Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2013 Quarterfinals

2013 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Darlington Nagbe named Player of the Round, helping Portland Timbers reach their first final four

by

A goal and an assist were enough to earn Darlington Nagbe of the Portland Timbers TheCup.us Player of the Round honors for the quarterfinals. He led his side to a 3-2 victory over fellow MLS squad FC Dallas to send the Timbers to the semifinals for the first time in club history.

Nagbe is the second Timbers player to win Player of the Round this year. Teammate Frederic Piquionne took home the prize for his four-goal performance in the Third Round.

The award is voted on by staff at TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters. Nagbe beat out the Chicago Fire’s Sean Johnson and Chris Rolfe as well as DC United’s Chris Pontius in a wide open vote.

Down 1-0 to Dallas at halftime, Portland turned to Nagbe for a spark of inspiration. In the 61st minute, Nagbe swerved his way through three defenders and beat Dallas keeper Chris Seitz to level the score at 1-1. After scoring one of the better goals of the tournament, just two minutes later, Nagbe was instrumental in giving the Timbers the lead. He hit a long through ball to Diego Valeri, who scored on a breakaway to put Portland up 2-1.

The Timbers eventually won the game 3-2 thanks to a Piquionne goal, but it was Nagbe who stole the show. His performance was the major reason Portland are now two wins away from becoming the first Oregon club to win the Open Cup title. The Timbers travel to Salt Lake City on August 7 to take on another first-time semifinalist, Real Salt Lake. The winner will host the Final against either DC United or the Chicago Fire. If Portland wins, the championship game will take place on Sept. 24, but if Salt Lake prevails, they will host the game on Oct. 1.

2013 TheCup.us Player of the Round Honors
Quarterfinals: Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers)
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)

2013 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Real Salt Lake blanks league-focused Carolina RailHawks, reaches first final four (video)

by

Real Salt Lake cruised past the NASL’s Carolina RailHawks to reach the Semifinals for the first time in club history. Photo: Real Salt Lake

For the first time in its 2013 tournament campaign, Real Salt Lake defeated a squad without the use of extra time, and for the first time in club history, the Claret-and-Cobalt moved on to the Semifinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. RSL defeated the NASL leading Carolina RailHawks 3-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

With the win, RSL became the first Utah-based club to reach the Semifinals in the 100-year history of the US Open Cup.

Through the first half hour of Wednesday’s match, the MLS side couldn’t break through the RailHawks defense that kept at least 10 men behind the ball. Carolina’s goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald was equal to a Kyle Beckerman curler that seemed destined for the top corner. Finally in the 35th, defender Tony Beltran fired a shot through traffic and beat the sprawling Fitzgerald to the far post.

With Carolina fielding a weakened side, another RSL defender, Chris Wingert, surged into the attack to score from distance on a deflection in the second half, proving that the rout was on. The victory sent Major League Soccer’s hottest club to the Semifinals for the first time in the franchise’s nine-year history. It’ll host the Portland Timbers, who are also making its first appearance in the final four, on August 7.

“I’m pleased but it means nothing to be in the Semifinal,” Salt Lake head coach Jason Kreis said in post-game media comments. “It means something to me to win the whole thing.”

The RailHawks, first in the NASL standings, avenged a 2012 Open Cup loss by beating MLS’s Chivas USA 3-1 in the tourney’s fourth-round to reach the Quarters. The second-division side decided to go with a makeshift lineup for the match, keeping the NASL’s goal scoring leader Brian Shriver on the bench in the first half. After 45 minutes, the RailHawks totaled zero shots.

“I was disappointed that I couldn’t put the team that I wanted to put out,” Carolina coach Colin Clarke said. “It would be our first championship and we need to get over that hurdle and win that first championship.”

The RailHawks opted to save key starters, including club captain Floyd Franks and midfielder Cesar Elizondo, for Saturday’s match against the Atlanta Silverbacks, which would give the side its first NASL Spring Season title and the right to host 2013 Soccer Bowl.

“It’s often the case that coaching staffs and players need to make decisions about where you’re going to put all your eggs, and they chose Saturday so maybe that’s a good thing for us,” Kreis said.

In the beginning, it didn’t look to be RSL’s day. The Utah side’s first shot came in the 10th minute when forward Robbie Findley sprinted down the left flank, but Fitzgerald pushed the ball out for a clearance. The Claret-and-Cobalt were reduced to pouring long balls over the top only to come out fruitless until the Beltran strike.

“Saborio made a great pass and I wasn’t sure after I took the first touch if I was going to take another one, to kind of drive to the end line and cut it back,” the RSL defender said. “I heard Beckerman say hit it and I just decided to rip it and it went into the far post.”

The goal gave Beltran the confidence to go on another foray forward in the 44th minute, collecting the ball from a Ned Grabavoy pass and lofting a shot to the far post to force another diving save from the Carolina keeper.

At the break with RSL up 1-0, the crowd of 10,287 jeered the opposition for not forcing Salt Lake goalkeeper Josh Saunders into a save. In the 50th minute, RailHawks forward Brian Ackley tried to catch the former LA number one off his line, but the shot sailed just wide of the net. Off of the ensuing goal kick, sloppy play led to a turnover that found Chris Wingert just outside of the penalty box for a goal. The defender’s shot caromed off of a Carolina back, catching Fitzgerald off guard who was unable to make the save. It was Wingert’s second goal in his career.

“I would say it doesn’t have quite the same feeling as if you hit a blast, but they all count and I’ll take anything,” the unapologetic defender said.

Finally in the 61st minute, Carolina brought in the cavalry, taking off Eddie Ababio and Justin Willis in favor of Brian Shriver and Cesar Elizondo, who made an impact on the game. The duo forced a corner kick in the 68th minute, but Ackley’s header couldn’t find the frame.

“We tried to keep it tight and try to get 50 or 60 minutes without conceding and then bring on some players who could help us win the game,” Clarke said. “Cesar and Shriver changed the game with their pace and kept the ball moving.”

Still, the second-division side failed to take advantage of its men with fresh legs, allowing RSL to bring on forward Olmes Garcia and midfielder Yordany Alvarez for Javier Morales and Khari Stephenson in the 78th. Immediately Garcia was active, crossing the ball to a wide open. Joao Plata in the 80th minute whose shot flashed high over the bar.

Just five minutes later, the Columbian got the assist he deserved, when Ned Grabavoy’s pass sprung the 20-year old down the right flank. With Alvaro Saborio streaking to the near post, Garcia crossed the ball for a far post header by the Costa Rican to give Salt Lake its third goal.

“He’s a guy that thrives on confidence and momentum,” Kreis told of the striker. “Unfortunately, he’s off to Costa Rica so maybe they can enjoy his momentum.”

The loss in the Quarterfinals was Carolina’s furthest run in the tournament since its inaugural 2007 squad made it to the Semis. In the ’07 run, the RailHawks lost to another MLS side, the New England Revolution, 2-1. The second-division side continues its NASL Spring Season title quest with two games left.

With the victory, Kreis earned his 100th win across all competitions as the head man at Real Salt Lake.

“It’s not just a crest on a shirt,” the RSL legend beamed. “Obviously it feels like my home. This is where I started and this is where I got my first chance.”

The Claret-and-Cobalt continues the 2013 MLS campaign at Toronto FC Saturday. In the Cup, Salt Lake will host the Portland Timbers in the Semis when captain and former Salt Lake midfielder Will Johnson returns on August 7 to Rio Tinto Stadium. It will be the Canadian’s first game back in Utah since he was traded in 2012.

“I’m pleased with the performance overall, and tonight I thought we responded will after a pretty sluggish start. I’m happy that we’re moving on,” Kreis said.

Quarterfinals :: Carolina RailHawks 0 : 3 Real Salt Lake

June 26 – Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy UT – Attendance: 10,207; Sunny & 85 degrees

Scoring Summary

RSL: Tony Beltran (Alvaro Saborio) 35

RSL: Chris Wingert 50

RSL: Alvaro Saborio (Ned Grabavoy) 85

Cautions:

No cautions.

Lineups:

RSL (4-4-2): Josh Sauders (GK); Tony Beltran, Nat Borchers, Carlos Salcedo, Chris Wingert; Kyle Beckerman, Ned Grabavoy, Khari Stephenson (Olmes Garcia 79), Javier Morales (Yordany Alvarez 79); Robbie Findley (Joao Plata 64), Alvaro Saborio. Substitutes not used: Nick Rimando (GK), Lovel Palmer, Sebastian Velasquez, Devon Sandoval

CAR (4-4-2): Akira Fitzgerald (GK); Jordan Graye, Austen King, Kevin Rutkiewicz, Kupono Low; Jonathan Greenfield (Austin da Luz 80), Nick Millington, Justin Willis (Brian Shriver 61), Eddie Ababio (Cesar Elizondo 61); Ciaran O’Brian, Brian Ackley. Substitutes not used: Tim Murray (GK), Paul Hamilton, Floyd Franks, Zack Schilawski

2013 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Portland Timbers survive late scare, beat FC Dallas to reach first Semifinals (video)

by

The Portland Timbers celebrate one of their three second half goals as they advance to the Semifinals for the first time in club history. Photo: Tim Heitman | USA Today Sports Images

In a battle between Major League Soccer’s two best second half offenses, the Portland Timbers overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit to win a rare game at FC Dallas in the US Open Cup Quarterfinals, 3-2. The Timbers scored three straight goals and survived a late push by the home team to hand Dallas their first loss at FC Dallas Stadium in 13 games in all competitions.

Frederic Piquionne, who continued his breakout season, scored an Open Cup-leading fifth goal which proved to be the game-winner. Dallas would pull within one and hit the woodwork on the game’s final play as Portland would hang on to reach their first US Open Cup semifinal in club history.

Not only does this mark the first time the Timbers have reached the final four, but it’s the first time any team from the state of Oregon has reached the semis in the 100-year history of the US Open Cup.

Dallas and Portland found themselves meeting for the second time in 11 days after the Timbers defeated Dallas 1-0 in Portland on June 15. The two sides also played to a 1-1 draw in Dallas back on May 8. The first ten minutes saw almost no scoring chances created by either side with Dallas maintaining a small majority of possession.

Then in the 15th minute, FC Dallas midfielder Je-Vaughan Watson received a pass from Blas Perez just outside the top of the box and eased his shot just past Donovan Ricketts, who seemed to be caught off guard by the effort, to give Dallas the early 1-0 lead.

Dallas continued to control the game as Perez found himself inside the six yard box, but couldn’t get enough on his shot to trouble Ricketts. Fabian Castillo played through by a sharp David Ferreira pass, got inside the penalty area, but Ricketts got to the ball first.

Timbers playmaker Diego Valeri was rendered largely ineffective in the first half as he saw limited touches in dangerous spots. Portland’s only chances in the first half came courtesy of set pieces. In the 40th minute, Will Johnson had a corner kick skip across the box to Pa Modou Kah, but the defender’s header was on the wrong side of the post by a few inches. Johnson took another corner kick moments later, but it was cleared by Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz, starting in place of regular No.1 Raul Fernandez.

True to form, the second half saw Portland take control as Darlington Nagbe navigated his way past three different Dallas defenders and beat Seitz to level the score at 1-1 in the 61st minute. Two minutes later, Diego Valeri was on the receiving end of a through ball from Nagbe and made it 2-1 Timbers.

Then second half substitute Frederic Piquionne took advantage of a poor back pass from FC Dallas rookie Walker Zimmerman and put Portland up 3-1. For Piquionne, combined with his four-goal performance against the Wilmington Hammerheads in Round 3, the New Caledonia native gave him a tournament-best five goals, which also puts him on top of the club’s all-time Open Cup scoring list.

Dallas got their own second half goal as Perez took advantage of Ricketts howler in the 86th minute to make the score 3-2 Portland.

Dallas had a couple of free kicks in the final minutes of the game, but could not take advantage. David Ferreira had a good look from the edge of the box in stoppage time, but his shot hit the post and just seconds later referee Jose Carlos Rivero signaled the end of the game.

The Timbers continue their fine form under first year head coach Caleb Porter. They lead the league in scoring with 28 goals so far this season. They are also fifth in the league in goals allowed with 16 and Donovan Ricketts was in the middle of a 396-minute shutout streak before Watson’s goal.

Portland’s rabid fan base will not get an opportunity to see their players at home in the next round. The Timbers will travel to Salt Lake City on August 7 to take on Real Salt Lake in the final four. Portland is the first Oregon-based club to reach the Semifinals, and they will meet the first Utah-based club to advance that far.

The winner of that game will meet the winner of the other semifinal between DC United and Chicago Fire in the 100th US Open Cup Final on either the 1st or 2nd of October. The host for the final will be determined via coin flip at a later date.

2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – Quarterfinal
Portland Timbers (MLS) vs. FC Dallas (MLS)
June 26, 2013 – FC Dallas Stadium (Frisco, Texas)

Goals by Half 1 2 F
FC Dallas 1 1 2
Portland Timbers 0 3 3

Scoring Summary
DAL: Watson (Perez, Jackson), 15
POR: Nagbe, 61
POR: Valeri (Nagbe), 63
POR: Piquionne, 72
DAL: Perez, 86

Misconduct Summary
POR: Kah (Caution), 47
DAL: Jacobson (Caution), 60
POR: W. Johnson (Caution), 89
DAL: John (Caution), 90+2

Lineups & Stats
POR: GK Donovan Ricketts, D Ryan Miller, D Andrew Jean-Baptiste, D Pa Modou Kah (Futty Danso, 83), D Jack Jewsbury, M Diego Chara, M Diego Valeri, M Will Johnson ©, F Darlington Nagbe (Ben Zemanski, 74), F Ryan Johnson (Frederic Piquionne, 57), F Rodney Wallace

Substitutes Not Used: GK Milos Kocic, M Kalif Alhassan, M Michael Nanchoff, M Sal Zizzo

TOTAL SHOTS: 18 (W. Johnson, 6); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Wallace, 2); FOULS: 16 (Kah, 4); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 7

DAL: GK Chris Seitz, D Jair Benitez, D Walker Zimmerman, D George John, D Zach Loyd (Bobby Warshaw, 83), M Je-Vaughn Watson (Ramon Nunez, 68), M Andrew Jacobson, M Jackson, M David Ferreira ©, F Fabian Castillo (Kenny Cooper, 77), F Blas Perez

Substitutes Not Used: GK Kyle Zobeck, D Stephen Keel, D London Woodberry, F Eric Hassli

TOTAL SHOTS: 19 (Jackson, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Perez, 3); FOULS: 14 (Ferreira, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 4

Referee: Jose Carlos Rivero
Assistant Referees: Brian Dunn, Mark Boyko
4th Official: Jair Marrufo
Attendance: 3,889
Time of Game: 1:53
Weather: Clear, 100 degrees

2013 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Chicago Fire end Orlando City’s underdog run (video)

by

Mike Magee scored his third goal of the 2013 US Open Cup against the Orlando City SC. Photo: Brian Kersey | Chicago-Fire.com

In its third – and arguably most important – match in an eight-day span, the Chicago Fire hosted North American soccer darlings and MLS aspirants Orlando City SC in a U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal Wednesday night at Toyota Park and advanced to the semifinals for the ninth time in team history with a 5-1 victory.

While the USL Pro’s Lions looked to prove their worth with yet another tournament upset, the Men in Red were hell-bent on continuing their run towards a historic fifth U.S. Open Cup.

In the modern era, only one lower-division club (Rochester Rhinos, 1999) had ever knocked off three MLS opponents in a row. But the Lions slept on Wednesday night in Bridgeview and saw their hopes end in front of 6,893 raucous Fire fans.

Uncharacteristically, Chicago struck first. Fed by forward Mike Magee on the left flank, winger Dilly Duka ran toward the byline and cut a 90 degree angle, perpendicular to goal at the edge of the penalty area. Duka made a move to drive into the box, but instead fed a streaking Chris Rolfe at its edge for a header past Lions keeper Miguel Gallardo in the sixth minute for his second goal in 2013 USOC competition.

“I thought Dilly was going to serve it first time, so I made my initial run, but as I started to back out, I gave a little shake to the right, the defender kind of fell back on his heels, and allowed me the space to come at the near post,” said Rolfe.

The Lions responded by showing Chicago they could keep the ball on the ground and play the possession game through the midfield and into the attacking third. But Orlando could find no joy within 20 yards of Sean Johnson’s goal, as center back Bakary Soumare and midfielder Jeff Larentowicz led a Fire defensive effort that snuffed out the Lions’ attack.

Back and forth action continued through the first half, with neither side seizing a real advantage. Chicago tried to pump and chip long, floating balls over the top and into the box, but Orlando’s back line prevented the creation of any Fire threat. However, Lions ‘keeper Miguel Gallardo did pass a few tests from Magee, Rolfe, Larentowicz by the time the whistle blew.

Shortly after halftime, Orlando City sprung to life and took advantage of what appeared to be a heavy-legged Fire side. For eight of Chicago’s eleven starters, it was their third start in eight days as they came in riding high on a seven-match unbeaten stretch (5-0-2) across all competitions, while the well-rested Lions traveled to the Windy City having only played a home friendly vs. Brazil’s Fluminense (3-4 loss) since upsetting Sporting Kansas City on the road (1-0) two weeks prior.

“We were tired, but we pushed through it,” said 2012 MLS Rookie of the Year Austin Berry, who has logged every possible minute for Chicago in 2013, across all competitions.

After a corner was played on the ground to him, Lions midfielder Kevin Molino found enough space deep on the flank to serve a pinpoint pass to teammate Rob Valentino, who one-timed the ball past Chicago’s Sean Johnson at the near post to knot the game at one in the 51st minute.

For the next seven minutes, Orlando City controlled the run of play. The Lions were in total command as they camped out in Chicago’s defensive third and took pot shots at Sean Johnson. But the Fire keeper would not yield. Johnson foiled two scoring opportunities by Dom Dwyer and Adama Mbengue that left the Lions perplexed after having their way with Chicago for a significant period of time.

“Sean had a great second half,” said teammate Dilly Duka. “He helped us come back into this game, and then we finished our chances.”

While the Fire fell asleep temporarily and paid the price, they soon woke up in a big way, led by Patrick Nyarko and Chris Rolfe.

After possessing a less-than-stellar goal kick from Johnson, Nyarko found space on the left and drove, undefended, towards the near post. Orlando’s back line could not get itself organized in time and Chicago’s Ghanaian winger made them pay with an on-the-ground far post netter that put the Fire up 2-1. To his team’s detriment, Lions keeper Gallardo guessed near post and watched in vain as the eventual game-winner rolled by his outstretched arm.

After the Lions played so well in the beginning of the second half did Nyarko’s strike take the wind out of their sails? “Yes, for sure, said Dilly Duka, who wound up with two assists on the evening. “They were all over us at the start of the second half. Patrick scored, we settled a little, and they kind of sat back after that.”

“Patrick’s goal was a game-changer. At that point it was tied, they had tons of momentum, and we didn’t look like we had much life. Patrick’s goal was the most important moment for us tonight,” revealed Chris Rolfe, who wasn’t yet done on the evening.

In the 64th minute, Jeff Larentowicz chipped forward from just outside the top of the penalty area to Rolfe. Out rushed Gallardo, but his reaction was a split-second tardy, as Rolfe was able to get enough of a foot on the ball to bounce it off the Orlando keeper and into the back of the net.

Sean Johnson wasn’t done yet, however. Dom Dwyer tested the Chicago keeper again after he received a perfect through-ball in stride and put it on target. Johnson made another world-class save and again proved the sole reason why the game wasn’t tied at three by the 70th minute.

“Credit to Orlando,” Johnson said. “They put pressure on us and created chances. But we were able to sustain the attack. We were up for it.”

In the 70th minute, newly-inserted Joel Lindpere was fouled hard on the break at the top of the box. Orlando’s Yann Songo’o denied the Fire winger a scoring opportunity and was issued a straight red card. With the Lions, who had to replace James O’Connor for injury four minutes into the game, down to ten men, the hill to climb proved insurmountable as they suffered their first loss in a competitive match since April 10th.

The dagger came in the 83rd minute, as Mike Magee lofted a goal to the back post after receiving an rolling, right to left 30-yard cross from sub Maicon Santos. Santos provided Magee with an exquisite ball that cut through the entire Orlando defense, allowing him to score his seventh goal in as many contests while wearing Fire red.

Frustrated, the Lions fell apart and lost their composure after a reckless challenge by Mbengue on Chicago right back Jalil Anibaba resulted in a second red card for the Lions, who went down to nine men.

The icing on the Fire’s victory cake was marked by a Joel Lindpere goal in the 90th minute. The Estonian took a long, floating chip from Dilly Duka right up the middle and past Gallardo.

“I’m really disappointed with the result,” said Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath. “I thought five to one score line flattered them. I thought between both boxes we played the best football tonight.”

Heath continued, “They took chances when they created them and we gave away two or three poor goals. When I look and reflect on the game, I think I will be disappointed with both final thirds of the field. The middle, I thought we played some good stuff.”

With the 5-1 result, the Fire extended its unbeaten streak to eight across all competitions, including wins in its last three. Chicago will host MLS Eastern Conference cellar-dwellers D.C. United at Toyota Park in a semifinal battle on August 7th, a prime opportunity for the club to earn its shot at a record-tying fifth U.S. Open Cup crown.

“At this point you’re going to play good teams,” said Fire head coach Frank Klopas. “The good thing is that we’re at home. is the matchup we wanted. At this point in the semifinals though, there are no easy games.”

“We got the job done,” said Sean Johnson. “Now we’re on to the semifinals and one step closer to winning the cup.”

QUARTERFINAL – Orlando City 1 :: 5 Chicago Fire

Toyota Park – Bridgeview, IL

Scoring Summary

CHI: Chris Rolfe (Dilly Duka) – 6th min.
ORL: Rob Valentino (Unassisted) – 51st min.
CHI: Patrick Nyarko (Unassisted) – 59th min.
CHI: Chris Rolfe (Jeff Larentowicz) – 63rd min.
CHI: Mike Magee (Maicon Santos) – 83rd min.
CHI: Joel Lindpere (Mike Magee) – 90th+ min.

Discipline

ORL: Christian Duke (caution) 21, Yann Songo’o (ejection) 71, Bryan Burke (caution) 76, Adama Mbenge (ejection) 86
CHI: Alex (caution) 24, Gonzalo Segares (caution) 73

Lineups

Orlando: Miguel Gallardo; Bryan Burke, Luke Boden, Yann Songo’o (ejection 71), Rob Valentino; James O’Connor (Christian Duke 4), Kevin Molino (Jean-Marc Alexandre 87), Adama Mbenge (ejection 86), Anthony Pulis (Dennis Chin 65); Long Tan, Dominic Dwyer

Chicago: Sean Johnson; Gonzalo Segares, Jalil Anibaba, Austin Berry, Bakary Soumare; Patrick Nyarko (Joel Lindpere 66), Alex (Dan Paladini 54), Dilly Duka, Jeff Larentowicz; Mike Magee, Chris Rolfe (Maicon Santos 80)

#USOC100

2013 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Woeful DC United continues surprise run, tops New England Revolution, 3-1 (video)

by

Dwayne De Rosario of DC United celebrates his fourth goal of the 2013 US Open Cup against the New England Revolution. Photo: Tony Quinn | DC United

It was a complete performance for D.C. United at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Wednesday night as Ben Olsen’s side turned in a solid 3-1 win against the New England Revolution in the Quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S Open Cup. The two-time champions now head to Chicago to face the four-time tournament champion Fire August 7 in a showdown of two clubs that are currently in the bottom three of the Eastern Conference.

Thunderstorms plagued the region all throughout Wednesday, causing a slippery pitch and fast playing conditions. The conditions played into United’s game plan, however, as D.C. played a very wide-open game with many chances and one-touch passing, attempting to break down the Revolution defense.

The night started out very well for the visitors as the Revolution piled on shots early, and United was almost caught by surprise by the speed of the Revolution attack on one occasion. In the 15th minute, United left Diego Fagundez unmarked at the left corner of the penalty area. Fagundez was left wanting, though, as his stellar curling shot clanged off of the right post and out of the goalmouth.

Second-string keeper Joe Willis proved to be vital in goal for the hosts as he saved three efforts in the first 20 minutes of the match. D.C. Started to find their own around this point, culminating with a Nick DeLeon shot that was parried by New England goalkeeper Matt Reis out for a corner. Chris Pontius had a breakaway only minutes later, and ended up scuffing the shot just wide of the open goalmouth.

In the 44th minute, the Revolution appeared to have a breakaway chance as Chad Barrett settled a through ball from Juan Toja and managed a shot on goal. However, the play was called back due to an offside call from the referee.

Less than 30 seconds later, DeLeon was fed a ball while running down the right wing from Chris Pontius. DeLeon slotted it back to Pontius at the top of the area, and despite a Revolution defender sliding in to knock it away, it landed at the feet of Pontius. The United striker then proceeded to unleash a venomous curling ball outside the reach of Reis that found the inside of the New England side netting to put the score at 1-0 just before halftime.

After the break, the Revolution adapted a high-pressure method of defense which caught United flat-footed as New England managed several shots at the beginning of the second half. In the 53rd minute, Juan Toja was fouled 26 yards outside of the D.C. goal. Toja took the free kick and unleashed a thrilling strike that dipped over the wall and hit the underside of the crossbar. The shot then bounced off of the back of a diving Willis and nestled itself in the net to settle the score at 1-1.

The tie would only last for 16 minutes, however, as Dwayne De Rosario headed home a corner kick from Chris Pontius in the 69th, tallying his fourth Open Cup goal two games after being named TheCup.us Player of the Round for his hat-trick two weeks ago. De Rosario received the ball at the right corner of the six-yard box and headed it into the underside of the crossbar on the left side, where it bounced into the goal to make the score 2-1 in United’s favor.

The win was finally secured in the 87th minute when Lionard Pajoy was dragged down in the Revolution box by Darrius Barnes. Pajoy stepped up and calmly slotted the kick to the left of a diving Reis to cement the final scoreline of 3-1.

After the game, United head coach Ben Olsen was asked what his goals were for the rest of the season. He made it clear that the league is still a priority and that all is not lost, despite only having two wins in the campaign so far.

“There’s only two more Open Cup games. We have belief. We’re going to try and move up in the league,” he said. “Crazy things happen. If you get on a little bit of a run, get a little luck your way, and you’re back in the hunt. We have belief.”

QUARTERFINAL – New England Revolution 1 :: 3 DC United

Scoring Summary:
DC – Chris Pontius (unassisted) 44
NE – Juan Toja (unassisted) 53
DC – Dwayne De Rosario (Chris Pontius) 69
DC – Lionard Pajoy (penalty kick) 87

New England Revolution: Matt Reis, Darrius Barnes, Jose Goncalves, A.J. Soares, Andrew Farrell, Diego Fagundez (Juan Agudelo 76), Andy Dorman (Kelyn Rowe 61), Scott Caldwell, Juan Toja, Chad Barrett (Lee Nguyen 80), Dimitry Imbongo

Substitutes Not Used: Bobby Shuttleworth, Clyde Simms, Chris Tierney, Jerry Bengtson
STATS: Shots 5, Shots on Target 2, Corner Kicks 3, Saves 5, Fouls 12, Offsides 3

D.C. United: Joe Willis, Chris Korb, Conor Shanosky, Daniel Woolard, James Riley, Nick DeLeon, Perry Kitchen, John Thorrington, Kyle Porter (Casey Townsend 54), Dwayne De Rosario (Lionard Pajoy 83), Chris Pontius (Taylor Kemp 74)
Substitutes Not Used: Bill Hamid, Brandon McDonald, Marcelo Saragosa, Carlos Ruiz

STATS: Shots 15, Shots on Target 8, Corner Kicks 4, Saves 1, Fouls 12, Offsides 2

Misconduct Summary:
DC – Dwayne De Rosario (caution) 22
NE – Andy Dorman (caution) 48
DC – James Riley (caution) 52
NE – Matt Reis (caution) 87

Referee: Edvin Jurisevic
Assistant Referees: Matthew Kreitzer (AR1), TJ Zablocki (AR2)
Fourth Official: Mark Geiger

#USOC100

2013 US Open Cup Quarterfinal Round pairings announced for June 26

by

The United States Soccer Federation conducted and announced the draw for the potential Quarterfinal pairings and match hosts Wednesday. Highlighting the announced pairing is the scenario that the third division USL Pro Charleston Battery are the only one of four lower division clubs that will have the opportunity to host a match June 26 when the final eight take the field.

The Quarterfinal Round will certainly feature at least one match in Texas with the winner of the derby match between FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo playing host to the winner of the Portland Timbers and NASL Tampa Bay Rowdies contest. Another match is guaranteed for the east coast with New England, New York, DC and Philadelphia all being grouped together in the only all-MLS foursome, the winner of the latter two being selected as hosts.

No games will take place on the west coast, however, with Portland and Chivas USA set to travel. Real Salt Lake, should they win, would be the furthest west location as they would host Chivas USA or the NASL Carolina RailHawks. If RSL falters, the match will be in Charleston.

The midwest is the location of the final game with the battle of affiliates between Sporting KC and Orlando City sending the winner to face either the Chicago Fire or Columbus Crew.

QUARTERFINALS – JUNE 26

New England Revolution / NY Red Bulls at D.C. United / Philadelphia Union
DC: Maryland SoccerPlex; Boyds, Md. – 7 p.m. ET
PHI: PPL Park; Chester, Pa. – 7:30 p.m. ET
———
Sporting Kansas City / Orlando City SC at Chicago Fire / Columbus Crew
CHI: Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill. – 7:30 p.m. CT
CLB: Columbus Crew Stadium; Columbus, Ohio – 7:30 p.m. ET
———
Carolina RailHawks / Chivas USA at Real Salt Lake / Charleston Battery
RSL: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah – 7:30 p.m. MT
CHB: Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C. – 7:30 p.m. ET
———
Portland Timbers / Tampa Bay Rowdies at FC Dallas / Houston Dynamo
DAL: FC Dallas Stadium; Frisco, Texas – 8:00 p.m. CT
HOU: BBVA Compass Stadium; Houston, Texas – 7:30 p.m. CT

FOURTH ROUND – JUNE 12

New York Red Bulls (MLS) at New England Revolution (MLS)
Harvard University; Cambridge, Mass. – 7:30 p.m. ET
———
Philadelphia Union (MLS) at D.C. United (MLS)
Maryland SoccerPlex; Boyds, Md. – 7 p.m. ET
———
Columbus Crew (MLS) at Chicago Fire (MLS)
Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill. – 7:30 p.m. CT
———
Orlando City SC (USL Pro) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan. – 7:30 p.m. CT
———
Houston Dynamo (MLS) at FC Dallas (MLS)
FC Dallas Stadium; Frisco, Texas – 8 p.m. CT
———
Chivas USA (MLS) at Carolina RailHawks (NASL)
WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C. – 7:15 p.m. ET
———
Charleston Battery (USL Pro) at Real Salt Lake (MLS)
Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah – 7:30 p.m. MT
———
Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Portland Timbers (MLS)
JELD-WEN Field; Portland, Ore. – 7:30 p.m. PT

#USOC100

Copyright © 2026 • Built by Jacob Martella Web Development