Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Seattle Sounders MLS

Champions League kicks off tonight; Open Cup champ Sounders play Thursday

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The fifth edition of the CONCACAF Champions League begins Tuesday evening with two matches featuring the defending two-time champions Monterrey in one contest and Real Salt Lake of MLS in the other. The 2011 US Open Cup champion representative Seattle Sounders open their third consecutive CCL campaign Thursday.

Sounders celebrate third Open Cup title | photo: Gerald Barnhart

The reigning three-time Open Cup champion Sounders, who will try for an unprecedented fourth August 8 in Kansas City, face Trinidad & Tobago side Caledonia AIA in their first match of group-play as the event kicks off under a revised format that has seen the elimination of the Preliminary Round that was utilized the past four years. Instead of the 16 non-seeded teams playing in a two-leg series to advance to the four groups of four, the tournament has shifted to a group format that has eight groups of three, leaving little room for error while providing more schedule flexibility.

The Sounders’ group also features Marathon, who return to the tournament for a fourth appearance after failing to qualify for last year’s event. The two sides previously squared off in the 2010-11 Group Phase with the Hondurans winning the opening match at home, 2-1, and the Sounders taking the second, 2-0, in Seattle. Caledonia AIA is making its first appearance in the tournament, and is the fourth different side to represent T&T.

Two of the Sounders’ four fellow MLS sides in the event are also kicking off their CCL campaigns this week. Real Salt Lake faces Herediano (Costa Rica) Tuesday night. Canadian champion Toronto FC opens against Aguila (El Salvador) Wednesday. Tauro (Panama) is the third team in RSL’s group while Toronto’s group features last year’s runner-up Santos Laguna.

The Houston Dynamo play their first game August 22 versus FAS and the LA Galaxy open up the following night against Isidro Metapan (El Salvador). Olimpia (Honduras) is the third team in Houston’s group. The Galaxy’s group features Caribbean power and CCL darling Puerto Rico Islanders, who stunned the Galaxy two years ago in the Preliminary Round. The US Second Division NASL entry reached the tournament yet again and will begin their campaign this Wednesday against Metapan.

The Islanders are one of only three teams that have advanced to the event all five years. Group foe Metapan, who eliminated Puerto Rico in the Preliminary Round a year ago, is one and and Olimpia of Honduras is the other. On the flip side, only five of the 24 teams are making their CCL debuts, two of them from Mexico. All five MLS teams have played in the event previously.

GROUPS

1: Toronto FC (MLS, 4th appearance)… Aguila (El Salvador, 1st appearance)… Santos Laguna (Mexico, 4th appearance)
2: Real Salt Lake (MLS, 2nd appearance)… Herediano (Costa Rica, 3rd appearance)… Tauro (Panama, 4th appearance)
3: Houston Dynamo (3rd appearance)… Olimpia (Honduras, 5th appearance)… FAS (El Salvador, 2nd appearance)
4: Seattle Sounders (MLS, 4th appearance)… Caledonia AIA (T&T, 1st appearance)… Marathon (Honduras, 4th appearance)
5: LA Galaxy (MLS, 3rd appearance)… Puerto Rico Islanders (NASL, 5th appearance)… Isidro Metapan (El Salvador, 5th appearance)
6: Alajulense (Costa Rica, 3rd appearance)… Real Esteli (Nicaragua, 3rd appearance)… UANL Tigres (Mexico, 1st appearance)
7: Chorrillo (Panama, 1st appearance)… Monterrey (Mexico, 3rd appearance)… Municipal (Guatemala, 4th appearance)
8: Guadalajara (Mexico, 1st appearance)… W Connection (T&T, 2nd appearance)… Xelaju (Guatemala, 2nd appearance)

SCHEDULE [+]

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Islanders begin CONCACAF Champions League play on Wednesday

2012 US Open Cup Final: Three stadiums in play to host this year’s championship game (UPDATED)

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The United States Soccer Federation announced the potential host sites for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final. Two of the three stadiums that have been selected as possibilities, based on the results of a secret bidding process, will host the championship game for the first time. The game will be be held on August 7 or 8 depending on the home team.

The Semifinals will feature an all-Major League Soccer lineup for just the second time in the last six years, assuring that an MLS club will win the tournament for the 13th straight year.

Of those semifinalists, Sporting Kansas City will host the Final at LiveStrong Sporting Park if they advance in their match against tournament newcomer Philadelphia Union. Kansas City hasn’t hosted the title game since they lifted the trophy in 2004 at Arrowhead Stadium. The new stadium, which stands on the Kansas side of the border, could mark the first time the championship game has ever taken place in the Sunflower State. The game will be held on Aug. 8 if they face Seattle, and either Aug. 7 or 8 if they host Chivas USA.

However, if the Philadelphia Union knock off Kansas City, they will host the Final at PPL Park on either Aug. 7 or 8, but only if Chivas USA gets past the Seattle Sounders. If they reach their first championship game in franchise history, it will be the first Philadelphia-area club to reach the Final since United German Hungarians fell short against CD Mexico in 1993, and the first time the championship game has been held in the Philadelphia area since 1994 (Oakford, Pa.).

Out west, the three-time defending Open Cup champion Seattle Sounders, who have hosted the last two title games, can only play for an unprecedented fourth championship in a row in front of their home fans if they get past Chivas USA and the Philadelphia Union win. The match would take place on Aug. 8.

If Chivas USA wants to win their first trophy in franchise history, they will have to do so on the road as they are not in the running for hosting. This year Chivas has only hosted one (Quarterfinals vs. Charlotte Eagles) of their four matches. Since MLS joined the competition, only FC Dallas in 1997 (then known as the Dallas Burn) have won it all  by winning more than two road games along the way. In fact, Dallas won the Open Cup that year without playing a single game at home (three wins on the road and the Final at a neutral site in Indianapolis).

The format for how the USSF determines the host of Open Cup games changed this year, with a blind draw being conducted as long as teams met minimum venue standards and paid a flat hosting fee (except for the first two rounds which did not include a fee). However, for the Semifinals and the Final, the secret bidding process from year’s past remains in place where the potential finalists submit an application to host the game and sends a cashier’s check to the federation. To put it simply, the team who meets the standards and bids the most money gets to host.

After the announcement was made, Joshua Mayers reported on the Seattle Times website that Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer told him the bids submitted by Seattle and Kansas City were equal, which required the federation to flip a coin to determine who would host if the two clubs should meet in the Final.  Obviously, Kansas City won the coin flip.

(MORE from TheCup.us … Dollars & Cents: The controversial US Open Cup hosting bid process explained)

US Soccer spokesperson Neil Buethe confirmed that the two clubs did, in fact, did “tie” with their bids, but not necessarily on the amount they cut a check for. “The two bids from Seattle and Sporting Kansas City were considered equal on merit so the decision was made to conduct a coin flip.”

Also, there is currently no agreement in place to broadcast the championship game on television. As of Saturday, July 7, Buethe told TheCup.us “We are still in discussions with broadcasters about televising the Open Cup Final.” Every championship game in the Modern Professional Era (1995-present) has been broadcast on a variety of television networks over the years, including GolTV, Fox Soccer Channel and ESPN.

2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final (Hosting scenarios)
Tuesday, Aug. 7, or Wednesday, Aug. 8

Seattle Sounders FC at Sporting Kansas City
LiveStrong Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.; time TBD; Aug. 8
OR
Chivas USA at Sporting Kansas City
LiveStrong Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.; time TBD; Aug. 7 or 8
OR
Philadelphia Union at Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
CenturyLink Field; Seattle, Wash.; time TBD; Aug. 8
OR
Chivas USA (MLS) at Philadelphia Union (MLS)
PPL Park; Chester, Pa.; time TBD; Aug. 7 or 8

2012 Semifinals schedule (July 11)

Sporting Kansas City (MLS) at Philadelphia Union (MLS)
PPL Park; Chester, Pa.; 7:30 p.m. ET –  July 11

Chivas USA (MLS) at Seattle Sounders (MLS)
Starfire Sports Complex; Tukwila, Wash.; 10:00 p.m. ET – July 11

2012 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Tempers flare as Sounders escape with 1-0 win over San Jose Earthquakes

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Photo: Julie Logan | TheJulieLogan.com Copyright 2012, All rights reserved

The San Jose Earthquakes crashed out of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament with a 1-0 loss to the three-time defending champions Seattle Sounders in front of a crowd of 7,219 at historic Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. A first half goal from Sounders rookie midfielder Cordell Cato proved to be the difference for the visitors when the Earthquakes were unable to continue their season of late-game magic and find an equalizing goal.

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. Forward Chris Wondolowski, who entered as a second half substitute, recognized just how hard each team was going for the victory.

“We’re both good teams this year so there will be a lot of fight and a lot of heart,” said Wondolowski. “You put 22 guys on a small field, a bumpy field, with a referee that let a lot of stuff go, and there’s going to be a lot of fire.”

Earthquakes head coach Frank Yallop used everything at his disposal to try to knock off the three-time champions, but the Sounders proved resolute despite the heavy pressure put on them by the San Jose offense.

“You have to give Seattle credit for the way they defended, especially the last 35 minutes,” said Yallop. “We just couldn’t quite get that touch in front of goal. We pushed the issue on what was a difficult pitch and went direct but couldn’t score.”

Facing a setting sun to start the game and field conditions that were far from pristine, the Earthquakes found it difficult to muster up anything on offense early on. It took until the 9th minute for San Jose to find a seam in the Seattle defense. Rafael Baca, with space to work with on the left sideline, carried the ball into the top corner of the area and squared a pass to an onrushing Shea Salinas 15 yards from goal. The Quakes winger had trouble settling the ball and his weakly taken shot was comfortably saved by Sounders goalkeeper Andrew Weber.

The Sounders began to turn the momentum to their advantage over the next quarter hour, and were rewarded for their efforts in the 19th minute when they broke through for the game’s opening goal. A pass across the top of the Earthquakes penalty area was misjudged by defender Ike Opara and fell to the feet of Sounders midfielder Cato. With Justin Morrow stabbing at the loose ball, Cato rounded the Earthquakes defender and drove the ball to the endline. The Sounders rookie’s shot across goal took a slight deflection and managed to sneak the ball through the legs of goalkeeper David Bingham and into the goal for a Seattle 1-0 lead.

“I think we gave the ball away poorly in the midfield which didn’t help,” said Yallop. “We still had a chance to defend it and we didn’t. The shot took a nick off of somebody and it was not easy for the goalkeeper.”

Photo: Julie Logan | TheJulieLogan.com Copyright 2012, All rights reserved

Following an ineffective opening half for San Jose, coach Yallop went to his bench early in the second half in an effort to bolster his offense. Regular first-teamers Wondolowski and Steven Lenhart, along with speedy Marvin Chavez were all inserted into the line-up with an eye toward cracking the resolute Sounders defense. Instead, the frustration mounted for the home side, as they were able to consistently deliver the ball into the Seattle area, but they were not able to create a single shot on goal.

With tempers boiling over and physical play being ramped up a notch or two by both sides as the game dragged toward a conclusion, referee Yader Reyes was required to be more active in keeping the match in control. Yellow card cautions for hard tackles went to Gordon and Morrow for the Earthquakes and Zach Scott, Andy Rose and Marc Burch for the Sounders were all issued in the second half.

As the match entered six minutes of stoppage time, the Earthquakes continued to press for the equalizer in the midst of the chippy play. The 93rd minute saw things come to a boil, as Burch fouled Gordon hard from behind, sending the Quakes forward to the turf and earning Burch his yellow card. However, Gordon then sprang back up and headbutted Burch from behind, leaving San Jose with just 10 men, in an eerily similar meltdown to Zinadine Zidane’s in the 2002 World Cup final.

A throw-in from Steven Beitashour in the 95th minute was flicked toward the mix of players and popped out to the top of area. Defender Victor Bernardez stepped into the loose ball and unleashed a volley that took a deflection off a defender. The Earthquakes claimed a hand ball against Seattle, but the referee did not agree. “It looked a hand ball,” said Yallop. “I thought we had a couple calls that could have gone our way. That’s being diplomatic.”

Wondolowski, who protested vehemently at the time of the disputed play to referee Reyes, was much less diplomatic than his coach.

“The hand ball was very clear,” said Wondolowski. “The defender made a last ditch effort just to save the goal. And it was a good ‘save,’ one that Busch or Bingham would be proud of.”

The match ended a minute later, and the two teams engaged in a significant melee on the field between the two team benches brought about because of a confrontation between Sounders forward Eddie Johnson and Quakes defender Jed Zayner. The latter accused the former of hitting him in the face, but the former had no comment on the incident. Both teams engaged in some pushing and shoving, but eventually separated and went their own ways to their locker rooms. The video replay does show Zayner making contact with Johnson right before the supposed punch.

“There’s always a rivalry between us and Seattle,” said Yallop. “We beat them once this year, and they beat us in the Cup. We’ll play them twice again this year, so we have got to look forward to that.”

While Seattle moves forward in the US Open Cup tournament to the semifinal round, San Jose focuses on a weekend match against rival Los Angeles Galaxy at a sold-out Stanford Stadium this Saturday, June 30.

Seattle Sounders FC at San Jose Earthquakes
June 26, 2012 — Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, Calif.
Attendance: 7,219

Scoring Summary
SEA — Cordell Cato (unassisted) 19

Misconduct Summary:
SJ — Alan Gordon (caution) 49
SEA — Zach Scott (caution) 51
SJ — Justin Morrow (caution) 75
SEA — Andy Rose (caution) 82
SJ — Alan Gordon (ejection) 93
SEA — Marc Burch (caution) 94

San Jose Earthquakes — David Bingham, Steven Beitashour, Victor Bernardez, Ike Opara, Justin Morrow, Rafael Baca (Marvin Chavez 80), Sam Cronin, Tressor Moreno (Steven Lenhart 53), Shea Salinas, Khari Stephenson (Chris Wondolowski 53), Alan Gordon.
Statistics: Total Shots: 7; Shots on Goal: 4; Saves: 4; Fouls: 12; Offside: 3; Corner Kicks: 11.

Seattle Sounders FC — Andrew Weber, Brad Evans, Patrick Ianni, Zach Scott, Leo Gonzalez, Cordell Cato (Marc Burch 82), Servando Carrasco, Andy Rose, Alvaro Fernadez (Jhon Kennedy Hurtado 89), Roger Levesque, Sammy Ochoa (Eddie Johnson 75).
Statistics: Total Shots: 8; Shots on Goal: 4; Saves: 4; Fouls: 9; Offside: 1; Corner Kicks: 3.

2012 US Open Cup Quarterfinals video: Watch all four games here!

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Lamar Hunt US Open Cup logoLook below for video of tonight’s US Open Cup Quarterfinal online broadcasts.
Note: Three of them can be watched from this page, while the Sporting KC/Dayton game will launch in a new window.

2012 US Open Cup Quarterfinal Live Blog
2012 US Open Cup bracket [+]
2012 US Open Cup Quarterfinal scoreboard [+]
2012 US Open Cup goalscoring leaders [+]
2012 US Open Cup participant map [+]
Meet the USASA: Class of 2012 [+]
Things you should know about the Quarterfinals [+]
Semifinal pairings [+]

Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) at Philadelphia Union (MLS)
PPL Park; Chester, Pa.; 7:30 p.m. ET
Semifinal scenarios (July 10 or 11):
If Philadelphia wins … home vs. Sporting KC/Dayton winner
If Harrisburg wins … home vs. Dayton or at Sporting KC

If video doesn’t work, CLICK HERE

Dayton Dutch Lions (USL Pro) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan.; 8:30 p.m. ET
Semifinal scenarios (July 10 or 11):
If KC wins … home vs. Harrisburg OR at Philadelphia
If Dayton wins … at Philadelphia OR at Harrisburg

Click here to watch the game

Seattle Sounders (MLS) at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Kezar Stadium; San Francisco, Calif.; 10:30 p.m. ET
Audio Broadcast: Seattle
Semifinal scenarios (July 10): Winner hosts Chivas USA / Charlotte winner

Charlotte Eagles (USL Pro) at Chivas USA (MLS)
Titan Stadium (Cal State Fullerton); Fullerton, Calif.; 10:30 p.m. ET
Semifinal scenario (July 10):
Winner plays at Seattle Sounders / San Jose Earthquakes winner

2012 US Open Cup Round 3: Seattle Sounders tame Silverbacks as third title defense beginso)

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Sammy Ochoa | Photo: Brandon Bleek/Prost Amerika

Three-time defending Open Cup Champion Seattle Sounders FC returned to the field on Wednesday, hosting the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks. The fact that this game was at Starfire Soccer Complex in itself was controversial, as Seattle had bought the hosting rights from Atlanta, one of two MLS teams to do so. However, the Sounders avoided the fate Real Salt Lake had endured the night before with a 5-1 rout of their Southern opponent.

With the win, the Sounders extend their record 18-game Open Cup unbeaten streak (15-0-3, 2-1 in PKs) that dates back to 2008. The club has still yet to lose a game in the tournament since joining MLS in 2009.

Cordell Cato causes problems for Raphael Cox. Photo: Mike Russell | Prost Amerika

Seattle controlled the run of play early and often from the start, with Sammy Ochoa forcing Atlanta keeper Joe Nesco to save a low shot 30 seconds into the match. Ochoa, Cordell Cato, and Osvaldo Alonso were all active in the early going, as Seattle fired freely, and fired often. While not fielding all of their starters, the Sounders had plenty of battle-tested depth to pick from, and the Silverbacks had a hard time containing, bending, but somehow not breaking under the pressure. Nesco appeared to have less and less confidence in his defense as the half rolled on, playing off the line unusually often for a netminder.

Atlanta finally started getting some chances about 25 minutes in, but Seattle’s defense was locked tightly, as keeper Bryan Meredith did not register a save in the half. The Silverbacks were visibly frustrated, as forward Reinaldo Navia was seen shouting at the referee and his assistants throughout the rest of the half, flirting very closely with being carded. The Sounders came very close to breaking through on a very bizarre play 38 minutes in, as Nasco collieded with a defender, and Alonso shot from around 40 yards away. Nasco did get a hand on the ball, but was extremely close to being outside of the box, though the refs instead let the ball slide out for one of ten corner kicks for the home side. Alex Caskey continued the pressure two minutes from half, forcing Nesco to tip a shot over the crossbar for another corner. On the ensuing corner, the ball bounced through traffic to the back of the penalty box. Andy Rose was right in position, and shot a screaming right footer that burned the twine as it gave Seattle the lead going into the half.

Sounders fans want to see their team win an unprecedented fourth straight US Open Cup title. Photo: Rod Mar | Seattle Sounders FC

The Sounders doubled their lead quickly in the second half, as Cato continued to frustrate the Silverback defense. He sent the ball up to Alonso, who ran right around the defense and deposited the ball past Nasco for a 2-0 lead. Atlanta then gave Seattle a scare (and proved that a 2-0 lead is the hardest to keep in soccer) six minutes later. Defender Shane Moroney sent a ball onto Navia, whose hammer just inside the box beat Meredith and put the Silverbacks on the board. However, Caskey answered quickly for the Washingtonians, as he intercepted a clearance, outran the defense and once again had Nasco fetching the ball from the twine just a minute later.

The goal seemed to take the steam out of the Silverbacks, and things got chippy in the 59th minute as Navia came in with a real late tackle on Seattle’s Marc Burch, and the two engaged in a shoving match in Atlanta’s half. The scrum was eventually sorted out, and both players ended up with yellow cards. The Sounders refused to sit back though, as Alonso played a through ball to Ochoa after the ordeal was sorted out, and Ochoa shot inside the far post to make it 4-1. Just four minutes later, Ochoa once again capitalized on a sloppy Atlanta defense, taking subsitute David Estrada’s blocked shot and slicing twthe defense from the right side of the box to notch a brace. He was subbed out to a standing ovation shortly thereafter for Open Cup hero Roger Levesque, a smart move as Atlanta continued to play chippy.

Levesque, Estrada, and fellow sub Servando Carrasco were intent on getting in on the action as well, continuing to put pressure on Nasco and the defense to the end. Cato, who had tormented the Atlanta defenders all match long, was dealt a hard foul by late sub Jordan Davis, who earned a yellow for his late bump in the back. Seattle finished with 24 shots, and 14 on goal, never giving Atlanta much breathing room on the night.

Seattle will once again be back in action at Starfire next tuesday, as they host Eric Wynalda’s Cal FC. Cal FC beat the Portland Timbers 1-0 in extra time on Wednesday, becoming the first USASA side since Dallas Roma in 2006 to knock off an MLS team in the Open Cup. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Pacific/10:30 p.m. Eastern.

LINEUPS:

ATL- Joe Nasco (GK); Shane Moroney, Martyn Lancaster, Jose Burciaga, Jr., Raphael Cox; Tony McManus (Jordan Davis 84′), Ciaran O’Brien, Danilo Turcois, Borfor Carr (David Santamaria 72′); Matt Horth (Nico Colaluca 63′), Reinaldo Navia. SUBS NOT USED: Daniel Illyes (GK), Lucas Paulini, Willie Hunt, Lindemar Ferreira.

SEA- Bryan Meredith; Marc Burch, Jeff Parke, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Zach Scott; Alex Caskey, Andy Rose, Osvaldo Alonso (Servando Carrasco 72′), Cordell Cato; Sammy Ochoa (Roger Levesque 70′), Eddie Johnson (David Estrada 46′). SUBS NOT USED: Andrew Weber (GK), Brad Evans, Fredy Montero, Christian Sivebaek.

SCORING
SEA: Andy Rose 44′
SEA: Osvaldo Alonso (Cordell Cato) 47′
ATL: Reinaldo Navia (Moroney) 53′
SEA: Alex Caskey 54′
SEA: Sammy Ochoa (Osvaldo Alonso) 62′
SEA: Sammy Ochoa 66′

BOOKINGS:
ATL- Reinaldo Navia 59′ (caution; Reckless Tackle)
SEA- Marc Burch 59′ (caution; Unsporting Behavior)
ATL- Jordan Davis 87′ (caution; Reckless Foul)

STATS:
Shots: ATL- 8; SEA- 24
Saves: ATL- 9; SEA- 2
Fouls: ATL- 11; SEA- 8
Corners: ATL- 2; SEA- 10
Offsides: ATL- 4; SEA- 4

Referee: Josh Wilkens
Referee’s Assistants: Ron Lagraff, Jeremy Hanson
4th Official: Chipalo Street
Attendance: 3,703
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 65 degrees

CCL resumes: Numbers show MLS improving; new format protects US & Mexican clubs

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(Editorial note: In league comparisons, clubs from MLS and USSF D2 are kept with league instead of federations of Canada and Puerto Rico)

As the CONCACAF Champions League returns to action this week with the Quarterfinals, Major League Soccer heads toward its greatest opportunity to win the confederation’s championship without serving as the event host. Improved performance away from home this year is arguably the key component to the league’s success.

Not surprisingly, the Mexican contingent ranks atop nearly every statistical category when it comes to the current format of the CCL. The dominance of the league’s clubs has seen it rank first in overall performance (point percentage) each year, including the current 2011-12 tournament. MLS, though is gradually improving and attempting to establish a firm hold as the number two nation going from near the bottom (ninth) in the 2008-09 season to fourth the following year and third a year ago.

The league has already compiled the second best road record over the course of the four years of the expanded tournament format.

Currently ranking second in overall performance for the ongoing tournament, MLS is in position to become only the second league to supplant the Mexican contingent from the top spot in road performance (of leagues with 5+ road games played) since the Puerto Rico Islanders and Montreal Impact made their remarkable runs in the inaugural edition of the new format representing the USL First Division in 2008-09.

The five MLS clubs compiled a .542 point percentage over the course of last summer while the Mexicans were a combined .472. If the numbers hold over the course of the championship stages, it could be just the second time in the four years of the event that a league surpasses the .500 record on the road with the Mexican sides finishing with a mark of .608 in 2009-10.

The Mexican clubs still hold a commanding advantage, however, in overall performance at .679 courtesy of ranking, as well as a tournament-best home percentage of .857. MLS trails by quite a bit with a mark of .573 overall and a below average performance at home of .604 that saw the league dip from its best home performance a year ago (third at .733) back to fifth.

Point-Percentage Rankings*

Overall Total 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09
MLS 4 2 3 4 9
Mexico 1 1 1 1 1
Costa Rica 3 3 2 6 4
El Salvador 8 5 7 9 t-5
Guatemala 6 4 6 5 t-5
Honduras 5 7 5 2 3
Panama 7 6 8 3 8
USSF D2 2 t-9 4 t-7 2
Home
MLS 5 5 3 5 9
Mexico 1 2 1 1 1
Costa Rica 3 4 2 6 3
El Salvador 8 6 7 7 t-6
Guatemala 7 3 6 4 t-6
Honduras 4 8 4 2 t-3
Panama 6 7 8 3 5
USSF D2 2 1 5 t-7 2
Away
MLS 2 1 5 2 8
Mexico 1 2 1 1 t-3
Costa Rica 5 3 t-2 t-5 t-5
El Salvador 8 4 t-7 9 t-5
Guatemala 7 t-last t-2 t-5 t-5
Honduras 6 5 6 8 t-3
Panama 9 6 t-7 7 9
USSF D2 3 t-last t-2 t-3 2

* Leagues with minimal appearances excluded from table (data included)

New Expanded Group Format for 2012-13

The good news for Major League Soccer and the Mexican clubs – not that they need it – is that the announced new format for the CCL starting this summer will likely make the two leagues the confederation’s two dominant forces. With the Preliminary Round being eliminated and all 24 clubs entering into an opening round of eight three-team groups, the Mexican and American entries (most likely MLS) will be seeded into different groups. Without facing one another, the clubs from the two leagues will undoubtedly be the favorites in each group.

Mexico holds an impressive history against most of its opposition with a total point percentage to date over .700 versus Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama. Honduras, MLS and the USSF Second Division have proven to be the pests for the perennial powers, but the numbers are still well above .500 with the trends showing an increase in the gap with all but MLS as they have dominated Honduras the past two years.

While MLS has not dominated its non-Mexican opposition, the league is clearly expanding the gap between itself and the second tier of competition from Central America. MLS has improved the past two years against nearly every league with the exception of a rare drop-off against Panama (from .750 to .556), holding a .500 or better mark against Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras for the current tournament.

The separation of Mexico and the American clubs is a present for MLS clubs, so long as they do not take the opposition for granted in favor of focusing on league play. Over the past four years Mexican clubs have accounted for nearly a third of MLS draws in CCL play (7 of 23) and almost half of their losses (20 of 43).

It will not be a walk in the park though if the MLS clubs draw teams from Costa Rica and Honduras, the two leagues other than Mexico than have traditionally been trouble for MLS. The two have accounted for a quarter of the league’s losses (11 of 43) in the event.

Mexico & MLS vs Other Leagues

League Opposing League Overall 2011-12 2010-11
Mexico Costa Rica .722 .750 .667
Mexico El Salvador .708 .500 .667
Mexico Guatemala .727 .500 .667
Mexico Honduras .650 .722 .750
Mexico Panama .778 – 1.00
Mexico Trinidad .833 – 1.00
Mexico USSF D2 .556 – .500
Mexico MLS .686 .633 .567
MLS Costa Rica .389 .500 .250
MLS El Salvador .694 1.00 .667
MLS Guatemala .583 .667 .500
MLS Honduras .472 .583 .583
MLS Panama .583 .556 .750
MLS Trinidad .542 – 1.00
MLS USSF D2 .444 – .500

Coming Up

With the three remaining MLS clubs on the same side of the bracket, changes to the current numbers for the league could be minimal. Toronto FC and the Los Angeles Galaxy square off over the next two Wednesdays (March 7 & 14) while the Seattle Sounders face 2008-09 semifinalist Santos Laguna the same nights as their peers.

The now three-time US Open Cup champions, in the midst of their second CCL campaign as the American tournament winners, have seen a dramatic improvement that is nearly double what they accomplished in their second year of play as an MLS club. A 2-1-5 record in 2010-11 has been put behind them with a 4-1-3 mark in the current tournament, going 3-0-1 on the road.

The Sounders became just the second team to win in Mexico, downing defending champion Monterrey, 1-0, a week after FC Dallas ended the winless status against Pumas. Toronto FC and the Galaxy have also both found success versus Mexican opposition. TFC is 1-2-1 over the last two years with a 1-1 draw in the current edition’s group phase against Pumas. Last year in group play they defeated Cruz Azul at home, 2-1, and played to a scoreless stalemate in Mexico. Los Angeles registered a 2-1 victory over Morelia in the group phase last summer.

Drawn into the other half of the bracket, Pumas or Monterrey will likely be the opponent awaiting the winner on the MLS side. They are joined by fellow Mexican side Morelia as well as El Salvador’s Metapan, who surprised many in becoming the lone club outside of Mexico and MLS to advance to the final eight.

Point Percentage: The calculation is determined from points that would be earned in a contest (3 for win, 1 for draw) out of points possible.

US Open Cup heroes Mike Fucito and Lamar Neagle make way for Eddie Johnson in Seattle

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Lamar Neagle raises Seattle's third Open Cup trophy. Photo: Gerald Barnhart

The return of US international Eddie Johnson to Major League Soccer Friday created a bit of a stir across North America as the expansion Montreal Impact picked him up via allocation and proceeded to trade him to the Seattle Sounders in exchange for Mike Fucito and Lamar Neagle.

The Sounders duo were a key part of the club’s success last year in the quest to capture an historic third consecutive Lamar Hunt US Open Cup championship, tallying a combined three of Seattle’s seven goals in the tournament and making seven total appearances.

The pair will now have an opportunity win the Nutrilite Canadian Championship featuring the Impact, Toronto FC, North American Soccer League side FC Edmonton and Sounders rival Vancouver Whitecaps. The Impact, new to MLS, won the tournament in its first official year as a CONCACAF Champions League qualifying event as a United Soccer Leagues First Division club in 2008 and went on to reach the Champions League Quarterfinals in a stunning campaign.

Fucito, who played in all four matches, was the Open Cup headline maker of the two, scoring both goals in the club’s tightly contested 2-1 Third Round victory over the local USL Premier Development League side Kitsap Pumas. The performance earned him TheCup.us Man of the Match and Player of the Round honors.

Mike Fucito, up front, celebrates during the 2011 post-game ceremony. photo: Gerald Barnhart

The following round, Neagle provided the insurance goal as he expanded Seattle’s 2-1 halftime lead against the Los Angeles Galaxy for the 3-1 quarterfinal victory.

The duo would both enter the semifinal contest as substitutes versus FC Dallas in a 1-0 decision and started the championship match, a 2-0 win, against the Chicago Fire.

Johnson, who has 42 caps with the US National Team and has been part of its youth program since playing for the U17s in 2000, returns to MLS after spending the past four years abroad. Signed by Fulham in 2008, the former FC Dallas (2001-06) and Sporting KC (2006-08) striker played 18 matches with Fulham and another 62 combined on loan to Cardiff City, Aris and Preston North End. He struck for only seven goals over that span (.09 goals per appearance) after registering 41 in MLS previously (.32 goals per appearance). Johnson has four career US Open Cup goals, all for Dallas.

CONCACAF Champions League makes changes; All 24 clubs enter altered group format

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A day after the United States Soccer Federation announced significant changes to its annual championship tournament, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the governing confederation CONCACAF announced its own major alterations to its Champions League competition. The new format for the 2012-2013 edition of the event will see the elimination of the 16-team Preliminary Round in favor of advancing all 24 qualified teams into an opening group stage of eight, three-team groups.

The new CONCACAF Champions League format will largely utilize the same date windows as was done previously with group matches running from late July to mid October. The changes appear to incorporate a flexible schedule format for the main stage with six dates available for four group contests, allowing the clubs to balance their play in multiple competitions. It will also, undoubtedly assist CONCACAF with severe weather situations which have arisen in the Caribbean and Central America in previous years.

The Championship stage – Quarterfinals to Final – remains unaltered with the eight group winners advancing from the opening stage. The three rounds of two-leg series will continue to run from early March to the first of May.

Previously, US Open Cup champions were unseeded clubs that were required to play in the Preliminary Round, though the 2011 champion Sounders were slated for a direct entry into the Group Phase due to the LA Galaxy winning both the MLS Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup. Under the new format, the clubs that were previously seeded will now be placed in a pot together for the draw that will determine the composition of the groups, ensuring the seeded teams will be distributed equally and avoid one another.

Clubs will also continue to be placed in groups without members from their own nation, though the Can-Am nature of Major League Soccer could still see a Canadian MLS club in the same group as a US MLS side.

The 2012-13 tournament will mark the fifth edition of the event. The Seattle Sounders will represent the US Open Cup for a third consecutive year while league foes Los Angeles Galaxy, Real Salt Lake and Houston Dynamo also participate. A fifth MLS club is likely again via the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. The Sounders struggled in their first campaign, winning just once in the 2010-11 group phase after winning the Preliminary Round series against El Salvador’s Isidro Metapan. The lone win came against Marathon (Honduras).

Seattle has advanced the success of Open Cup champions under the current CONCACAF format, becoming the first to reach the Quarterfinals. The 2007 champion New England Revolution were stunned in the Preliminary Round in 2008, falling 6-1 on aggregate to Joe Public (T&T). DC United, champions in 2008, also advanced versus an El Salvadoran club, Luis Angel Firpo, in 2009 to reach the group phase, winning a penalty kick tiebreaker after a pair of 1-1 draws. In the group phase DC was 3-2-1, missing the cut by two points despite having higher point totals than the second-place clubs in two of the other groups.

The Sounders continue their second CCL campaign with the Quarterfinals in March. They will face Mexico’s Santos Laguna, a regular contender in the CCL, March 7 and 14 while their league rivals Toronto FC and LA Galaxy square off those same nights in the series that would determine their Semifinal opponent should they advance. Seattle rallied from a 1-0 Preliminary Round deficit against Panama’s San Francisco to win 2-1 in overtime. Seattle finished second in the group at 3-2-1 behind Monterrey, whom they defeated 1-0 in Mexico.

Prior to the Champions League format the Columbus Crew were the last club to represent the US Open Cup in the confederation’s club championship event. The 2002 champion Crew won the 2003 First Round series, 4-2 on aggregate (1-2, 3-0) versus Panama’s Arabe Unido before exiting in the Quarterfinals against Monarcas Morelia, who cruised to the aggregate win with a 6-0 opening win, allowing Columbus to take the second meeting, 2-0.

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.

US Open Cup final glory for US Soccer legend Kasey Keller

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Check out the special Keller and Sounders wallpapers on our blog, Extra Time

Nearly a month after winning an historic third consecutive Lamar Hunt US Open Cup trophy, the career of former US goalkeeper Kasey Keller came to a heartbreaking end as the Seattle Sounders were unable to make up a three-goal deficit in the second round of the MLS Cup playoffs Wednesday evening.

The 2-0 victory on the night, 3-2 loss on aggregate to RSL, came before a crowd of 36,052 on a cool, rainy night at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, WA. Just over two weeks ago, the club and community nearly sold out the NFL venue with an exuberant crowd of 64,140 that came out to celebrate Keller’s career, which helped bring immediate success on the field to the young MLS franchise in its first three seasons.

Over the past three US Open Cup tournaments Keller was the co-leader in matches played among goalkeepers with Ronnie Pascale (Richmond Kickers), seeing action in nine games. He played, however, 30 more minutes and had an unbeaten 8-0-1 record as the club won the three titles, allowing just six goals in 870 minutes. He had an unblemished 7-0-0 record versus MLS opposition, allowing four goals in 660 minutes. Keller never allowed more than one goal in any game in his nine starts.

He was honored as TheCup.us 2009 Player of the Tournament in his return to the professional game in the United States. Keller began his professional career with FC Portland during the 1989 Western Soccer Alliance (later A-League / USL First Division), where he was honored as league MVP, but would spend the remainder of his career abroad with Millwall (England), Leicester City (England), Rayo Vallecano (Spain), Tottenham (England), Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany) and Fulham (England).

Special TheCup.us Kasey Keller & Seattle Sounders Wallpapers [+]

Although Keller only lifted the Open Cup trophy while with Seattle, his career was not without other esteemed moments. He played in over 100 games for the US National Team, winning three CONCACAF Gold Cups and earning US Soccer Athlete of the Year honors on three occasions. While abroad, he helped Leicester City win the 1996-97 Football League Cup (now Carling Cup) tournament.

Although Keller only played two games in his final Open Cup campaign, he went a perfect 180 minutes without allowing a goal as the Sounders blanked fellow CONCACAF Champions League side FC Dallas in the Semifinals, 1-0, and the four-time tournament champion Chicago Fire, 2-0, in the Final. Keller’s netminding proved critical in all three tournaments as the two-goal championship victory in 2011 marked only second time the team won by more than one goal in his nine appearances. He was victorious by one goal on six occasions and needed a penalty shootout to break a draw in the other.

Though he will not be with the club next spring, Keller also helped propel the Sounders into the Quarterfinals of the Champions League, marking the furthest point any representative as Open Cup champion has progressed in the four editions of the current format.

Kasey Keller’s US Open Cup Game Log

Rd Date Opponent League Min Score Result Note
R3 7/1/2009 @ Portland Timbers USL-1 90 2-1 W
QF 7/7/2009 Kansas City Wizards MLS 90 1-0 W
SF 7/21/2009 Houston Dynamo MLS 120 2-1 W Overtime
F 9/2/2009 @ DC United MLS 90 2-1 W
R3 6/30/2010 @ Portland Timbers USSFD2 120 1-1 D W 4-3 in PK, 2 saves
SF 9/1/2010 Chivas USA MLS 90 3-1 W
F 10/5/2010 Columbus Crew MLS 90 2-1 W
SF 8/30/2011 FC Dallas MLS 90 1-0 W
F 10/4/2011 Chicago Fire MLS 90 2-0 W

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