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Nik Myles

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2: Nick Hutton’s OT winner sends Stegman’s SC into final round

October 24, 2017 by Nik Myles

Stegman's SC poses for a team photo before the club's 2018 US Open Cup qualifying game against Aurora Borealis SC. Photo: Stegman's SC
Stegman's SC poses for a team photo before the club's 2018 US Open Cup qualifying game against Aurora Borealis SC. Photo: Stegman's SC
Stegman’s SC poses for a team photo before the club’s 2018 US Open Cup qualifying game against Aurora Borealis SC. Photo: Stegman’s SC

MORE: 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Results/Schedule

Stegman’s SC made the trip down to Mooseheart, Ill., about an hour west of Chicago, to take on Aurora Borealis SC in the second round of the 2018 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. In the end, after a wet and rainy game, Stegman’s prevailed, 3-2, on the strength of an extra time goal by Nick Hutton to send the Minneapolis-based club into the final round of qualifying.

A kickoff that clashed with both the Chicago Bears and Decision Day in Major League Soccer, led to a sparse crowd witnessing a tightly contested battle in miserable conditions, eventually justly shaded by the visitors.

Aurora opened the scoring after about 15 minutes, when Arturo Garza swung a 25-yard free kick around the wall and into the top corner. The temptation in these moments is always to look at the wall and the keeper, but sometimes the shot is just too good.

The visitors were more composed on the ball, and more organised across the field, and it was only a matter of time before they found the equaliser. Home keeper Eduardo Sandoval did not look at home in the keeper’s jersey all day, and one can only hope that it was simply the vagaries of the US Open Cup scheduling that led him to be standing between the posts. His lack of confidence was finally exposed on the half hour mark as Tim Willis picked his pocket and scored the easiest goal of his career.

Five minutes later Stegman’s took the lead, as their perseverance with long diagonal balls paid off, allowing Olsen to lash home past the hapless Sandoval.
Stegman's_Soccer_Club_Logo
Stegman’s deserved their halftime lead, but Aurora came out for the second half with increased vigor. In the 50th minute, Ryan Salazaar pulled the ball down on the edge of the area, and ripped one past Matt Elder in the visitor’s goal.

The second half was a more even affair than the first, with the wet and windy conditions not really helping the game as a spectacle. Both sides traded blows, but clear cut chances were few and far between.

Extra time offered more of the same. Both teams were understandably exhausted, and tricky play gave way to hopeful punts downfield. Lacking anyone to hold the ball up on either side, it was always likely to be a set play that decided this. And so it was that Stegman’s stand-out player, Martin Brown, curled in a corner in the 100th minute, which was met with interest by left back Nick Hutton, leaving Sandoval grasping at thin air.

Aurora tried to battle back, but lacked any clinical incision. The stuffing was knocked out of them, and after 120 minutes, Stegman’s deserved the win.

With the win, Stegman’s moves on to the final round of qualifying where they will have to hit the road again. This time, they have a much longer trip to Western New York ahead of them to take on the Rochester River Dogz. Even though the US Soccer Federation now offers some financial assistance to teams so they can cover travel costs, with back-to-back road games Stegman’s still needs help. The club has launched a fundraising campaign to help pay for their travel to Rochester.

Man of the Match (Aurora): Corey Novotney
Man of the Match (Stegman’s): Martin Brown

Filed Under: 2018 US Open Cup, Feature - Qualifying, US Open Cup, US Open Cup Qualifying Tagged With: 2018 US Open Cup qualifying, Aurora Borealis SC, Stegman's SC

2017 US Open Cup Round 2: PDL’s Chicago FC United hands Pittsburgh Riverhounds record-breaking upset loss

May 21, 2017 by Nik Myles

Chicago FC United logoChicago FC United knocked off the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 3-1, on Wednesday night in the Second Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The name of the team may be new to some fans, but this is the same franchise that, up until recently, was tied to the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer. The upset win over Pittsburgh, the club’s second over a pro club (New Hampshire Phantoms in 2004), gives United its ninth US Open Cup win, which ranks 4th among all amateur teams in the Modern Era (1995-present).

The Chicago side, which is still two weeks away from the start of its Premier Development League season, took an early lead when an unmarked Mark Segbres headed home a cross from the right flank, beating Pittsburgh’s Barbadian international goalkeeper Keasel Broome.

FC United goalkeeper Sawyer Jackman kept the Riverhounds off the board until the 57th minute, when Pittsburgh’s Olakunle Banjo managed to level the score.

The USL side, which already is nine games into its season, continued to press for a go-ahead goal, but was unable to dent the United defense.

Mark Segbres performed a little bit of wing wizardry down the right flank for Chicago United in the 72nd minute, pulling the ball back for substitute Tom Barlow, who scored from two yards out.
Pittsburgh continued to press the home side’s goal, with Corey Hertzog blazing a shot over the bar in the 78th minute, but the Riverhounds left themselves open to a counterattack.

Chicago tacked on an insurance goal in second-half stoppage time, after Oscar Gonzalez eluded several Pittsburgh defenders in the corner. He slipped the ball to Ryan Sierakowski, who cemented the win for his team.

For the Riverhounds, the loss marked an unfortunate piece of history. Pittsburgh has now been eliminated by six different amateur teams in US Open Cup play. No professional team in the Modern Era (1995-present) has more upset losses.

With the win, Chicago United will host fellow giant-killer Christos FC in the Third Round. Christos defeated the Richmond Kickers, 1-0, on Wednesday. The winner will travel to Maryland to take on D.C. United of Major League Soccer.

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2017 US Open Cup, chicago fc united, Pittsburgh Riverhounds

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U.S. Open Cup History

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1995 US Open Cup Rewind series: The Modern Era begins

The 30th anniversary of the 1995 Open Cup is upon us this year, and as we did with the inaugural tournament in 1913-1914, we’re going to take you back in time and relive the 1995 US Open Cup in chronological order, as it happened.

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