Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2009 First Round

2009 First Round: Miami FC avoid repeat of 2006, edge USASA’s Lynch’s FC 2-1

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TropicalPark – Miami, Fla. | 8 p.m.
Match Reports: Miami FC, Miami Herald
2
FT
 1
Paulo Araujo Jr. (Diego Serna) 64’
Diego Serna (Tim Merritt) 65’		       44’ Tomas Kracinovic (PK)

Just like they did in 2006, the Miami FC Blues found themselves down 1-0 at halftime to a USASA club, but this time they battled back to win the game. Lynch’s FC, from Jacksonville, Fla., had the lead, but back-to-back second half goals kept the Blues from repeating their historic 2006 loss to Dallas Roma FC, beating Lynch’s 2-1.  

Lynch’s looked on their way to the club’s first Open Cup win in three tries when they opened the scoring with a 44th minute penalty kick by Tomas Kracinovic. However, the Blues crushed their spirits with two goals in quick succession by Paulo Arajuo Jr. in the 64th and the other a minute later by Diego Serna.

Miami will host a fellow USL-1 club, the Charleston Battery, next Tuesday in the Second Round.

LINEUPS

LYN: Greg Williams; Thomas Senegal, Jacoby Goodfellow (Tony Kattreh 80), Steve Command; Patrick Gambone Michele Anai, Rammy Nikansae (Jonathan Jackson 23), Dominic Schell, Mark Rowland; Alejandro Tayloe, Tomas Kracinovic (Harris Donaldson 63)

MIA: Pat Hannigan; Tim Merritt, Chris Williams (Walter Ramirez 45), Cristiano Dias, John Traynor (Jarryd Goldberg 45); John Pulido, Edwin Miranda, Connally Edozien (Danny Vasquez 62), Paulo Araujo; Alen Marcina, Diego Serna

Shots: LYN 5, MIA 8
Fouls: LYN 14, MIA 12
Corners: LYN 5, MIA 3
Saves: LYN 4, MIA 5
Offsides: LYN 0, MIA 8

Cautions
LYN: Schell 52, Command 55
MIA: Serna 51, Marcina 82, Hannigan 90

Referees: NA

2009 First Round: Battery cruise as Atlanta FC self-destructs in Open Cup debut

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Blackbaud Stadium – Charleston, S.C. | 7:30 p.m.Match Reports: Charleston, Post & Courier
Twitter: @atlantafc Broadcast: USL Live
2
FT
 0
Randi Paterson (T. Yoshitake) 1’
Tsuyoshi Yoshitake (John Wilson) 32’
      
28’ Sappia Venn – SENT OFF
66’ Robert Munilla – SENT OFF
69’ Leo Sandoval – SENT OFF

Atlanta FC’s dream of a run in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup fell short as they unable to pull off the upset against the Charleston Battery (USL-1) falling 2-0 at Blackbaud Stadium. Goals from Randi Patterson and Tsuyoshi Yoshitake propelled the Battery to the Second Round.

The match, broadcast live on USLLive.com, was a tale of two different clubs. Atlanta FC, the first team to qualify out of Georgia since 1991 (Atlanta Datagraphics), were overpowered for a majority of the match against a Charleston Battery side who have participated in six straight Open Cups, and 10 of the last 11.

No sooner had the national anthem finished than Atlanta FC found themselves down one goal as a corner from Tsuyoshi Yoshitake found Randi Patterson in the box, heading in the first goal 37 seconds into the match. Charleston showed no signs of fatigue, having played three games in the last five days, as they controlled the match from the start. Atlanta FC soon settled down and maintained possession, but could not force a single shot on Battery keeper Keith Wiggans.

The match began to get scrappy in the 28th minute as Venn Sappia was ejected during an incident off the ball. Later, the report showed an apparent ’hand-to-face’ incident prompted the Sappia ejection.

After the situation calmed, the Battery did not waste time any time. John Wilson beat his man down the left flank and played a pinpoint cross into Yoshitake, who volleyed it home from six yards out, giving the Battery a 2-0 lead that they held until the halftime break.

The second half was more of the same, as Atlanta FC crippled their upset chances by earning two more red cards and finishing with only eight men. Atlanta FC’s coach was also sent off in the second half, as the NPSL side failed to gain any momentum and saw their US Open Cup run come to an end.

Charleston advance to the Second Round to take on Miami FC, 8pm ET at Tropical Park in Miami, Fla.

2009 First Round: Late red cards ruin 402’s comeback attempt as Thunder win 3-2

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NationalSports Center – Blaine, Minn. | 8:05 p.m.
Match reports: Minnesota Thunder
Photos: Jeremy Olson
3
FT
 2
Brian Cvilikas 30’
Leonel Saint-Prioux 40’
Brian Cvikikas (Saint-Prioux) 46’
      
12’ Andrei Gotsmanov (Torres)
57’ Tony Schmidtz
84’ Tony Schmitz (SENT OFF)
90’ Tim Walters (SENT OFF)

The Minnesota Thunder survived the challenge of Nebraska’s 402 with a 3-2 victory to advance to the Second Round.

402, named after Eastern Nebraska’s telephone area code, struck first when former Thunder player Johnny Torres assisted on Andrei Gotsmanov’s 12th minute goal. Minnesota nearly tied the score twice shortly after, but attempts from Brian Cvilikas and Rod Dyachenko could not cross the goal line.

Cvilikas finally broke through in the 31st minute when he drilled home a pass from Dyachenko. Leonel Saint-Preux gave the Thunder a halftime lead when he chipped a shot over 402 goalkeeper Ross Kaufman. The USL-1 club increased their lead in the 47th minute when Cvilikas scored his second of the game, when Saint-Preux fed him for the score. Just ten minutes later, 402 closed the gap back to one as Tomy Schmitz sent a 25-yard shot past goalkeeper Nic Platter.

Toward the end of the game, 402 were reduced to ten men when Schmitz was shown his marching orders for a hard foul on Saint-Preux. Minnesota will host the Chicago Fire PDL club next Tuesday in Round 2.

Starting Lineups:

Minnesota: Nic Platter; Quavas Kirk, Chris Clements, Jon Greenfield, Andrew Peterson; Lawrence Olum, Jeremiah Bass, Rod Dyachenko (Ricardo Sanchez 66); Melvin Tarley (Geoffrey Myers 66), Brian Cvilikas, Leonel Saint-Preux (Marco Terminesi 89)

402: Ross Kaufman; Matt Thomas (Andrew Watts 88), Chris Brunt (Matt Wadleigh 45), Ryan Junge, Jay Mims, Tim Walters, Tim Bohnenkamp (Jace Peters 45), Andre Gotsmanov, Joshua Moran, Tony Schmitz

Game Statistics

Minnesota: Shots 21, Fouls 8, Offside 0, Corners 1
402: Shots 12, Fouls 6, Offside 1, Corners 7

Goalkeeper Statistics
Platter (Minnesota): Shots faces 12, Saves 4, Goals Allowed 2
Kaufman (402): Shots faces 21, Saves 5, Goals Allowed 3

Cautions:
MIN: Saint-Preux, 25 ‘,Thomas, 83 ‘
402: Schmitz, 38’, Gotsmanov 84 ‘

Ejections: 402: Schmitz, 84’, Walters, 90 ‘
Attendance: 245
Referees: Elias Bazakos, Fotis Bazakos Troy Cohrs , Jorge Oncontrillo

2009 First Round: City Islanders are 3-for-3 with opening round win over Reading Rage

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Skyline Sports Complex – Harrisburg, Pa. | 7:05 p.m.
Match Reports: PennLive.com
4
FT
 1
Steve Fisher (Chad Severs) 1’
Ty Shipalane (Cody Reinberg) 42’
Nicolas Patterson 49’
Chad Severs (PK) 60’
       8’ Jon Ports

The Harrisburg City Islanders made easy work out of their nearby PDL opponents, the Reading Rage, cruising to a 4-1 victory. The win puts the City Islanders into the Second Round for the third time in their brief three-year history.

It was the first Open Cup appearance for the Rage since 2003 when they were a professional team in the USL’s Pro Soccer League. Reading was looking for their first Open Cup win, having lost their opening game in their two previous appearances (2001, 2003).

The USL-2 club got on the board right away when Chad Severs assisted on Steve Fisher’s opening minute goal. Reading responded seven minutes later when Jon Ports netted an unassisted tally.

Ty Shipalane put the City Islanders in front for good just three minutes from halftime, off a pass from Cody Reinberg. Harrisburg padded their advantage in the second half, with goals from Nicki Paterson and a penalty kick by Severs.

Harrisburg will now host fellow USL-2 club Western Mass Pioneers in the Second Round on June 16.

LINEUPS

Reading: Jeremy Vuolo; Darren O’Connor, Ged Quinn, Josh Beinenfeld, Adam Welch; Stephen Hogan (Luke Mulholland 66), Felix Obilo (Mario Villa Boa 78), Dwayne Smith (Evans Frimpong 67), Adam Gazda, Jon Ports; Aaron Wheeler

Harrisburg: Chase Harrison; Geoff Bloes, Tim Velten, Nate Baker, Cody Reinberg; Nicki Paterson, Jason Pelletier, Mo Oduor (David Schofield 66), Ty Shipalane (Brandon Swartzendruber 72); Steve Fisher, Chad Severs (Phillip Buffington 82)

Cautions
REA: Obilo 28, Smith 31, Wheeler 57, O’Connor 59
HAR: Pelletier 22, Reinberg 30, Velten 68
Referees: Ian Bongaardt, Tim Snyder, Zach Rubinich, Geoff Halberstadt

2009 First Round: New name, same opening round result as PDL Fire top Bavarian SC

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Toyota Park Practice Field – Bridgeview, Ill.
Match Reports: Chicago
3
FT
 1
Fred Braun 26’
Andre Akpan 28’
Pascal Millian 53’
SENT OFF James Maurer 63’
       64’ Kyle Zenoni (PK)

The Chicago Fire of the Premier Development League moved on to the Second Round of the US Open Cup with a 3-1 win over USASA power Bavarian SC of Milwaukee.

The Fire PDL franchise kept a streak going as they have won their opening round game in each of their three tournament appearances (2004, 2005, 2009), all of them under a different name. In 2004, they were known as the Chicago Fire Reserves and in 2005 they became the Chicago Fire Premier. They remained “Premier” until the start of the 2009 season when they dropped the extra name and were simply the Chicago Fire.

It was a convincing win for the PDL franchise with first half goals by Fred Braun and Andre Akpan, and a third by Pascal Millian in the 53rd minute. With a 3-0 lead, the Fire were also able to survive after their starting goalkeeper James Maurer was sent off in the 63rd.

Maurer took a player down in the box, and Kyle Zenoni converted the penalty kick, but Bavarian would get no closer.

Chicago will play at the Minnesota Thunder on June 16 in the Second Round. It will be a rematch from their 2005 meeting when Minnesota knocked out the Fire 2-1, denying the PDL team their first date with a Major League Soccer opponent.

LINEUPS

BAV: Matt Schmidt; Martin Castro, Sean Hughes (Dan Horst 66), Kyle Lance, Chris Lins; Billy Meier, David Peplinski (Mike Asen 84), Nathan Sabich, Donald Skalecki (Giovanni Luna 84); Donald St George, Kyle Zenoni

CHI: Jimmy Maurer; Seth Sinovic, Tim Ream, Tyler Ruthven, Barry Rice; Ryan Gracia (Jake Volmer 77), Fred Braun, Grant Campbell, Pascal Millien (Eric Gehrig 84); Chris Cutshaw (G – Ryan Schwarz 59), Andre Akpan

Shots: BAV 8, CHI 9
Fouls: BAV 8, CHI 5
Corners: BAV 7, CHI 2
Saves: Bav 3, CHI 7
Offsides: Bav 0, CHI 9 

Cautions
MIL: Sabich 31, Meier 41, Zenoni 74, Asen 88

Ejections
CHI: Maurer 59

Referees: Pawel Wydra, Nikola Aleksic, Greg Dopka

2009 First Round: Rhinos need PKs to put away shorthanded Riverhounds

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Marina Auto Stadium – Rochester, N.Y.
Match reports: Democrat & Chronicle

1
AET
 1
Tai Atieno (Ambersley) 90’+
Tai Atieno (PK miss) 118’
22’ Tenywa Bonseu (Evans)
72’ Tenywa Bonseu (RED CARD)
Rochester advance on penalties, 4-2
Penalty Summary
Tai Atieno MISS – Crossbar
Kenny Bertz – GOAL
Andrew Gregor – GOAL
Mauricio Salas – GOAL
Tiger Fitzpatrick -GOAL
GOAL – Ed Hayden
SAVED – Nathan Salsi
SAVED – Justin Evans
GOAL – Alan Brown

Chances are, Tai Atieno will have nightmares of penalty kicks tonight.

The Rochester Rhinos of the USL First Division survived the upset bid of  the Pittsburgh Riverhouds, the last place team in the USL Second Division, by escaping with a penalty kick victory after a 1-1 draw after extra time.

It was the third all-time Open Cup meeting between these two clubs and the second year in a row. Rochester beat Pittsburgh 2-1 back in 2000 when the Riverhounds were an A-League (USL First Division) team, and last year, the Rhinos were victorious by a score of 3-0. This year, it was a much more competitive match.

The Riverhounds struck first in the 22nd minute when former Rhino defender Tenywa Bonseu scored for the visitors. However, he ended up helping out his old club when he was sent off in the 72nd minute after fouling Tiger Fitzpatrick.

The Rhinos eventually took advantage of their extra man in second half stoppage time. Atieno was the hero temporarily as he scored from a Mike Ambersley corner kick moments before the final whistle.

It was in extra time that Atieno had his difficulties. In the 119th minute, Atieno stepped up to take a penalty kick that surly would give the Rhinos the win, only to see it hit the crossbar and the game went to a shootout to decide who would move on to the next round. This would be the first time in franchise history that an opening round opponent has taken the Rhinos to penalties.

Atieno was the first of Rochester’s penalty takers in the shootout, and once again failed to convert. However, his teammate Scott Vallow came to the rescue, saving two Riverhounds spot kicks to allow the Rhinos to advance to the Second Round.

The shootout win keeps Rochester’s streak of eight consecutive opening round victories. The club’s only opening round exit was in 2001 when they fell 1-0 to the Hershey Wildcats. Aside from that blemish on their record, they have qualified for every tournament since the franchise began in 1996 and have won the first game of each of those competitions 13 of 14 times.

LINEUPS

Pittsburgh: Danny Waltman; Nathan Salsi, Ed Hayden, Cody Bragg, Tenywa Bonseu; Niko Katic, Justin Evans, Tony Labudovski (Allen Brown 79), Jason Kutney (Chris Riley 112); Tommy Gray, Randolph Jerome (Joe Zewe 87)

Rochester: Scott Vallow; Kenney Bertz, Brent Sancho (Andrew Gregor 79), John Ball, Darren Kenton; Andrew Lorei, Johnny Menyongar (Tiger Fitzpatrick 45), Ze Roberto (Tai Atieno 45), Chris Nurse, Mike Ambersley; Mauricio Salles

Shots: PIT 7, ROC 24
Fouls: PIT 28, ROC 24
Corners: PIT 5, ROC 11
Saves: PIT 6, ROC 6
Offsides: PIT 1, ROC 2

Cautions

PIT: Bonseu 1, 72, Gray 29, Evans 36, Katic 48, Salsi 90, Riley 118
ROC: Bertz 57, Salles 67, Nurse 70

Ejections

PIT: Bonseu 72

Referees: Jason Krnac, Michael Farmer, Brian Miller, Bill Engel

2009 First Round: Western Mass Pioneers win in-state battle with Emigrantes Das Ilhas, 3-2

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Lusitano Stadium – Ludlow, Mass. | 7 p.m.
Match Reports – MassLive.com
3
AET
 2
Jay Willis 45’+
Neil Krause (Adam Wallace) 73’
Almir Barbosa (Matt Jones) 92’
SENT OFF – Daniel McGarry 119’		       15’ Zico Viega (Luis Landium)
62’ Vladir Fernandes (PK)
85’ Joao Fidalgo – SENT OFF

The Western Mass Pioneers, yet again, survived an extra time scare from a USASA club, this time a 3-2 win over Emigrantes Das Ilhas.

The Brockton, Mass. USASA club took a 1-0 lead when Zico Viego booted a 20-yard shot past Pioneers goalkeeper Matt Jones. The USL-2 team knotted the score just before halftime, when Jay Willis scored in first half stoppage time.

Emigrantes regained the lead on Vladir Fernandes’ penalty kick at the 62nd minute. Western Mass’s Niel Krause scored in the 73rd minute tie the game at 2. The play began when Jeff Deren started a breakaway, which lead to Krause heading home the goal off a pass from Adam Wallace. Emigrantes made things difficult for themselves when Joao Fidalgo was sent off in the 85th minute. The shorthanded USASA club managed to keep the score tied at 2-2 to send the game into extra time.

It wouldn’t take long for Western Mass to take advantage. In the first period of overtime, Jones sent a long clearing kick downfield, which was picked up by Almir Barbosa, who beat a stunned Jordan Mota for what would prove to be the winning goal. Second half substitute Daniel McGarry was sent off late in the second overtime period, but the visitors were unable to capitalize.

This was the third year in a row that Western Mass was given a stiff challenge by a team from the USASA. Last year, the Pioneers played a tight game with Boston Olympiakos, winning by a score of 2-0. In 2007, the Western Mass needed extra time to get by Danbury United, also by a score of 3-2. They now move on to face the Harrisburg City Islanders in the Second Round on June 16.

Lineups

Western Mass – Matthew Jones, Jau Willis, Ben Clark, Mercier (Adam Wallace 65’), David Tyrie, Yan Klukowski (Jeff Deren 72’), Greg Kilkenny, Mark Nerkowski (Daniel McGarry 67’), Adrian Dubois, Almir Barbosa, Jeff Krause

Emigrantes – Jordan Mota, Carlos Fernandes, Felipe Depina, Carlos Amado (Justin Fernandes 77’), Carlos Gomes, Denivaldo Da Silva, Joao Fidalgo, Carlos Semedo, Jairson Jesus, Zico Viega, Luis Landim (Cassio Ribeiro 82’)

Cautions
Emigrantes – C. Fernandes 29’, Semedo 31’, Jesus 33’
Western Mass – Nerkowski 56’, Clark 58’, Mercier 65’, McGarry 102’ 119’, Tyrie 108’

Ejections

Emigrantes – Fidalgo 85’
Western Mass – McGarry 119’

Shots – WMP 19, EDI 12
Saves – WMP 11, EDI 11
Fouls – WMP 12, EDI 14
Corners – WMP 3, EDI 5
Offsides – WMP 0, EDI 3
Att – 1,401

Referee – Niko Blatsis
Assistants – Dave Coutts, Russ Wolf

2009 First Round: RailHawks beat Richmond in rematch of 2007 Quarterfinals

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WakeMedSoccer Park – Cary, N.C.
2
FT
 1
Daniel Paladini (Diallo) 14’
Hamed Diallo 48
         
20’ David Bulow (PK)

The Carolina RailHawks will move on to face another USL Second Division team after defeating the Richmond Kickers 2-1.

Hamed Diallo scored the game-winner just after halftime, and assisted on the opening goal early in the first half to lead the way for the home side at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC. Richmond tied the game in the 20th minute on a David Bulow penalty kick. The game was a rematch of the 2007 Open Cup Quarterfinals when the RailHawks eliminated the Kickers 1-0, en route to an appearance in the Semifinals in Carolina’s inaugural season.

The RailHawks will advance to host the Wilmington Hammerheads in the Second Round next Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Lineups

RailHawks: GK Eric Reed, Devon McKenney, Mark Schulte, Jeremy Tolleson, John Gilkerson, Amir Lowery, Josh Gardner, Joseph Kabwe, Daniel Paladini, Matt Watson, Hamed Diallo (Sallieu Bundu – 68’)

Kickers: GK Ronnie Pascale, Sascha Görres, Yomby William, Henry Kalungi, Kenny Cutler, Luke Vercollone, Kelvin Jones (Adrian Bumbut – 50’), Gerson dos Santos (Ross MacKenzie – 83’), Chris Carrieri, David Bulow (Mike Burke – 50’), Matthew Delicâte

Shots: RIC 6, CAR 3
Saves: RIC 0, CAR 3
Fouls: RIC 10, CAR 14
Corners: RIC 3, CAR 4

Cautions:
54th minute: Devon McKenney (Carolina)
59th minute: Henry Kalungi (Richmond)
76th minute: Joseph Kabwe (Carolina)

Ejections:
None.

Referee:    Daniel Fitzgerald
Assistant Referees:   Saeed Mohamed, Chris Spivey
Fourth Official:    Mark Kadlecik
Attendance:    1,362
Weather:    Rain

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