LA Blues

2012 US Open Cup Round 2: Ventura County uses extra time to get revenge on LA Blues

May 23, 2012 by Michael Orr

Players from Ventura County Fusion and the Los Angeles Blues battle for the ball in their Second Round match in the 2012 US Open Cup. Photo: LA Blues

Ventura County Fusion emerged from a wild game with local rivals LA Blues in the Second Round of the US Open Cup. The game at Sherbeck Field on the campus of Fullerton College required 120 minutes and featured two sendings off before the Fusion won 3-1. The victory avenges the Blues’ 1-0 triumph in the 2011 Open Cup and provides Ventura County with a match against Major League Soccer side Chivas USA on May 29 at Ventura College.

LA Blues entered the game without the services of newly arrived striker Bright Dike, who is on loan from the Portland Timbers. Dike traveled back to Portland to take part in a friendly against Valencia CF on Wednesday and was thus unavailable for his new team, for whom he has already scored and assisted in two games this season.

The scoring opened in the 14^th minute when Ventura County’s Tim Pontius put a ball into his own net, ceding the lead to LA. The Premier Development League side responded through Frankie López, whose penalty in the 35^th minute leveled the score at 1-1.

Ventura County nearly took the lead in the 50^th minute when Kennedy Chongo’s header narrowly missed the target. The Fusion had repeated attempts on goal midway through the second half as López and Daniel Steres provided the shots.

Maykel Galindo came on for LA Blues in the 66^th minute. The former Chivas USA and FC Dallas striker almost scored within moments of his entry, and gave the Blues a renewed attacking presence as they tried to win the game in regular time.

Perhaps the most important sequence in the second half came when Steres fouled LA midfielder Irving Garcia in the 83^rd minute. Fusion goalkeeper Earl Edwards saved Allan Russell’s resulting penalty, keeping the score even at 1-1. Just two minutes later, the Blues had Cory Miller sent off for his second yellow card. Instead of taking the lead and keeping eleven men on the pitch, LA went a man down and remained on level terms.

Full-time saw the two sides retreat to their respective benches to regroup for two fifteen-minute overtime periods. In the 97^th minute, Fusion manager Ole Mikkelsen was sent off for roaming beyond his appointed technical area. Without its manager and a man up, Ventura County attacked.

López had the best chance of the first overtime, firing just wide late in the period. Just two minutes into the second overtime, the 23-year old midfielder finally put the Fusion ahead with a 107^th minute goal. That strike proved to be the match winner, but not the final action of the highly competitive affair.

Edwards survived late LA attempts an equalizer with a double save of Russell and George Davis. The Fusion finally got space enough to enjoy when Travis Bowen scored on a rebounded from a Chongo shot in the 116^th minute. The 3-1 score line held in favor of eleven-man Ventura County and the Fusion celebrated advancing to the Third Round.

Bowen will get chance to oppose his brother Tristan when Chivas USA travel to the northwest next Tuesday. For their part, Chivas crashed out of the Open Cup in the first MLS qualifying round in 2011.

2011 US Open Cup First Round: LA Blues cruise past Hollywood United despite early red card

June 15, 2011 by Nick Gaspar

The city of Los Angeles has another soccer rivalry in town and it commenced Tuesday evening at the Norco College Soccer Complex. The Los Angeles Blues of the USL-Pro and the Hollywood United Hitmen of the NPSL battled to advance in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with the Blues coming away with a 3-1 victory on the strength of two goals by Mehrshad Momeni.

The game began with Hollywood United pressing on the experienced backline of the Blues. They were able to find space as Hitmen forward Jose Miranda was fed a beautiful ball that led to a one-on-one chance with Blues keeper Oscar Dautt. Mesa struck his shot and hit the bottom of the crossbar, but the ball didn’t completely cross the goal line and bounced away to keep the score locked at 0-0.

Miranda had another chance five minutes later when he headed a cross just outside the goal post. As United’s offensive pressure began to wane Blues’ defender Leonard Griffin went to the ground for a tackle and took out a United player. The foul was called and Griffin was issued a straight red card at the 19^th minute of play which left the Blues down a man for the rest of the game.

Down a man the Blues actually stepped up their offensive pressure. Momeni forced United goalkeeper Raul Calderon to make a fingertip save. Soon after though Momeni was assisted by former Galaxy player Josh Tudela on a goal that ripped through to the back of the net to put the Blues up 1-0. The Blues would take that lead into halftime into what was proving to be a physical game.

“We talked about giving this team the respect they deserve, but not to fear them,” said defender Michael Randolph. “We started off a little slow… But we stepped in there and fought for each other.”

The second half began with the Blues in a defensive formation by dropping down to one forward. Just as Hollywood United was beginning to put pressure on the Blues Momeni came through again around the 70^th minute. Momeni was able to beat Calderon for his second goal of the day to put his team up 2-0.

However, United would not go away. Miranda, possibly looking to atone for the earlier missed opportunities, was able to put a header into the back of the net around the 80^th minute to bring the Hitmen to within a goal. Jesus Flores made a great run just three minutes later and he had a tremendous opportunity to knot the game at 2-2, but he was stifled by Dautt who looked to preserve the victory for LA.

Unfortunately the physicality of the game got a little out of hand as a near melee ensued after United defender Carlos Morales slide tackled a Blues player and the players protested for a red card. Morales was given a red card and sent off while there was a heated argument between both teams. It eventually turned into a brief scuffle where punches were thrown, but only two yellow cards were given after the situation. Tudela, the Blues captain, and United player Rene Corona were both shown their second yellow cards of the day to drop each team to nine players on the field.

As both teams were down Hollywood United pressed for an equalizer. The goalie was up for a corner kick during stoppage time and as it was cleared out Blues midfielder Jhonny Bravo carried the ball up the field and scored a 40 yard shot with an open net to close the game’s scoring at 3-1.

After the game the Blues were still brimming with confidence. Mehrshad, through an interpreter, thanked his teammates and hoped that they could make a run. Randolph also felt confident as he looked forward to their second round matchup.

The Blues will travel to face the Ventura County Fusion in the second round of the US Open Cup.

Hollywood United (NPSL)
1:3
Los Angeles Blues (USL PRO)
Riverside Community College – Norco, CA
RECAP: ESPN Los Angeles
Scoring Summary
LAB: Mehrshad Momeni 37′
LAB: Mehrshad Momeni 55′
HU: Carlos Morales 67′
LAB: Gerardo Bravo 90′