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Yomby William

2011 US Open Cup Semifinals: Chicago Fire end Richmond Kickers’ Cinderella run to reach 6th Open Cup Final

August 31, 2011 by Josh Hakala

Dominic Oduro’s game-winner was his 7th career US Open Cup goal. Photo: Brian Kersey | Chicago Fire

The Chicago Fire return to the US Open Cup Final for the sixth time with a 2-1 win over the USL’s Richmond Kickers at Toyota Park. A skillful goal from Dominic Oduro in the 61st minute proved to be the difference as the Kickers mounted a comeback with a William Yomby goal seven minutes later, but the Cinderella story came to an end for Richmond. The Kickers, without Open Cup-leading scorer David Bulow due to too many yellow cards, were attempting to become the first-ever third division team to reach the championship game, but instead the Fire will attempt to win a record-tying fifth Open Cup title on October 4.

In order to accomplish that, they will have to deny the Seattle Sounders a rare Open Cup three-peat on their home field. The Final will be played at CenturyLink Field in Seattle for the second year in a row in front of what will likely be a raucous crowd. In the tournament’s 97-year history, only three teams, Bethlehem Steel from Bethlehem, Pa., Maccabee AC from Los Angeles, and the Fall River Marksmen/New Bedford Whalers from Massachusetts have won five Open Cup titles. Meanwhile, only three clubs have ever won three in a row (Fall River Marksmen from Massachusetts, Stix Baer & Fuller from St. Louis, and Greek American SC from New York)

Both teams played an even game for the first half an hour, with neither team creating a dangerous chance. The only opportunities were shots from distance that were handled easily by Richmond’s Ronnie Pascale and Chicago’s Sean Johnson. The first breakthrough came from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute when Richmond’s Dave Hertel took down Patrick Nyarko in the box in the 32nd minute. The Kickers disputed the call, saying that Hertel got the ball, but the appeals fell on deaf ears and Sebastien Grazzini took the spot kick. Grazzini took a short approach and shot low and to the right as Pascale down the opposite way to make the game 1-0.

Dominic Oduro’s goal in the 61st minute proved to be the game-winner to send the Chicago Fire to their sixth US Open Cup championship game. Photo: Chicago Fire

The goal did little to rattle the underdog Kickers as they continued to play the Fire tough. Despite their solid play, they nearly gave up a second goal to Grazzini in first half stoppage time when the Argentinian found space on the right side of the box and fired his shot over the bar and onto the stage behind the goal.

After the break, Richmond nearly created a scoring opportunity when Matthew Delicate’s flick header found it’s way in behind the defense to Stanley Nyazamba but the referee’s assistant raised his flag for offside.

A few minutes later, Logan Pause received a ball at the top of the box and fired a shot on goal, but it fell harmlessly into the chest of Pascale for one of his three saves on the night.

In the 61st minute, the Fire broke the game open with an impressive goal from former Richmond Kickers Future (PDL) player Dominic Oduro. Nyarko passed to Oduro on the left wing, and the speedy forward dribbled forward, cut back to his right foot and bent the ball out of the reach of a diving Pascale into the side netting at the far post. The goal was sweeter for Oduro, as Pascale was on the coaching staff at Virginia Commonwealth University when Dominic went to school there.

Just seven minutes later, the Kickers, who created few chances offensively on the night, pulled to within one thanks to a header by William Yomby. Michael Callahan played in a free kick from the left wing, and Yomby skied up and nodded it toward goal. The ball deflected off the under side of the cross bar, landed over the line, and came back out. The officials saw it cross the line and awarded the goal to Richmond as they cut the lead in half.

The Kickers would throw everything forward in the final 20 minutes, but the Chicago defense held up to keep the scoreline intact and to punch their ticket to the US Open Cup Final.

“We looked a bit mentally tired after the last few calls, but I knew that we came out with the right attitude. We came out and all the guys worked hard. They created opportunities. We scored those two goals. I have to give a lot of credit to Richmond. They pushed the game. They’re a good team and they made it a tough game for us tonight,” said interim Fire coach Frank Klopas. “Now we’re in a position to win a Championship…. The great thing about this team is that they want to write their own history.”

The Kickers, though their season was over, had nothing to be disappointed about, either with the game or their Open Cup season. Their historic run made them the second professional Third Division team to make the Open Cup Semifinals since MLS began play in 1996, repeating the San Francisco Bay Seals’ 1997 run.

“If you would have said before the start of the season this is where we would have gotten to, I’d be happy,” coach Leigh Cowlishaw beamed. “There’s not a disappointment, there’s not regret. We went out there and played well tonight, and it was a perfect ending to the season from a performance standpoint.”

2011 US Open Cup Semifinals
Richmond Kickers (USL Pro) 1:2 Chicago Fire (MLS)

August 30, 2011 – Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL
Weather: Cloudy | Attendance: 8,909 (Toyota Park Open Cup record)

Scoring Summary
CHI – Sebastian Grazzini (PK) – 32nd min.
CHI – Dominic Oduro (Patrick Nyarko) – 61st min.
RIC – William Yomby (Michael Callahan) – 68th min.

Booking Summary
RIC – Stanley Nyazamba (Yellow) – 14th min.
RIC – William Yomby (Yellow) – 77th min.

Richmond lineup: Ronnie Pascale (GK), Dave Hertel (Shaka Bangura 66′), William Yomby, Henry Kalungi (Jamel Wallace 85′), Sascha Gorres, Luke Vercollone, Ryan Heins, Stanley Nyazamba (Nozomi Hiroyama 55′), Michael Callahan, Edson Elcock, Matthew Delicate

Unused Subs: Evan Harding, Bobby Fogelsong, Ross MacKenzie

Chicago lineup: Sean Johnson (GK), Dan Gargan, Jalil Anibaba, Cory Gibbs, Gonzalo Sagares, Marco Pappa, Daniel Paladini, Logan Pause, Sebastien Grazzini (Baggio Husidic 46′), Dominic Oduro (Diego Chaves 87′), Patrick Nyarko

Unused Subs: Jon Conway, Josip Mikulic, Corben Bone, Michael Videira, Orr Barouch

Stats

SHOTS: 9-6 Chicago
SOG: 5-2 Chicago
SAVES: 3-1 Richmond
FOULS: 13-9 Chicago
CORNERS: 3-2 Chicago
OFFSIDE: 1-1

Referee: Jasen Anno
Referee’s Assistants: Anthony Vasoli; Peter Balciunas
Fourth Official: Michael Kennedy
Attendance: 8,909
Weather: Overcast, later rain and 78 degrees

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Videos courtesy of Chicago-Fire.com

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2011 Semifinals, 2011 US Open Cup Semifinals, 2011 USOC Qualifying, Chicago Fire MLS, Dominic Oduro, Richmond Kickers, Sebastien Grazzini, Yomby William

2010 US Open Cup Second Round: Richmond Kickers dethrone Monarchs, earn date with DC United

June 23, 2010 by Beau Dure

Another year, another U.S. Open Cup run for the Richmond Kickers.

Defender Yomby William of the Richmond Kickers heads home a goal against Real Maryland in the second round of the US Open Cup. Photo: Pattie Anderson | Richmond Kickers

The Kickers, champions in 1995 and quarterfinalists three times since then, defeated Real Maryland 3-1 on a steamy Tuesday night in Richmond to earn a date up I-95 at D.C. United in the round of 16.

Mike Burke, who played for United in 2000, played a role in the first two Kickers goals. In the 10th minute, his free kick found defender Yomby William’s head to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. In the 69th, he played a ball to Roger Bothe, who centered to leading scorer Matthew Delicâte for the goal.

Richmond made it 3-0 in the 79th, with Stephen Nserko setting up fellow second-half sub Bobby Fogelsong.

Alan Sanchez pulled one back for Real Maryland in the 83rd minute, but it was too late.

The visitors got a boost from Andre Akpan, on loan from the Colorado Rapids. Akpan played in the Rapids’ qualifiers for the Cup, but because those games are organized by MLS and aren’t part of the Cup proper, he was not Cup-tied. The Harvard alum had several shots in the first 15 minutes and rang the crossbar in the 35th.

Richmond has met D.C. United three times in Open Cup play, winning a 2-1 decision in 2004.

RIC: GK Ronnie Pascale; D Yomby William, D Henry Kalungi, D Sascha Görres, D Dave Hertel; M Roger Bothe, M Mike Burke, M Edson Elcock, M Luke Vercollone (Bobby Fogelsong 60), M Jonathan Villanueva (Stephen Nserko 50); F Matthew Delicâte

RM: GK Brian Levey; D Jonathan Borrajo (Israel Sesay 66), D Kenneth Sola, D Gareth Evans, D Mason Trafford; M Nate Baker, M Ben Hunter (Sean Rush 76), M Nicholas Paterson, M Joel Senior (Jykel Noviello 46); F Andre Akpan, F Alan Sanchez

Scoring summary:
RIC Yomby (Burke) 10
RIC Delicâte (Bothe) 69
RIC Fogelsong (Nserko) 79
RM Sanchez 83

Cards:
RM Sola 58
RIC Vercollone 60
RM Hunter 73

Shots: RIC 12:8 RM
Saves: RIC 3:2 RM
Fouls: RIC 8:6 RM
Offsides: RIC 0:7 RM
Corners: RIC 4:3 RM

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2010 Second Round, Bobby Fogelsong, Matthew Delicate, Mike Burke, Richmond Kickers, Yomby William

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