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2011 US Open Cup qualifying (PDL East): Reading & Western Mass qualify; Carolina Dynamo clinch via tiebreakers

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PDL East logoUS 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.

For the first time since 2008, the Eastern Conference has three divisions – the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic, and the new South Atlantic (which last appeared in 2006). Four teams have a recent history with qualifying for the US Open Cup on multiple occasions. Two of them were last year’s representatives (Long Island Rough Riders, Reading United AC), and two more have qualified at least three times each from the PDL (Carolina Dynamo, Ocean City Nor’easters). A total of 18 teams are fighting for a record three spots from the East this year.

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

Northeast Division
Final Results

The Western Mass Pioneers qualified for the U.S. Open Cup with a 1-0 win over the MPS Portland Phoenix in a head-to-head match between the two Northeast Division group leaders to determine the berth. Halftime substitute Chris Roswess scored the game’s only goal in the 71st minute when he hammered the ball into the net on a half volley from 18 yards out.  “In the first half Portland controlled the majority of play and dictated the tempo of play,” Pioneers Head Coach Joe Calabrese said.  “But in the second half we made a couple of substitutions and we thought those two changes had a positive impact on the game.”

An automatic entrant numerous times as a USL-2 professional third division club (now USL PRO), it is the first time in two years in the PDL that it has qualified, finishing third in its group at 2-1-1 last year.  “For some of our collegiate players this is a dream come true,” Calabrese said.  “Many of our college players will never aspire to be professional players.  This is once in a lifetime for many of them.  You don’t know when your career is going to end so it’s spectacular to have them get this experience.”

NORTHEAST DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
Western Mass Pioneers 4 3 0 1 10 7 3 6 +4
MPS Portland Phoenix 4 3 1 0 9 5 2 5 +3
Vermont Voltage 4 0 2 2 2 1 4 1 -3
Seacoast United Phantoms 4 0 3 1 1 3 7 3 -4

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 Seacoast United Phantoms 0:1 MPS Portland Phoenix 6:00
May 14 Western Mass Pioneers 2:1 Seacoast United Phantoms 4:00
May 14 Vermont Voltage 0:2 MPS Portland Phoenix 6:00
May 20 Seacoast United Phantoms 2:4 Western Mass Pioneers 7:00
May 21 MPS Portland Phoenix 2:1 Vermont Voltage 7:00
May 25 Western Mass Pioneers 0:0 Vermont Voltage 7:00
May 27 MPS Portland Phoenix 0:1 Western Mass Pioneers 7:00
May 28 Vermont Voltage 0:0 Seacoast United Phantoms 7:00


Mid-Atlantic Division
Final Results

Reading United continued to cruise through Open Cup qualifying with a 4-1 win over the Ocean City Nor’easters on May 20, to finish with a perfect 4-0-0 record. Even though it was Ocean City’s season opener, one loss eliminated them from contention, and it also knocked Long Island out of the running despite their 2-0-0 record. Based on the tiebreaking situation, even if Long Island were to win their final qualifier by three goals or more, they would still fall short in the goal difference tiebreaker. They clinched their place as the first team to qualify from the PDL as the Jersey Express fell to the Rough Riders 3-1. Reading has now qualified for the third straight year.

This marks the third year in a row that Reading has finished qualifying without a loss. When they were known as the Rage in 2009, they finished 3-0-1, and in 2010 they finished tied with the Newark Ironbound Express at 4-0-0. Unfortunately for the Express, Reading qualified based on a tiebreaker, having scored one more goal than Ironbound. This was an unfortunate bit of history for the Express as they became not only the third PDL team in the Pro Era (1995-present) to miss out after a 4-0-0 record, but they were the first team to register four straight shutout victories, and fail to qualify.

MID-ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
Reading United AC 4 4 0 0 12 15 3 12 +11
Long Island Rough Riders 4 3 0 1 10 9 4 9 +5
Jersey Express 4 3 1 0 9 7 3 7 +4
Westchester Flames 4 2 2 0 6 9 11 7 -2
New Jersey Rangers 4 2 2 0 6 3 8 3 -4
Ocean City Nor’easters 4 0 3 1 1 3 8 3 -5
Central Jersey Spartans 3 0 3 0 0 2 6 2 -4
Brooklyn Knights 3 0 3 0 0 5 10 4 -5

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 Reading United AC 3:1 Brooklyn Knights 7:00
May 8 Westchester Flames 3:0 New Jersey Rangers 6:00
May 11 Long Island Rough Riders 2:0 Brooklyn Knights 7:00
May 14 Westchester Flames 0:3 Jersey Express 7:00
May 15 New Jersey Rangers 0:4 Reading United AC 6:00
May 18 Reading United AC 4:1 Westchester Flames 7:30
May 19 Central Jersey Spartans 1:2 Long Island Rough Riders 8:00
May 20 Ocean City Nor’easters 1:4 Reading United AC 7:30
May 21 Jersey Express 1:3 Long Island Rough Riders 7:30
May 22 Brooklyn Knights at Central Jersey Spartans PPD
May 22 New Jersey Rangers 1:0 Ocean City Nor’easters 6:00
May 25 Central Jersey Spartans 1:2 New Jersey Rangers 8:00
May 27 Ocean City Nor’easters 0:1 Jersey Express 8:00
May 28 Brooklyn Knights 4:5 Westchester Flames 7:30
May 29 Long Island Rough Riders 2:2 Ocean City Nor’easters 6:00
May 30 Jersey Express 2:0 Central Jersey Spartans 5:00

South Atlantic Division
Final Results

The West Virginia Chaos finished their qualifying slate with a 3-1 win over the Virginia Beach Piranhas May 21, leaving them in a wait-and-see situation as the Carolina Dynamo and Real Maryland Monarchs could pull level or move past them. They got some help the following night as the Dynamo slipped up in a 1-0 road loss to the Northern Virginia Royals, creating the possibility of a three-way tie at 3-1 after the final weekend. With Real Maryland set for its finale Monday, the Monarchs were awaiting good news that would not come as Carolina blanked the visiting Virginia Beach Piranhas 3-0 Saturday evening, clinching the top spot in the division and berth to the US Open Cup via tiebreaker scenarios.

SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
Carolina Dynamo 4 3 1 0 9 7 1 7 +6
Real Maryland Monarchs 4 3 1 0 9 8 2 8 +6
West Virginia Chaos 4 3 1 0 9 10 4 9 +5
Northern Virginia Royals 4 2 2 0 6 5 6 5 -1
Virginia Beach Piranhas 4 1 3 0 3 3 9 3 -6
Fredericksburg Hotspur 4 0 4 0 0 1 12 1 -10

Note: Carolina qualifies based on head-to-head tiebreaker vs. Real Maryland & West Virginia

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 Fredericksburg Hotspur 0:2 Virginia Beach Piranhas 7:00
May 7 Northern Virginia Royals 1:3 West Virginia Chaos 7:00
May 14 Real Maryland Monarchs 3:0 Virginia Beach Piranhas 5:30
May 14 West Virginia Chaos 0:2 Carolina Dynamo 7:00
May 15 West Virginia Chaos 4:0 Fredericksburg Hotspur 2:00
May 15 Northern Virginia Royals 0:2 Real Maryland Monarchs 4:00
May 21 Carolina Dynamo 2:0 Real Maryland Monarchs 7:00
May 21 Virginia Beach Piranhas 1:3 West Virginia Chaos 7:30
May 22 Carolina Dynamo 0:1 Northern Virginia Royals 7:00
May 28 Virginia Beach Piranhas 0:3 Carolina Dynamo 7:00
May 29 Fredericksburg Hotspur 1:3 Northern Virginia Royals 7:00
May 30 Real Maryland Monarchs 3:0 Fredericksburg Hotspur 5:00

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

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PDL logoThe 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 intense opening to any league season, making it the most pressure-packed portion of the PDL schedule league-wide. 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 Eastern Conference portion of the four-part series of breakdowns:

Eastern Conference Qualifying Breakdown

US Open Cup qualifying for the PDL Eastern Conference, the lone conference with three divisions and berths, opens with four games on May 7 and a fifth the following evening.

A year ago, this conference, which spans the Atlantic coast from Maine to North Carolina, was basically evenly split with nine and eight-team groups. By carving out a third division, the balance has been eliminated. The new ‘metro’ Mid Atlantic division with eight teams in the greater New York City / New Jersey area and an exception from Pennsylvania has twice as many teams as its Northeast Division counterpart, which has four, and is two more than the South Atlantic, which is at six.

The most stunning result of the shifting is arguably the competitive imbalance between the divisions as the Mid Atlantic has five teams with impressive winning records over a four-year Open Cup qualifying span while the other two divisions have a combined two teams with winning records.

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

The Ocean City Nor'easters (shown here playing against DC United in the Third Round of the 2009 US Open Cup) have qualified four times in the last seven years. They have four professional team upsets to their credit, second-most of any PDL franchise (Michigan Bucks - 7) | Photo: Bill Pellegrino, Ocean City Nor'easters

With three teams from New York and four from New Jersey, the eight-team grouping’s lone outsider is Reading United AC. The club also happens to be the side which advanced from this particular group the past two years, although the Mid Atlantic division has previously been largely comprised of teams from what is now the South Atlantic. Most of the current composition was primarily in what was then the Northeast, which sent Ocean City as its representative two years ago.

Reading leads what could be considered part of the quintet of power teams among the division with the two recent trips to the tournament and a four-year record of 11-2-3 in qualifying that hit its peak with a 4-0-0 effort last year. Matching that record were the Long Island Rough Riders, who qualified last year out of the Northeast. The five-time tournament entrants from New York also qualified in 2007 with a perfect 4-0-0 record. Last year’s two qualifiers, however, are not slated to face one another in qualifying this year in what would have been a marquee match-up.

The other three power teams are the Ocean City Nor’easters (9-2-5), Jersey Express (8-2-2) and Brooklyn Knights (7-5-4). The trio of New Jersey, Central Jersey and Westchester has just a combined seven wins between them over the past eight qualifying campaigns (last four years) as the first two are recent expansion sides.

Of the power five, the fourth-year Express are the only club that has not yet qualified for the tournament. The other four have reached the US Open Cup on 13 combined occasions.

Reading and Brooklyn kick off the division’s qualifying slate with the lone match May 7. After that, both clubs will only face one more team from the power quintet as Brooklyn takes on Long Island and Reading closes against Ocean City. Jersey also were fortunate to only find two power teams on the fixture list with games against Long Island and Ocean City, who will both have to face three of their power peers.

MID-ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
Brooklyn Knights 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Central Jersey Spartans 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Jersey Express 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Long Island Rough Riders 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
New Jersey Rangers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Ocean City Nor’easters 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Reading United AC 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Westchester Flames 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 Reading United AC at Brooklyn Knights 7:00
May 8 Westchester Flames at New Jersey Rangers 6:00
May 11 Long Island Rough Riders at Brooklyn Knights 7:00
May 14 Westchester Flames at Jersey Express 7:00
May 15 New Jersey Rangers at Reading United AC 6:00
May 18 Reading United AC at Westchester Flames 7:30
May 19 Central Jersey Spartans at Long Island Rough Riders 8:00
May 20 Ocean City Nor’easters at Reading United AC 7:30
May 21 Jersey Express at Long Island Rough Riders 7:30
May 22 Brooklyn Knights at Central Jersey Spartans 4:00
May 22 New Jersey Rangers at Ocean City Nor’easters 6:00
May 25 Central Jersey Spartans at New Jersey Rangers 8:00
May 27 Ocean City Nor’easters at Jersey Express 8:00
May 28 Brooklyn Knights at Westchester Flames 7:30
May 29 Long Island Rough Riders at Ocean City Nor’easters 6:00
May 30 Jersey Express at Central Jersey Spartans 5:00
The Western Mass Pioneers have competed in the US Open Cup six times since they were founded in 1998.


Northeast Division
MPS Portland Phoenix, Seacoast United Phantoms, Vermont Voltage, Western Mass Pioneers

The combined win total of the last four years of PDL qualifying for the division – 10 – falls short of two individual teams in the Mid Atlantic. In this grouping everyone is basically on equal footing as no team has more than three PDL qualifying campaigns in the past four years.

MPS Portland Phoenix was an expansion team a year ago while the Western Mass Pioneers were playing their first season in the league having dropped down from the professional third division. The move down was one that the Seacoast United Phantoms (formerly New Hampshire Phantoms) had made two years prior. The Vermont Voltage, longtime PDL members, were making their return after a year’s absence from play.

The veteran trio is familiar with one another from their extensive USL history, but the Pioneers, Phantoms and Voltage have limited history meeting on competitive terms like this.

Kicking off the group’s schedule is a May 7 contest between host Portland and the Phantoms, who played to a 1-1 draw in last year’s qualifier in New Hampshire. Portland , however, would later win at home in dominating fashion, 5-0, in league play.

The smallest fixture list among the nine groups with only eight games comes to a close May 28 when the Phantoms play host to the Voltage, who swept the season series a year ago with two victories – neither of them qualifiers.

NORTHEAST DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
MPS Portland Phoenix 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Seacoast United Phantoms 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Vermont Voltage 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Western Mass Pioneers 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 Seacoast United Phantoms at MPS Portland Phoenix 6:00
May 14 Western Mass Pioneers at Seacoast United Phantoms 4:00
May 14 Vermont Voltage at MPS Portland Phoenix 6:00
May 20 Seacoast United Phantoms at Western Mass Pioneers 7:00
May 21 MPS Portland Phoenix at Vermont Voltage 7:00
May 25 Western Mass Pioneers at Vermont Voltage 7:00
May 27 MPS Portland Phoenix at Western Mass Pioneers 7:00
May 28 Vermont Voltage at Seacoast United Phantoms 7:00


South Atlantic Division
Carolina Dynamo, Fredericksburg Hotspur, Northern Virginia Royals, Real Maryland Monarchs, Virginia Beach Piranhas, West Virginia Chaos

The Carolina Dynamo have been around since 1993 and have competed in the US Open Cup six times since they were founded in 1993.

This grouping may be a new creation, but for four of these clubs, they are no strangers to one another. What is new is the addition of expansion Fredericksburg Hotspur and former professional third division club Real Maryland Monarchs.

The Monarchs are the newest club in this group to make the transition to the PDL. The only other two teams of the six with US Open Cup tournament experience are also former professional clubs. Along with the Carolina Dynamo and Northern Virginia Royals, the three have 12 appearances in the tournament, but only a pair of trips by the Dynamo in 2004 and 2006 came via qualifying out of the PDL. Carolina played in the tournament five times before joining the league in 2004 and Northern Virginia twice before the switch in 2006. Real Maryland has been an automatic entrant as a pro team the past three years.

Despite last qualifying for the tournament in 2006, the Dynamo have been in the running the past four years with a combined record of 9-4-2, never suffering more than one loss in each of their efforts. Located centrally along the Atlantic coast, Carolina has found itself also shifting divisions and conferences, having previously been a member of the Southeast group prior to 2008.

Carolina’s success overshadows that of its three group-mates with PDL experience as the trio of Northern Virginia, Virginia Beach and West Virginia have fewer wins combined (7) over the last four years than the Dynamo. Carolina, though, will have to play the four experienced clubs in the group with the expansion side missing from its slate. The first contest comes May 14 at home against West Virginia.

The opening night of qualifying, though, is heavy on the Virginias with all four clubs hailing from the two states as Fredericksburg visits Virginia Beach and West Virginia plays host to Northern Virginia May 7. But while Fredericksburg may have avoided drawing Carolina in the fixture list, the new club will have a difficult task at the finish with back-to-back games on the road against Northern Virginia and at home versus Real Maryland.

SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
Carolina Dynamo 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Fredericksburg Hotspur 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Northern Virginia Royals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Real Maryland Monarchs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Virginia Beach Piranhas 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
West Virginia Chaos 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 Fredericksburg Hotspur at Virginia Beach Piranhas 7:00
May 7 Northern Virginia Royals at West Virginia Chaos 7:00
May 14 Real Maryland Monarchs at Virginia Beach Piranhas 5:30
May 14 West Virginia Chaos at Carolina Dynamo 7:00
May 15 West Virginia Chaos at Fredericksburg Hotspur 2:00
May 15 Northern Virginia Royals at Real Maryland Monarchs 4:00
May 21 Carolina Dynamo at Real Maryland Monarchs 7:00
May 21 Virginia Beach Piranhas at West Virginia Chaos 7:30
May 22 Carolina Dynamo at Northern Virginia Royals 7:00
May 28 Virginia Beach Piranhas at Carolina Dynamo 7:00
May 29 Fredericksburg Hotspur at Northern Virginia Royals 7:00
May 30 Real Maryland Monarchs at Fredericksburg Hotspur 5:00


Central Conference (Coming Soon)

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

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

Western Conference (Coming Soon)

Northwest Division: Kitsap Pumas, North Sound SeaWolves, Portland Timbers U23, Tacoma Tide, Washington Crossfire
Southwest Division: BYU Cougars, Fresno Fuego, LA Blues 23, Los Angeles Legends, Ogden Outlaws, Orange County Blue Star, Southern California Seahorses, Ventura County Fusion

2009 Second Round recap: Thriller in Carolina, Barons are last amateur survivor

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2009 U.S. Open Cup Second Round
(Home team listed on right)
June 16
Real Maryland Monarchs 0:1 (aet) Ocean City Barons
Wilmington Hammerheads 3:3 Carolina RailHawks
Wilmington advance on PKs, 4-3
Cleveland City Stars 1:2 (aet) Rochester Rhinos
Western Mass Pioneers 0:0 Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg advances on PKs 4-3
Charleston Battery 1:0 Miami FC Blues
Chicago Fire (PDL) 0:4 Minnesota Thunder
El Paso Patriots 0:2 Austin Aztex
Portland Timbers 3:0 Sonoma County Sol
————————————————————————-
Player of the Round: Kenny Bundy (Wilmington)
Things you should know about the Second Round
Notable upsets in the Second Round of the Open Cup

The Ocean City Barons and the Wilmington Hammerheads pulled off the lone upset of the US Open Cup Second Round. The Barons get a penalty kick in the 108th minute and JT Noone breaks a scoreless tie and Ocean City earns a date with DC United at the Maryland Soccerplex in Round 3. The Barons, based on the rest of the results, won the $10,000 prize money as the amateur team that has advanced the farthest in the tournament.

However, even with the drama of a PDL team earning a match with an MLS team, without question, the match of the Second Round was the Wilmington Hammerheads and the Carolina RailHawks. After finishing regulation tied 1-1, both teams scored a pair of goals in extra time, including a Hammerheads goal in stoppage time of the second overtime period to send the match into penalty kicks. Wilmington would win the PK shootout 4-3 and will move on to host the Chicago Fire of MLS.

2009 Second Round: Ocean City Barons last amateur team left after 1-0 extra time upset over Real Maryland

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Carey Stadium – Ocean City, NJ | 7 p.m. Media Coverage: Press of Atlantic City | Soccer America | Wash. Post
1
AET
 0

JT Noone (PK) 108’
        

The Ocean City Barons are the lone amateur club remaining in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after a 1-0 overtime win over Real Maryland of the USL Second Division. The difference in the match was a JT Noone penalty kick in the 108th minute after a Monarchs player was called for a handball off an Ocean City corner kick.

Amateur clubs with two straight pro
team upsets in the US Open Cup
Michigan Bucks – 1999
First Round: vs. Austin Lone Stars (D3), 3-2
Second Round: vs. Minnesota Thunder (A-Lg), 2-1Fresno Fuego – 2003
Second Round: vs. Utah Blitzz (PSL), 4-0
Third Round: vs. El Paso Patriots (A-Lg), 5-2Des Moines Menace – 2005
First Round: vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2), 1-1
(Des Moines advance on PKs 4-2)
Second Round: vs. Charleston Battery (USL-1), 3-2
Third Round: vs. Atlanta Silverback (USL-1), 5-1

Carolina Dynamo – 2006
Second Round: vs. Richmond Kickers (USL-2), 1-0
Third Round: vs. Seattle Sounders (USL-1), 3-2 (aet)

Dallas Roma FC – 2006
Second Round: vs. Miami FC (USL-1), 1-0
Third Round: vs. Chivas USA (MLS), 0-0
(Dallas advance on PKs 4-2)

Michigan Bucks – 2006
First Round: vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2), 2-0
Second Round: vs. Cincinnati Kings (USL-2), 2-1

Ocean City Barons – 2009
First Round: vs. Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2), 3-0
Second Round: vs. Real Maryland (USL-2) 1-0 (aet)

“I like taking ,” said Noone after playing in the biggest match of his soccer career. “I don’t try to overthink it. I just took a deep breath and struck it well.”

After scoring the goal, the All-American from Temple University ran to the corner flag to celebrate where he was mobbed by his teammates (SEE VIDEO BELOW).

Boston College goalkeeper Tunde Ogunbiyi, who has yet to allow a goal in his first Open Cup campaign, made five saves for his second straight shutout.

“This is undoubtadly, the biggest win and the biggest occasion in Barons history to date,” said head coach Neil Holloway. “Beating two professional teams and then to move on to play one of the most famous clubs in the country in D.C. United, it’s really just incredible.”

“We’re all just elated,” said Barons captain Joe Banks (Drexel / Sicklerville, NJ), who has seen every Open Cup run by the club since they joined the PDL in 2003. “It doesn’t get much better than this. This might be one of the best teams we’ve ever had, maybe even better than the 2004 team. With a win like this it’s only going to bring us all closer together.”

As the last remaining amateur club, the Barons will pocket $10,000 in prize money. Ocean City is only the sixth amateur team to ever eliminate two professional teams in a row.

The win earns the PDL club their first-ever date with a Major League Soccer team. They will travel to the Maryland Soccerplex in Boyds, Md. to take on defending Open Cup champion DC United on June 30. It will also mark the first time that United has faced an amateur team in the Open Cup.

Game-winning penalty kick by JT Noone

2009 First Round recap: Favorites survive first day, Barons pull off upset, Hawks just upset on day 2

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2009 U.S. Open Cup First Round
(Home team listed on right)
June 9
Orange County Blue Star 2:5 Sonoma County Sol
Carolina RailHawks 2:1 Richmond Kickers
Western Mass Pioneers 3:2 (aet) Emigrantes Das Ilhas
Wilmington Hammerheads 2:0 Charlotte Eagles
Rochester Rhinos 1:1 Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Rochester advance on penalities, 4-2
Cleveland City Stars 3:0 St. Louis Lions
Chicago Fire (PDL) 3:1 Bavarian SC
Harrisburg City Islanders 4:1 Reading Rage
Minnesota Thunder 3:2 402
Charleston Battery 2:0 Atlanta FC
Miami FC Blues 2:1 Lynch’s FC
Austin Aztex 2:0 Mississippi Brilla
El Paso Patriots 2:1 Arizona Sahuaros
Kitsap Pumas 0:3 Portland Timbers
June 10
Real Maryland Monarchs 1:0 Aegean Hawks FC
(Match stopped in 74th minute)
Crystal Palace Baltimore 0:3 Ocean City Barons
——————————————————————
Player of the Round: Byron Carmichael (OCB)
Some things you should know about the First Round
Notable upsets in the First Round of the Open Cup

If seeing the underdogs prevail is your thing, then you went to sleep disappointed last night.

Of the fourteen matches first round US Open Cup matches last night, only one was won by a team from the lower division, and even that wasn’t much of an upset.

The evening began with the lone “upset” of the day, as the NPSL’s Sonoma County Sol, perhaps the hottest team of the 32 set to play in the First Round, defeated the PDL’s Orange County Blue Star 5-2. Shawn Percell scored twice and Trevor Hurst, Eric Lafon, Eric Larson added the others for the Sol. The Sol are 12-0-1 in all matches played in 2009.

The most dramatic game of the night was in Rochester, as the Rhinos needed a stoppage time equalizer and penalties to overcome the USL-2 Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Trailing 1-0 for much of the game, the Rhinos forced extra time when Tai Atieno knocked in a corner kick in second half stoppage time. Atieno then missed a potential game winning penalty kick with two minutes left in overtime, but Rhinos goalkeeper Scott Vallow came up with two saves in the penalty shootout to see his club through to the Second Round.

Two matches were postponed and were moved to the following day. Ocean City and Crystal Palace Baltimore was put off early in the day when heavy overnight rains left the Barons’ home field, Cary Stadium, flooded. The Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks and Real Maryland Monarchs were forced to set their game back a day when heavy thunderstorms rolled through the Rockville, Md. area.

The next day, the Ocean City Barons became the first PDL team to beat a USL professional squad in the 2009 tournament, winning a 3-0 decision over Crystal Palace Baltimore of the USL Second Division.

Byron Carmichael opened the scoring in the 7th minute, with an assist from Neal Melchionni. Carmichael struck again in the 33rd minute with an unassisted goal to gibe the Barons a 2-0 halftime lead.

With 12 minutes remaining, JT Noone left no doubt as to who the winners were with a Ryan Richter-assisted goal. The game had been postponed on Tuesday due to a flooded field from heavy overnight storms.

In Rockville, Maryland, the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks were done in by Mother Nature on Wednesday night, as their opening round game versus the Real Maryland Monarchs was halted in the 74th minute after an hour and a half lightning delay, giving the USL-2 club a 1-0 win. The only goa,l of the match game from Ryan Cordeiro in the 14th minute, with an assist from Gary Brooks. Soon after, the Hawks were reduced to 10 men when Michael Goldman was shown a red card.

Hawks manager Jonathan Knight was understandably upset that the game was called. We have been told there was a 10 pm deadline, which is when the stadium lights had to be shut off (presumably by a city ordinance), and the game was official called at 10:18 pm. The game had to be rescheduled for tonight due to severe thunderstorms on Tuesday night.

This is the second year in a row weather has played a part in Real Maryland’s First Round Open Cup game. Last year their gasme against NY Pancyprian Freedoms was moves back three days after severe storms prevented play on the original date. Maryland won the rescheduled game 3-2 in extra time.

Ocean City will host Real Maryland next Tuesday in the Second Round.

2009 US Open Cup Round 1: Real Maryland wins weather-shortened match with Aegean Hawks

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Richard Montgomery High School – Rockville, Md. | 7 p.m.
MATCH STOPPED IN 74TH MINUTE DUE TO LIGHTNING
1
74’
 0

Ryan Cordeiro (Gary Brooks) 14’
 16’ Michael Goldman RED CARD

In Rockville, Md., the Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks were done in by Mother Nature on Wednesday night, as their opening round game against the Real Maryland Monarchs was halted in the 74th minute after an hour and a half lightning delay, giving the USL-2 club a 1-0 win. The only goal of the match came from Ryan Cordeiro in the 14th minute, with an assist from Gary Brooks. Soon after, the Hawks were reduced to 10 men when Michael Goldman was shown a red card.

Hawks manager Jonathan Knight was understandably upset that the game was called, saying that the officials called the game too soon. According to Knight, the game needed to be restarted before a 10 pm local deadline and despite the fact that there was no lightning, the game was officially called off at 9:50. The game had to be rescheduled for tonight due to severe thunderstorms on Tuesday night.

This is the second year in a row weather has played a part in Real Maryland’s First Round US Open Cup game. Last year their game against New York Pancyprian Freedoms was moved back three days after severe storms prevented play on the original date. Maryland won the rescheduled game 3-2 in extra time.

Real Maryland travel to “The Beach House” in Ocean City, NJ to take on the Barons for their Second Round match next Tuesday.

2008 Second Round: Another late goal by Kupono Low gets RailHawks past Monarchs

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Once again, a late goal by Kupono Low sent the Carolina RailHawks onto the next round.

Low, who scored the RailHawks’ lone goal in the 85th minute of their First Round win over the PDL’s Brooklyn Knights, converted a 90th-minute penalty kick to beat USL Second Division side Real Maryland 1-0 in Cary, NC.

Former MLS forward Jamil Walker drew the decisive penalty, as he was taken down by Monarchs goalkeeper Emilio Zelaya in the box. Carolina, which advanced to the Semifinals last year in their inaugural season, moves on to play the Kansas City Wizards.

Lineups

Real Maryland: Emilio Zelaya, Marcos Chantel, Stephen Basso, Devlin Barnes, Angel Higueras, Andrew Kish (Steven Tupy 68th), Mateus Dos Anjos (Teodoro Ramirez 66th), Dennis Alas (Philippe Bissohong 61st), Muner Hassen, Ronald Cerritos, Nilson Perez (Victor Ramirez 90th)

Carolina RailHawks: Chris McClellan, Steven Curfman, David Stokes, Mauricio Segovia, Kupono Low, Ryan Solle, Martin Nuñez (Ross Mackenzie  80th), Matt Watson (Chad Dombrowski 90th), Santiago Fusilier (Phillip Long 67th), Caleb Norkus, Dan Antoniuk (Jamil Walker 66th)

Scoring Summary: Low (Car 90th,PK)

Cautions: Basso (RMD, 14th), Segovia (CAR 45th), Low (CAR 72nd), Ramirez (RMD 74th)

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

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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: Real Maryland’s late goal, OT winner, spoil Freedoms’ upset bid

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The Real Maryland Monarchs survived the New York Pancyprian Freedoms’ upset bid with two late goals, one in regulation and the other in extra time, after New York were reduced to ten men for a 3-2 First Round win.

The USASA side took an early lead when Julio Cesar DoSantos took advantage of a mistake by Maryland defender Marcos Chantal to score the first goal of the match. The score remained 1-0 until a few minutes into the second half, when Dennis Alas’s free kick was headed home by Muner Hassen to tie the score.

Thirteen minutes after the Monarchs drew level, the Pancyprian Freedoms regained the lead, when a free kick was headed into the penalty area, and Matia Damiani met the ball at the back post  for a 2-1 lead.

The turning point came in the 83rd minute, when the Freedoms’ Panagoitis Halkidis was booked twice in the span of a minute, reducing New York to ten men. Just two minutes later, the Monarchs found the tying goal, when Nilson Perez put away a pass from Alas. In the final minutes of the half, Maryland pressed for the winning goal, but short-handed New York survived to send the match to extra time.

On through extra time, Maryland held the run of play, but New York withstood the pressure. Just as the game seemed destined for penalty kicks, the Monarchs scored. A free kick from Alas was initally blocked by goalkeeper Dilmer Martinez, but Marcos Chantal met the rebound with a header for the winning goal.

The Monarchs now move on to face the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division in the Second Round, with the winner to take on a team from Major League Soccer in the Third Round.

LIVE BLOG COVERAGE

A gutsy performance by 10 man New York playing on the road against a team from a higher division, but the extra bit of class showed in the end. The loyal Monarchs fans stayed and sang to the end and are now headed to Cary, North Carolina on June 24th to face the Carolina Railhawks of USL-1.
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Again, we would like to thank Max Lom for providing the updates for the final match of the First Round!
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10:28 pm: The referee blows the whistle, and it is all over! The Monarchs have survived the upset bid of NY Pancyprian Freedoms!
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10:27 pm – 120th minute: Last ditch from new york with a corner kick upcoming. Scramble in front is cleared, immediate 2 v 1 counter which is struck over by Nilson Perez.
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10:26 pm – 119th minute: Yellow to Martin Reeves of New York as tempers flare.
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10:25pm – 117th minute: GOAL REAL MARYLAND MONARCHS. Alas free kick from 35 yards is saved but rebound is headed over the keeper by Marcos Chantal.
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10:24 pm – 116th: Alas tries another one from an acute angle and it goes into the side netting
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10:22 – 114th minute: Alas with a run down the right and plays it off to overlapping Matthew Eby who’s shot is mishit and goes wide of the near post.
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10:20 – 112th minute: Maryland with constant pressure, Ney York has eight minutes to hold them off for penalties
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10:17 pm – 107th minute: Hassen receives the ball on the right side of the area and passes square to Alas whos weak shot is scooped up by the keeper.
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10:13 pm – The second half of extra time is underway
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10:10 pm – 105th minute: The first period of extra time is over
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10:06 pm – 103th minute: Nilson Perez rips a shot wide left of the goal
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10:04 pm – 100th: Sub for New York – Andreas Pafitis for Nikolaos Katsanos
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10:00 pm – 96th minute: Long ball over the top finds Cerritos’s head but he nods it wide of the far post
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9:57 pm – 93rd minute: Perez with a goal for Maryland but he was well offside. New York appear to have regained their composure following a tough final minutes of regular time
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9:55 pm – The first period of extra time is under way
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9:50 pm – After a wild injury time period we head to 30 minutes of extra time
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9:48 pm – 2nd half stoppage time: Ramirez with a cross to Alas on the right, his shot from an angle is saved and put out for a corner. Ensuing corner results in a shot from the left side which is saved nicely
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9:46 pm – 90th minute: Yellow for Cerritos for pushing a New York player before a free kick. Three minutes of stoppage time added.
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9:44 pm – 88th minute: Alas with another low drive this time from the right. keeper stops it but allows a rebound which is scrambled away
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9:42 pm – 86th minute: Alas with a low drive from 25yards out, which is handled impressively by Martinez
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9:41 pm – 85th minute: GOAL REAL MARYLAND MONARCHS Hassen passes to Alas on the right. Alas plays a strong ball in and Perez is there to stick it in at the ar post
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9:40 pm – 84th minute: Sub Real Maryland – Pablo Gomez for Mateus Dos Anjos
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9:30 pm – 83rd minute: PANAGOITIS HALKIDIS WITH 2 YELLOWS IN A SPACE OF A MINUTE AND NEW YORK IS DOWN TO 10 MEN FOR THE REST OF THE GAME
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9:38 pm – 82nd minute: Alas draws dangerous freekick on right side and drills it into a crowd but is cleared by New York.
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9:36 pm – 80th minute: With the Monarch supporters urging them on, they have a header blocked from a corner.
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9:35 pm – 79th: Sub for NYPF – Bart Stolarczyk for Erion Qoku, who came on earlier this half.
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9:32 pm – 77th minute: Sub for Real Maryland – Victor Ramirez replaces Devlin Barnes
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9:30 pm – 75th minute: Sub for Real Maryland – Matthew Eby replaces Phillippe Bissohang
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9:28 pm – The Freedoms still have plenty of business left to take care of after this match. Next weekend they face Boston Olympiakos in the USASA Region I Open Cup final, and they have their Cosmopolitan League semifinal playoff vs. Central Park Ranngers, which was set for tonight before Tuesday’s postponement.
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9:24 pm – 69th minute: GOAL NEW YORK PANCYPRIAN FREEDOMS
Free kick inswinger from the left side is nodded on in the box where Matia Damiani meets it at the back post to retake the lead and send the Freedoms’ small pocket of traveling supporters into rapture. Just before the goal: Bissohang with a yellow for Maryland
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9:23 pm – 67th minute: Dennis Alas with a rocket from 25 yards that goes off the post
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9:18 pm – 61th minute: NYPF substitution, Erion Qoku comes on for Stelios Andreou
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9:17 pm – 60th minute: Matia Damiani gets a yellow for dissent for New York
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9:16 pm – 59th minute: A sliding tackle in the corner prompts a fracas between Dennis Alas and several New York players. Results in a Monarchs corner and nothing comes of it.
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9:15 pm – 58th minute: Defender Andy Kish comes on for midfielder Angel Higueras for Maryland. looking to shore up the defense
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9:13pm – 56th minute: GOAL REAL MARYLAND MONARCHS
A free kick from the right side is swung in by Dennis Alas and headed back across goal from the top of the box by Maryland midfielder Muner Hassen
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9:11 pm – 54th minute: Long ball forces collision between Martinez and Alas as New York’s keeper comes rushing out just in time.
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9:08 pm – 52nd minute: Run down the right by Nilson Perez ends with his shot going just over Dilmer Martinez’s goal.
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9:07 pm – 51st minute: Cross from right side by monarchs causes goal mouth scramble which is eventually cleared.
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9:06 pm – 49th minute: Bball over the top by DoSantos just misses for New York
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9:02 pm – Neither team has made any subs to start the half
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9:00 pm – The second half is under way!
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8:47pm – And it is halftime at the Maryland SoccerPlex, with the NY Pancyprian Freedoms 45 minutes away from joining Hollywood United as the only amateur clubs in the second round. The Monarchs have had the better of play, but New York had several opportunties and capitalized on Maryland’s one big mistake.
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8:47 pm – 1st Half stoppage time: Jeff Matteo sends Tasos Polydefkis through down the right side on a counter, but a shot from a tight angle hits the near post and goes out.
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8:45 pm – 45th minute: Nilson Perez taken down outside the area but the ref keeps his whistle in his pocket
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8:43pm – The trainer’s magic spray revives Basso immediately. Two minutes of stoppage time has been added to the half.
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8:42pm – 43rd minute: Stephen Basso down on the field for Real Maryland being attended to by the trainer.
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8:40 pm – 41st minute: Good ball over the top by Muner Hassen almost springs Cerritos on goal, but the linesman’s flag was up.
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8:37pm – 38th minute: Devlin Barnes with a great run down the right and has his low shot saved nicely by New York GK Dilmer Martinez. Martinez looks very steady in goal tonight.
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8:35pm – The postponment of this match to tonight has suddenly made for a busy weekend for Real Maryland, as they still have to travel up to Harrisburg for a USL-2 game tomorrow evening.
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8:33pm – 34th minute: Alas finds space but blasts his shot well over from 30 yards
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8:31 pm – 31st minute: Reeves has returned to the pitch with a bandage around his head
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8:28 pm – 29th minute: Maryland corner is partially cleared before Dennis Alas’s 25 yard effort is deflected over by a New York defender
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8:27 pm – 28th minute: Marc Reeves down with an injury for New York and taken off the pitch with an ice pack on his head
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8:25pm – 27th minute: good through ball by Cristos Zisimatos forces Maryland keeper Emilio Zelaya off his line to clear the ball before Andreou can reach it
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8:20 pm – 22nd minute – GOAL! NEW YORK PANCYPRIAN FREEDOMS
Maryland defender Marcos Chantal makes an error in the area and New York’s Julio Cesar DoSantos is there to provide a blistering strike to put the Pancyprian Freedoms in front against the run of play
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8:19 pm – 21st minute: Maryland’s Muner Hassen is taken down and Dennis Alas tests the keeper with a drive from 35 yards
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8:17 pm – 19th minute: Cerritos with a cross from the byline but it goes over Nilson Perez’s head and is cleared by New York
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8:14 pm – 16th minute: Dennis Alas makes nice run and pass to Devlin Barnes but NY keeper saves the shot easily
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8:13 pm – 15th minute: Ronald Cerritos cuts a ball into the box for Nilson Perez who forces the keeper into a sprawling save, but the referee blew for a handball to kill the play
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8:11pm – 13th minute: Devlin Barnes wins the ball and charges down the right wing into a promising position but his cross is poor and goes out for a harmless goal kick
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8:08 pm – 10th minute: Two players get tangled in Real Md’s area.  The referee tells them to play on.  Andreou recovers fastest and forces Maryland’s gk zelaya to push his shot over the bar for a corner……the corner is cleared.
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8:06 pm – We would like to give a big thanks to Max Lom of the Monarchs for providing updates on tonight’s match!
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8:04 pm – 6th minute: Great chance for New York as a ball cut back from deep on the right wing is hit just over the bar by Stelios Andreou from 18 yards
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8:02 pm – Staring lineup for NY Pancyprian Freedoms: dilmer martinez (gk), nikolaos katsanos, marc reeves, christos zisimatos, stelios andreou, matia damiani, tasos polydefkis, jeff matteo, sebastian alvarado, panagoitis halkidis, julio cesar DoSantos
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8:00 pm – Starting lineup for Real Maryland: emilio zelaya (gk), phillipe bissohang, stephen basso, mateus dos anjos, angel higueras, devlin barnes, muner hassen, dennis alas, nilson perez, marcos chantel, ronald cerritos
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7:59pm – The match is underway!
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7:45pm – We’re about 15 minutes from kickoff, and the weather does NOT seem to be a problem tonight!
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6:25pm – Hello everyone, Chuck Nolan Jr. here. We’ll be getting updates from the final First Round match to be played, between the Real Maryland Monarchs and the NY Pancyprian Freedoms, and posting them right here!

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