from the scrimmages. A win’s a win, and in the first game for the club, it’s even more huge of a win so I’m really proud for the guys.”

The other Northwest finalist had an easier time advancing. On a pouring night in Portland, Spartans FC scored early and never let up, eventually running away with a 6-0 victory over SO Samba. The Vancouver, Wash.-based Spartans were crowned champions of the Oregon Premier Soccer League in January and appear to be continuing their good form.

Spartans, as the winning semifinalist that scored the most goals in its match, will host Seattle Sporting in the qualifying final at 7:30 p.m. tonight, according to Sporting’s website.

According to Seattle Sporting FC Facebook page, the winner of the Northwest mini-tournament will have one more step to qualify for the 101st edition of the US Open Cup. The winner of tonight’s final will hit the road this weekend to play Golden Gate Conference tournament winner CD Aguiluchos USA in what is expected to be a “Win & You’re In” match. There has been no official announcement about the format of the 2014 US Open Cup, so it is unclear how many NPSL teams will be allowed in this year.

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    2014 US Open Cup qualifying (NPSL)

GOLDEN GATE CONFERENCE

First Round
Sacramento Gold 1:2 Sonoma County Sol

Semifinals (March 1)
Real San Jose 0:2 Sonoma County Sol
CD Aguiluchos USA 1:0 San Francisco Stompers

Final (March 8)
CD Aguiluchos USA 1:1 Sonoma County Sol
CDA wins 4-3 in penalty kicks

SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE

First Round (March 1)
FC Force 5:2 Temecula FC
Santa Clarita Storm 1:0 Del Ray City

Semifinals (March 9)
FC Force 0:3 San Diego Flash
Santa Clarita Storm 1:6 FC Hasental

Final (March 15)
San Diego Flash vs. FC Hasental

NORTHWEST CONFERENCE

First Round
Seattle Sporting 1:0 Inter United
Spartans FC 6:0 SO Samba

Final
Seattle Sporting at Spartans FC
March 13 – 7:30 p.m. PT

NOTE: The 2014 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup format has not been officially announced by the US Soccer Federation yet, so this tournament is operating under the assumption that the number of teams awarded to the NPSL will not change from 2013.

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