2014 US Open Cup

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Chattanooga FC first from NPSL to upset pro team with win over Wilmington Hammerheads (video)

May 16, 2014 by David Walker

Chattanooga FC made history on Wednesday night, defeating the Wilmington Hammerheads of USL Pro 3-1 to become the first NPSL team to defeat a professional team in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Entering the competition, the league, as a whole, was 0-15-0 against pro competition all-time, but a pair of goals from Luke Winter helped lead the way to the team’s first tournament victory.

With the win, the NPSL Southeast Conference Champions advance to the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time in club history. Chattanooga will host NASL-side Atlanta Silverbacks at Finley Stadium on May 28th.

The match nearly didn’t take place at all. Heavy storms rolling in to Chattanooga from the southwest forced team officials to move the match up an hour. Despite the last minute time change, a crowd of 1,502 braved the rain.

For the first 15 minutes, the teams played each other evenly, with Wilmington holding slightly more possession. Chattanooga began to look like the stronger side, though, using fluid wing play to create several dangerous chances. In the 21st minute, forward Luke Winter beat the Wilmington offside trap for a breakaway, tucking the ball past keeper Matt Glaeser to open the scoring.

In the 39th minute, somewhat against the run of play, the Hammerheads equalized, when Brazilian-born Belgian Mickael Oliveira slipped his marker and flicked in a cross from Jordan Hamilton. This boost would be short lived, as just before halftime, Wilmington’s Jason Watson was cautioned for deliberately handling the ball while on the ground. It was his second yellow card of the match, resulting in a red card and his dismissal.

The second half started evenly but with the player advantage Chattanooga eventually asserted control. In the 63rd minute midfielder Luis Trude make a picture-perfect cross from the right wing, connecting directly with Winter. The Tennessee Wesleyan College alumnus had little choice but to head it sharply to the near post for his second goal of the night, giving the 4th Division side a 2-1 lead.

Asked about his two goals, Winter said: “The first one, I knew I was onside. It would have been hard for him to make that call. The second one, Luis hit it so well, it wasn’t even a cross – it was a pass. It was a pass directly to my head.”

In the 89th minute, with Wilmington desperately pressing late in the game, Chattanooga took advantage on the counterattack. Trude slipped through on a breakaway but was taken down by Oliveira, who was immediately sent off for stopping a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Deep into stoppage time, Chattanooga capitalized on the two-man advantage, with an insurance goal from Chrispin Ochieng, assisted by Trude, his second of the night.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

2014 US Open Cup Round 4 draw: Major League Soccer joins competition during World Cup break (UPDATED)

May 16, 2014 by Josh Hakala

UPDATE: The potential dates and times of the Fourth Round games have been added below. Also the Round 3 schedule is listed below as well.

With the tournament expanding to 80 teams in 2014, the 101st Lamar Hunt US Open Cup added an additional round, and pushing Major League Soccer’s entry to the Fourth Round. Today, the US Soccer Federation announced the draw for Round 4, revealing which Round 3 winners will play which of the 16 US-based MLS clubs next month.

The draw took place Friday morning with the host teams determined by coin flip. The teams involved are invited to apply to host and those that meet the federation’s venue standards will be included in the coin flip.

MORE: MLS teams entering fourth round make draw process more interesting (Chicago-Fire.com)

The tournament employs a regional draw in an effort to minimize travel costs, which allows for matchups that feature local rivals and . The most notable potential pairing comes from the New York/New Jersey area as the winner of the New York Cosmos will face the New York Red Bulls. The Dayton Dutch Lions will have the opportunity to get a rematch with the Columbus Crew, but they will have to get past NASL expansion side Indy Eleven, who are looking to make a splash for team president Peter Wilt, who won four Open Cup titles while in charge of the Chicago Fire of MLS.

Elsewhere, there will be an all-Texas match in Round 4 as the winner of the North Texas Rayados-San Antonio Scorpions game will take on FC Dallas in Frisco. Bruce Arena will likely be pleased that the Los Angeles Galaxy will not have to travel to the East Coast for the third year in a row. Instead, they will either host Arizona United (USL Pro) or travel to Oklahoma City to take on the USL Pro’s expansion side Energy FC. Unfortunately, with an odd number of West Coast teams, Chivas USA are the unlucky ones as they will make the cross-country trip to play either the Charlotte Eagles or the Carolina RailHawks. If Charlotte wins, it will be the third time the clubs will have met (Chivas USA winning both), and if Carolina wins, it will be the third year in a row that the Goats will play at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

The Fourth Round will take place during the FIFA World Cup break between June 10-18, which leaves the door open for weekend Open Cup games, something that has never happened in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present). The dates and times of the Fourth Round games will be announced at a later date.

The federation also announced that Arizona United SC will host Oklahoma City Energy in the Third Round at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Ariz. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. local time. Also, the USSF’s ‘Game of the Round’ broadcast will be announced at a later date.

Check out the 2014 Results/Schedule here

Here are the results of the Fourth Round draw:

2014 US Open Cup Fourth Round

New England Revolution (MLS) at Richmond Kickers (USL Pro)
Richmond City Stadium; Richmond, VA – June 18 – 7 p.m. ET
OR
NY Greek American Atlas SC (USASA) at New England Revolution (MLS)
Stevenson Field (Brown Univ.); Providence, RI – June 11 – 7:30 p.m. ET

———————–

New York Red Bulls (MLS) at New York Cosmos (NASL)
Shuart Stadium (Hofstra Univ.); Hempstead, NY – June 14 – 8:30 p.m. ET
OR
Brooklyn Italians SC (NPSL) at New York Red Bulls (MLS)
Red Bull Arena; Harrison, NJ – June 11 – 7:30 p.m. ET

———————–

Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO)/Baltimore Bohemians (PDL) winner at Philadelphia Union (MLS)
PPL Park; Chester, PA – 7 p.m. ET
June 10 vs. Baltimore | June 17 vs. Harrisburg

———————–

D.C. United (MLS) at Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO)
TBD Sahlen’s Stadium; Rochester, N.Y. – June 17 – 7 p.m ET

———————–

Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO)/Indy Eleven (NASL) winner at Columbus Crew (MLS)
FirstEnergy Stadium (Univ. of Akron); Akron, OH – June 17 – 7:30 p.m. ET

———————–

RWB Adria (USASA)/Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO) winner at Chicago Fire (MLS)
Toyota Park; Bridgeview, IL – 8:30 p.m. ET
Date TBA vs. RWB Adria
June 18 vs. Pittsburgh

———————–

Minnesota United FC (NASL)/Des Moines Menace (USASA) winner at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Sporting Park; Kansas City, KS – June 18 – 8:30 p.m. ET

———————–

Laredo Heat (PDL)/Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL) winner at Houston Dynamo (MLS)
BBVA Compass Stadium; Houston, TX – June 11 – 10 p.m. ET

———————–

NTX Rayados (USASA) / San Antonio Scorpions (NASL) winner at FC Dallas (MLS)
Toyota Stadium; Frisco, TX – June 14 – 8:30 p.m. ET

———————–

LA Galaxy (MLS) at Arizona United SC (USL PRO)
Peoria Sports Complex; Peoria, AZ – June 18 – 10:30 p.m. ET

Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL PRO) at LA Galaxy (MLS)
StubHub Center; Carson, CA – June 11 – 10:30 p.m. ET

———————–

Fresno Fuego (PDL) / Sacramento Republic (USL PRO) winner at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Kezar Stadium; San Francisco, CA – June 11 – 10:30 p.m. ET

———————–

Chivas USA (MLS) at Carolina RailHawks (NASL)
WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, NC – June 14 – 8 p.m. ET

Chivas USA (MLS) at Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO)
Alumni Soccer Stadium (Davidson College); Davidson, NC – June 17 – 7 p.m. ET

———————–

Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) at LA Galaxy II (USL PRO)
StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium; Carson, CA – June 18 – 10:30 p.m. ET

PSA Elite (USASA) at Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
Starfire Sports Complex; Tukwila, WA – June 18 – 10 p.m. ET

———————–

Real Salt Lake (MLS) at Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL)
Atlanta Silverbacks Park; Chamblee, GA – June 14 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Real Salt Lake (MLS) at Chattanooga FC (NPSL)
Finley Stadium; Chattanooga, TN – June 18 – 7:30 p.m. ET

———————–

Portland Timbers (MLS) at Charleston Battery (USL PRO)
Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, SC – June 18 – 7:30 p.m. ET

Orlando City U23s (PDL) at Portland Timbers (MLS)
Providence Park; Portland, OR – June 17 – 10:30 p.m. ET

———————–

Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) / Orlando City (USL PRO) winner at Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, CO – 9 p.m. ET
June 10 vs. Tampa Bay
June 17 vs. Orlando City

————————————————————–

2014 US Open Cup Round 3 Schedule
(May 28, unless otherwise noted)

Reading United AC (PDL) at Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO)
Sahlen’s Stadium; Rochester, NY – May 27, 7:35 p.m. ET

Brooklyn Italians SC (NPSL) at New York Cosmos (NASL)
Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.); Queens, NY – 7:30 p.m. ET

NY Greek American Atlas (USASA) at Richmond Kickers (USL PRO)
Richmond City Stadium; Richmond, VA – 7 p.m. ET

Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) at Baltimore Bohemians (PDL)
Calvert Hall College High School; Towson, MD – 5:30 p.m. ET

RWB Adria (USASA) at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO)
Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, PA – 7 p.m. ET

Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO) winner at Carolina RailHawks (NASL)
WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, NC – 7:30 p.m. ET

Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) at Chattanooga FC (NPSL)
Finley Stadium; Chattanooga, TN – 7:30 p.m. ET

Orlando City U23s (PDL) winner at Charleston Battery (USL PRO)
Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, SC – 7:30 p.m. ET

Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Orlando City (USL PRO)
Seminole Soccer Complex; Sanford, FL – 8 p.m. ET

Laredo Heat (PDL) at Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL)
Lockhart Stadium; Fort Lauderdale, FL – 7:45 p.m. ET

Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) at Indy Eleven (NASL)
Carroll Stadium; Indianapolis, IN – 7:30 p.m. ET

NTX Rayados (USASA) at San Antonio Scorpions (NASL)
Toyota Field; San Antonio, TX – 8:30 p.m. ET

Minnesota United FC (NASL) at Des Moines Menace (USASA)
Valley Stadium; West Des Moines, IA – 8:30 p.m. ET

Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL PRO) at Arizona United SC (USL PRO)
Peoria Sports Complex; Peoria, AZ – 10:30 p.m. ET

Fresno Fuego (PDL) at Sacramento Republic (USL PRO)
Charles C. Hughes Stadium; Sacramento, CA – 10:30 p.m. ET

PSA Elite (USASA) at LA Galaxy II (USL PRO)
StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium; Carson, CA – 10:30 p.m. ET

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Des Moines Menace USASA side shuts out PDL’s Real Colorado Foxes, 3-0

May 16, 2014 by Anders Aarhus

Sean Dong scores the third and final goal for the Des Moines Menace in their 3-0 home win over the Real Colorado Foxes. Photo credit: Joe Nalefski | Des Moines Menace. — Sean Dong scores the third and final goal for the Des Moines Menace in their 3-0 home win over the Real Colorado Foxes. Photo: Joe Nalefski | Des Moines Menace.

Key players for the Des Moines Menace stepped up in a big way Wednesday night to help defeat the Real Colorado Foxes 3-0 in the second round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Nico Wright, one of the few players to play for the Menace last season, scored in the fifth minute to give the Iowa club a lead it would never relinquish.

“Fortunately we were able to score early,” said Des Moines head coach Mike Jeffries. “For us that was important in that it was a new group, and first competitive game together so I think that gave us a lot of confidence going forward.”

While the early goal certainly helped, Jeffries said it was the Menace’s stifling defense, led by another key returning player in Brandon Fricke, which set the tone.

“The guys put a lot of energy into defending,” Jeffries said. “Their organization was good. I think we got some good leadership from Brandon Fricke at the back in terms of our organization and our shape.”

des-moines-menace-iowa-soccer-split-big The Menace doubled its lead just before halftime through Alec Bartlett and added an insurance goal from Sean Dong in the 53rd minute.

Jeffries said the team plans on adding a few more college players before the next round. With the roster still settling, it will be helpful to have Wright and Fricke to lead the team.

“We’ll lean heavily on those guys. They’ve been through it with us last year so I think that’s important. It’s always nice as a coach when you have that can help translate what you want .”

Going forward, Jeffries made it no secret his team is looking forward to making a deep run in this year’s Open Cup after being knocked out in a close match against Sporting Kansas City last year in the Third Round.

“Everyone has strong motivation in the US Open Cup especially when you’re an amateur team. You really want to get to those games where you can play pro clubs and measure yourself.”

The Menace will face NASL-side Minnesota United FC at home on May 28.

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: North Texas Rayados equalizes three times, stuns Austin Aztex in PK thriller (video)

May 16, 2014 by Lanny Short

In a rematch of the 2013 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the North Texas Rayados of the USASA traveled south to take on the PDL’s Austin Aztex, hoping to avenge last year’s 2-0 opening round loss.

Unlike most Hollywood films, the sequel was far better than the original by a wide margin as the Rayados fell behind three times, and equalized each time, including the third time in second half stoppage time. In the extra session, North Texas finally took the lead in the 118th minute, but before the celebration could begin, Austin gave them a taste of their own medicine, equalizing in the final minute of extra time to force penalty kicks.

North Texas won the PK shootout to advance to Round 2 for the first time in club history. They have earned themselves another road game as they will travel to San Antonio to take on the NASL’s Scorpions in Round 3 on May 28.

This was the second match for the host Aztex in 2013 after opening their season last Saturday with a convincing win over the Houston Dutch Lions. They came into their Open Cup debut without Devin Cook Perales, who had been sent off in last year’s Open Cup game against the Wilmington Hammerheads and was forced to serve his suspension. The game would be a homecoming of sorts, as former Aztex Super-20 midfielder Shane Dockery who would be playing for the visitors, along with Richland College teammates Flavio Guzman and Jamie Lovegrove.

As the match got underway, the Rayandos suffered a setback when Javan Toledo had to be replaced by Fernando Garza after the starting midfielder sprained his ankle in the 6th minute. The Aztex tried to take advantage of the replacement and nearly scored in the 8th minute when Adam Black narrowly missed his shot off to the right of the goal.

In the 22nd minute, Aztex striker Sito Seoane’s shot was saved by Rayados keeper Raul Herrera. Three minutes later, Seoane found a way to produce a goal, as he delivered a corner kick to the head of Adam Black who put the Aztex up 1-0.

To their credit, the Rayados were able to pick themselves up and press hard for the equalizer which nearly came in the 34th minute when Raul Rodriguez’s free-kick was saved by Aztex keeper John Kaschak. The match started to get a bit chippy as the visitors continued attacking. In the 41st minute, Austin’s Chuy Cortez and North Texas’ Kevin Ellis were booked for some off-the-ball pushing and shoving.

The visitors would get their equalizer in the 43rd minute when Fernando Garza would burst through on the Aztex goal and slot his shot into the net between the goal post and Kaschak’s outstretched foot. The Rayados nearly took the lead deep into first half stoppage time, but Kaschak came up with another big stop on Garza’s attempt on goal.

As the second half got underway, there was more hard play in the midfield. Reece Wilson of North Texas and Austin’s Kalen Ryden were each booked for committing hard challenges. Aztex head coach Manuel Buentello decided a larger attacker was needed so he took off smaller striker Cortez for the larger Tucker Hume in the 53rd minute. The substitution changed the momentum for the home side and they took the lead in the 57th minute when Tony Rocha hit a through pass for Seoane and the forward was able to score. Less than 10 minutes later, Austin nearly added to their lead when Hume had his header on goal saved by Herrera.

They would regret not scoring when the Rayandos equalized again in the 67th minute. Wilson would take advantage of a defensive mistake by Aztex winger Josh Alcala and break through on goal to easily slot home past Kaschak.

In the 71st minute, the Aztex’s Jeff Harwell was brought on for Alcala and the Rayados’ Eduardo Cortez came on for Luis Salas. The substitutions caused a bit of confusion in the Rayado’s defense in the 79th minute. Harwell was able to get through them and hit a pass for Tucker Hume to power home to put the Aztex back into the lead 3-2.

Just when it looked like the Eberly’s Army home fans would be celebrating the victory, an incredible stroke of bad luck twisted the match in a new direction. In the 88th minute, Aztex midfielder Jacob Powell made a hard challenge and although he came up with the ball, the referee ruled he had made the tackle with his studs up and over the ball. Powell was shown a straight red card for the foul and the Aztex were reduced to 10 men. Although they tried to bunker in and hold on for the end of the match, just as the final whistle was about to blow, the North Texas equalized. Shane Dockery got behind the Aztex defense and found himself one-on-one with keeper Kaschak whom he easily beat and rolled the ball into the empty net.

As the match went into extra time, both sides would have their opportunities to score in the first half, though neither side came close to hitting the goal. It was the Rayados who broke the tie in the second half of extra time when midfielder Fernando Garza gave North Texas their first lead of the game at 4-3. To the hosts’ credit, they did not quit and in the final minute of the stoppage time, Harwell sent the game into penalty kicks when he poked home a loose ball that the Rayados defense failed to clear.

Compared to the 120 minutes that proceeded it, the penalty kick shootout was a bit anti-climactic as the Aztex had one of their spot kicks saved and one bounce off the post. The Rayados made all of their attempts to send themselves through to the next round and off to San Antonio to face the Scorpions.

Aztex coach Manuel Buentello, who took over for Paul Dalglish this season, could only shake his head and curse the bad luck that had befallen his team. Rayados player-coach Tito Salas has his team in position to make a run in the tournament, but no matter what happens in San Antonio on May 28, the club can be proud of being a part of one of the most exciting games in recent Open Cup history.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Laredo Heat edge Red Force in match marred by fight, five red cards (video)

May 16, 2014 by Robert Wilson

The Laredo Heat celebrate a goal during their 2-1 home win over Florida's Red Force in Round 2. Photo: Laredo Heat — The Laredo Heat celebrate a goal during their 2-1 home win over Florida’s Red Force in Round 2. Photo: Laredo Heat

For the second Wednesday in a row, the group of amateur and former professional players that make up Red Force FC packed their bags and flew across the country, this time to Laredo, Texas, where, unfortunately for the Miami-based team, their US Open Cup dream ended in a wild 2-1 defeat to the Laredo Heat.

Heat defender Danny Garza rescued the home team by scoring in the final minutes. The victory puts the Laredo Heat into the third round with a matchup against NASL side Fort Lauderdale Strikers, another South Florida team and a rematch from last year’s third round.

Laredo was quick to attack and started the game with much of the possession. After consistent waves of attacks led by midfielder Greg Mulamba wingback Salvador Luna drew a penalty kick on an overlapping attack in the box. The penalty was converted by Miguel Fernandez giving Laredo the early lead 1-0.

Madness broke out in the 39th minute when Red Force’s Kevin Nylen and Miguel Fernandez collided in air and fell to the ground. Players from both teams jumped to defend their fallen teammates. The heated scrum took a couple minutes to resolve and ended with four red cards and one yellow card issued. Kevin Nylen and Heber Hernandez from Red Force FC as well as Laredo Heat’s Joao Monteiro and Yair Hernandez were all ejected while Salvador Luna was issued the yellow card leaving the two sides with nine players each.

Shortly after half, the resilient Red Force tied the game. With plenty of field to work with Red Force’s Alejandro Hernandez found Stiven Salinas for the goal. Unlike their previous round in Colorado where Red Force dealt heartbreak it was two Laredo second half substitutes Danny Garza and Felix Garcia that ended the game with a timely goal. Former US youth international Felix Garcia sent a long pass from center midfield into the box where Garza dodged two Red Force defenders and fired the ball into the bottom left corner of the net.

Moments later the referee blew the final whistle and Laredo Heat had secured the second round victory 2-1.

For the Red Force the US Open Cup was a memorable two games run across two states in a week’s time. One exciting come from behind victory in Colorado and one crushing last-minute drama packed defeat in south Texas. The team was clearly disappointed as after a week of lengthy travel if the Red Force had pulled off the upset they would have been able to play their next game in nearby Fort Lauderdale against a team that multiple team members have a history playing for and against.

Laredo Heat on the other hand is riding good form and the momentum provided by the last minute victory into the beginning of their PDL season and the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Goal scorer Danny Garza was quoted after the game saying “The team feels very confident … We are very organized. We’ve been training hard since the first day, and hopefully we win the next game.” That next game is the Third Round of the US Open Cup at Fort Lauderdale Strikers’ Lockhart Stadium on May 28.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Heviel Cordoves hat trick helps Charleston Battery cruise past Panama City Beach (video)

May 16, 2014 by Dan Conover

Andre Lewis (right) of Jamaica congratulates Cuban teammate Heviel Cordoves after assisting him for Cordoves first goal of the night. Cordoves scored three times to lead Charleston Battery of USL PRO to a 4-0 win Wednesday over the Panama City Beach Pirates of PDL. Janet Edens Conover/CHSSoccer.net.

Heviel Cordoves logged his first professional hat trick and his fellow Cuban teammate Maikel Chang scored his first goal as a pro Saturday to lead the Charleston Battery to a 4-0 win over visiting Panama City Beach Pirates in the second round of the 2014 US Open Cup. Second-year forward Cordoves scored twice in the first half, missed a penalty kick in first-half stoppage time, and then took a pass from rookie midfielder Dante Marini, shrugged off a defender and finished strong in the box in the 50th minute.

It was also a big night for Chang, who came to Charleston after defecting from the Cuban National Team in Canada in 2012. He missed almost all of 2013 with injuries, but has been asserting himself in early 2014. Not only did he volley home a nice cross from rookie midfielder Justin Portillo in the 5th minute, he went the distance for the first time since turning pro.

The game was delayed by 15 minutes as the Panama City Beach staff and officials from U.S. Soccer tussled over the eligibility of three players on the Pirates roster. Eventually the Pirates removed the three — Andrew Beasley, Vitor Silva and Jack Wilson — from their starting XI and the game began. With only four reserves traveling with the Pirates to Charleston, Panama City Beach had no choice but to suit up reserve goalkeeper Andrea Giombetti as an outfield player in the 19th minute when defender Anderson Savage went down with an injury.

“That’s the only time I’ve ever had to (substitute a goalkeeper for an outfield player) at this level,” said Pirates Coach Greg DeVito. “But I’m very proud of the way our guys played tonight.”

The score could have been far worse. With a last-minute lineup change, no substitutes and a brand new squad playing its first game on the road at traditional Cup power Charleston, the Pirates looked in disarray during the first half hour. By the time they settled into the game the Battery were up 3-0.

“I always try hard,” Cordoves said. “For my team, for my city, for my flag. Charleston is my flag.”

While Cordoves and Chang got the goals, three rookies got credit for the assists: Midfielders Justin Portillo (2), Dante Marini (1) and Andre Lewis (1). The Battery went on to out-shoot the Pirates 21-5, but took the foot off the gas in the final 15 minutes.

Charleston will host the Orlando City’s U-23 PDL team at Blackbaud on May 28th in the Third Round of the Open Cup.

FULL MATCH REPLAY

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Orlando City SC cruise past Ocala Stampede, 4-1 (video)

May 16, 2014 by Mike Gramajo

Strike duo Dennis Chin and Corey Hertzog each bagged a brace as Orlando City claimed a 4-1 victory over the Ocala Stampede during second round play of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Wednesday night at the Seminole Soccer Complex.

“It was a pleasing night,” Orlando head coach Adrian Heath said. “I take my hat off to Ocala. I got lots of respect to their coach. It’s 4-1, we missed lots of chances, and yet they’re still in the game.”

Hertzog gave the Lions the early lead in the 14th minute after midfielder Aodhan Quinn found the striker open in the box, which the former New York Red Bull buried from close range.

With a 1-0 lead in place, Chin doubled Orlando’s lead in the 28th minute after Hertzog found the Oviedo, Florida native with a through pass, which Chin tucked into the net. Hertzog would go on to give OCSC the 3-0 lead before halftime, scoring on a penalty kick after an Ocala handball was whistled.

The Stampede were able to get on the scoreboard in the 61st minute after Ben Knight converted on an Orlando City back line error, beating goalkeeper Carl Woszczynski. However, Orlando’s Dennis Chin capped the match in the 83rd after he executed on a deflection from an Ocala defender to make it 4-1.

With the victory, Orlando City will host the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 28 in the third round of the US Open Cup, which will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

FAN VIDEOS

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Rochester Rhinos avoid first-ever upset, edge Western Mass Pioneers 2-1 in OT

May 15, 2014 by Brian O'Connell

The Western Mass Pioneers pushed the Rochester Rhinos to extra time, but a pair of late goals doomed the PDL side in a 2-1 loss at Sahlen’s Stadium in the Second Round of the US Open Cup.

A scoreless match gave way to a three-goal bonanza in the second period of extra time when Levi Houapeu (110’) and Thomas Obasi (114’) both scored for the Rhinos, while Will Daniels (117’) brought one back for the Pioneers.

With the win, the Rhinos advance to the Third Round, where they’ll host Reading United AC at Sahlen’s Stadium on May 21.

The Pioneers faced the Rhinos without goalscoring maestro Alencar Junior, who was unable to travel to Rochester on Wednesday. Nevertheless, the guests found a way to absorb the pressure, and collect a couple of chances.

After Jossimar Sanchez of the Rhinos pressed Warren Gross into action with a low shot in the 5th minute, the Pioneers began settle in and put the Rhinos on their heels.

While the Rhinos struggled to connect passes, and the Pioneers were unable to find strong chances in the final third, play turned chippy. Both sides traded hard challenges, with Onua Thomas Obasi of the Rhinos seeing yellow in the 31st minute.

At halftime, the Rhinos held the edge on shots (2-1), but were unable to put the Pioneers away. The scoreboard was unblemished going into the second half, but Rochester would improve its form and test the Western Mass back line.

In the 69th minute, Obasi found Samuel Petrone for a Rhinos chance, but Petrone’s shot veered wide. Ten minutes later, Petrone was cut down near the outer edge of the final third, setting up a dangerous free kick. Levi Houapeu sent it on frame, but Gross denied the shot to keep the game scoreless.

With 90 minutes not enough to separate the sides, overtime was called. And in the second period of overtime, the Rhinos finally grabbed the goal that eluded them all evening when Houapeu easily tapped through the remnants of a JC Banks header in the 110th minute.

Rochester widened the gap four minutes later when Obasi scored to put the Rhinos in command. But the Pioneers wouldn’t go quietly, as Daniels grabbed a pass from Kyle Tomos and tallied in the 117th minute.

With the victory, the Rhinos will host Reading United of the PDL in a 3rd round matchup on May 28th.

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: RWB Adria completes Detroit sweep, beats Michigan Bucks 1-0 in OT

May 15, 2014 by Fletcher Sharpe

Michigan Bucks hosted RWB Adria at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Mich. Photo: Kelly Haapala — Michigan Bucks of the PDL hosted the USASA’s RWB Adria (Illinois) at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Mich. Photo: Kelly Haapala

Almost like a week before, Red, White, Blue Adria came to Michigan and played 120 minutes, and won. Except this time, they didn’t need Igor Dimov in the penalty kick shootout.

After defeating the NPSL’s Detroit City FC a week ago, RWB Adria returned to Metro Detroit and got a timely goal from Carlos Muños in the first overtime, and were able to hold on for a 1-0 win over the PDL’s Michigan Bucks.

It was the second year in a row that the Bucks have lost their opening round game, something rare for the team that has more wins and upsets than any amateur team in the country. For RWB, it was their second Open Cup win in a row, which is impressive considering they entered the tournament winless since 1995.

“We had a scout for the Bucks,” said RWB Adria general manager Ante Loncar. “We knew they were faster than us, and that their centerbacks were really good, so we hoped to attack them on the flanks to cause some trouble before coming back to the middle.”

The game was just as physical as last week’s match against Detroit City with the Bucks Stew Givens suffering a foul from behind shortly after the opening whistle.

The Bucks almost had a chance to go up early, but forward Anthony Grant was a hair too late getting in front of an Adria back pass in the 2nd minute. The first shot of the game came in the 5th minute as RWB defender Alex Rickett sent an outside shot toward the Bucks stalwart goalkeeper, Adam Grinwis.

Literally two minutes later, Adria was on the attack again. Vlad Baciu, the reigning TheCup.us Player of the Round, made his way in front of the net, but it took a desperation tackle by Ryan Keener to stop the big Romanian from adding to his tournament tally.

The Bucks first shot didn’t come until the 13th minute, when Givens, a throw-in specialist, looped a long throw onto the dreaded head of Gerald Ben, who headed the ball wide of the target. The entire half was defined by rough play and missed chances, as Baciu and and Bucks winger Anthony Grant traded missed opportunities. The most notable came in the 24th minute, when Adria defender Johnny Morris launched a hard shot at Grinwis, but the Bucks keeper was up for the challenge. Baciu was also there for the rebound but Grinwis parried that as well.

Adria had an indirect freekick in the Bucks penalty area as a Michigan defender played the ball while on the ground. The ensuing play saw Taylor Bond touch the ball to Rickett, who tapped it right back before Bond blasted it off of a defender.

In the 32nd minute, Grant broke free of the Adria defense, but must have mistimed how much time he had on the ball, because he promptly fired a missile off the glass about 20 feet high of the net. Baciu and Grinwis got well-acquainted again, as the University of Michigan goalie came out of his net to save a vicious shot from Baciu with his stomach.

In the second half, Grinwis was under assault again, as the RWB captain Semir Mesanovic blasted a shot off of Grinwis’ gloves. The ball fell to Baciu who, again, headed it on net, only to be saved by Grinwis, again.

Near the end of regulation, RWB’s Antonio Aguliar began to terrorize the right side of Michigan’s defense with sweeping runs down the field or in the 75th minute, when he fired a shot that just whistled wide of the post.

Michigan’s best chance of the game came in the 77th minute, when midfielder Ken Tribbett received a pass, made an impressive fake, before sliding a shot toward goal. It was saved by the 36-year-old Dimov.

The first booking of the match came in the 89th minute to Alex Rickett on an awful challenge on Brad Ruhaak from the side, which resulted in Ruhaak limping around the field for a minute until full time was called.

The first extra time period started with a bang, as Leljak slid on the ground in the 93rd minute, and found Muños just outside the box on the left side.

“Pretty much, Admir gave me the ball on top, and as soon as I took one touch, I had two defenders on me,” Muños recalled after the game. “They came at me, I made one move, they gave me enough room to take a shot, and luckily it went in.” rwb-adria

From that point forward, the Bucks would press for a goal. Unfortunately for them, it wasn’t their night, as RWB parked the bus and countered every Bucks attacking run.

“It was a very physical game.” Muños continued. “Our team played awesome. They fought for every ball. Anyone can score a goal when you do that.”

Loncar agreed: “The Michigan Bucks are one of the premier clubs in the PDL, and in all of soccer. They are elite, so we knew it would be tough,” said Loncar. “We knew we had to defend, as we’re still older than them,” he said with a laugh.

RWB seemed just as happy to win this match as they were to hear who their next opponents will be. They will be given a revenge match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds after getting word that the Riverhounds disposed of the New York Red Bulls U23s, 3-1.

“We’re very excited for this match-up. They eliminated us on penalty kicks last year,” grinned Loncar. “I don’t want to sound cocky or anything, but I like the way we are playing currently. We were missing two players to red cards tonight. So we’ll be looking a lot different come next Wednesday.”

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Richmond Kickers dominate city derby, 6-1 over NPSL champion RVA FC (video)

May 15, 2014 by Sean Maslin

The Richmond Kickers' Red Army cheers on their team as they battled NPSL power RVA FC in an all-Richmond US Open Cup battle. Photo: Chris Moore | Richmond Kickers — The Richmond Kickers’ Red Army cheers on their team as they battled NPSL power RVA FC in an all-Richmond US Open Cup battle. Photo: Chris Moore | Richmond Kickers

Sometimes it takes a rival to bring out what’s best in us. After the 2013 USL Pro playoffs and an opening to their 2014 campaign that left many questioning whether the Richmond Kickers could compete with the best in US Soccer, the club came out on Wednesday looking to dominate. It just so happens that they did not have to go far to find someone to take out their frustrations on.

In the first-ever Richmond derby, the Kickers defeated their in-town rival, RVA FC of the NPSL, by a score of 6-1 in the second round of the US Open Cup at Sports Backers Stadium in Richmond, Va. With the win, they move on to host four-time US Open Cup champion New York Greek American Atlas SC in a Round 3 match at Richmond City Stadium on May 28.

At the beginning of the first half, the Kickers tried to pressure the young RVA FC defense with several good possessions built through the midfield. Kickers midfielder George Davis IV orchestrated their attack going inside in the 17th minute then pushing the ball out to midfielder Sacha Gorres. However, RVA defender Garrett Harvey to use his body separate Gorres from the ball and make the decisive clear. The Kickers combination of Davis IV and Gorres would test the Virginia Commonwealth University defender throughout the entire 90 minutes with Harvey staying relatively composed.

Shay Spitz of the Richmond Kickers battles for the ball with RVA FC's Dakota Barnathan in their Second Round US Open Cup match. Photo: Chris Moore | Richmond Kickers — Shay Spitz (red) of the Richmond Kickers battles for the ball with RVA FC’s Dakota Barnathan in their Second Round US Open Cup match. Photo: Chris Moore | Richmond Kickers

Despite having constant pressure, the RVA defense held strong at the beginning of the first half and would use the counter-attack on several occasions. In the 20th minute, RVA midfielder Todd Wharton made an excellent cross into open space for midfielder Justin Grove. However, Gorres intercepted the pass intended to shift the field of possession before any attack could begin.

While the NPSL champions did have their opportunities early in the first half, the Kickers dominated play as the game went on. In the 24th minute, Kickers defender Alex Lee hit a cross on the right hand side into midfielder Samuel Asante who headed the ball down and past RVA goalkeeper Bill Groben to give the Kickers the early advantage.

The Kickers would add to their lead in 34th minute when midfielder Shay Spitz would convert off of a rebound on a shot originally taken by Asante. Groben made an excellent reaction save but unfortunately had no assistance from his defense to clear it out. Instead, Spitz was there to tap the ball into the back of the net.

Richmond would add another goal late in the first half when forward Jason Yeisley scored off of a rebound on a good save by Groben. Groben had a very good first half, making several excellent stops and giving the RVA defense some respite between Kickers attacks. However, the lack of communication between himself and his defense hurt them in this match.

The Kickers would continue their dominance of RVA right into the second half. In the 61st minute, Kickers forward Tishan Handley would connect off of a long cross by Davis IV and go right past RVA defender Zach Carroll and Groben to give the Kickers a 4-0 lead. Richmond Kickers logo 2012

RVA would try and strike back in the 62nd minute when midfielder Ryan Zinkhan made a pass on the outside of his foot to forward Manel Bel, whose shot went just wide of Kickers goalkeeper Joe Willis. Willis, who won a US Open Cup title with DC United last year, would then get the ball out to the Kickers midfield who would deliver yet another cross to Handley. Handley would once again get past the RVA defense and give himself a brace, upping the lead of the Kickers to 5-0.

Johnny Orlando of RVA made a slight dent into the Kickers lead with his goal 65th minute. However, the Kickers would get their five goal advantage back when Davis IV would score in the 88th minute to seal the Kickers victory by the score of 6-1.

For the Kickers it was a rare offensive explosion in the tournament. The 6 goals was the most they had scored since their 8-4 barnburner with the Ocean City Barons (now Ocean City Nor’easters) in 2005. It also marked the club’s first game, and win, against a NPSL side.

Sean Maslin writes for Global Football Today, Soccerly magazine, DC Soccer, and Soccer Without Limits. He can be followed on Twitter @SeanMaslin.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

FULL MATCH REPLAY