Atlanta FC’s dream of a run in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup fell short as they unable to pull off the upset against the Charleston Battery (USL-1) falling 2-0 at Blackbaud Stadium. Goals from Randi Patterson and Tsuyoshi Yoshitake propelled the Battery to the Second Round.
Charleston Battery
2008 US Open Cup Final: DC United brings the Open Cup back to the nation’s capital
DC United captured their second US Open Cup championship with a 2-1 win over the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division. Luciano Emilio scored in the fifth minute when the ball was cleared just outside the box, and while striking the ball he slips onto the turf, but somehow finds a way to put it in the upper 90 to give DC United the lead.
Emilio injured himself on the play, hurting his groin, and he had to be subsequently subbed out of the match. Charleston answered five minutes later after Chris Williams found Ian Fuller deep in United territory, who fired a shot past DC goalkeeper Louis Crayton to level the match at 1-1.
2008 Semifinals: Battery beat Sounders in PKs to reach first Open Cup Final
The Charleston Battery earned a place in the US Open Cup Final for the first time in club history after winning a penalty kick shootout with the Seattle Sounders in the Semifinals. The Battery are the first non-MLS team to advance to the Final since the Rochester Raging Rhinos won the tournament in 1999.
2008 Quarterfinals: Third time’s the charm for Battery against FC Dallas
In 2006 and 2007, FC Dallas crushed the hopes of the Charleston Battery in the US Open Cup Quarterfinals. This year, it was the Battery’s turn to exact revenge, winning 3-1 in Frisco after waiting out a weather delay.
FC Dallas came out with a relatively strong lineup as they played most of their regulars for the match. They looked the stronger of the two teams out of the gate, controlling play early.
2008 Third Round: 9-man Battery eliminate Houston Dynamo again
Last year, the Charleston Battery defeated the Houston Dynamo in the Third Round of the US Open Cup at Blackbaud Stadium, but it took extra time to do so. This year produced the same result, but penalty kicks were needed this time around. Charleston beat Houston 4-3 in penalties after extra time resulted in a 1-1 draw, sending the Battery to the Quarterfinals for the second year in a row.
2008 Second Round: Battery escapes with late PK vs. Charlotte Eagles
On the cusp of extra time, the Charleston Battery escaped with a 2-1 win over the Charlotte Eagles, thanks to a 90th minute penalty kick by Osvaldo Alonso. In front of 1,411 at Blackbaud Stadium, Darren Spicer opened the scoring for the hosts in the 12th minute, who recovered a rebound from Charlotte goalkeeper Terry Boss after a shot by Aaron King.
2008 First Round recap: Hollywood United historic upset headlines the opening round
In the lone upset in this year’s opening round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Hollywood United became only the second USASA club to defeat a USL First Division team in the tournament, knocking off the Portland Timbers with a dramatic, stoppage-time goal from Earl Alexander.
2008 First Round: Spicer’s hat trick helps Charleston shoot down USASA’s New Stars
Darren Spicer’s natural hat trick in the first half was all the Charleston Battery needed for a 3-0 victory over the visiting ASC New Stars.
The Houston-based USASA club nearly jumped out to the lead after 12 minutes, as Esteban Lotero found Alex Bolan with a through ball. Bolan beat Charleston goalkeeper Keith Wiggans, but the shot just missed wide right.
2007 Quarterfinals: FC Dallas need overtime to beat Charleston … again
Arturo Alvarez’s strike in the 95th minute broke a 1-1 tie and helped FC Dallas advance to the Semifinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a 2-1 victory over the Charleston Battery. It was the second year in a row that Charleston has lost to Dallas in the Open Cup after being tied following regulation (Dallas won on penalty kicks in the Fourth Round last year).
2007 Third Round: Battery upset Dynamo on PK rebound in extra time
In a hard-fought match at Blackbaud Stadium, the Charleston Battery eliminated the Houston Dynamo 1-0 with a goal in extra time by Stephen Armstrong.
Houston goalkeeper Zach Wells, who bailed out the Dynamo on several occasions, saved the penalty kick by Armstrong in the 106th minute, but Armstrong crashed the net and buried the rebound. It was the fourth win by the Battery over an MLS team in their franchise history (1999 – DC United, 2001 – Metrostars, 2004 – Metrostars).