The win-or-go-home nature of the tournament resulted in a fiercely competitive game, which featured numerous yellow cards to both teams, a straight red card to Earthquakes forward Alan Gordon, and a post game melee resulting from the intense emotions surrounding the match.
San Jose Earthquakes/San Jose Clash
2012 US Open Cup Fourth Round: Late Steven Lenhart goal helps San Jose Earthquakes advance 1-0 over Minnesota Stars
The San Jose Earthquakes ensured that their 2012 US Open Cup tournament run will continue for at least another round, as a Steven Lenhart headed goal proved the difference in a 1-0 victory over the resilient Minnesota Stars.
2012 US Open Cup Round 3: Sam Garza brace guides San Jose Earthquakes past Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup success finally arrived for the San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday, as over a decade of efforts to host a victory in the nation’s oldest soccer tournament finally came through. Playing in the cozy confines of Cagan Stadium on the campus of Stanford University, the Quakes dispatched of NASL side Fort Lauderdale Strikers by a score of 2-1 in front of 1,271 fans to advance to the Fourth Round of the Open Cup tournament. A pair of second half goals from rookie Sam Garza was enough to secure the win for San Jose after Strikers forward Mark Anderson had staked the visitors to a 1-0 lead with a 55-yard first half golazo from inside his own half.
The Other US Opens and marketing the ‘US Soccer Majors’
TheCup.us will now refer to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, MLS Cup, MLS Supporters’ Shield, and CONCACAF Champions League as the ‘US Soccer Majors.’ It’s an effort to raise the profile of all the championships that teams in the U.S. play for, similar to the sports of golf and tennis.
2011 US Open Cup qualifying: Chicago Fire rally, beat Earthquakes in PKs to keep Open Cup streak alive
Trailing 2-0 at halftime, it looked as though the Chicago Fire were going to miss the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time in team history, but a pair of second half goals and a San Jose shot off the crossbar in sudden death penalties kept the perfect appearance record intact. The rally by the visitors dashed the Earthquakes’ hopes of returning for the first time since 2005.
2011 US Open Cup qualifying updates: MLS play-in tournament underway
For the fifth year in a row, Major League Soccer will conduct a play-in tournament to narrow the number of teams that enter the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Beginning on June 28, eight MLS clubs will join the 98th edition of the tournament in the third round, with the top six MLS teams based on the 2010 league standings automatically qualifying. The 10 remaining US-based clubs are left to fight for the last two spots.
2011 US Open Cup qualifying: Ike Opara’s late winner breaks Portland hearts, sends Earthquakes to final round
Ike Opara’s goal in the 120th minute was the only goal of the match as the San Jose Earthquakes defeated the Portland Timbers 1-0 to earn a date with the Chicago Fire in a “Win & You’re In” match later this month.
US Open Cup qualifying: Real Salt Lake advance with a PK thriller at San Jose
In an exciting back-and-forth night at Buck Shaw Stadium, Real Salt Lake advanced to the next round of US Open Cup qualifying, winning a penalty kick shootout with the San Jose Earthquakes. The defending MLS Cup champions blew a two-goal lead, fell behind 3-2 in overtime, but managed to equalize in the 117th minute and survive the shootout, 5-3.
Notable upsets in the Quarterfinals of the US Open Cup
There have only been seven “upsets” in the Quarterfinal round of the US Open Cup since 1995, therefore all of them are, in fact, “notable.”
2008 Quarterfinals: Sounders’ Chris Eylander unanimous as Player of the Round
Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander was a unanimous selection as the TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Quarterfinals. The award was voted on by the TheCup.us staff and members of the North American Soccer Reporters.
Eylander was challenged for the award by Jamie Moreno of DC United, along with goalkeepers Doug Warren of the New England Revolution and Eric Kronberg of the Kansas City Wizards.