Los Angeles Legends

2014 US Open Cup Round 1: PSA Elite need PKs to overcome LA Misioneros, reach Round 2

May 10, 2014 by Josh Hakala

In a battle of Southern California amateur clubs, PSA Elite won a penalty kick shootout against the PDL’s Los Angeles Misioneros to advance to Round 2 for the second time in three years. It wasn’t looking good for the Irvine, Calif.-based club as they entered the second period of extra time trailing 1-0 and down a man, but they were awarded a penalty kick in the 111th minute to tie the game up. In a nailbiting shootout, the two teams would combine to miss five shots, but PSA emerged victorious 3-2.

The Elite, making their third straight Open Cup appearance, were awarded hosting rights for the first time and held the match at the StubHub Center Training Field in Carson, Calif. With the win, they head south to take on the NPSL’s San Diego Flash, who advanced to the second round after their opponent SC Corinthians USA forfeited.

After a relatively even first half, with both teams sharing periods of possession, the game changed in the 61st minute when PSA defender Noah Gaines was shown his second yellow card. PSA adjusted to being shorthanded, but the Misioneros, as expected, held the bulk of the possession for the remainder of the half. Despite the man advantage, Los Angeles was unable to break the deadlock as the referee blew for the end of regulation.

Not wanting to lose to a shorthanded team, the Misioneros came out on fire in the first period of extra time. They received a spark from their newest signing, former Chivas USA and US youth international Bryan de la Fuente. Streaking down the left wing, de la Fuente played the ball through to Javier Castro who got in behind the defense and put the ball past goalkeeper Kris Milton to make it 1-0.

After falling behind, PSA Elite president Alex Lujan described his team as ‘discombobulated’ after that opening goal, but managed to hold it together until the second overtime. It was desperation time for the home team as they pushed forward to get any break they could. They would get that break with about 10 minutes to play when Jose Ferciado dribbled through a couple of defenders and was taken down in the box to earn a penalty kick. Ferciado would take the kick himself and beat goalkeeper Jose Miranda-Boudy to the left side to tie the game up.

After the equalizer, the game turned physical and as a result, the number of players evened back up. After some rough play, Misioneros defender Angel de Alba received a pair of yellow cards, both for dissent to make it 10 players each for the final five minutes of extra time. Without a goal, the match went to penalty kicks.

PSA Elite got off to a good start as Milton saved Los Angeles’ first attempt and Mats Bjurman led off with a goal. However, PSA missed two straight attempts, one missed and one saved by Miranda-Boudy sending the shootout into the fourth round tied at 1-1.

The game would be decided in the fifth round as Milton saved Javier Castro’s attempt and PSA’s Ferciado played the role of hero again by scoring the game-winning spot kick to send his team into the second round.

2011 US Open Cup qualifying (PDL West): Kitsap Pumas and Portland Timbers U23s finish dead even, successfully lobby for tiebreaking match

May 21, 2011 by Tavio Palazzolo

US Open Cup qualifying for the Premier Development League is already underway for 2011 as the season began on April 30. It is arguably the most exciting portion of the event for the league as the task of qualifying can be more daunting than the professional opponents awaiting them in the tournament proper.

In the 2011 edition of the tournament, the PDL will be represented by a record nine clubs after seven consecutive years with eight representatives. With nine berths available, the league will send one from each division based on four league contests that will double as qualification matches – a format long established by the parent United Soccer Leagues.

The Western Conference has a new set of dominant teams in recent years, as the Kitsap Pumas (back-to-back Northwest representatives) and Ventura County Fusion (2009 PDL champions, 2010 Southwest representative) look to make their mark by qualifying for the US Open Cup once again in 2011. 11 other teams have other ideas, and that includes the Portland Timbers U23s, who have to be scratching their heads at last year’s results. They finished 16-0 in the regular season, and won another four straight in the playoffs to finish as PDL champion with a perfect 20-0 record, the first in history. Yet they fell short to the Pumas on account of goal differential. They will surely be looking for another shot as they look to extend their streak.

Here is the how the Western Conference is currently shaping up:

Northwest Division
Final Results – Pending Fifth Match [+]

The much anticipated meeting between the Portland Timbers U23s and Kitsap Pumas, who both finished the qualifying slate 4-0-0 a year ago with Kitsap advancing via tiebreakers, finished in a surprising scoreless draw. But both teams held serve the rest of the way, defeating each of their other opponents. The final game pitted the Timbers against the Tacoma Tide, where a potential 2-0 Timbers victory would lead to a coin flip. They did exactly that. The Pumas and Timbers are tied on points, head-to-head, goal difference (+7), and goals scored (7). The first time a lottery was conducted was back in 2006, when the Des Moines Menace and Boulder Rapids Reserve finished dead even at second place in the Central Conference at 3-1 with a +5 GD and 7 goals scored. At the time, the top two in the conference qualified, and the Michigan Bucks won first place with a 4-0 record. The Menace won the lottery, and rode that all the way to the Third Round, which ended in a 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Wizards.

But Kitsap Pumas General Manager Ben Pecora had a great idea. The teams were to meet again at Portland’s Jeld-Wen Field on Friday anyway, why not make it a tiebreaker, to settle the score on the field? The Timbers, the USL, and US Soccer all agreed to it, and they will play on Friday, June 3 with the final US Open Cup spot on the line. If the game is tied after regulation, the match for regular season purposes will count as a draw, but the Open Cup spot will be decided by a penalty shootout.

NORTHWEST DIVISION	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GF	GD
Kitsap Pumas	4	3	0	1	10	10	1	7	+7
Portland Timbers U23s	4	3	0	1	10	10	0	7	+7
North Sound SeaWolves	4	0	2	2	2	2	5	2	-3
Tacoma Tide	4	0	2	2	2	5	12	5	-5
Washington Crossfire	4	0	2	2	2	2	11	2	-6

Top team qualifies for the US Open Cup

Clinched Open Cup berth – Eliminated from contention

Note: Columns on the far right are for tiebreaker purposes

USL Premier Development League tiebreakers

(1) Head-to-head record based on total points in Open Cup qualifiers

(2) Total wins in Open Cup qualifying games

(3) Goal difference (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(4) Goals scored (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(5) Lottery conducted by the USL

All times Eastern

May 7	Washington Crossfire	0:0	North Sound SeaWolves	10:00
May 13	North Sound SeaWolves	2:2	Tacoma Tide	10:00
May 14	Washington Crossfire	0:3	Kitsap Pumas	4:00
May 15	Portland Timbers U23s	6:0	Washington Crossfire	9:00
May 21	Portland Timbers U23s	0:0	Kitsap Pumas	10:00
May 23	Tacoma Tide	2:2	Washington Crossfire	10:00
May 25	North Sound SeaWolves	0:2	Portland Timbers U23s	2:00
May 27	Kitsap Pumas	6:1	Tacoma Tide	10:00
May 29	Kitsap Pumas	1:0	North Sound SeaWolves	6:00
May 29	Tacoma Tide	0:2	Portland Timbers U23s	8:00
FIFTH MATCH TIEBREAKER
June 3	Kitsap Pumas	at	Portland Timbers U23s	2:00

Southwest Division
Final Results

The Fresno Fuego finished qualifying with a perfect 4-0 record after defeating the Ogden Outlaws 4-1 on May 21. They then had to wait a week for fellow unbeaten Ventura County Fusion to play its final match as the Fusion were capable of finishing level, but better on tiebreakers. On Saturday night, the holiday weekend news was cause for celebration in Los Angeles while their rivals to the north experienced disappointment. Ventura County blanked the Southern California Seahorses , 4-0, with Mark Magee scoring two goals that propelled the Fusion past Fresno in the tiebreakers, clinching the US Open Cup berth from the division. Southern California was also 3-0 in the battle of unbeatens, but had been previously eliminated due to the tiebreaker scenario with Fresno.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GF	GD
Ventura County Fusion	4	4	0	0	12	21	3	12	+12
Fresno Fuego	4	4	0	0	12	13	3	11	+10
Southern California Seahorses	4	3	1	0	9	5	4	5	+1
Orange County Blue Star	4	2	2	0	6	11	9	8	+1
Ogden Outlaws	4	0	3	1	1	3	9	3	-6
BYU Cougars	4	1	2	1	4	1	5	1	-4
Los Angeles Misioneros	4	0	4	0	0	1	13	1	-9
Los Angeles Blues 23	4	1	3	0	3	2	11	2	-6

Top team qualifies for the US Open Cup

Clinched Open Cup berth – Eliminated from contention

Note: Columns on the far right are for tiebreaker purposes

USL Premier Development League tiebreakers

(1) Head-to-head record based on total points in Open Cup qualifiers

(2) Total wins in Open Cup qualifying games

(3) Goal difference (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(4) Goals scored (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(5) Lottery conducted by the USL

All times Eastern

May 1	Orange County Blue Star	4:0	Los Angeles Misioneros	8:00
May 7	Los Angeles Blues 23	0:5	Orange County Blue Star	8:00
May 7	Ventura County Fusion	6:1	Los Angeles Misioneros	8:00
May 12	BYU Cougars	0:2	Fresno Fuego	10:00
May 13	Los Angeles Blues 23	0:4	Ventura County Fusion	10:00
May 14	Los Angeles Misioneros	0:1	So. California Seahorses	7:30
May 14	Ogden Outlaws	2:4	Fresno Fuego	10:00
May 20	Fresno Fuego	3:0	BYU Cougars	10:00
May 20	Orange County Blue Star	2:7	Ventura County Fusion	10:00
May 21	Fresno Fuego	4:1	Ogden Outlaws	8:00
May 21	So. California Seahorses	2:0	Los Angeles Blues 23	10:00
May 24	Ogden Outlaws	0:0	BYU Cougars	9:30
May 25	So. California Seahorses	2:0	Orange County Blue Star	8:00
May 28	BYU Cougars	1:0	Ogden Outlaws	8:00
May 28	Los Angeles Misioneros	0:2	Los Angeles Blues 23	10:00
May 28	Ventura County Fusion	4:0	So. California Seahorses	10:00

Breakdown for 2011 USL PDL US Open Cup Qualifying: Western Conference

April 22, 2011 by Gerald Barnhart

The 2011 US Open Cup qualifying process for the Premier Development League begins April 30 when the Central Florida Kraze play host to Fort Lauderdale Schulz. The match marks the beginning of what is arguably the most exciting portion of the event for the league as the task of qualifying can be more daunting than the professional opponents awaiting them in the tournament proper.

In the upcoming edition of the tournament, the PDL will be represented by a record nine clubs after seven consecutive years with eight representatives. With nine berths available, the league will send one from each division based on four league contests that will double as qualification matches – a format long established by the parent United Soccer Leagues.

Here is the Western Conference portion of the four-part series of breakdowns:

Western Conference Qualifying Breakdown

The conference will be the second to kick off qualifying play across the PDL with Orange County Blue Star taking on the Los Angeles Misioneros Sunday, May 1, the day after the opening match in Florida.

Northwest Division
Kitsap Pumas, North Sound SeaWolves, Portland Timbers U23s, Tacoma Tide, Washington Crossfire

With five teams in the group, it’s a nice balanced schedule as they will each play one another in the qualifying process. The big change to the division for the year is the geographic isolation to the Pacific side of the region with all five clubs, including the expansion North Sound SeaWolves, on the Western side of the Cascade mountain range for the first time.

Paul Ogunyemi - Portland Timbers U23s — Paul Ogunyemi (now with FC Dallas) and the Portland Timbers U23s finished with a perfect record last year en route to winning the PDL championship, but missed out on the US Open Cup due to a tiebreaker. Photo: Portland Timbers

In a strange quirk of the scheduling Washington Crossfire will be the opening match for three of its opponents with the exception being the Tacoma Tide, who will see the Crossfire in their second outing. Washington will hit the road for the group’s opening night May 7 against the expansion SeaWolves, who will also play on closing night of the qualifying campaign as hosts of Kitsap Pumas. The other match that night, May 29, features Tacoma at Portland Timbers U23s.

The powers of the group over the past two years have been the Portland (7-1-0) and Kitsap (7-0-1). The two will meet in Kitsap May 21. It will be the first meeting of the two third-year clubs in qualifying play while Portland holds the advantage in league play over the course of two years with a 3-1-1 record, sweeping the Pumas in three games en route to their perfect championship season last year. But while Portland has the better overall results, it is Kitsap that has advanced the past two years from the group, besting Portland on tiebreakers a year ago after each finished 4-0-0.

The Tide are no slouches either with a 7-5-4 record over the past four years in qualifying, never finishing with a losing record in a single campaign. Washington’s history has not been all that horrible as well with a 3-4-1 record in two rounds through the circuit.

NORTHWEST DIVISION	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GF	GD
Kitsap Pumas	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
North Sound SeaWolves	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Portland Timbers U23s	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Tacoma Tide	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Washington Crossfire	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0

Top team qualifies for the US Open Cup

Clinched Open Cup berth – Eliminated from contention

Note: Columns on the far right are for tiebreaker purposes

USL Premier Development League tiebreakers

(1) Head-to-head record based on total points in Open Cup qualifiers

(2) Total wins in Open Cup qualifying games

(3) Goal difference (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(4) Goals scored (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(5) Lottery conducted by the USL

All times Eastern

May 7	Washington Crossfire	at	North Sound SeaWolves	10:00
May 14	Washington Crossfire	at	Kitsap Pumas	10:00
May 15	Portland Timbers U23s	at	Washington Crossfire	6:00
May 21	Portland Timbers U23s	at	Kitsap Pumas	10:00
May 21	North Sound SeaWolves	at	Tacoma Tide	10:00
May 23	Tacoma Tide	at	Washington Crossfire	10:00
May 25	North Sound SeaWolves	at	Portland Timbers U23s	2:00
May 27	Kitsap Pumas	at	Tacoma Tide	10:00
May 29	Kitsap Pumas	at	North Sound SeaWolves	6:00
May 29	Tacoma Tide	at	Portland Timbers U23s	8:00

Southwest Division
BYU Cougars, Fresno Fuego, Los Angeles Blues 23, Los Angeles Misioneros, Ogden Outlaws, Orange County Blue Star, Southern California Seahorses, Ventura County Fusion

A large group with eight teams, the division has been split into two sub-groups for scheduling purposes based on geography. The five teams in the greater Los Angeles metropolis are in the southern group while the BYU Cougars, Ogden Outlaws and Fresno Fuego are in the other.

The smaller group of the two will see the three clubs playing home and away series against their opposition. There is not very much qualifying history between the trio as the two clubs from Utah joined the division just two years ago. The only match among them in two qualifying campaigns is a 4-0 home victory for Fresno over Ogden last year.

Bright Dike of the Portland Timbers vs. Dan Scott of the Kitsap Pumas - 2010 US Open Cup — Bright Dike of the Portland Timbers battles for the ball with Dan Scott of the Kitsap Pumas in the second round of the 2010 US Open Cup. The Pumas have qualified the last years, but have been eliminated by the Timbers both times. Photo: Prost Amerika

BYU has had the most success of the three with a four-year qualifying record of 8-5-3 while Fresno is an even 6-6-4 and Ogden is 3-10-3. While all three have reached the tournament, none have done so since 2007 when BYU advanced for the second consecutive time. Ogden also qualified in 2006 and Fresno’s lone appearance came in 2003.

With the other sub-group consisting of five teams in arguably the smallest geographic region of any bunching within the entire PDL qualifying process, the clubs will all face one another. Among the five are two fresh faces as the Los Angeles Legends becoming the Misioneros and the LA Blues 23, affiliated with the LA Blues USL Pro club, replacing Hollywood United Hitmen. The Misioneros

The three teams within the group with tournament experience have consecutively represented the Southwest the past three years with Ventura County Fusion finishing first last year after Orange County Blue Star in 2009 and Los Angeles Legends in 2008. With at least two wins in each of the last four years, the Legends held the best record in that span with a run of 9-5-2 while Ventura County is 8-4-4 and Orange County is 6-5-5. Blue Star has been in the tournament more than any other club in all of the division with three appearances.

Veteran club Southern California Seahorses and newcomers LA Blues 23 are the lone teams in the division who have not reached the tournament. The Seahorses know this year’s opposition well having played three of their slated opponents in qualifiers last year as well.

The Southwest Division was the only group a year ago in which every team finished with at least one victory during the qualifying process. It is one of only five groups in the course of the last four years in which that has occurred.

The division wastes no time getting started with Misioneros playing host to Orange County on the First of May. The northern cluster of teams begins the qualification process May 12 with BYU visiting Fresno. May 28 marks the close of the qualifying quest with three games. The Utah duo meet in Ogden while Blues 23 hosts the Misioneros and the Fusion hit the road to face the Seahorses.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION	GP	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GF	GD
BYU Cougars	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Fresno Fuego	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Los Angeles Blues 23	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Los Angeles Misioneros	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Ogden Outlaws	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Orange County Blue Star	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Southern California Seahorses	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0
Ventura County Fusion	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	+0

Top team qualifies for the US Open Cup

Clinched Open Cup berth – Eliminated from contention

Note: Columns on the far right are for tiebreaker purposes

USL Premier Development League tiebreakers

(1) Head-to-head record based on total points in Open Cup qualifiers

(2) Total wins in Open Cup qualifying games

(3) Goal difference (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(4) Goals scored (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(5) Lottery conducted by the USL

All times Eastern

May 1	Orange County Blue Star	at	Los Angeles Misioneros	9:00
May 7	Los Angeles Blues 23	at	Orange County Blue Star	8:00
May 7	Ventura County Fusion	at	Los Angeles Misioneros	9:00
May 12	BYU Cougars	at	Fresno Fuego	10:00
May 13	Los Angeles Blues 23	at	Ventura County Fusion	10:00
May 14	Los Angeles Misioneros	at	Southern California Seahorses	7:30
May 14	Ogden Outlaws	at	Fresno Fuego	10:00
May 20	Fresno Fuego	at	BYU Cougars	9:30
May 20	Orange County Blue Star	at	Ventura County Fusion	10:00
May 21	Fresno Fuego	at	Ogden Outlaws	8:00
May 21	Southern California Seahorses	at	Los Angeles Blues 23	10:00
May 24	Ogden Outlaws	at	BYU Cougars	9:30
May 25	Southern California Seahorses	at	Orange County Blue Star	8:00
May 28	BYU Cougars	at	Ogden Outlaws	8:00
May 28	Los Angeles Misioneros	at	Los Angeles Blues 23	10:00
May 28	Ventura County Fusion	at	Southern California Seahorses	10:00

Central Conference (Inside Look +)

Great Lakes Division: Akron Summit Assault, Chicago Fire, Cincinnati Kings, Indiana Invaders, Michigan Bucks, River City Rovers
Heartland Division: Des Moines Menace, Kansas City Brass, Real Colorado Foxes, Springfield Demize, St Louis Lions

Eastern Conference (Inside Look +)

Mid Atlantic Division: Brooklyn Knights, Central Jersey Spartans, Jersey Express, Long Island Rough Riders, New Jersey Rangers, Ocean City Nor’easters, Reading United AC, Westchester Flames
Northeast Division: MPS Portland Phoenix, Seacoast United Phantoms, Vermont Voltage, Western Mass Pioneers
South Atlantic Division: Carolina Dynamo, Fredericksburg Hotspur, Northern Virginia Royals, Real Maryland Monarchs, Virginia Beach Piranhas, West Virginia Chaos

Southern Conference (Inside Look +)

Mid South Division: Baton Rouge Capitals, Chivas El Paso Patriots, Laredo Heat, New Orleans Jesters, RGV Grandes FC, West Texas United Sockers
Southeast Division: Central Florida Kraze, FC Jaxy Destroyers, Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy, IMG Bradenton Academics, Mississippi Brilla, Nashville Metros

2008 First Round: Pat Healey of Crystal Palace Baltimore named Player of the Round

June 15, 2008 by

Pat Healey was the hero for well-traveled Crystal Palace Baltimore in the First Round. Photo: CPFC USA | James Calder

Pat Healey, a midfielder from Crystal Palace Baltimore, was selected as the Player of the Round for the First Round of this year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup by the editorial staff of TheCup.us.

His two goals led the USL Second Division club to a 2-1 victory over the PDL’s Los Angeles Legends. A 2008 draft pick of Major League Soccer’s Kansas City Wizards, Healey returned to Baltimore to finish his degree at Towson University and chose to play for his hometown side.

Recently, we caught up with Pat to discuss the First Round match, Palace’s upcoming Second Round matchup with the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) and his career to date.

TheCup.us: What was the team’s initial reaction when it found out that they would be heading to Los Angeles to play in the First Round, one of only two teams of the 32 to be subject to a cross-country trip?

Healey: We knew it would be difficult going across the country to play the Legends, but it was just how the draw worked out. The draw is what it is, so we were fine with it. It was difficult to travel 3000 miles during the week when you had two games the previous weekend and a game at home the weekend after the Open Cup game. We were very happy to go to L.A. and get a very good win against a very good PDL team.

TheCup.us: Talk about playing for your hometown team and being raised in a soccer environment from an early age. Was there interest from USL-1 sides, MLS or abroad following your career at Towson?

Healey: It is great to play where you grew up. Growing up, I watched a lot of professional teams play in the area and to part of Baltimore professional soccer is great. I was very excited to sign with Crystal Palace. I have always wanted to play professional soccer and this made my dream come true.

Pat Healey (right) battles for the ball against the Wilmington Hammerheads in league play. Healey scored two goals vs. Los Angeles Legends in the First Round including the game-winner in the 88th minute. Photo: CPFC USA | James Calder

I was drafted by the Kansas City Wizards in the fifth round of this year’s draft. I went to their pre-season camp trying to make the squad, but it didn’t work out that way. When I got released, I went home to Baltimore. When I came back, I decided to finish my last year of college. A few days later, I began talking to Crystal Palace and signed in a day or two. It was the perfect fit for me and I couldn’t be happier. It is great to be the hometown boy signing with the hometown team.

TheCup.us: Preview a bit your club’s Second Round match against Harrisburg, a fellow USL-2 opponent that Palace lost to just two weeks ago at home. Does their pedigree in the Open Cup give them an advantage?

Healey: Harrisburg is a very good team. We played them on June 8th and lost 1-0. It was a very hard fought game on a very hot day. We came up on the wrong side of the stick in that game. We learned a lot about Harrisburg and ourselves after that game. It will be a good match in Harrisburg, and I hope we can go on the road again and get a good win.

TheCup.us: Who are some of your soccer role models? Who do you model your game after most?

Healey: My soccer role model is my father (former Baltimore Bays/Blast coach Kevin Healey). He is a very good coach who has coached from professional soccer to youth soccer. He has been successful at every level. From an early age, he has taught me everything. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for him. I can sit and talk to him about soccer for hours and it only feels like a short time. I could not have had a better role model.

I try to model my game after Paul Scholes. The guy is a world-class player. He isn’t the fastest guy or have the most step-over moves, but he gets the job done. He cares about the team success above everything and that is the most important. He is a winner!

TheCup.us: I see you are majoring in Sport Management at Towson. Any ambitions for a post-playing career in soccer?

Healey: I am finishing my degree this summer. For my post-playing career, I am interested in a lot of things. I have thought about it, but playing professional soccer is the most important right now. I have been putting hard work in for many years to get to this point, so I am going to put my best foot forward with soccer at this time.

2008 First Round recap: Hollywood United historic upset headlines the opening round

June 14, 2008 by

2008 US Open Cup First Round
(Home team listed on right)

June 10
Yakima Reds 1:5 Harrisburg City Islanders
Boston Olympiakos 0:2 Western Mass Pioneers
Fredericksburg Gunners 0:3 Richmond Kickers
Crystal Palace Baltimore 2:1 LA Legends
RWB Adria 1:2 (aet) Rochester Rhinos
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 4:0 AAC Eagles
St. Louis Lions 1:4 Minnesota Thunder
Cleveland City Stars 2:1 Michigan Bucks
Bradenton Academics 2:4 Miami FC
Atlanta Silverbacks 2:2 (5:4 PKs) Austin Aztex U23s
Clearwater Galactics 2:5 Charlotte Eagles
Seattle Sounders 1:0 (aet) Arizona Sahuaros
Hollywood United 3:2 Portland Timbers
Brooklyn Knights 0:1 Carolina RailHawks
ASC New Stars 0:3 Charleston Battery
June 13
NY Pancyprian Freedoms 2:3 (aet) Real Maryland

Player of the Round: Pat Healey (CP Baltimore)
Notable upsets in the First Round
Things you should know about the First 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.

A pair of penalty kicks by Matt Taylor kept Hollywood level with their professional hosts. The Timbers tallied with goals fron Chris Brown (32nd minute), and Arsene Oka (51st minute). A crucial turning point in the match came in the 53rd minute, when Hollywood goalkeeper Javier Barragan saved a penalty kick from the Timbers’ Takayuki Suzuki, keeping the score 2-1 in favor of Portland.

Four other amateur teams nearly joined Hollywood in the Second Round.

In Phoenix, Arizona, the defending USL First Division Champion Seattle Sounders needed 118 minutes to find the winning goal against the USASA’s Arizona Sahuaros. Kenji Treschuk scored the winning goal with just a couple minutes remaining in extra time, before the match would go to penalty kicks.

In Austin, Texas, the Atlanta Silverbacks got a penalty kick goal from David Hayes late in overtime to tie the game back up at 2-2 and sent the game into a tiebreaking shootout against the PDL’s Austin Aztex U23s. However, Atlanta would prevail, with Hayes sending the USL-1 side to the next round with the winning kick.

In Rochester, the Rhinos also needed extra time to knock off Chicago USASA club RWB Adria 2-1. Awadallah Morad tied the game for Adria with just four minutes remaining in regulation, and Hamed Diallo scored the eventual winning goal for Rochester just seven minutes into the extra period.

One match on Tuesday’s schedule was washed out by inclement weather, but the day after New York Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA Region I) took the Real Maryland Monarchs (USL-2) to overtime. The Monarchs needed an 85th minute equalizer and a late extra time goal to end the Freedoms’ upset bid.

2008 First Round: Pat Healey’s double puts much-traveled Crystal Palace past LA Legends

June 10, 2008 by

Crystal Palace Baltimore goalkeeper Brian Rowland prepares to dive for a shot by Ian Etherington of the Los Angeles Legends. Photo: Amy Walz

Midfielder Pat Healey’s second goal of the night, a low strike inside the right post in the 88th minute, lifted Crystal Palace Baltimore to a 2-1 victory over the 10-man Los Angeles Legends in Azusa, Calif.

Healey opened the scoring for the USL Second Division side in the 43rd minute, connecting on a volley from the back post. The Legends were reduced to 10 men in the 59th minute as Ross Schunk drew a straight red card for a tackle. Three minutes later, though, the homestanding PDL club equalized through Kevin Gallagher.

Healey, though, made Palace’s 2,500-mile trip worth the while in the waning moments, matching his season goal total coming in with his second of the night and sending his club back to the East Coast for a Second Round meeting at the Harrisburg City Islanders.