Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Orlando City SC

2013 US Open Cup Round 4: Orlando City stun their MLS affiliate, defending champ Sporting KC

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Orlando City SC traveled to Kansas City and upset their second straight MLS opponent. Photo: Jamila St. Ann | Sporting Kansas City

Orlando City SC has made huge strides off the field to show it belongs in MLS. The Lions proved Wednesday night they might belong at the top level on the field as well.

Long Tan scored in the opening minute of the game and Orlando held on the rest of the way to stun the defending US Open Cup champion Sporting KC in what Orlando City manager Adrian Heath called the biggest win in club history.

“We believed,” Heath said. “We obviously believed before the game we could get a result.”

Heath said he thought his team played with a chip on its shoulder after talk about whether the Lions could cope with the drop off in quality by playing without four of Sporting’s loaned players dominated the lead up to the game.

“It’s human nature,” he said. “People forget we broke all the records last year for the most goals, most wins, most points. Some of the guys came into tonight with a bit to prove.”

Prove themselves they did.

Barley 75 seconds into the match, KC turned the ball over after a quick restart in its own half and Orlando capitalized.

“The goal was a terrible mistake on our part,” said Sporting manager Peter Vermes. “Giving that goal away breaks you because it’s not an earned goal. It’s a goal that we’re sleeping on.”

KC pressed hard for an equalizer after Tan shocked the 15,981 in attendance at Sporting Park, but the home side couldn’t find the back of the net despite 10 first-half shots.

Orlando had two shots in the first half, but was unlucky not to be two up at halftime. Only a brilliant save of Tan’s close-range effort by Sporting goalkeeper Eric Kronberg kept the score at 1-0.

“I thought our counter-attacking football was excellent,” Heath said of his team’s first half.

Vermes brought on CJ Sapong for Josh Gardner at halftime and Lawrence Olum for Benny Feilhaber shortly after as Sporting carried play in the second half, but continued to waste chances.

Seth Sinovic forced a diving save from Gallardo in the 59th minute and skimmed the top of the net with another long-range shot minutes later.

It was part of a 10-shot flurry that also saw Sapong volley from six yards out with the goal at his mercy and Claudio Bieler missed an open header at the back post.

Ike Opara had the best chance to equalize deep into stoppage time, but he couldn’t stretch enough to poke home a deflected header.

Heath said Orlando’s strong league standing (currently 1st in USL Pro) means the team can prioritize the tournament going forward as the Lions attempt to become only the second lower-division side to win the Cup since MLS teams entered the competition.

 

Orlando City 1:0 Sporting KC
Scoring Summary:

ORL: Long Tan (Adama Mbengue) – 2nd min.

Discipline:
71’ Yellow card (Anthony Pulis)

Substitutions:

Sporting Kansas City:

46’ CJ Sapong for Josh Gardner
58’ Lawrence Olum for Benny Feilhaber
76’ Teal Bunbury for Jacob Peterson

Orlando City SC:
71’ Erik Ustruck for Dennis Chin
73’ Oumar Diakhite for Justin Clarke
92’ Freddie Braun for Adama Mbengue

 

Shots:
Sporting – 18
Orlando – 5

 

Shots on goal
Sporting – 4
Orlando – 3

 

Saves
Sporting – 2
Orlando – 4

 

Fouls
Sporting – 15
Orlando -11

 

Corners
Sporting – 5
Orlando – 1

2013 US Open Cup Third Round: Orlando City SC earns first MLS upset, 3-1 over Colorado Rapids

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ORLANDO, Fla.— In the third round of US Open Cup play, the Colorado Rapids (Major League Soccer) fall to Orlando City SC (USL PRO) by a margin of 3-1 Tuesday night at Fifth Third Bank Field of the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. In the 4th minute, Orlando’s Bryan Burke put the home side up, but Kamani Hill picked off a pass to bring Colorado even in the 18th minute. Orlando City forward Dom Dwyer scored a brace in the second half to give the club its first-ever win over an MLS club in US Open Cup play. Orlando advances to the 4th round and will face Sporting Kansas City at Sporting Park.

“I think just before and during the second half we were far and away the better team,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “I thought we were worthy winners and it would have been a travesty if we didn’t take home the win.”

The Colorado defense failed to clear the ball from danger in the fourth minute, and Bryan Burke sent a rifle shot from 20 yards out. The ball nicked a Colorado defender Anthony Wallace and out of the reach of Colorado Goalkeeper Steward Ceus giving the Lions the 1-0 advantage. The former Kitsap Puma (PDL) star scored his second goal for Orlando City (his first goal came Saturday night in USL PRO season over Wilmington).

Colorado, which started a group that had plenty of MLS experience, kept the pressure on Orlando City in the first half closing the space quickly and trading attacks with Orlando as the match progressed. In the 18th minute, an Orlando City defensive turnover gave Rapids’ Midfielder Kamani Hill the ball. Hill took advantage by calmly slotting the ball in the corner past Orlando City Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo to even the game at 1-1.

Despite many opportunities, neither side was able to convert and the first half finished tied. Neither side made changes to start the second half.

Orlando City began the second half like the first – on the attack. In the 48th minute, Burke surged down the right hand side and sent a floating ball into Dom Dwyer on the back post. The header from the USL PRO leading scorer was on frame in the back left corner and gave the Orlando a 2-1 lead.

The game really opened up when Dwyer got behind the Colorado defense and Colorado Goalkeeper Ceus came out of his box. After a header by Dwyer got the ball past the goalkeeper, Ceus clotheslined Dwyer stopping his advance, and Rapids defender Shane O’Neill was able to clear the ball before it crossed the goal line. At the stop, the referee conferred with his assistant and then indicated a foul at the top of the box for Orlando. Seconds later, Ceus was showed the red card and ejected from the match. The Rapids were forced to bring winger Kevin Harbottle out as Goalkeeper Clint Irwin came in to finish the match, and the Rapids were a man down for the final 30 minutes.

The game was sealed by Orlando City five minutes later, when Dwyer scored his second to put Orlando up 3-1. The play started with Adama Mbengue (brought up from Orlando City U23s this season) hit a fantastic through ball to Long Tan. Tan then controlled the box beat off a defender and sent a brilliant cross into the box. Dwyer converted after getting past Colorado defender Clint Irwin. The goal was Dwyer’s 16th goal counting both league play and Open Cup.

Orlando controlled much of the possession in the final 25 minutes as Colorado played a man down, to close out with the win 3-1. This was the clubs first win over an MLS side in Open Cup play, and the first time they have advanced to the 4th round of competition to face Sporting Kansas City. The match will be on Wednesday, June 12.

Interestingly, Orlando is the official USL PRO affiliate of their fourth round opponent Sporting Kansas City, and four Orlando Players are on loan from Kansas City. Dom Dwyer is one of the two loaned players that were key to Orlando’s win in the match. The other is defender Yann Songo’o who had a solid game in the center defense and along with Rob Valentino and kept Colorado’s offense to 1 goal. Also on loan to Orlando from Kansas City are goal keeper Jon Kempin and midfielder Christian Duke.

There is some doubt about whether the players on loan will be able to play against their parent club. When questioned about the situation after their win over the Des Moine Menace (2-0), Kansas City coach Peter Vermes said, “Well I think it’s going to be more from the league, but I’ll know in the next couple of days. I don’t know at the moment, that’s something the league has to be involved in for sure.”

Orlando City lost to Sporting in the 3rd round of US Open Cup play last year in a tight 2-3 match, and will be looking to avenge the loss. Each match against an MLS team has greater meaning to Orlando City supporters as they appeal to the MLS to be the league’s 21st team. As the match ended, they supporters chanted, “We belong in MLS!” And from last nights match, they look to be competitive.

Team                    1  2  Final
Orlando City SC   1  2    3
Colorado Rapids   1  0    1

Scoring Summary:
ORL- Bryan Burke (unassisted) 4th
COL- Kamani Hill (unassisted) 18th
ORL- Dom Dwyer (Bryan Burke) 48th
ORL- Dom Dwyer (Long Tan) 63rd

Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City Miguel Gallardo, Yann Songo’o, Bryan Burke, Luke Boden, Rob Valentino, Anthony Pulis, James O’Connor, Kevin Molino, Adama Mbengue (Jamie Watson 67), Dom Dwyer, Long Tan (Dennis Chin 76)

Colorado Rapids Steward Ceus, Marvell Wynne, Shane O’Neill, German Mera, Anthony Wallace, Dillon Powers, Nick LaBrocca (Atiba Harris 72), Kamani Hill (Deshorn Brown 66), Tony Cascio, Kevin Harbottle (Clint Irwin 58), Danny Mwanga

Penalty Summary:
ORL- Anthony Pulis (Yellow) 32nd
COL- Shane O’Neill (Yellow) 36th
COL- Steward Ceus (Red) 56th
ORL- Adama Mbengue (Yellow) 65th
COL- Atiba Harris (Yellow) 80th

Match Facts:
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Weather: Clear/Cloudy
Attendance: 4,128

2013 US Open Cup Second Round: Orlando City advances with 2-1 road victory over nearby Ocala

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If Sporting KC had plans of using reserves for the Open Cup, apparently Dom Dwyer is not a part of them as the red-hot goal scorer for Orlando City netted once again on loan while leading the USL Pro side to a 2-1 victory against the PDL Ocala Stampede.

The victory secured a home fixture next Tuesday against the Colorado Rapids at the Citrus Bowl in the Third Round.

Dwyer nearly wowed the crowd 20 minutes in with a bicycle kick, but made up for the missed effort seven minutes later via a play created on a turnover off an Ocala throw-in that defender Erik Ustruck stole and sent into the box. The ball deflected off a defender inside the area, falling to Dwyer, who looped it over goalkeeper Lex Craggs for the only goal of the half.

Five minutes into the second stanza a little free space allowed little used Adama Mbengue to tally his first goal of the year, firing into the lower right corner from about 17 yards for what proved to be the game winner with Ocala responding eight minutes later.

The hosts attempted to fight back against the USL Pro league leaders, but it took repeated efforts on one play to beat goalkeeper Jon Kempin, who made the initial stop on a 58th minute penalty by Christian Blandon. Kempin made up for the foul that led to the penalty with the penalty stop and a second on a rebound, but Blandon got one more bite at the apple and finally buried it.

The victory makes Orlando City perfect in four games against equal or lesser competition over the past three years, but the last two outings against MLS opposition have ended in one-goal defeats as they fell by the same 3-2 in Dallas in 2011 and in Kansas City a year ago.

2012 US Open Cup Third Round: Sporting KC withstands late Orlando City surge, advances to Round 4 (Video)

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Seth Sinovich of Sporting Kansas City tries to get position on Orlando City

Sporting Kansas City forward Soony Saad netted a brace within three minutes, then held off a late challenge by an Orlando City SC side reduced to ten men to claim a 3-2 win. They survived a day where lower division clubs came to play and knocked out multiple MLS teams, earning a home match against the Colorado Rapids next Tuesday.

While Kansas City started a lot of their regulars, they did decide to go with 19-year-old keeper John Kempin, who is signed to a Homegrown Player contract. The Lions, defending USL Pro champions, would throw the young netminder into the fire midway through the half with Charlie Campbell and Kevin Molino forcing Kempin to make solid saves. Sporting also got pressure on shorthanded City (who only brought 15 players), forcing captain Miguel Gallardo into making eight saves in the game.

The home side finally broke through in stoppage time. Peterson Joseph fed the ball to Paulo Nagamura, who rifled the ball past Gallardo from 30 yards distance just before the halftime whistle. City would level ten minutes into the second half, as Molino recieved an Erik Ustruck cross and headed into the net. However, ten minutes after that, the game turned into the Soony Show.

Saad would take the pass from goalscorer Nagamura at 65 minutes and laid it inside the far post, making up for earlier missed opportunities. Three minutes later, he again netted the ball, lauching a Gallardo punchout past the Lion keeper from outside the box. Things would get worse for City at 70 minutes in, as midfielder Anthony Pulis would be shown a straight red for an elbow in the back. This enraged the Orlando players, who felt that considering how their forward Jamie Watson had been beaten around earlier in the game, they should have had a man advantage since the first half. They finally had turned their rage into determination with six minutes left, as Dennis Chin rifled a shot into the top netting. The Lions would continue to press further and attempt to equalize, but Sporting would hold firm to advance.

LINEUPS:
ORL- Miguel Gallardo; Kieron Bernard, Erik Ustruck, Luke Boden, Robert Valentino; Charlie Campbell, James O’Connor, Anthony Pulis, Kevin Molino; Dennis Chin, Jamie Watson (Ian Fuller 78)

SKC- Jon Kempin; Chance Myers, Konrad Warzycha (Matt Besler 85), Aurelien Collin, Seth Sinovic; Paulo Nagamura, Lawrence Olum, Peterson Joseph (Graham Zusi 59); Jacob Peterson, Dom Dwyer (C.J. Sapong 46), Soony Saad

SCORING:
SKC- Paulo Nagamura (Peterson Joseph) 45+2′
ORL– Kevin Molino (Erik Ustruck) 55′
SKC- Soony Saad (Paulo Nagamura) 65′
SKC- Soony Saad 68′
ORL- Dennis Chin 84′

BOOKINGS:
SKC– Aurelien Collin (caution; tactical foul) 23′
ORL– Robert Valentino (caution; reckless tackle) 51′
ORL– Anthony Pulis (ejection; violent conduct) 70′
SKC– Jacob Peterson (caution; tactical foul) 78′

STATS:
Shots: ORL- 13; SKC- 18
Saves: ORL- 8; SKC- 6
Fouls: ORL- 11; SKC- 12
Corners: ORL- 6; SKC- 2
Offsides: ORL- 7; SKC- 1

Attendance: 12,217
Weather: 81 degrees, sunny

2012 US Open Cup Second Round: Orlando City dominates in a 7-0 win over KC Athletics (video)

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Orlando City put on a great show before a great crowd that included two English Premier League coaches as they hosted the KC Athletics in the Second Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The reigning USL Pro champions showed no mercy against the USASA entry en route to a 7-0 victory with two goals each from Max Griffin and John Rooney to earn a Third Round meeting on the road versus Sporting Kansas City.

The match started with a goal for Orlando City in the 4th minute when a dangerous cross was knocked in by a KC Athletics defender. Athletics got their first shot off in the 23rd minute but it was well defended by goalkeeper Sean Kelley.

Unfortunately the first half did not get better for Kansas City. Campbell put a ball in the box to Griffin who collected it, turned, and buried into the net in the 25th minute. The first half continued with Orlando City creating many opportunities with good crosses from both sides. It was only a matter of time before crosses from Watson and Campbell were converted by Rooney and Griffin into goals in the 28th and 42nd minutes.

In the second half, Orlando City continued where they left off, pressing the ball forward and creating many opportunities. The Athletics had several opportunities on quick counters, but failed to convert them.

Orlando City scored 3 more goals in the 2nd half. In the 60th minute a curling shot by Jamie Watson went into the upper 90. Rooney scored a goal when he launched a a short corner in the 71st minute. The final goal was scored by Matt Luzunaris when he picked up a keeper deflection in hte 85th minute.

Earlier in the day Orlando City announced friendly matches against Stoke City and Nottingham Forest. Tony Pulis of Stoke City and Steve Cotterill of Nottingham watched the match with Orlando City owner Phil Rawlins. Pulis’s son, Anthony, plays for Orlando City.

Scoring Summary:
KCA – Coady Andrews (own goal) 4
OC – Max Griffin 1 (Charlie Campbell 1) 26
OC – John Rooney 1 (Jamie Watson 1) 28
OC – Max Griffin 2 (Charlie Campbell 2) 42
OC – Jamie Watson 1 (unassisted) 60
OC – John Rooney 2 (unassisted) 71
OC – Matt Luzunaris 1 (unassisted) 86

Lineups:
Orlando City – Sean Kelley, Jerome Mechack, Kieron Bernard (Wes Allen 77), Kyle Davies, Erik Ustruck, Ian Fuller, John Rooney, Charlie Campbell, Jamie Watson (Dennis Chin 75), Max Griffin (Kevin Molino 46), Matt Luzunaris

Substitutes not used: Miguel Gallardo, Anthony Pulis, James O’Connor

KC Athletics – Steven Grow, John Markey, Josh White, Oran Andrews, Coady Andrews, Kevin Shrout, Josh McDaniel, Jesse Baker, Martin Johnston, Garrett Webb, Kyle Perkins

Referees:
Referee – Ted Unkel
Referee’s Assistants – Edison Aragon, Abdel Kuttaineli
4th Official – Matthew Miscannon

Match Facts:
Time of Game – 7:30 pm
Weather – Clear, 90 degrees
Attendance – 946

TheCup.us Best of 2011 review

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As we head into the New Year with US Open Cup qualification for 2012 already under way in the USASA and all the entrants for the higher divisions (reportedly) set, we thought we would take a look back at the year 2011. We wanted to honor the great performances in the US Open Cup and by the teams and players in all competitions for the American domestic clubs. Here is the debut of TheCup.us annual honors.

US Open Cup Best 11 Performances of 2011

11 – Eric Kronberg & CJ Sapong (Sporting KC):

Qualifying for the tournament during and after a long road stretch to start the season due to stadium construction was no easy task, and the club could not be faulted if they chose to pass on playing in the event. Instead, the team dominated in qualifying with a pair of Kronberg shutouts and three goals from Sapong to top Houston, 1-0 in overtime, and New England, 5-0. Kronberg would go on to get a third shutout in the Third Round tournament opener for KC, blanking Chicago Fire’s PDL side, 3-0.

10 – Stefan Dimitrov (NY Pancyrprian Freedoms):

After being one of the club’s leading players in qualifying, he continued his stellar performance in the tournament. He struck the opening goal in the team’s 2-1 First Round win against Brooklyn Italians and nearly saw his team upset USL Pro’s FC New York in the Second Round, falling in penalties after a scoreless draw.

9 – Kitsap Pumas:

The best performance by a club from the fourth tier of US Soccer, Kitsap survived a difficult road trip to El Paso in the First Round, advancing on penalties after a scoreless draw. They then dominated fellow PDL side Real Colorado, 3-1, before giving the MLS Sounders a tough test on their home turf before exiting in a 2-1 decision.

8 – Jackson (FC Dallas):

The midfielder was the game MVP in the club’s first two contests, tallying a goal and assist in the thrilling 3-2 victory against Orlando City in the Third Round and finding the back of the net once again in their win at home against Real Salt Lake.

7 – Zach Lubin (Kitsap Pumas):

Filling in for the regular starter at the last minute, the netminder came out on top in a goalkeeping duel on the road against the El Paso Patriots. After a scoreless 90 minutes, he made a fantastic double-save in overtime and then stopped a penalty in the shootout to send the Pumas onto the Second Round.

6 – Dominic Oduro (Chicago Fire):

A maligned start to his MLS campaign resulted in a trade to Chicago, where he would revive his reputation with some success in the Open Cup. Part of the success included game-winners in the Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches against Richmond and New York. Oduro, Player of the Round for the Semifinals, also finished second behind Seattle’s Fredy Montero for TheCup.us Player of the ‘Tournament.

5 – Chicago Fire:

A club struggling in league play (and ultimately missing the postseason), the Fire advanced from pre-tournament MLS qualifying, kicking it all off with a win over defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids, 2-1, before topping San Jose in penalties after a 2-2 draw to earn the berth. In the tournament they edged perennial upset-power Rochester, 1-0, before clobbering a second-string Red Bulls, 4-0, and ending the amazing run of Richmond, 2-1, to reach the championship, where they fell, 2-0, to Seattle.

4 – Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders):

The Sounders played four games en route to the title. He netted the game-winner in the last three as they topped three consecutive MLS opponents, earning Player of the Tournament honors.

3 – David Bulow (Richmond Kickers):

He finished as the leading scorer of the tournament with six goals, doubling the tally of those behind him. The effort propelled Bulow into the all-time scoring leader for the Modern Pro Era with 14. With a hat-trick in the First Round, two goals in the Second he tied Johnny Menyongar and MLS great Jaime Moreno at 13. He notched the table-leading goal in a 2-0 Quarterfinal win against Sporting Kansas City. Unfortunately he had to watch his team play without him in the Kickers’ Semifinal loss to Chicago when he received a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation when he was cautioned late in the Kansas City match.

2 – Seattle Sounders:

Any other year and Seattle would have been in the top spot, which is undoubtedly where they would be for a team of the decade vote. You do not need to say anything more than Three-Peat.

1 – Richmond Kickers:

What can you say? In the 17 years of the Modern Pro Era of the tournament you can count on one hand the kind of lower division club performances equal to what the Kickers accomplished this year, becoming the first-ever team to win back-to-back road matches versus MLS opponents. They topped Columbus at Crew Stadium, 2-1, in the Third Round and stunned Kansas City, 2-0, in a thunderstorm-plagued match in the Quarterfinals. The run, which started with a pair of games against fellow USL Pro clubs and no amateur sides, did not see the team trail until it came to an end on the road in Chicago during the Semifinals.

All Competitions Best of 2011

Major League Soccer Club: Los Angeles Galaxy

It was not an easy choice between the star-laden Galaxy and the Open Cup darling Sounders as both were excellent across nearly all competitions. LA won MLS Cup as Seattle crashed out early in the playoffs again. On the other hand, Seattle knocked LA out of the early rounds of the Open Cup yet again on its way to winning their third consecutive title, making those two events basically even. In the end, that left the MLS Supporters’ Shield and CONCACAF Champions League, both of which the Galaxy were the better side. LA won their group in CCL action while the Sounders were second in theirs – both advancing to this spring’s Quarterfinals. And in the regular season, the Galaxy finished four points better as they finished one-two with LA having the better of Seattle on the narrowest of margins, 1-0 on aggregate, in their two league contests on the year – making the season opener back on March 15 the possible deciding factor in this honor as the point swing would have made Seattle Supporters’ Shield winners instead.

Major League Soccer Player: Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders)

With three goals in the Open Cup, he was tied with several other players for second in scoring. In MLS, he finished tied for fifth in both goals (12) and assists (9). He was also tied for sixth in CCL scoring with three goals.

Lower Division Professional Club: Orlando City

Based on Open Cup performance, selecting Richmond would have been the obvious choice. However, Orlando City dominated USL Pro this season, finishing with a 15-3-6 record and going on to capture the league double with a playoff championship in equally dominating fashion. In the Open Cup, the Floridians blew past amateurs ASC New Stars, 4-0, before becoming the first non-MLS team to oust Charleston, 1-0, in the Second Round. They gave CCL club and MLS Cup finalist FC Dallas a tough outing in the Third Round, finding themselves on the wrong end of a thrilling 3-2 contest that saw both clubs score in stoppage time.

Lower Division Professional Player: Miguel Gallardo (Orlando City)

If David Bulow was the star of the Open Cup, it was Gallardo during the USL Pro season. The netminder controlled the box with a league-leading 0.681 GAA, finishing first in shutouts (11) and tied for first in wins (12). He allowed only one goal in postseason contests against Charleston and Richmond and had a shutout in the works during the final before mistakenly taking down a Harrisburg player outside of the box, receiving a red card for the foul and allowing the City Islanders to force a 2-2 draw that saw the Lions take the title in penalties.

Amateur Club: NY Pancyprian Freedoms

The perennial USASA giants came into the tournament as defending USASA Open Cup champions and as reigning Cosmopolitan League title holders, suffering only one loss in a 11-1-4 campaign. The Freedoms topped the NPSL’s Brooklyn Italians, 2-1, in the First Round and nearly upset USL Pro FC New York in the Second Round. They took the pro club to penalty kicks in a scoreless contest before being eliminated in sudden death penalties. The club would go on to capture a second straight USASA championship, downing AAC Eagles, 6-0, in the semifinal and claiming the title in penalties after a 2-2 draw against ASC New Stars.

Amateur Club Player: Milton Blanco (Fresno Fuego)

He finished first in the league in assists (14) and tied for sixth in goals (12) to finish first overall in total points with 38. He helped lead Fresno to an unbeaten 13-0-3 season that came to an end in the second round of the playoffs, 1-0, by the professional Kitsap side that went on to win the league title. Four of Blanco’s goals came in the opening four Open Cup qualification games of the season, leading the team to a perfect 4-0-0 record that was not quite enough as they missed out on the division’s berth in the tournament to Ventura County on tiebreakers.

Professional Women’s Club: Western NY Flash

Dominant from start to finish, the newcomers to WPS finished 14-3-2 on the season and went on to win the league double with the playoff championship.

Professional Women’s Player: Abby Wambach (MagicJack)

It was a tough decision with WNY’s Christine Sinclair finishing tied for first in goals (10) and assists (8). Wambach, however, was tied for third in goals (9), having played in three fewer games. More importantly, the US international was the standout performer in the FIFA World Cup over the summer while Canada’s campaign fell flat.

Amateur Women’s Club: Atlanta Silverbacks

The W-League champions suffered only one loss on the year, an early season defeat to rival Charlotte, 3-1. Since that game, the Silverbacks gave up only two more goals during the regular season, finishing the campaign with seven shutouts. After a wild 3-2 opening round playoff win against the New Jersey Wildcats they went on to blank Charlotte, 1-0, and dominate the two Canadian giants. They topped Vancouver, 3-1, in the semifinal and shockingly crushed the perfect Ottawa Fury (12-0-0, 3-0-0) in the championship game with a stunning 6-1 result.

Amateur Women’s Club Player: Edite Fernandes (Santa Clarita Blue Heat)

With players on Canadian sides dominating the scoring charts it was Edite Fernandes that stood out in the W-League. She finished with nine goals and five assists on the season (fourth in goals, assists and points)  to help guide the second-year club to a regular season title in the Western Conference, a group home to powerhouses like Pali Blues, Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders.

Note: Pro clubs (and their players) in amateur leagues were ineligible for amateur awards. For men, they were categorized with Lower Division Professional Clubs and for women, they were categorized with Professional Women’s Club, etc.

2011 US Open Cup Third Round: Orlando City’s hearts broken, 3-2, in frenzied finish at FC Dallas

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FC Dallas - Orlando City - 2011 Third Round
Photo: FC Dallas

Minus overtime or penalty kicks, it does not get as dramatic a finish as what Open Cup fans witnessed from Frisco’s Pizza Hut Park Tuesday night in the Third Round of the tournament. With the host Major League Soccer side FC Dallas leading the third division Orlando City, the visitors leveled the score in stoppage time only to see the home side answer back moments later nearly at the death for a 3-2 victory.

It was a head-spinning turn of events as FC Dallas looked to be headed toward a quarterfinal match against Real Salt Lake when Yordany Alvarez stunned everyone with a blast from outside the penalty area to tie the match at 2-2. It was his second attempt as goalkeeper Kevin Hartman had tipped away a shot moments before by Alvarez, who defected from the Cuban national team in 2008 and signed with the Austin Aztex, moving with much of the team to create Orlando City this offseason.
Less than a minute later though Milton Rodriguez headed a Jackson cross by Miguel Gallardo to avert a trip into overtime for the 2010 MLS Cup runners-up. It was a second effort on Jackson’s initial corner that was not cleared.

RicardoVillar scored his first career US Open Cup goal in the 50th minute. Photo: Erik Davila | FC Dallas

Orlando City, back on domestic soil after a Friday-Sunday double-dip road trip to Antigua on the weekend, had one last gasp seconds later at the other end, but were unable to find another miracle tally.

It was a heartbreaking finish for Orlando City, who had initially taken the lead in the match courtesy of USL Pro leading scorer Maxwell Griffin, who finished a great play. Midfielder Lewis Neal crossed the ball to Kevin Molina at the back post for a flick back to the center of the six, where Griffin would rise above Ugo Ihemelu for the opening strike of the game 24 minutes in.

The man who set up the winner would provide the Dallas equalizer in the 39th minute, picking up a long ball behind the defense from Ricardo Villar and placing a shot past Gallardo for a level score at the break. It was his third consecutive match with a goal in all competitions.

Five minutes into the second stanza Villar put himself on the highlight reel with a 20-yard free kick from the left side that looped inside the far post for a 2-1 Dallas lead.

TheCup.us Match MVP: Jackson

SCORING
ORL – Max Griffin (Kevin Molino) 24th min.
DAL – Jackson (Ricardo Villar) 39th min.
DAL – Ricardo Villar 50th min.
ORL – Yordany Alvarez 90+ min.
DAL – Milton Rodriguez (Jackson) 90+ min.

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
ORL – Jerome Mechack (caution; reckless foul) 59
ORL – Max Griffin (caution; reckless foul) 61
ORL – Jack Traynor (caution; reckless foul) 68
ORL –Jamie Watson (caution; tactical foul) 72

LINEUPS

FC Dallas – Kevin Hartman, Zach Loyd (Bruno Guarda 68), Ugo Ihemelu, Andrew Wiedeman, Jair Benitez, Bobby Warshaw, Andrew Jacobson (Eric Alexander 46), Ricardo Villar, Jackson, Brek Shea, Ruben Luna (Milton Rodriguez 52).
Substitutes Not Used: Chris Seitz, Moises Hernandez, Peri Marosevic, Victor Ulloa.

Orlando City SC – Miguel Gallardo, Jack Traynor (Jamie Watson 69), Demar Stewart, Rob Valentino, Jerome Mechack, Erik Ustruck, Lawrence Olum, Yordany Alvarez, Lewis Neal, Max Griffin, Kevin Molino (Dennis Chin 79).
Substitutes Not Used: Sean Kelley, Luke Boden, Justin Fojo, Charlie Campbell.

Referee: Armando Villarreal
Referee’s Assistants: Greg Boles, Jonathan Johnson
4th Official: Jorge Luna Hernandez
Attendance: 1,876
Weather: Fair, 95 degrees

2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinal Bracket C: Wilmington Hammerheads at Real Salt Lake; Orlando City at FC Dallas

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THIRD ROUND

Wilmington Hammerheads at Real Salt Lake
June 28, 9 p.m. ET  Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Video/Audio: Video N/A; Radio: Real Salt Lake

Orlando City SC at FC Dallas
June 28, 9 p.m. ET  Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas
Video/Audio: Video: Dallas; Audio: TBA

Wilmington Hammerheads

The club has been a member of USL’s professional third division league since its founding in 1996 with the exception of its hiatus in 2010. The club was at its peak early in the 2000’s, finishing first in the division in back-to-back years and reaching the final in 2002 and 2003, claiming the title on the second try.

First Round: Central Florida Kraze (PDL) 0:4 Wilmington Hammerheads (USL Pro)
The Hammerheads blanked the visiting Central Florida Kraze 4-0 in the First Round Tuesday with first half goals from Jyler Noviello and Luke Mulholland. Andriy Budnny tallied twice in the second stanza put put the match out of reach. Full Recap [+]

Second Round: Charlotte Eagles (USL Pro) 2:3 (AET) Wilmington Hammerheads (USL Pro)
The visitors got out to a surprising two-goal lead with goals in the 44th and 54th minutes before the Hammerheads began to fight back. Chris Banks found Andriy Budnyy in the 61st minute and then found the back of the net himself in the 78th to level terms. In overtime it was Luke Mulholland finding the winning goal on a nicely placed strike in the 103rd minute. Full Recap [+]

Path to Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

This Month in USL Pro: The Hammerheads were downed 2-0 Friday evening at home versus Charleston, leaving them with only one win in their last seven league games. Wilmington played its fourth in league play June 18 at Orlando City, nabbing a late draw 1-1 on the foot of Budnyy. They opened the month with a 4-2 loss at home June 4 against Orlando, in which Julio Cuero and Chris Banks gave the Hammerheads the lead in the first half before allowing four unanswered in the second stanza. A week later, they played two back-to-back, rallying to down Pittsburgh 3-1 June 10 on goals from Budnyy, Banks and Mulholland, before traveling to Charlotte for a 3-0 defeat. The Hammerheads are in sixth place (last) in the American Division with a 5-4-3 record.

Open Cup History: The club’s second quarterfinal appearance in eight trips to the tournament in 2009 was followed up with the club taking a hiatus last year due to financial issues. The run began by downing state rivals Charlotte and Carolina. They blanked league rival Eagles 2-0 in the First Round, and downed the second division RailHawks in the Second Round via penalties after a 3-3 draw. Wilmington then surprised the Chicago Fire of MLS, 1-0, in the Third Round before being knocked out by second division Rochester 2-1. The previous quarterfinal campaign in 2003 also included upsets as Wilmington downed second division Atlanta Silverbacks, 2-1, in the Third Round and MLS’s FC Dallas in a stunning 4-1 result in the Fourth Round before falling, 1-0, to DC United. FC Dallas would avenge the loss in the Third Round in 2005, but needed overtime in a 3-1 decision. The club’s other MLS contest was a 2-1 loss to New York in the Fourth Round in 2006, following another 2-1 upset of the Silverbacks.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 13-8-1 (1-0 in PKs) overall | 7-7-1 (1-0 in PKs) vs. pro teams (2-4 vs. MLS)

Real Salt Lake

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: Real Salt Lake played to a scoreless draw at Chicago Wednesday evening in the first of two games on the week, returning home for a big 3-1 win Saturday against Toronto FC. Nat Borchers struck the opener and Alvaro Saborio netted the next two with Kyle Beckerman setting up all three.  Real Salt Lake returned home from a two-game road swing to face DC United June 18, giving up a late penalty in a 1-1 draw in which they tallied first from the spot via Fabian Espindola. They opened the month with a 2-0 victory against the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps (under new coach Tom Soehn) on June 4, with Nick Rimando in goal as Jean Alexandre tallied a goal and an assist. Four days later in Columbus, they fell 2-1 to the Crew after Jamison Olave gave them the initial lead seven minutes in. RSL played to a 1-1 draw in Philadelphia June 11 against the Union with Fabian Espindola providing the equalizer in the 53rd minute. Last Five: W-D-D-D-L | Season Record: 7-3-5 (5-1-2 Home), fourth in Western Conference, tied for fifth overall.

Open Cup History: Having last participated in the Open Cup proper in 2006, Real Salt Lake’s qualifying is the longer of the two lists. RSL’s debut in the Cup in 2005 was an epic 6-4 extra time upset loss to the USL’s Minnesota Thunder. After playing the first half to a 2-2 draw, both teams scored twice more to level the score at 4 after 90 minutes. Minnesota scored twice in extra time for the 6-4 win, leaving Jason Kries’ hat trick for RSL on the losing side. 2006 saw RSL needing extra time again in their opening match, this time against the Virginia Beach Mariners. Jeff Cunningham (RSL) and Tim O’Neill (VBM) traded goals in the first half, and Andy Williams’ 93rd minute strike held up for Salt Lake’s first ever Open Cup win. RSL would be eliminated 1-0 in the next round by their Rocky Mountain Cup rivals, the Colorado Rapids. Colorado would keep the Utah side out of the Open Cup in 2007, defeating them 2-1 in the final round of MLS qualifying. 2008 and 2009 saw RSL eliminated in the opening round of MLS qualifying, while in 2010 they fell yet again in the final round, this time to 2-1 to DC United in overtime. This season, RSL avoided qualifying all together by virtue of their second-place finish in the 2010 MLS regular season.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 1-2-0 | 1-1-0 vs. Non-MLS teams

Orlando City SC

Essentially an expansion club off the field, the team itself is the former Austin Aztex side that played in the professional second division the past two seasons. However, despite their connections to the Austin franchise, the Orlando City team is a completely new club.

First Round: ASC New Stars (USASA) 0:4 Orlando City (USL Pro)
A lightning delay of nearly 90 minutes itself stretched the First Round match into a late night, but host Orlando enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 victory over the ASC New Stars. Devorn Jorsling scored twice with Kevin Molino and Dennis Chin each adding to the tally. Full Recap [+]

Second Round: Orlando City (USL Pro) 1:0 Charleston Battery (USL Pro)
The visitors made history, becoming the first non-MLS team to defeat the Battery at Blackbaud Stadium in the US Open Cup since the stadium’s opening in 1999. Orlando City defender Rob Valentino supplied the difference maker, getting his head to the ball in the 40th minute as the keeper extended to knock it away, popping it over his hands and into the empty net.  Full Recap [+]

Path to Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

This Month in USL Pro: The club opened a two-game visit to Antigua Friday with a 3-1 victory, grabbing the lead via an own goal and claiming the victory with goals from Max Griffin and Luke Boden. They played the second match Sunday with Devorn Jorsling scoring twice in a 2-1 victory. Orlando City played host to Wilmington June 18, settling for a 1-1 draw on a late Hammerheads equalizer after Open Cup hero Jorsling had given them the lead. The club opened the month with a scoreless draw at home June 2 against Charlotte, then traveled to Wilmington two days later, where they fell behind two goals before rallying for a stunning 4-2 victory. Jamie Watson scored two to equalize, before Demar Stewart and Maxwell Griffin provided the winning and sealing goals. June 10 proved to be an off night though, as the club lost at home for the first time in a 2-1 defeat to Antigua, ending the club’s 11-game unbeaten run since its debut loss at Richmond. Trailing by two, Max Griffin scored the lone goal in the loss. Orlando City is currently in first place in the American Division with a 10-2-4 record.

Open Cup History (Austin Aztex): This is officially the first appearance in the US Open Cup for Orlando City, but with such close ties to the Austin Aztex franchise, it’s worth mentioning that the Aztex reached the Third Round the last two years. In 2009, the Aztex downed PDL sides Mississippi Brilla, 2-0, and El Paso Patriots, 2-0, before falling by the same 2-0 scoreline to the Houston Dynamo of MLS. Last year, the team blanked the PDL’s DFW Tornados 3-0 and downed the USASA’s Arizona Sahuaros 3-1, before a 1-0 loss on the road to Chivas USA of MLS in Round 3.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 2-0-0 overall | 1-0-0 vs. professional teams (0-0-0 vs. MLS)

FC Dallas

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: FC Dallas thumped the visiting Portland Timbers Saturday 4-0, on goals from four different players. Daniel Hernandez set up Zach Loyd and George John in the first half, while Brek Shea and Ruben Luna tallyed in the second half. The club played their third contest of the month June 18 in Los Angeles against Chivas USA, winning 2-1 with Brek Shea scoring the opener and Jackson Goncalves adding the late winner.  FCD opened the month June 4 with a 1-0 win in New England, on from Marvin Chavez’s 69th minute goal and Kevin Hartman recorded the shutout. They returned home June 12 and were stunned 4-1 by Sporting Kansas City, in which Break Shea had an equalizer in the 32nd before seeing KC strike three unanswered.
Last Five: W-W-L-W-D Season Record: 9-4-4 (6-2-2 Home), tied for second in Western Conference, tied for second Overall.

Open Cup History: Up to 2009, FC Dallas could claim the distinction of being the only MLS team to participate in every Pro Era Open Cup tournament since the league began in 1996. Poor finishes in MLS play in 2009 and 2010 left them to the mercy of MLS qualifying, where they lost both times to DC United. Dallas found success early in their Open Cup history, reaching the Semifinals in 1996 and winning the title on penalties over DC United in 1997. Another semifinal appearance in 1998 and two quarterfinal finishes in ’99 and 2000 were followed in 2001 by one of the biggest upsets in Pro Era history, a 3-2 sudden death extra time loss to the PDL’s Seattle Sounders Select in the Second Round. It remains the only time Dallas failed to advance past their opening match. Finals appearances in 2005 and 2007 bolstered their Open Cup resume a bit, although they will look to regain some stature after missing the last two tournaments.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 19-12-4 (4-0 in PK’s)| 2-1-0 vs. 3rd Division teams

2011 US Open Cup Quarterfinal Scenarios

Real Salt Lake / Wilmington Hammerheads at FC Dallas
Pizza Hut Park – Frisco, TX – 9:00 pm ET
OR
Orlando City SC at Real Salt Lake
Rio Tinto Stadium – Sandy, Utah – 9:00 pm ET
OR
Wilmington Hammerheads at Orlando City SC
Florida Citrus Bowl – Orlando, Fla – 7:30 pm ET

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2011 US Open Cup Second Round: Orlando City hands Charleston Battery historic home loss

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Orlando City FC defeated the Charleston Battery 1-0 Tuesday night in the Second Round of the US Open Cup with the lone goal coming from an unexpected player. Defender Rob Valentino scored in the 40th minute, and it was enough to put Orlando City through to the Third Round of the tournament where they will face FC Dallas of Major League Soccer.

Although he was facing away from the goal, Valentino went up to attempt a header on a ball Kevin Molino played into the box. At the same time, Battery goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra charged forward in an attempt to grab the ball. However, Valentino put his head to the ball, propelling it over the keeper’s hands and into the back of the net.

The Battery defenders protested the goal, claiming Valentino was offside, but the assistant referee indicated otherwise.

Charleston manager Mike Anhaeuser did not blame Dykstra for the goal, saying his team had plenty of chances to tie the match.

“It wasn’t a bad mistake,” Anhaeuser said. “We had our chances, but we didn’t put them away. That’s the game.”

Surprisingly, it was not Valentino’s first goal of the campaign in which he has seen action in 13 of their 14 regular season contests. He tallied the lone goal in a 1-0 victory against the Charlotte Eagles in their third match of the season, giving the franchise it’s first-ever road victory. He now has game-winners in both Carolinas.

It was a historic win by Orlando City, as they became the first non-MLS team to win at Blackbaud Stadium in US Open Cup play. The Battery have been playing Open Cup games in that stadium since 1999 and rarely lose. They are 18-5-3 (2-1 in PKs) in that stadium all-time in this tournament and will fail to reach the Third Round for the first time since 2005.

For the first ten minutes of the match, Orlando City was controlling the possession. However, Charleston appeared to settle down and started creating scoring chances of its own.

Anhaeuser said the slow start was due to his team not being quite ready for the passing game of Orlando City, a side they have yet to play in the USL Pro regular season.

“Once we settled down we really played well,” Anhaeuser said. “They’re a team that once they’re winning, they’re tough to score on, but we created chances.”

Charleston added fresh legs in the second half, when Dane Kelly came on in the 55th minute to replace Levi Coleman. Kelly came close to equalizing for Charleston as he split two defenders to get a one-on-one with the keeper. However, Miguel Gallardo was able to clear the ball just before Kelly could put a foot on it.

With the temperature hovering around 100 degrees at kickoff, Anhaeuser said players on both teams were getting worn out.

“When its 100 degrees, one mistake can be the game,” Anhaeuser said.

Orlando will travel to Texas next Tuesday, as FC Dallas will host the Third Round matchup at Pizza Hut Park.

TheCup.us Match MVP: Rob Valentino

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2011 US Open Cup FC Dallas bracket preview: Orlando City at Charleston Battery

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SECOND ROUND

Orlando City SC at Charleston Battery
Blackbaud Stadium – Charleston, S.C. – 7:30 p.m.
Broadcast: USLLive.com

THIRD ROUND

Orlando City SC / Charleston Battery at FC Dallas
June 28, 9 p.m. ET  Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas

Charleston Battery

Founded in 1993, the club has been one of the most successful USL clubs. The Battery joined the professional third division in 1995 and won the championship the following year, moving to the second division in 1997. The club never missed the postseason until 2004, the year following its first second division title. It returned to the third division in 2010, winning its third league championship. The club is also well known for Blackbaud Stadium, the first privately-financed soccer stadium, which debuted in 1999. Blackbaud has been a fortress for the club in the Open Cup, as the stadium that has hosted the most US Open Cup games (24) in the Professional Era (1995-present). The Battery are 18-4-3 (2-1 in PKs) on their home field in the tournament since they first entered the tournament in 1999.

Path to Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

First Round: Charleston Battery (USL Pro) 2:0 Regals FC (USASA)
The amateur Texas club Regals FC gave Charleston a tough time in the first half before a penalty three minutes into the second half from Nicki Paterson broke the deadlock in the First Round contest. Dane Kelly added the second in the 76th and Regals were unable to mount a comeback losing a player to a red card two minutes later and the game finished with a 2-0 result.

League Form: Charleston was back in action Friday evening with a 1-0 victory over visiting Dayton with Levi Coleman scoring in the 77th minute. They are currently in fourth place in the American Division with a 6-5-3 record, seven points behind first place Orlando City.

Open Cup History: One of the most successful lower division teams in the Pro Era of the tournament, the club has failed to qualify only once in the last 12 years, missing the tournament ironically in the same year it won the 2003 second division championship. The Battery have reached the semifinals on three occasions and advanced to the 2008 Open Cup Final amidst a run of four straight quarterfinal trips coming into this year. The 2008 Battery eliminated the MLS Houston Dynamo in penalties after a Third Round 1-1 draw and then stunned FC Dallas on the road, 3-1, to reach their third Semifinal. They took another penalty decision after a 1-1 draw against league foe Seattle Sounders in the final four before falling in a narrow 2-1 contest to DC United in the final. The two MLS upsets raised the tally to six, having upset DC United in overtime, 4-3, in the 1999 Third Round and New York twice, the first in the 2001 Second Round (4-1) and second in the 2004 Fourth Round (1-0). They also previously beat Houston in overtime, 1-0, in the Round 3 of the 2007 competition. They added a seventh MLS upset by defeating Chivas USA 3-1 in the 2009 Third Round before Houston finally got the better of them in the Quarterfinals, 4-0. Last year, they made it eight with a penalty kick decision against the Chicago Fire after a scoreless draw, falling 3-0 in Columbus the following round.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 22-9-4 (3-1 in PKs) overall | 15-10-4 vs. professional teams (0-0-0 vs. USL Pro)

Orlando City

An expansion club, essentially, off the field, the team itself is the former Austin Aztex side that played in the professional second division the previous two seasons. However, despite their connections to the Austin franchise, the Orlando City team is a completely new club.

Path to Open Cup: Automatic entrant from USL Pro.

First Round: Orlando City (USL Pro) 4:0 ASC New Stars (USASA)
A lightning delay of nearly 90 minutes itself stretched the First Round match into a late night, but Orlando, the host side, enjoyed a comfortable 4-0 victory over the ASC New Stars. Devorn Jorsling scored twice with Kevin Molino and Dennis Chin each adding to the tally.

League Form: Orlando City played host to Wilmington Saturday night in league play, settling for a 1-1 draw on a late Hammerheads equalizer after Open Cup hero Jorsling had given them the lead. Orlando City is currently in first place in the American Division with an 8-2-4 record.

Open Cup History (Austin Aztex): This is officially the first appearance in the US Open Cup for Orlando City, but with such close ties to the Austin Aztex franchise, it’s worth mentioning that the Aztex reached the Third Round the last two years. In 2009, the Aztex downed PDL sides Mississippi Brilla, 2-0, and El Paso Patriots, 2-0, before falling by the same 2-0 scoreline to the Houston Dynamo of MLS. Last year the team blanked the PDL’s DFW Tornados, 3-0, and downed the USASA’s Arizona Sahuaros, 3-1, before a 1-0 loss on the road to Chivas USA of MLS in Round 3.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 1-0-0 overall | 0-0-0 vs. professional teams

FC Dallas

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: The club played their third contest of the month Saturday in Los Angeles against Chivas USA, winning 2-1 with Break Shea scoring the opener and Jackson Goncalves adding the late winner.  Dallas returns home for one more league match against the Portland Timbers June 25 before playing in the Third Round. FCD opened the month June 4 with a 1-0 win in New England on a 69th minute goal from Marvin Chavez as Kevin Hartman recorded the shutout. They returned home June 12 and were stunned 4-1 by Sporting Kansas City in which Break Shea had an equalizer in the 32nd before seeing KC strike three unanswered.
Last Five: W-L-W-D-W Season Record: 8-4-4 (5-2-2 Home), Second in Western Conference, Second Overall.

Open Cup History: Up to 2009, FC Dallas could claim the distinction of being the only MLS team to participate in every Pro Era Open Cup tournament since the league began in 1996. Poor finishes in MLS play in 2009 and 2010 left them to the mercy of MLS qualifying, where they lost both times to DC United. Dallas found success early in their Open Cup history, reaching the Semifinals in 1996 and winning the title on penalties over DC United in 1997. Another semifinal appearance in 1998 and two quarterfinal finishes in ’99 and 2000 were followed in 2001 by one of the biggest upsets in Pro Era history, a 3-2 sudden death extra time loss to the PDL’s Seattle Sounders Select in the Second Round. It remains the only time Dallas failed to advance past their opening match. Finals appearances in 2005 and 2007 bolstered their Open Cup resume a bit, although they will look to regain some stature after missing the last two tournaments.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 19-12-4 (4-0 in PK’s)

FIRST ROUND

ASC New Stars (USASA-South TX) 0:4 Orlando City Soccer Club (USL PRO)
University of Central Florida Soccer Complex – Oviedo, Fla. – 7:30 p.m.
Full Recap [+]

Regals FC (USASA-South TX) 0:2 Charleston Battery (USL PRO)
Blackbaud Stadium – Charleston, S.C. – 7:30 p.m.
Full Recap [+]

ELIMINATED TEAMS

ASC New Stars

A longtime member of the Houston Football Association, Aria Soccer Club’s New Stars dominated the recent Premier Division season with a 13-4-1 record, allowing only 18 goals in as many while also scoring 58. It was the fifth consecutive title in the division for the New Stars, but marked the first time the club lost more than once in league play, having only three losses total in the previous four campaigns. || Meet the USASA Feature [+]

Path to Open Cup: The club opened with a 2-0 victory on a pair of Alex Bolan strikes against Boston Avenue on opening day of Region III group play. They then defeated Greenville Eagles 4-1 with goals from four different scorers, including Bolan, who also had an assist. They wrapped up the group with a 1-0 win against Florida Gators on another strike from Bolan in the 14th minute to secure the US Open Cup spot. The club would go on to defeat Houston rival Regals FC 2-1 in overtime on a Chuks Ndame goal in the 116th minute.

June News Updates: The team has been idle since it won the HFA Premier Division that ended in May with a 13-4-1 record.

Open Cup History: In the club’s lone previous appearance in 2008, the New Stars fell 3-0 on the road to the second division Charleston Battery. Along with Regals FC, this is the first time two amateur teams from Houston have qualified for the Open Cup in the same year during the Professional Era.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 0-1-0 overall | 0-0-0 vs. 3rd Division

Regals FC

Founded in 2010, the club was a founding member of the newly forged Southern Premier Soccer League. || Meet the USASA Feature [+]

Path to Open Cup: Drawn into the three-team group created when another club withdrew, Regals opened the event with a 2-1 loss on day two to Royal Eagles of Florida, who fell 3-0 to CASL on day one. Regals rebounded in a dramatic group finale, jumping out to a four-goal lead against CASL with two goals from Roy Hernandez. CASL came back with two strikes to force a three-way tie in the table and a two-way deadlock with Regals, sending the duo to penalty kicks to determine the Open Cup berth and finalist. Regals goalkeeper Marcos Sanchez made three saves on four CASL attempts to send Regals through. He would also play brilliantly in the final, only to fall 2-1 to Houston rival ASC New Stars in overtime.

June News Updates: Defeated Houston Hurricane 6-1 via six different goal scorers June 4 to move to 1-1 in the SPSL Summer Cup.

Open Cup History: First appearance in the tournament. Along with ASC New Stars, this is the first time two amateur teams from Houston have qualified for the Open Cup in the same year during the Professional Era.


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