Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2013 Fourth Round

2013 US Open Cup Fourth Round: Dwayne De Rosario’s hat trick for DC United earns him TheCup.us Player of the Round honors

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For leading struggling MLS side DC United to a 3-1 victory over nearby rival Philadelphia Union in the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup with a hat-trick, Dwayne De Rosario was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round.

The victory was the club’s first since their second league match of the season on March 2. The winless run was at 0-10-3 in league play with the addition of their Third Round scoreless draw against their USL Pro affiliate Richmond Kickers making the skid 14 games in total. The match was also the first in which DC scored three goals.

Though he is a former league MVP, the three-goal performance was a stunner as De Rosario came into the match with only one goal and one assist on the season through 12 appearances. The hat-trick may have marked the rekindling of the Canadian’s scoring prowess as he also netted over the weekend in a 2-1 loss in league play against Toronto.

Though De Rosario became the third DC United player to score a hat-trick in Open Cup play (Raul Diaz Arce 2000, Abdul Thompson Conteh 2001), he became the first Canadian to record three or more goals in a match during the Modern Professional Era (1995-present).

TheCup.us honors are voted on by the site’s editorial staff and select members of the North American Soccer Reporters. Other leading contenders in the voting were Ty Shipalane of the Carolina RailHawks and goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo of Orlando City.

2013 TheCup.us Player of the Round Honors

Fourth Round: Dwayne De Rosario (DC United)
Third Round: Frederic Piquionne (Portland Timbers)
Second Round: Brandon Fricke (Des Moines Menace)
First Round: David Geno (Seattle Sounders U23)
Preliminary Round: Gustavo Villalobos (FC Hasental)

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2013 US Open Cup Fourth Round: Chicago Fire rally to top rival Columbus 2-1 in delayed game

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Postponed due to severe weather on Wednesday evening, rivals Chicago Fire and the Columbus Crew squared off at high noon Thursday in the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup. Recent trade acquisition Mike Magee continued his hot streak, spurring a Fire comeback with a first half equalizer as the hosts downed the Crew 2-1 on a 77th minute winner from Patrick Nyarko.

Prior to hitting the pitch this time around, bitter rivals Chicago and Columbus had forged a lot of dramatic history in the U.S. Open Cup. The Fire went into Thursday’s match as extra time victors in all three previous tournament contests played with Columbus. The clubs’ most memorable Cup clash has to be Chicago’s 1998 Final win over the Crew at Soldier Field, secured by a 99th minute Frank Klopas golden goal that gave the Fire its first and only cup double.

Chicago came into the match at full strength, save for injured defenders Steven Kinney and Arne Friedrich – the latter not having seen the pitch at all in 2013. The Crew had three starters out and a fourth (Costa Rican forward Jairo Arrieta) on international duty. Chicago’s Frank Klopas elected to go with a full-strength starting lineup while Columbus’s Robert Warzycha, on the other hand, put out a side with only four regulars.

The Fire came out flat – literally and figuratively – in its new 4-4-2 setup. Columbus countered with similar tactics until center back Glauber went down near his own 18-yard box, only to be stretchered off in the ninth minute. Lacking defensive depth due to a rash of injuries to his back line, Crew manager Warzycha responded to the setback, changed his tactics, and sent Dominic Oduro up top as his lone striker.

As time ticked upward, Columbus asserted itself in the offensive third, pressuring the Fire into conceding numerous corners and free kicks. Chicago had little control of the ball during the first 20 minutes and, per usual, conceded first.

Crew reserve team standout Ben Speas linked up with Konrad Warzycha to exploit Chicago’s Achilles heel: weak set-piece defending. Speas launched a free kick from well out on the left flank, finding the head of Warzycha near the penalty spot for a redirection inside the left post to make it 1-0 Crew and leaving the Fire looking tactically out of sorts in the 22nd minute.

“It’s just mentality, soccer I.Q.,” said Mike Magee. “We have to learn from because we’re not going to get out of these holes every time.”

But get out they would. The Men in Red, with Magee prowling, quickly shaped up and struck back on a counterattack.

After a turn of possession in the midfield in the 29th minute, Alex and Chris Rolfe worked the ball left and found full back Gonzalo Segares making an overlapping run on the flank. Segares took the ball to the near post and drew goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum and the Columbus defense’s attention just long enough to create enough space to patiently slot a ball to Mike Magee in the middle of the six-yard box. Magee obliged with a cool finish – his fourth goal in as many consecutive matches since donning Fire red.

“I got the tap in,” said Magee, “but it was a lot of work for me to just touch it into the goal.”

As the first half wore on, Columbus regained the advantage and kept Chicago honest with some quality chances. The Fire answered in turn though, with Magee missing just wide on a nifty chip over Gruenebaum in the 43rd minute. The Crew ‘keeper remained busy, as he foiled a scoring opportunity by Patrick Nyarko soon thereafter.

With the squads locked at one goal apiece, the second half began with Chicago opting to sit midfielder Dilly Duka – a precautionary measure taken after the young winger felt dizziness at halftime after taking a blow to the head during the first half.

Frank Klopas subbed on Maicon Santos, slotted him up top with Magee, and shifted Chris Rolfe out on the right wing – a tactical move that would later pay dividends for Chicago.

As the crowd continued to swell, taking advantage of the open gates, it was a back and forth affair, a slow burn marked by increasingly chippy play from both sides.

As the 70th minute arrived, Warzycha sent on midfield maestro Federico Higuain for young Ben Speas, an offensive move that motivated Chicago to press its attack. To be sure, aggressive, forward-looking play through the middle by Paladini, Alex, and Magee opened up space on the flanks, and the Fire wingers obliged.

With Columbus on their heels, looking to organize their defense in the middle of the park, Chris Rolfe took a ball wide on the right flank in the 77th minute and launched a curving, back post cross onto the head of an unmarked Patrick Nyarko, who calmly netted Chicago’s winner.

“It’s a play me and Chris have talked about over and over,” said Nyarko. I told him that whenever he got it out wide, if there’s no outlet, just get it to the back post. It was a perfect ball. I couldn’t miss.”

“We talked about it at halftime,” Rolfe revealed. “We knew we’d have space open on the far side, and were definitely on the same page.”

Despite an aggressive, courageous effort, the Crew could not find an equalizer, as the Fire battened down the defensive hatches to protect the win with hard men Bakary Soumare and Jeff Larentowicz.

Chicago’s victory marks its fourth in four meetings with Columbus in U.S. Open Cup play, and advances them to a quarterfinal matchup versus USL Pro winner Orlando City on Wednesday, June 26th at Toyota Park.

Fire gaffer Frank Klopas on what lies ahead: “We feel good that we’re at home, but we know it’s going to be a difficult match. It’s never easy. You see what happens in the Open Cup, with opportunities that teams like Orlando get. It will be the match of the year for them. We respect them. We’re going to make sure we don’t underestimate them.”

“I don’t know a lot about them,” said Patrick Nyarko of Orlando City, “but they beat Sporting in KC. I think they’re pretty good.”

Chicago’s winger continued, “We keep reminding all the guys here that to win a championship you’ve got to go through the toughest teams, whoever they are. Whether they’re in the second division or wherever, they’re going to be tough to play against.”

“We’re going to be ready for them,” Nyarko said, “They’re going to come here with a lot of intensity, but our goal has been to win the Open Cup from the start, and I think we’re focused on that.”

Indeed, Chicago Fire looks determined to assert itself in the centennial addition of America’s tournament and further stake its claim as “Kings of the Cup” with a record fifth USOC championship in the modern professional era.

STORMY DECISION

The Massive City Columbus supporters group dubbed it the “Derecho” cup on Wednesday night, although in the end the storm that swept across Northern Illinois didn’t quite live up to expectations once it reached Bridgeview. In the end, it was a tease.

A number of hardcore Fire fans arrived at Toyota Park ready to brave severe weather, endure a lengthy delay, and watch some late night soccer, but their plan was nipped in the bud around 8 pm CST: U.S. Soccer match commissioner Minos Vlamakis postponed the 4th round U.S. Open Cup match to the following day at 12 noon.

“We wanted to keep the integrity of the Cup in mind. There was no reason to wait for 11 or 12 o’clock (to see if the weather cleared). Both teams were in agreement that this is in their best interests as well as that of the fans,” said Vlamakis.

While a noon start time on a Thursday certainly wasn’t convenient for most, the match could not be rescheduled for Thursday night because the Toyota Park grounds crew and operations staff was scheduled to begin preparation for an upcoming all-day concert on Saturday.

To soften the blow of postponement, Chicago Fire graciously announced free admission and free parking for those who decided to return the following afternoon.

After U.S. Soccer rendered its decision, many speculated Columbus would be unhappy with the decision to not wait for the weather to pass. With a Saturday night home fixture vs. Montreal Impact looming, wouldn’t they want to get the match in and get out of town ASAP, even if it meant playing past midnight? Apparently not.

According to Vlamakis, “Columbus was good sports about . They understand that it’s not something we have any control over. To be fair to them, they would prefer to know what the plan was vs. waiting two hours or two hours after that.”

True, but many were justifiably perturbed with the handling of the situation. Critics claimed the match should have been called much earlier in the day, citing safety concerns for fans who made the trip to Toyota Park on Wednesday night.

Fourth Round – Columbus Crew 1 :: 2 Chicago Fire

June 13 – Toyota Park, Bridgeview IL – Attd: 2,006

Scoring Summary

CLB: Konrad Warzycha (Ben Speas) 22

CHI: Mike Magee (Gonzalo Segares) 29

CHI: Patrick Nyarko (Chris Rolfe) 77

Cautions

CLB: Konrad Warzycha 71, Bernardo Anor 90+

CHI: Mike Magee 71, Patrick Nyarko 82, Bakary Soumare 90+

Lineups

Columbus: Andy Gruenebaum; Kevan George, Glauber (Dominic Oduro 9), Eric Gehrig, Tyson Wahl; Konrad Warzycha, Bernardo Anor, Tony Tchani (Aaron Schoenfeld 82), Ben Speas (Federico Higuain 70); Justin Meram, Ethan Finlay… Substitutes not used: Matt Lampson, Chad Barson, Danny O’Rourke, Matias Sanchez

Chicago: Sean Johnson; Jalil Anibaba, Bakary Soumare, Austin Berry, Gonzalo Segares; Patrick Nyarko, Alex (Jeff Larentowicz 81), Logan Pause (Daniel Paladini 59), Dilly Duka (Maicon Santos 46’); Chris Rolfe, Mike Magee… Substitutes not used: Paolo Tornaghi, Hunter Jumper, Michael Videira, Sherjill MacDonald

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2013 US Open Cup Fourth Round: Real Salt Lake super subs spark rally, beat Charleston Battery 5-2 in OT

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For the second consecutive round, Real Salt Lake escaped embarrassment at the hands of a lower division opponent by finding some magic and prevailing in overtime, avoiding a repeat of their home loss a year ago to Minnesota of the NASL. In the Fourth Round Wednesday night the MLS club scored five unanswered goals, erasing a two-goal deficit to send the match to extra time where they found three more against an exhausted, visiting Charleston Battery of USL Pro.

Through an hour Wednesday night, it looked like the Battery were going to add another Major League Soccer team to their collection of Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup upsets. But Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis, whose team was sluggish throughout a first half that saw them allow two goals in four minutes, turned to his bench, and the duo of Joao Plata and Khari Stephenson helped turn the match.

Real Salt LakeRookie Devon Sandoval scored twice, Plata and Javier Morales had a goal and an assist apiece and Stephenson scored on a long-range rocket as Real Salt Lake surged to the victory at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, sending them to the Quarterfinals for the third time in their nine-year history after previous appearances in 2006 and 2011. They’ll play host to the Carolina RailHawks of the NASL on June 26.

“I was really, really disappointed with what happened in the first half,” Kreis said in post-game media comments. “But I challenged the guys at halftime, and credit to them for the response they showed. To score five goals unanswered is pretty good.”

The Battery, third in the USL Pro standings and coming off a 1-0 victory over Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes in the Third Round of the Open Cup, opened the scoring just after the quarter-hour mark. Charleston’s Jarad van Schaik – drafted by Real Salt Lake in 2011 but never offered a contract – played a long ball from the left side for striker Dane Kelly, who got behind center back Nat Borchers and finished to the far post against goalkeeper Josh Saunders.

The goal came on Charleston’s first foray into the attacking end, but was quickly followed by another.

Mark Wiltse did well on the right flank and played the ball to Quinton Griffith in the box. He ripped a shot that clanged off the far post, but striker Nicki Paterson was there to finish off the rebound and give the visitors a stunning 2-0 lead just 18 minutes in. Paterson has six career Open Cup goals and has scored in the tournament for five straight years.

The scoreline remained that way through halftime, at which point some in the crowd of 13,763 booed the team off the field.

It was a vastly different story after the break; especially after Kreis brought on Plata and Stephenson for defender Aaron Maund and midfielder Sebastian Velasquez in the 63rd, switching to a three-man back line as the Battery sat back and tried to defend their advantage.

“We thought we could get at them in that first half and it worked. If we got that third goal, it might’ve put them under some more pressure,” Battery coach Michael Anhaeuser said. “I have to give credit to them, they really changed it up in the second half. The substitutes changed the game.”

Just three minutes later, Sandoval got Real Salt Lake on the board, heading a cross by defender Tony Beltran from the right side back across the goal to the far post past Battery keeper Odisnel Cooper.

“Excellent, really really good,” Kreis said of Sandoval, a physical, 6-foot-1 striker out of New Mexico. “(He) got better as it went on, because I actually think he wasn’t the sharpest until he scored the goal, and then I thought he was fantastic. And the work rate is always there, so I’m very appreciative of that, but he scored that goal that broke things open, then almost didn’t really put a foot wrong the rest of the way.”

Plata turned in a similar performance, setting up chance after chance for the claret and cobalt. The 5-foot-2 forward worked a give-and-go with Ned Grabavoy down the left side and appeared to have his legs taken out by a Charleston defender, then stepped to the spot and dispatched the ensuing penalty with authority to tie the score in the 79th.

“I don’t know if it was a penalty,” Anhaeuser said. “I think if you ask him, he might say it was. It looked like he slipped a little bit, but of course, you can’t bump a guy. If it looks like it and especially on the road, you don’t get those calls.”

Cooper and the Battery back line turned away some good opportunities in the final 10 minutes of regulation, but Real Salt Lake was back in the goals in extra time.

Sandoval got his second of the night and fourth of the season on another header in the 96th. Morales took a corner kick from the right side that sailed over his intended targets, but Plata got the ball on the left side of the box. He deftly chipped a it up for Sandoval, who nodded past Cooper again.

“The first half was definitely frustrating, because we’ve got to come out better than that. They had a game plan and executed it and got two goals from it,” Sandoval said. “The second half we came out a lot better and got our chances and put them away.”

Stephenson put Charleston away in the 105th, crushing a shot from 30 yards out past Cooper. Coincidentally, it also was Sandoval and Stephenson who scored extra-time goals in Real Salt Lake’s 3-2 win over the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks in the third round.

“You look at all the guys that came into the match were difference-makers for me, and that’s what you need to have,” Kreis said. “The energy level was a little low from quite a few of the players tonight. So the guys coming off the bench were critical. All of them did well, worked hard and were a big part of the difference.”

Morales finished things off two minutes later in stoppage time of the first 15-minute period of extra time, converting another penalty after Sandoval was judged to have been held down on a corner kick. His goal marked the first time Real Salt Lake has scored five goals since a 5-0 rout of New England in an MLS match back on July 2, 2010, and gave the team a whopping 19 goals in its past six games overall.

With another lower division opponent set to visit Rio Tinto for the Quarterfinals, Kreis is hoping his team has learned the level of commitment needed against such foes.

“I hope so. I really thought that we were a smart enough, experienced veteran team that we wouldn’t have to go through this twice,” he said of playing extra time. “I’m hopeful that the third time we won’t need to play 120 minutes.”

Charleston has a rich Open Cup history, having lost in the final in 2008 and advanced to the semifinals in 1999 and 2004 and quarterfinals in 2007, ’09 and ’10.

“The club takes it seriously. The players take it seriously,” Battery veteran defender John Wilson said. “When you have a lot of young players you want to show up well. You want to try and win the game.”

Fourth Round :: Charleston Battery 2 :: AET :: 5 Real Salt Lake

June 12 – Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy UT – Attendance: 13,763; Cloudy & 92 degrees

Scoring Summary:

CHB: Dane Kelly (Jarad van Schaik) 16

CHB: Nicki Paterson 18

RSL: Devon Sandoval (Tony Beltran) 66

RSL: Joao Plata (penalty kick) 79

RSL: Devon Sandoval (Joao Plata) 96

RSL: Khari Stephenson (Javier Morales) 105

RSL: Javier Morales (penalty kick) 105+

Cautions:

CHB: Nicki Paterson 56, Mike Azira 57, John Wilson 93, Cody Ellison 112

RSL: Devon Sandoval 94

Lineups:

RSL: Josh Saunders; Tony Beltran, Nat Borchers, Aaron Maund (Khari Stephenson 63), Chris Wingert; Kyle Beckerman, Ned Grabavoy, Sebastian Velasquez (Joao Plata 63), Javier Morales; Devon Sandoval, Olmes Garcia (Robbie Findley 74). Substitutes not used: Jeff Attinella (GK), Kwame Watson-Siriboe, Lovel Palmer, Yordany Alvarez.

CHB: Odisnel Cooper; John Wilson, Colin Falvey, Kenneth Ellison, Mark Wiltse; Jarad van Schaik, Michael Azira, Nicki Paterson; Jose Cuevas (Zach Prince 68), Quinton Griffith (Taylor Mueller 72), Dane Kelly (Haviel Cordoves 82). Substitutes not used: Kevin Klasila (GK), Shawn Ferguson, Maikel Chang.

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2013 US Open Cup Fourth Round: Carolina RailHawks avenge 2012 loss, upset Chivas USA 3-1 in OT (video)

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Two weeks ago, history repeated itself when, for the second straight year, the Carolina RailHawks ousted the LA Galaxy in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and advanced to host C.D. Chivas USA in the next round.

For about 90-plus minutes Wednesday night in Cary, it looked as though history might repeat itself once again. As with their Open Cup match last year, the RailHawks and Chivas USA entered the game’s latter stages tied 1-1. Yes, Carolina scored in the first half this year before Chivas equalized in the second, the reverse of last year’s order. However, that just heightened the feeling that Chivas USA would, like last season, snag a stoppage-time goal to eek out a 2-1 victory at WakeMed Soccer Park.

But this year, Carolina withstood the late Chivas push and forced overtime. Galvanized by breaking the cycle, the RailHawks scored twice in extra time to defeat Chivas USA 3-1 and advance to the Quarterfinals of the 2013 U.S. Open Cup.

The RailHawks started the game like so many before: letting Ty Shipalane introduce himself to the opposition. In the 13th minute, Brian Shriver smartly played a ball far ahead to a streaking Shipalane, who beat out-rushing goalkeeper Dan Kennedy to the roller. Shipalane rounded Kennedy and made a beeline for the open goal before calmly depositing into the same for the 1-0 lead.

For the remainder of the first half, Carolina failed to take further advantage of a visibly uninspired Chivas USA side. The closest came just before halftime, when Shipalane again got free in the box, but his angled shot flew across Kennedy but wide right.

Given a lease on life, Chivas USA settled in and had the better of the second half, outshooting the RailHawks 6-1. The California club’s energy and some formation shifts that bolstered their defense paid dividends in the 57th minute, when a Carlos Alvarez free kick off the right flank found an unmarked Walter Vilchez in the goalmouth. Vilchez’s easy header equalized matters at 1-1.

But under a humid Carolina canopy, Chivas USA expended all three substitutions by the 66th minute. Their fresh legs put Carolina back on their heels for a time, but the Goats also failed to take further advantage. Meanwhile, the RailHawks were able to sub in midfielder Jonathan Greenfield for a cramping Justin Willis in the 80th minute. Floyd Franks slid back to right back when the rested Greenfield took up station in the midfield, moves that stabilized both positions. And Cesar Elizondo came on in the 89th minute and was able to, well, you’ll see.

Both teams nearly scored game-winners during full-time stoppage. Chivas USA put a couple of balls on frame that appeared destined to cross the goal line, but RailHawks keeper Akira Fitzgerald parried the first attempt off the crossbar and midfielder Nick Millington—who played tremendous defense throughout the match—then cleared the orb off the line with mere millimeters to spare. The clearance eventually found Shipalane streaking down the right side with nothing but emerald acreage in his path. Drawing the last defender, Shipalane centered to an unmarked Elizondo just after crossing midfield, but the angle of his pass broke Elizondo’s stride. Elizondo eventually got off a shot that was easily gathered by Kennedy.

Having avoided another stoppage time U.S. Open Cup loss to Chivas USA, the RailHawks made mincemeat of the Goats in extra time. In the 92nd, Shipalane gathered a deft ball over the top from Greenfield, then pierced the right side of the box before centering to Elizondo. The Costa Rican’s one-touch flew past Kennedy to give Carolina a 2-1 lead to the boisterous delight of the 5,066 at WakeMed Soccer Park.

“It was a great ball from Jonathan,” Shipalane said, “and I think it was similar to the first goal where was stretched out a little bit and I was able to slip in behind them. I took cut, got my head up and saw Cesar making a run on top of the box. I was able to cut it back to him, and he did a great job finishing it.”

With victory in their sights, the RailHawks struck again six minutes later. A Floyd Franks corner kick found second half sub Brian Ackley cutting across the face of goal. His deflected header was true and gave Carolina the final 3-1 margin.

“Last year, we were disappointed that these guys kept us from achieving our goal,” Shipalane said. “This year, we made it a goal to get past this . We weren’t going to let them stop us.”

That included some heavy preparation for their MLS opponent.

“They were not good in the back,” Shipalane said in describing the crux of their pre-match Chivas scouting report. “This is a new team, new coach, and they’re still trying to work together from the back. So, there’s no good communication for them in the back, so we were able to expose them in the wide areas because they haven’t played well.”

Carolina’s win combined with the Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Open Cup loss at the Portland Timbers Wednesday night means the RailHawks advanced further than any other NASL club in the Open Cup and, consequently, wins $15,000.00 in prize money for that effort.

However, other looming mountains face the RailHawks. After a flight to face FC Edmonton this Sunday, the RailHawks will embark on the most pivotal part of their Spring season beginning June 22. That Saturday, Carolina hosts Minnesota United FC, currently one point behind the league-leading RailHawks in the NASL standings. The following Saturday, the Atlanta Silverbacks, also only a point behind Carolina, will visit Cary. And in between those huge league matches, the RailHawks must now fly to Utah to face Real Salt Lake in the U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals on Wednesday, June 26.

Will Carolina be ready for this arduous odyssey? You betcha, if you believe Colin Clarke.

“It’s what we’re here for; it’s what it’s about,” Clarke declared. “Getting to this stage of the season with a chance to win the championship and a chance to advance further in the Open Cup. You can’t ask for any more than that.”

HIGHLIGHTS

POST-GAME ANALYSIS

Fourth Round :: Chivas USA 1 :: AET :: 3 Carolina RailHawks

June 12 – WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary NC

Scoring Summary:

CAR: Ty Shipalane (Brian Shriver) 13

CHV: Walter Vilchez (Carlos Alvarez) 57

CAR: Cesar Elizondo (Ty Shipalane) 92

CAR: Brian Ackley (Floyd Franks) 98

Cautions:

CHV: Josue Soto 25, Carlos Borja 32, Gabriel Farfan 94, Laurent Courtois 119

CAR: Austin da Luz 38, Paul Hamilton 71, Kupono Low 94

Lineups:

Chivas USA: Dan Kennedy, Carlos Borja, Mario de Luna, Walter Vilchez, Jorge Villafaña, Oswaldo Minda, Gabriel Farfan, Carlos Alvarez, Josue Soto (Laurent Courtois 52’), Jose Correa (Jose Manuel Rivera 60’), Tristan Bowen (Marvin Iraheta 66’)… Subs not used: Patrick McLain, Steven Purdy, Bobby Burling, Marco Delgado

Carolina: Akira Fitzgerald, Kupono Low, Paul Hamilton, Julius James, Justin Willis (Jonathan Greenfield 83’), Floyd Franks, Austin Da Luz, Ty Shipalane, Nick Millington, Brian Shriver (Cesar Elizondo 89’), Zack Schilawski (Brian Ackley 65’)… Subs not used: Eddie Abadio, Ciaran O’Brian, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Tim Murray

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2013 US Open Cup Fourth Round: More Michel set pieces help FC Dallas win ‘Texas Derby,’ reach quarterfinals

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Brazilian midfielder Michel worked his magic again on Wednesday night, bending in two decisive free kicks, both of which led to Kenny Cooper goals, as FC Dallas cruised past rival Houston Dynamo 3-0 at FC Dallas Stadium to reach the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals for the second time in three seasons.

Dallas will host the Portland Timbers on June 26.

As in the team’s regular-season meeting on March 17, when Dallas took a 2-0 lead on a pair of set-piece goals, Michel’s free kicks made the difference on Wednesday (despite 10 Houston corner kicks) in a game that was otherwise relatively even.

Dallas, playing an almost full-strength starting lineup (without Raul Fernandez and Blas Perez because of international duty and with David Ferreira on the bench) despite facing a league game on Saturday, almost took the lead in the 28th minute, but Eric Hassli’s chip was ruled offside.

Houston, meanwhile, left starters Tally Hall, Jermaine Taylor, Corey Ashe, and Giles Barnes – several of whom are coming back from nagging injuries – on the bench. Hall’s replacement, fifth-year pro Tyler Deric, who is highly regarded by the Dynamo and handled the team’s CONCACAF Champions League games last fall, joined the ranks of MLS goalkeepers who have struggled to deal with Michel’s delivery.

After a 25th-minute Michel corner kick got over Deric’s head before being cleared, the breakthrough came in the 38th minute. Bobby Boswell fouled Cooper on the left wing, and Michel whipped the ensuing free kick to the back post, where Andrew Jacobson headed it across the face of goal, allowing Cooper to tap the ball into an empty net.

Houston came out with increased urgency in the first 10 minutes of the second half, pushing its midfielders into the attack and creating two chances for Alex Dixon, both of which were deflected wide for corner kicks, and a reaching effort by rookie Jason Johnson, easily handled by Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz. Dynamo winger Andrew Driver, dangerous all night, sent in a teasing cross in the 53rd minute, but saw it deflected out for a corner kick.

Having weathered the storm, Dallas put the game away in the 59th minute, when Michel rifled a corner kick to the back post that again beat Deric and left Cooper with a point-blank header for a 2-0 Dallas lead.

Seitz was called into action several times in the final 30 minutes, including stops on Will Bruin in the 60th minute and Brian Ching in the 90th, preserving the shutout. Dallas made it 3-0 in the 76th minute when Deric punched away a cross at the top of the box, colliding with Jackson in the process, and Dallas right back Zach Loyd – who was excellent all night – calmly lobbed the ball over the stranded goalkeeper into the side netting to complete the rout.

Houston Dynamo 0:3 FC Dallas

Scoring Summary:

FCD — Kenny Cooper 1 (Andrew Jacobson 1) 38

FCD — Kenny Cooper 2 (Michel 2) 59

FCD — Zach Loyd 1 (unassisted) 76

Houston Dynamo — Tyler Deric, Kofi Sarkodie, Ricardo Clark, Bobby Boswell, Mike Chabala, Warren Creavalle, Luiz Camargo, Alex Dixon (Cam Weaver 71), Jason Johnson (Omar Cummings 79), Will Bruin (Brian Ching 62), Andrew Driver.

Substitutes Not Used: Tally Hall, Corey Ashe, Giles Barnes, Jermaine Taylor.

FC Dallas — Chris Seitz, Zach Loyd, George John (Stephen Keel 88), Matt Hedges, Jair Benitez, Jackson, Michel (Bobby Warshaw 78), Andrew Jacobson, Fabian Castillo (David Ferreira 72), Eric Hassli, Kenny Cooper.

Substitutes Not Used: Kyle Zobeck, Bradlee Baladez, Jonathan Top, London Woodberry.

Misconduct Summary:

FCD — Fabian Castillo (caution) 68

Referee: Juan Guzman. Referee’s Assistants: Jonathan Johnson; Fabio Tovar. 4th official: Leszek Stalmach

Attendance: 4,006

Weather: Sunny-and-93 degrees

Shots: Houston 13, Dallas 11

Shots On Goal: Dallas 5, Houston 4

Saves: Dallas 4, Houston 2

Fouls: Dallas 9, Houston 8

Corner Kicks: Houston 10, Dallas 2

Offsides: Houston 2, Dallas 1

2013 US Open Cup Fourth Round: De Rosario’s hat trick pushes DC United past Philadelphia Union

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Dwayne De Rosario scored a hat trick to propel DC United past the Philadelphia Union 3-1 on Tuesday night in the U.S. Open Cup.

De Rosario became the third DC United player to score a hat trick in Open Cup play, following in the footsteps of Raul Diaz Arce (2000) and Abdul Thompson Conteh (2001).

His squad moves on to the quarterfinals where they will host the New England Revolution.

The fourth round matchup was a rematch from last year’s tournament when the sides met in the same round and location, with the Union prevailing.

Desperate for success due to its worst start in team history, DC United came out with a sense of urgency that Philadelphia could not match. The hosts won nearly every 50-50 ball and forced the Union into poor passes and decisions.

It came as no surprise then that DC had the first chance five minutes in.

Chris Pontius took advantage of lackadaisical defending to shoot in a cross from the left corner. His pass found a wide open Nick DeLeon, who missed the near post by inches.

DeLeon made up for his miss in the 24th minute by taking a shot from the top of the Philadelphia box. Amobi Okugo deflected the shot right into the path of De Rosario, who sent a left-footed curler past the out-stretched arms of Zac MacMath.

United saw out the half comfortably bar one tough injury to Chris Pontius.

After taking an elbow from Sheanon Williams, Pontius got fouled on a strong challenge from Okugo — a challenge that earned him a yellow card.

Pontius was forced out to be replaced by Sainey Nyassi.

The Union pressed forward more in the second half, but could only put together a few half-chances.

However, it would ultimately be defensive lapses that determined the outcome.

In the 75th minute, Amobi Okugo gave the ball away to Lionard Pajoy under very little pressure. Pajoy passed to De Rosario, who calmly slid it past the Union’s young keeper.

Just 40 seconds later United had a lapse of its own.

Philadelphia substitute Don Anding blazed down the left side and passed to MLS’s leading goal-scorer Jack McInerney.

DC failed to attack so McInerney curled a right-footed shot into the bottom-right corner of the net to cut the lead in half.

Another careless Union mistake killed the game in the 85th minute.

Well outside his box, MacMath passed a free kick to Okugo, whose touch went straight to De Rosario.

The Canadian international took a few steps and put the ball into an empty net from about 30 yards away to make it 3-1.

DC United 3:1 Philadelphia Union
Maryland SoccerPlex – Boyds, Md.
Scoring Summary:
DCU: Dwayne De Rosario (Nick DeLeon) 24
DCU: Dwayne De Rosario (Lionard Pajoy) 75
PU: Jack McInerney (Don Anding) 76
DCU: Dwayne De Rosario (unassisted) 85
Line-ups:
DC United: Joe Willis; James Riley (Brandon McDonald-62), Ethan White (Lionard Pajoy-67), Daniel Woolard, Taylor Kemp; Nick DeLeon, Perry Kitchen, John Thorrington, Chris Pontius (Sainey Nyassi-46); Dwayne De Rosario, Casey Townsend
Philadelphia Union: Zac MacMath; Raymon Gaddis, Jeff Parke, Amobi Okugo, Sheanon Williams; Michael Farfan (Don Anding-72), Brian Carroll, Keon Daniel (Leo Fernandes-46), Sebastian Le Toux; Conor Casey (Antoine Hoppenot-65), Jack McInerney
Discipline:
PU: Amobi Okugo (caution – 45+)
PU: Leo Fernandes (caution – 56)

2013 US Open Cup Round 4: Orlando City stun their MLS affiliate, defending champ Sporting KC

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Orlando City SC traveled to Kansas City and upset their second straight MLS opponent. Photo: Jamila St. Ann | Sporting Kansas City

Orlando City SC has made huge strides off the field to show it belongs in MLS. The Lions proved Wednesday night they might belong at the top level on the field as well.

Long Tan scored in the opening minute of the game and Orlando held on the rest of the way to stun the defending US Open Cup champion Sporting KC in what Orlando City manager Adrian Heath called the biggest win in club history.

“We believed,” Heath said. “We obviously believed before the game we could get a result.”

Heath said he thought his team played with a chip on its shoulder after talk about whether the Lions could cope with the drop off in quality by playing without four of Sporting’s loaned players dominated the lead up to the game.

“It’s human nature,” he said. “People forget we broke all the records last year for the most goals, most wins, most points. Some of the guys came into tonight with a bit to prove.”

Prove themselves they did.

Barley 75 seconds into the match, KC turned the ball over after a quick restart in its own half and Orlando capitalized.

“The goal was a terrible mistake on our part,” said Sporting manager Peter Vermes. “Giving that goal away breaks you because it’s not an earned goal. It’s a goal that we’re sleeping on.”

KC pressed hard for an equalizer after Tan shocked the 15,981 in attendance at Sporting Park, but the home side couldn’t find the back of the net despite 10 first-half shots.

Orlando had two shots in the first half, but was unlucky not to be two up at halftime. Only a brilliant save of Tan’s close-range effort by Sporting goalkeeper Eric Kronberg kept the score at 1-0.

“I thought our counter-attacking football was excellent,” Heath said of his team’s first half.

Vermes brought on CJ Sapong for Josh Gardner at halftime and Lawrence Olum for Benny Feilhaber shortly after as Sporting carried play in the second half, but continued to waste chances.

Seth Sinovic forced a diving save from Gallardo in the 59th minute and skimmed the top of the net with another long-range shot minutes later.

It was part of a 10-shot flurry that also saw Sapong volley from six yards out with the goal at his mercy and Claudio Bieler missed an open header at the back post.

Ike Opara had the best chance to equalize deep into stoppage time, but he couldn’t stretch enough to poke home a deflected header.

Heath said Orlando’s strong league standing (currently 1st in USL Pro) means the team can prioritize the tournament going forward as the Lions attempt to become only the second lower-division side to win the Cup since MLS teams entered the competition.

 

Orlando City 1:0 Sporting KC
Scoring Summary:

ORL: Long Tan (Adama Mbengue) – 2nd min.

Discipline:
71’ Yellow card (Anthony Pulis)

Substitutions:

Sporting Kansas City:

46’ CJ Sapong for Josh Gardner
58’ Lawrence Olum for Benny Feilhaber
76’ Teal Bunbury for Jacob Peterson

Orlando City SC:
71’ Erik Ustruck for Dennis Chin
73’ Oumar Diakhite for Justin Clarke
92’ Freddie Braun for Adama Mbengue

 

Shots:
Sporting – 18
Orlando – 5

 

Shots on goal
Sporting – 4
Orlando – 3

 

Saves
Sporting – 2
Orlando – 4

 

Fouls
Sporting – 15
Orlando -11

 

Corners
Sporting – 5
Orlando – 1

2013 US Open Cup Fourth Round: Portland Timbers blank Tampa Bay 2-0 for first Quarterfinal appearance

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Portland Timbers logoThe Portland Timbers advanced to the Quarterfinals of the US Open Cup for the first time with an easy 2-0 victory over Tampa Bay Rowdies at Jeld-Wen Field. The Timbers will travel to Texas June 26 to face FC Dallas.

The Fourth Round game was not as close as the score would indicate with the Rowdies managing just three shots and the Timbers dominating long stretches of possession throughout.

Just two regular starters were in the line-up for Portland as Diego Valeri wore the captain’s armband for the first time and Andrew Jean-Baptiste played in central defense for the Timbers. Yet it was little used Michael Nanchoff who contributed to both goals in Portland’s workmanlike win.

The opener came in the ninth minute as a deflected Jose Valencia pass sailed forward to Nanchoff. The first-year Timbers midfielder hit a shot on the volley across goal, just beyond the reach of Rowdies goalkeeper Diego Restrepo. The diminutive Nanchoff has been a key member of Portland’s reserve team but the goal was his first in a competitive match with the Timbers.

While Tampa Bay was able to string together several passes, their attacking sequences never quite led to much of a threat in the first half. Raphael Cox took the Rowdies’ only shot of the half, though former Timber Keith Savage and Luke Mulholland contributed to play that kept Tampa Bay in the game throughout the half.

The second half was more lively for both teams though it was again the Timbers who struck early in the half. Nanchoff’s 55th minute free kick was flicked across the box by Third Round hero Frederic Piquionne and poked into goal by substitute Jack Jewsbury. The goal was the first of the season for Jewsbury and gave Portland a comfortable advantage for most of the rest of the half.

Tampa Bay countered by inserting hulking forward Amani Walker in the hopes of finding a goal to get the visitors back into the game. Instead it was Valencia who forced multiple diving saves by Restrepo midway through the second half and had a headed goal called back for offside in the 71st minute. The 21-year-old Timbers forward gave Rowdies captain Frankie Fanfilippo all he could handle in defense, consistently making runs and playing physically up top after Piquionne exited in the 57th minute.

The Rowdies’ cross-country trip nearly got an exciting finish to a fairly mundane game when Mulholland slammed a 79th minute free kick off the crossbar. His shot had Milos Kocic well beaten but angled just high enough to ricochet away from any danger to the Timbers’ defense and effectively end Tampa Bay’s threat of a late comeback.

On a night when two MLS clubs could not top second and third tier opponents, Portland glided through its Fourth Round encounter and set up a high profile match-up with FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas on Wednesday June 26. The game will be the second between the two clubs in eleven days as Portland hosts Dallas this weekend in league play.

Fourth Round :: Tampa Bay Rowdies 0 :: 2 Portland Timbers

June 12 – JELD-WEN Field, Portland OR

Scoring Summary:

POR: Michael Nanchoff (Jose Valencia) 9

POR: Jack Jewsbury (Frederic Piquionne, Michael Nanchoff) 55

Cautions:

TB: Georgi Hristov 43, Jay Needham 45+, Georgi Hristov 89

POR: None

Ejections:

POR: Georgi Hristov (second yellow) 89

Lineups:

Tampa Bay: GK Diego Restrepo, D Stuart Campbell, D Jay Needham, D Frankie Sanfilippo ©, D Arango, M Raphael Cox (Amani Walker, 67), M Shane Hill, M Keith Savage, M Luke Mulholland, F Mike Ambersley (Devin Del Do, 88), F Georgi Hristov… Substitutes Not Used: GK Andrew Fontein, D Thurstan Johnston, M Kyle Clinton, M Evans Frimpong

Portland: GK Milos Kocic, D Sal Zizzo, D Rauwshan McKenzie, D Andrew Jean-Baptiste, D Ryan Miller, M Diego Valeri © (Jack Jewsbury, 45), M Ben Zemanski, M Michael Nanchoff, F Kalif Alhassan (Steven Evans, 76), F Frederic Piquionne (Darlington Nagbe, 57), F Jose Valencia… Substitutes Not Used: GK Jake Gleeson, M Diego Chara, M Mobi Fehr, F Sebastián Rincón

#USOC100

2013 US Open Cup Fourth Round: New England Revolution roll past New York 4-2 at Harvard

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For the second straight tournament game, Kelyn Rowe scored twice to send the New England Revolution to a 4-2 Fourth Round US Open Cup win over the New York Red Bulls at Harvard University on Wednesday. The Revolution advance to the Quarterfinals, traveling to face a DC United on Wednesday, June 26.

After scoring two goals in the May 28 Third Round 5-1 road win against Rochester, Rowe wasted no time putting his name on the scoresheet when he found paydirt in the fourth minute, then added another in the 37th minute. Fabian Espindola brought one back for the Red Bulls in the 30th minute, but Dimitry Imbongo netted what proved to be the game-winner in the 51st minute. Jonny Steele made it close when he scored in the 61st minute before Chris Tierney capped the scoring in the 87th minute.

“When he shoots in on goal, it’s usually going in,” Revolution head coach Jay Heaps said about Rowe after the game. “He’s got one of the best shots I’ve seen, right or left foot. He was fired up for tonight. Right from the open, his touch was on. His movement was good. His pressure was good. He had a nice night.”

The sophomore midfielder looked dangerous early, and from the attacking midfielder’s role, steered the offense right from the opening whistle. And it wasn’t long before he resumed his goalscoring exploits inside of four minutes when he grabbed a pass from Gabe Latigue and fired a shot that found the back of the net.

“I thought I’d catch (Ryan Meara) near post,” Rowe said. ”Last year, I caught him far post. I thought he’d think I was going there again. I got a lucky bounce over him so that was nice.”

New England tilted the pitch in their favor through the first 25 minutes before New York started to put pressure on the hosts.

At the half hour mark, Espindola, who menaced the likes of Tyler Polak and Kalifa Cisse in the early going, broke through when he ran toward a long ball that Matt Reis tried to poke away in front of the area. But Espindola beat him to it, pushed it toward the open net, and slit it through to level it.

Seven minutes later, Rowe responded when he grabbed a ball from outside the 18 and fired another long-range effort that beat Meara to put the Revolution back on top.

“I think Gabe Latigue made a run inside and pulled the defender out,” Rowe said. “And I thought, again, ‘I mean, I made the run, may as well shoot it’ and it ended up going far post.”

Rowe’s goal gave his club the edge going into the interval, but the Revolution widened the gap in the opening minutes of the second half.

This time, though, it was Imbongo who put his name on the scoresheet when he chased down a long ball and with only Meara to beat, slipped his shot into the net in the 51st minute.

The Red Bulls didn’t back down near the hour mark when Eric Alexander pushed it deep down the right flank and crossed it far post, where Steele nodded it into the net to cut the lead back down to one.

Although both attacks lost their polish and physical play became the rule after the hour, Tierney put the game out of reach for the Red Bulls when he made a run down the left and tapped through a dangerous far post cross from Ryan Guy in the 87th minute.

In the waning moments, Brandon Barklage picked up a second yellow and red card ejection to leave the Red Bulls a man down before the final whistle.

“We had a lot of guys that were ready to go,” Heaps said. ”You could tell that we started really well. I thought it probably should have been a little bit better. We probably could have been up 2-0 when (Espindola) scored. Unfortunately, it was a battle the rest of the way. We created a lot of chances and scored some goals.”

Fourth Round :: New York Red Bulls 2 :: 4 New England Revolution

June 12 – Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium – Harvard University Stadium, Boston MA

Scoring Summary:

NE: Kelyn Rowe (Gabe Latigue) 4

NY: Fabian Espindola 30

NE: Kelyn Rowe 37

NE: Dimitry Imbongo (Darrius Barnes) 51

NY: Jonny Steele (Eric Alexander) 61

NE: Chris Tierney (Ryan Guy) 87

Cautions:

NY: Brandon Barklage 10, Fabian Espindola 24, Dax McCarty 45, Markus Holgersson 55, Brandon Barklage 91

NE: Kalifa Cisse 76, Darrius Barnes 78

Ejections:

NY: Brandon Barklage (second yellow) 91

Lineups:

New York: Ryan Meara; Heath Pearce, Brandon Barklage (ejection 91), Markus Holgersson, Kosuke Kimura (Andre Akpan 83); Eric Alexander, Juninho, Lloyd Sam (Peguy Luyindula 45), Dax McCarty, Jonny Steele; Fabian Espindola

New England: Matt Reis; AJ Soares, Darrius Barnes, Tyler Polak, Kalifa Cisse; Gabe Latigue, Kelyn Rowe (Scott Caldwell 58), Andy Dorman, Ryan Guy; Chad Barrett (Juan Agudelo 83), Dimitry Imbongo Boele (Chris Tierney 69)

#USOC100

2013 US Open Cup Fourth Round: Orlando City stuns defending champions; RailHawks upset Chivas USA and more (Live stream links)

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Lamar Hunt US Open Cup logoThe Fourth Round of the 100th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup kicks off on Wednesday, June 12 with eight games. Four lower division teams are still alive, but only one of them are hosting in a Major League Soccer-dominated schedule. Round 4 is filled with dramatic storylines with every game either being a rivalry from league play or a David vs. Goliath match.

The Carolina RailHawks of the NASL are the lone lower division team to host a match this round, and it should come as no surprise. Since their franchise began in 2007, they have hosted 15 of their 17 Open Cup matches and that trend will continue when they welcome Chivas USA to WakeMed Soccer Park. Orlando City SC (USL Pro) will play their MLS affiliate club, and defending tournament champions, Sporting Kansas City on the road. The other two lower division teams had to make big trips to reach their Fourth Round destinations. The Charleston Battery (USL Pro) will aim for a record 8th MLS upset when they play at Real Salt Lake. While the Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) will visit the Portland Timbers.

ROUND 4 BROADCASTS
(All Times Eastern)

Philadelphia Union at DC United (7:00)
VIDEO
Chivas USA at Carolina RailHawks (7:15)
VIDEO
NY Red Bulls at New England Revolution (7:30)
VIDEO
Orlando City SC at Sporting Kansas City (8:30)
VIDEO
Houston Dynamo at FC Dallas (9:00)
VIDEO
Charleston Battery at Real Salt Lake (9:30)
VIDEO
Tampa Bay Rowdies at Portland Timbers (10:30)
VIDEO
Columbus Crew at Chicago Fire (1:00 – 6/13)
VIDEO

#USOC100

The local MLS rivalries are in full force for the remaining games. First, DC United hosts the Philadelphia Union at the Maryland Soccerplex for the second year in a row as the Black and Red look to avenge their Fourth Round exit from last year. The Columbus Crew and the Chicago Fire will square off for just the third time in Open Cup play, in what will be a replay of the 1998 Final. It will be an all-Texas battle with FC Dallas playing the Houston Dynamo for the first time since 2006 and finally a Boston vs. New York game being held at Harvard University with the Revolution hosting the Red Bulls. How do you like them apples?

All eight matches are expected to be broadcast online, and you can follow all the action and share your comments on Twitter, using the hashtag #USOC100.

2013 US Open Cup results
2013 US Open Cup bracket
2013 US Open Cup goalscoring leaders
Player of the Round (Round 3): Frédéric Piquionne (Portland Timbers)
The First Cup series (1913/14)
Upsets and things you should know about Round 4

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New York Red Bulls (MLS) at New England Revolution (MLS)
Soldiers Field (Harvard Univ.) – Cambridge, MA – 7:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: VIDEO
Winner plays at DC United or Philadelphia Union

New York Red Bulls Open Cup records
Overall: 15-14-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 8-8-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 5-7-1 (1-0)
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 3-1 AET at Harrisburg City Islanders of USL Pro in Round 4)
Best finish: 2003 Final (Lost 1-0 vs. Chicago Fire)

New England Revolution Open Cup records
Overall: 11-8-4 (2-2 PKs) | Home: 8-3-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 3-5-0
Last entry: 2012 (Drew 3-3 (Lost PKs 4-3) at Harrisburg City Islanders of USL Pro in Round 3)
Best finish: 2007 US Open Cup champions

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Red Bulls: The Red Bulls’ recent Open Cup history has not been very impressive as they have struggled since falling short in the tournament final in 2003. Every since they lost to the Chicago Fire at Giants Stadium that year by a single goal by Damani Ralph, New York has failed to win more than one game in a single tournament. During that span they have been upset by lower division opposition five times, and have failed to defeat an MLS team. The Red Bulls are aiming to win their first trophy in franchise history.

Revolution: New England got a monkey off their back in 2007 when they won their first major trophy with the US Open Cup title. However, aside from that championship, and a runner-up performance in 2001, the Open Cup has not been kind to the Revs. Aside from those two years, the Revolution have only won multiple games in a tournament one time (2008). Something has to give as both teams have losing records against fellow MLS teams.

LEAGUE FORM

New York Red Bulls (7-5-4): The Red Bulls are coming off their first loss in their last eight games (5-1-2). The 2-1 defeat at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps on the Saturday following the Third Round was scoreless through the first half with Vancouver giving New York the lead six minutes into the second stanza via a Greg Klazura own goal. The visitors bounced back though for the victory, and New York was idle over the past weekend.

New England Revolution (5-4-5): On a bit of a hot run, the Revolution are 3-0-2 in their last five league games, and have not allowed a goal since the 1-1 draw that started the run. The club was idle the weekend after their 5-1 Third Round road victory against the Rochester Rhinos, but are coming into the Fourth Round off the heels of a scoreless draw at home versus DC United, who are winless in their last 12 games.

This Season: The two clubs have already played twice in league play this season. New York dominated in the first contest to the tune of a 4-1 victory and in New England nearly a month ago exactly, the pair finished in a 1-1 stalemate. Set up by Tim Cahill, Dax McCarty opened the scoring on April 20 just four minutes in and a Brandon Barklage own goal put New England level two minutes later. Barklage made up for the error almost immediately, though, setting up Fabian Espindola in the eighth minute to make it 2-1 until late in the second half. Jonny Steele set up Thierry Henry with eight minutes left and then scored himself after Andre Akpan and Eric Alexander combined to set up the play. After a scoreless first half on May 11 Chris Tierney found Diego Fagundez for the go-ahead goal in the 54th minute, but just like their first meeting, a quick answer was what followed when Akpan and Kosuke Kimura combined to set up Lloyd Sam a minute later for the draw.

———

Philadelphia Union (MLS) at DC United (MLS)
Maryland SoccerPlex; Boyds, Md. – 7 p.m. ET
Broadcast: VIDEO
Winner hosts New England Revolution or New York Red Bulls

Philadelphia Union Open Cup records
Overall: 4-1-0 | Away: 1-0-0 | vs. MLS: 1-1-0
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 2-0 vs. Sporting KC in Semifinals)
Best finish: 2012 Semifinals (Lost 2-0 vs. Sporting KC)

DC United Open Cup records
Overall: 26-10-4 (2-2 PKs) | Home: 20-4-1 (0-1) | vs. MLS: 6-7-2 (0-2 PKs)
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 2-1 AET vs. Philadelphia Union in Round 4)
Best finish: 1996, 2008 US Open Cup champions

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Philadelphia: After failing to qualify in their first two seasons in MLS, the league did away with qualifying in 2012 and the Union made their first Open Cup run and reached their the final four. They lost to the eventual champion Sporting Kansas City 2-0.

DC United: The two-time Open Cup champions have been one of the powers in the tournament since they entered the tournament for the first time in 1996. United is tied with the Chicago Fire for most semifinal appearances (8), and their 10 trips to the Quarterfinals trails only FC Dallas (12).  Their four championship game appearances and 26 tournament wins are second only to the Chicago Fire. If United and the Union go to extra time, the Black and Red will break the Modern Professional Era record with a fifth consecutive extra time game in the tournament.

This game is a complete rematch from last year when the  Union knocked off United 2-1 in extra time in the Fourth Round at the Maryland Soccerplex. Antoine Hoppenot scored the game-winner in extra time.

LEAGUE FORM

Philadelphia Union (6-5-4): While most of the league has had a relatively quiet couple weeks courtesy of the international competition window, the Union have kept themselves busy. In their first match back in league play the Union snatched a late draw on the road against Toronto FC with Jack McInerney scoring the 91st minute equalizer for a 1-1 draw. The following Wednesday Philadelphia used a three-goal blitz in six minutes to down the visiting Columbus Crew 3-0. Brian Carroll kicked the spree off in the 25th and then helped set up Sheanon Williams four minutes later. Sebastien Le Toux, also involved in the second goal, found Conor Casey for the third. Idle from league play for the weekend, the Union come into the Open Cup contest with a 2-0 victory in a friendly against their USL PDL affiliate Reading United AC, who upset third division Harrisburg in this year’s tournament before being eliminated by the New York Red Bulls in the Third Round, 2-0. Chris Albright set up Aaron Wheeler on the half-hour mark and Jimmy McLaughlin helped double the advantage five minutes later when he found Antoine Hoppenot.

DC United (1-10-3): Though they have not won since their second game of the season, DC has two draws in their last four games. After narrowly escaping elimination at the hands of Richmond in their scoreless draw and penalty kick tiebreaker, United fell 2-0 on the road in Chicago. A Nick DeLeon own goal nine minutes in put DC on their heels and Mike Magee clinched it in the 85th for Chicago. They rebounded for a scoreless road draw at New England Saturday. Other than DeLeon’s own goal, DC has not scored in the last four combined games.

This Season: In their previous meeting this year on April 21, DC tried to rally from two down twice only to come up short in a 3-2 loss at home. McInerney scored the opener seven minutes in courtesy of Casey, who then scored himself four minutes later with the assistance of Danny Cruz. Brandon McDonald and Dwayne DeRosario combined in the 17th to set up Perry Kitchen, but Philadelphia quickly answered back when McInerney restored the two-goal margin in the 26th courtesy of Williams and Amobi Okugo. In the second half Daniel Woolard found Leonard Pajoy, but DC was unable to find the equalizer.

———

Columbus Crew (MLS) at Chicago Fire (MLS)
Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill. – 8:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: VIDEO
Winner will host: Sporting Kansas City or Orlando City SC

Columbus Crew Open Cup records
Overall: 19-10-2 (0-2 PKs) | Away: 6-4-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 9-7-1 (0-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 2-1 vs. Dayton Dutch Lions of USL Pro in Round 3)
Best finish: 2002 US Open Cup champions

Chicago Fire Open Cup records
Overall: 29-10-3 (2-1 PKs) | Home: 16-0-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 16-5-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 3-2 AET at Michigan Bucks of PDL in Round 3)
Best finish: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006 US Open Cup champions

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Columbus Crew: After declining to enter their first two years in the league, the Crew were a force in the tournament beginning with a run to the Final in 1998 (losing 2-1 in sudden death extra time to the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field), and finally culminating in their first US Open Cup title in 2002. However, after lifting their first major trophy that year, the Crew hit a drought, and one that usually ended in the Fourth Round. The tournament only included a fourth round from 2003-06 before reviving it again in 2012, and in each of those years, the Crew lost to MLS opponents. Three of them in extra time, the other a 4-3 loss to the Metrostars at home. After failing to qualify in 2007 and 2008, they were one-and-done to the Rochester Rhinos in 2009 before turning things around with a run to the Final in 2010. However, after losing 2-1 to the Seattle Sounders that year, their cup form took another dip, losing their opening round game at home in back-to-back years to 3rd Division opponents (Richmond Kickers in 2011, Dayton Dutch Lions in 2012). Both of those upsets were also by a score of 2-1.

Chicago Fire: After winning the US Open Cup in their inaugural season in 1998, the Fire set the tone for their approach to the tournament. It has always been a priority for the organization, and the results back that up as the Fire have won four Open Cup titles (1998, 2000, 2003, 2006), but are still hungry for that historic fifth championship. One more Open Cup championship would tie them with Bethlehem Steel and Maccabi Los Angeles for the most tournament wins in the 100-year history of the competition. The club’s list of accomplishments is long as they hold the Modern Professional Era record for most wins (29), most championship game appearances (6), and are tied for second in semifinal appearances (8). They also hold the distinction of being the only team with more than five home games who is undefeated at home in the tournament (16-0-1, 0-1 PKs).

This will be the third time that the Crew and the Fire face off in Open Cup play. They first squared off in the 1998 Final at Soldier Field, which featured some behind the scenes drama that helped grow the rivalry between the two organizations. The Fire won the first meeting 2-1 on a golden goal by Frank Klopas in extra time. The Fire would spoil the Crew’s cup run in 2004 with another 2-1 win in extra time, with Damani Ralph scoring the golden goal this time. Fun fact: The Chicago Fire have never lost a Fourth Round game (4-0-0), while the Columbus Crew have never won one (0-4-0).

LEAGUE FORM
Columbus Crew (4-5-5): Since getting by 2-1 against USL Pro Dayton in the previous round, the Crew have played to a draw and a loss. Trailing 1-0 at home against Houston the Saturday after advancing, the Crew were able to claim a point with a 69th minute equalizer from Federico Higuain. A three-goal flurry from Philadelphia last Wednesday was too much for the Crew on the road as they were blanked 3-0, making them winless in their last three league games (0-1-2). The Reserves: The Crew Reserves have been busy since the last round of the tournament, falling 1-0 to Houston’s visiting reserve squad the following Sunday and then playing to a 4-4 draw on the road against USL Pro Dayton in a back-and-forth affair. Kyle Hyland set up Ryan Finley for the lead six minutes in and after falling behind 2-1 Konrad Warzycha made it even again in the 36th. The hosts went ahead again in first half stoppage time with Ben Speas setting up Finley for another equalizer in the 61st followed by Speas connected with Bernardo Anor seven minutes later for a Crew lead that was spoiled in the 89th minute.

Chicago Fire (3-7-3): After losing three straight in league play, things are picking up for the Fire, who are 1-0-2 in their last three league games. They picked up the first draw the weekend before posting their 2-0 Third Round win at USL Pro Charlotte, which featured the debut of recently-traded Mike Magee, who scored the opener. Since then it has been all about Magee. Ahead since the ninth minute the Sunday after advancing courtesy of a DC own goal, the Fire locked up a 2-0 home win with a strike from Magee from minutes from time. On Saturday the Fire rallied from two down at home to earn a 2-2 draw against Portland with Magee pulling them within one in the 68th minute and Dan Paladini tallying the equalizer on an excellent free kick in the 82nd.

This Season: The two sides met earlier this season on April 20 with the Fire taking the win at home by a narrow 1-0 margin. Jalil Anibaba and Austin Berry combined to set up Jeff Larentowicz for the deciding goal with seven minutes remaining.

———

Orlando City SC (USL Pro) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan. – 8:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: VIDEO
Winner travels to Chicago Fire or Columbus Crew

Orlando City SC Open Cup records
Overall: 5-2-0 | Away: 2-2-0 | vs. MLS: 1-2-0
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 3-2 at Sporting KC in Round 3)
Best finish: Third Round (2011, 2012)

Sporting Kansas City Open Cup records
Overall: 16-10-4 (2-2 PKs) | Home: 11-5-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 5-6-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2012 (Won US Open Cup title)
Best finish: 2004, 2012 US Open Cup champions

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Orlando City: In just their third year as a franchise, Orlando City has found success in the US Open Cup, winning five games in three years, including last round’s big moment for the organization, a 3-1 upset of the Colorado Rapids. This will be their fourth match against Major League Soccer, with their first two ending with 3-2 losses on the road to FC Dallas, the last year to eventual champion Sporting Kansas City. With the momentum going, Orlando will get another shot at Sporting KC.

Sporting Kansas City: Now a two-time Open Cup champion, things have not always been easy for Sporting Kansas City. After entering in their inaugural season in 1996, they were one-and-done in each of their first three seasons. Then, after not qualifying in 1999, they suffered one of the first upsets to an amateur team when they lost in penalty kicks to the Chicago Sockers of the PDL. It took them until 2001 to get their first tournament win and the following year they were a golden goal away from the final, losing to the Columbus Crew in the final four. After losing their opening game in 2003 to the Colorado Rapids, the Wizards (as they were called back then) went on an impressive run, defeating the Atlanta Silverbacks (A-League) 4-1, and then shutting out three MLS teams (Dallas, San Jose, Chicago) to win their first Open Cup title by only allowing one goal. Only DC United in 1996 had given up fewer goals (none) en route to a title, but they played one fewer game that year.  After failing to qualify twice (2007, 2010) and winning just one game before bowing out in 2008, 2009, and 2011, Sporting went on their championship run last year, ending the Sounders’ chance at an unprecedented 4-peat with a penalty kick win in the championship game.

LEAGUE FORM

Orlando City (10-1-2): The league leaders in USL Pro were idle the weekend after dropping the Colorado Rapids 3-1 in the Third Round but played twice over the past weekend for a pair of nearly identical 2-0 wins. On Friday against visiting Phoenix Jamie Watson scored the opener from the penalty spot in the 29th minute and Dom Dwyer added the second two minutes later. Antigua created some worries on Sunday before Watson again opened the scoring from the spot, this time in the 87th minute. Again, Dwyer scored closely after, tallying in the 90th with the assistance of Watson.

Dwyer and the other Sporting Kansas City loanees – Christian Duke, Yann Songo’o and goalkeeper Jon Kempin – will not be available for the match due to the loan arrangement between the two affiliates.

Sporting KC (6-5-4): The club, 2-0 winners at home versus the PDL Des Moines Menace in the last round, are in the midst of a surprising three-game winless stretch. They went into the previous rounds with a pair of 1-1 draws against Houston and DC but fell 2-1 at home the weekend after advancing to Montreal. Two minutes after the Impact opened the scoring in the second half, Claudio Bieler tied things up in the 49th for Kansas City only to see the Impact net the winner four minutes later. Sporting comes into the Fourth Round after being idle over the weekend.

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Houston Dynamo (MLS) at FC Dallas (MLS)
FC Dallas Stadium; Frisco, Texas – 9 p.m. ET
Broadcast: VIDEO
Winner hosts Tampa Bay Rowdies or Portland Timbers

Houston Dynamo Open Cup records
Overall: 6-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 2-4-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 1-3-0
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 1-0 at San Antonio Scorpions of NASL in Round 3)
Best finish: Semifinals (2006, 2009)

FC Dallas Open Cup records
Overall: 22-14-4 (2-2 PKs) | Home: 13-5-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 6-9-2 (2-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 2-0 at Charlotte Eagles of USL Pro in Round 3)
Best finish: 1997 US Open Cup champions

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Houston Dynamo: The Dynamo have experienced a mixed bag of results since launched as a franchise in 2006. Their highlights include two trips to the Semifinals (2006, 2009), but among their seven previous tournament appearances, three times they have been eliminated by a lower division team in the opening round (Charleston Battery twice in 2007 and 2008, and last year at San Antonio Scorpions).

FC Dallas: Dallas is quitely one of the best Open Cup teams in MLS. The only reason they’ve been quiet is because their only Open Cup title came in 1997, a distant memory for many soccer fans.  No team has more Quarterfinal appearances (12) than FC Dallas and their seven semifinal appearances is second only to the Chicago Fire and DC United. They reached the championship game in 2005 and 2007, but fell short in both games to the Los Angeles Galaxy and the New England Revolution respectively.

This will be just the second time the two teams will meet in Open Cup play. In their first meeting, Houston prevailed on their home field, 3-0 in the 2006 Quarterfinals. Eddie Robinson, Alejandro Moreno and Chris Wondolowski all scored for the Dynamo.

LEAGUE FORM

Houston Dynamo (6-4-4): After a hot start in league play with only two losses in their first 10, the Dynamo have gone winless in their last four (0-2-2). After blanking the USL PDL side FC Tucson in the Third Round the Dynamo played to a 1-1 tie the following Saturday in Columbus for their second straight league draw. Kofi Sarkodie connected with Warren Creavalle in the 31st minute with the Crew finding their equalizer in the second half. The Dynamo were idle over the weekend. The Reserves: The Dynamo Reserves have played twice since the tournament win, picking up a 1-0 road win in Columbus the following Sunday when Alex Dixon set up Brian Ownby in the 29th minute. On Saturday the Dynamo Reserves suffered their second loss of the year to USL Pro Charleston, falling 4-1 on the road with Ownby scoring the lone Houston tally in the 63rd minute when they were already down two.

FC Dallas (8-2-4): One of the hottest teams in the league, the club has just one loss in their last dozen games. After winning 2-0 on the road in the Third Round against the NASL Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Texas side travelled to Colorado the following Saturday and rallied twice for a 2-2 draw in a four-goal second half. Atiba Harris put Colorado up in the 56th and 64th with Blas Perez pulling Dallas even in the 61st and 66th minutes courtesy of Marvell Wynne and Jackson, respectively. FCD was idle over the weekend.

This Season: This will be the second time this year the two Texas rivals have met. The previous meeting March 17 in Dallas was a 3-2 thriller that saw the hosts claim the win in the 90th minute when Michel set up Kenny Cooper. Dallas posted a two-goal halftime lead with George John scoring in the 34th and David Ferreira connecting with Andrew Jacobson a minute later. In the second half Sarkodie found Andrew Driver in the 79th and Brad Davis buried a rebound four minutes later to pull even.

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Chivas USA (MLS) at Carolina RailHawks (NASL)
WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C. – 7:15 p.m. ET
Broadcast: VIDEO
Winner plays at Real Salt Lake or Charleston Battery

Chivas USA Open Cup records
Overall: 7-6-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 5-6-0 | vs. MLS: 1-3-0
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 4-1 at Seattle Sounders in Semifinals)
Best finish: Semifinals (2010, 2012)

Carolina RailHawks Open Cup records
Overall: 12-4-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 12-2-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 3-3-0
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 2-1 vs. Chivas USA in Round 4)
Best finish: 2007 Semifinals (Lost 2-1 AET at New England Revolution)

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Chivas USA: The first five years of Open Cup play for Chivas USA could only be described as a disaster. After a stoppage time goal saved them from an upset loss to the Charlotte Eagles in their first-ever game in 2005, the Goats went on a five-game winless streak. There was a one-sided loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy, but in 2006, they hit rock bottom by becoming the first MLS team to be eliminated by a USASA club when Dallas Roma FC held them scoreless through 120 minutes and defeated them in penalty kicks. The next three years were one-and-done losses to lower division teams (Seattle Sounders twice and Charleston Battery). Lately, the club has shown signs of improvement, reaching the Semifinals in 2010 and in 2012. However, in both of those games, the Sounders, now an MLS franchise, denied them a chance to reach the championship game.

Carolina RailHawks: The RailHawks wasted no time making their presence known in the US Open Cup, as the second division club reached the Semifinals in their inaugural season in 2007. They have won at least one game in every tournament so far, and some might say that they’re assisted by their home fans. The RailHawks, during the era of when teams would have to submit secret bids to acquire hosting rights, were always very aggressive and as a result, they have hosted the vast majority of their tournament games. Since the hosts have begun to be determined by coin flip last year, they remain lucky, as Carolina has hosted their last six games. Overall, the RailHawks have hosted 15 of their 17 all-time Open Cup games and they’ve racked up 12 wins, including three MLS upsets.

These two teams are meeting again on the same field and in the same round. Last year, in Round 4, Carolina lost to Chivas USA 2-1 at WakeMed Soccer Park thanks to a Juan Pablo Angel penalty kick in the 90th minute.

LEAGUE FORM

Chivas USA (3-8-2): In the midst of a five-game league losing streak and a winless run of eight games, the California club is coming off of an idle week. After narrowly defeating the LA Blues 2-1 in the Third Round, the goats fell 2-0 at home against the Seattle Sounders in their lone league contest since the last round, giving the Sounders their second strike with a Mario de Luna own goal in the 33rd. They have just one goal to their credit over the course of the five-game skid in league play. The Reserves: After advancing in the tournament the club’s reserve squad picked up a 2-1 victory at home against the Sounders Reserves the following Sunday with Jose Manuel Rivera setting up Caleb Calvert in the 69th and Jose Soto finding Tristan Bowen in the 76th for a two-goal advantage.

Carolina RailHawks (4-3-1): After knocking out the LA Galaxy in the Third Round, the RailHawks have played both of the Florida-based clubs in league play. The following Saturday they travelled to Fort Lauderdale and rallied for a 1-1 draw with Ty Shipalane finding Brian Shriver for the equalizer in the 81st minute. On Saturday at home against Tampa Bay, the RailHawks again needed to come from behind after giving up a late opener in the 87th minute to the Rowdies. Austin da Luz found Cesar Elizondo early in stoppage time and then Shipalane struck the winner deep in stoppage.

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Charleston Battery (USL Pro) at Real Salt Lake (MLS)
Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah – 9:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: VIDEO
Winner hosts Carolina RailHawks or Chivas USA

Charleston Battery Open Cup records
Overall: 25-12-4 (3-1 PKs) | Away: 5-5-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 7-10-3 (2-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 3-0 vs. New York Red Bulls in Round 3)
Best finish: 2008 Final (Lost 2-0 at DC United)

Real Salt Lake Open Cup records
Overall: 3-4-0 | Away: 0-2-0 | vs. MLS: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 3-1 vs. Minnesota Stars FC in Round 3)
Best finish: 2011 Quarterfinals (Lost 2-0 at FC Dallas)

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Charleston Battery: No matter what level of play they have been at, as far as the US Open Cup is concerned, the Charleston Battery are arguably one of the best lower division teams in the country. Their 25 tournament wins are among the best at any level, while they have nine MLS upsets on their resume, which is tied with the Rochester Rhinos for the most in the Modern Pro Era. They have only been upset twice by lower division opponents (2005 – Des Moines Menace, 2011 – Orlando City SC), and just like the Carolina RailHawks, they’ve benefited from a home field advantage. Out of their 41 games, 30 of them have been played at Blackbaud Stadium.

Real Salt Lake: The goal of Real Salt Lake is simple. Find success in the US Open Cup. Since their inaugural season in 2005, they failed to qualify four years in a row (2007-2010), but when they did enter the tournament, they’ve never won more than one game in a single tournament. The effort is there as the organization markets their games, and last year they set an attendance record for the Modern Pro Era for a non-doubleheader/non-final (17,212). But unfortunately for RSL, they were upset 3-1 by the Minnesota Stars of the NASL.

LEAGUE FORM

Charleston Battery (7-3-2): The Battery have been extremely busy since their 1-0 upset win at home against the San Jose Earthquakes in the last round, going 1-1-1 in USL Pro action over the past two weeks. They fell the Friday after advancing, 2-1 at home, to Harrisburg with the City Islanders rallying after the Battery’s Mike Azira set up Ben Fisk for the opener in the 36th minute. On Wednesday the Battery fell behind 14 minutes in at home against Charlotte, but Nicki Paterson found Haviel Cordoves in the 61st to pull even. Dane Kelly put Charleston ahead eight minutes later only to see the Eagles tie it up in the 89th. They come into the match on the heels of a big 4-1 win against the Houston Dynamo Reserves in inter-league play. Paterson scored in the 18th minute and Jose Cuevas doubled the advantage in the 62nd. Houston tallied a minute later to keep it close, but Quinton Griffith found Cuevas for his second in the 77th and then scored himself in the 90th on an assist from Azira.

Real Salt Lake (8-5-3): Unbeaten in their last four and with only one loss in their last seven, RSL comes into the match with a pair of league wins since their 3-2 overtime thriller against the NASL Atlanta Silverbacks in the Third Round. They blanked visiting San Jose the following Saturday with three first half goals. Javier Morales netted the opener in the 16th minute and combined with Robbie Findley to set up Ned Grabavoy in the 33rd. Five minutes later Findley made it 3-0 as the second half went scoreless. On Saturday RSL made it three straight combined games with three goals, downing the visiting Galaxy 3-1. Findley found Khari Stephenson for the opener a minute before the break and Landon Donovan leveled matters a minute into the second half. Then in the final minutes of the match it was the Morales and Olmes Garcia show. Morales and Kyle Beckerman combined to set up Garcia for the go-ahead goal in the 84th and then he set up Garcia again two minutes into stoppage time to put a stamp on the outcome.  The Reserves: The Sunday after advancing in the tournament the RSL Reserves fell at home 2-1 to the Earthquakes Reserves, giving up a lead created when Luis Gil and Yordany Alvarez combined to set up Sebastian Velasquez in the 55th minute.

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Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Portland Timbers (MLS)
JELD-WEN Field; Portland, Ore. – 10:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: VIDEO
Winner plays at FC Dallas or Houston Dynamo

Tampa Bay Rowdies Open Cup records
Overall: 4-2-0 | Away: 3-1-0 | vs. MLS: 1-1-0
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 3-1 vs. Colorado Rapids in Round 3)
Best finish: 2012 Third Round (Lost 3-1 vs. Colorado Rapids)

Portland Timbers Open Cup records
Overall: 8-7-1 (0-1 PKs) | As MLS: 1-1-0
Home: 3-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | As MLS: 1-1-0
vs. Div. 2: N/A
Last entry: 2012 (Lost 1-0 AET vs. Cal FC of USASA in Round 3)
Best finish: Fourth Round (2004, 2005)

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Tampa Bay Rowdies: While the team name has been around since the 1970s, this is the first time a Rowdies team has taken part in the US Open Cup. Since they launched in 2010, they’ve won at least one game in each trip to the tournament (The NASL did not take part in 2011). Although those first two wins were both against amateur teams, it took until this year for the Rowdies to earn their first win over a professional team. They defeated nearby VSI Tampa Bay FC of USL Pro 2-1 in Round 2.

Portland Timbers: Like the Rowdies, another NASL name was revived, but it happened much earlier. In 2004, the Portland Timbers were re-born in the A-League (Division 2) and competed at that level until they jumped to MLS in 2011. They had very limited success in the tournament, with only two wins over a professional team, but a silver lining from a fan’s perspective is that one of those wins was against the Seattle Sounders. They suffered their worst loss in 2008 when they were upset on their home field by USASA club Hollywood United. Unfortunately for the Timbers, when they moved up to MLS their first Open Cup game in the top flight, they suffered another loss to a USASA club, falling to Cal FC 1-0 in extra time last year.

LEAGUE FORM

Tampa Bay Rowdies (3-3-3): After their dramatic 1-0 upset over the visiting Seattle Sounders in the Third Round the Florida club travelled across the continent and earned a point for a scoreless draw against FC Edmonton the following Sunday. On Saturday it looked like another scoreless match was in order before Devin Del Do opened the scoring for the Rowdies in Carolina in the 87th minute. The defending league champions, however, were unable to hold on for the winner, giving up the equalizer and winner in stoppage time to the RailHawks.

Portland Timbers (5-1-8): The Timers have the longest unbeaten streak in the league currently having not lost since their second game of the campaign (5-0-7). The Timbers were idle the weekend after thumping the visiting USL Pro Wilmington Hammerheads, but are coming into the Fourth Round match on the heels of a draw on the road against Chicago. The Timbers built a two-goal lead behind the efforts of Open Cup hero Frederic Piquionne, who netted four in the Third Round. In Chicago he combined headed a long ball from goalkeeper Milos Kocic forward to Diego Valeri for the opener 33 minutes in and then in the 58th minute he found Ben Zemanski for the two-goal lead only to see Chicago rally for the 2-2 draw. The Reserves: Since the last round the Timbers Reserves played to a 4-4 road draw against USL Pro Tampa Bay with goals from Michael Nanchoff (5), Sebastian Rincon (47), Jose Valencia (56) and Sal Zizzo (pen, 68), rallying twice from one goal down and from three down.

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