2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal Scoreboard


Welcome to the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals blog...two games tonight, and we’ll be following both of them to see who we’ll see in the Final...either way, we know that we’ll see USL vs. MLS. If you would like to send us an email with your questions/comments... feel free to use our online email form.
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10:23 - That concludes the semifinals, we’ll have D.C. United hosting the Charleston Battery on September 3rd at 7:30 p.m. at RFK Stadium. Hopefully we’ll see a strong turnout from both fans...can’t be too bad of a trip from Charleston to D.C.

10:07 - PENALTY KICKS IN CHARLESTON!

CHS - Stephen Armstrong - GOAL
SEA - Danny Jackson - GOAL
CHS - Osvaldo Alonso - GOAL
SEA - Sebastien Le Toux - SAVED
CHS - Mike Richardson - SAVED
SEA - Kevin Sakuda - GOAL
CHS - Tim Velten - GOAL
SEA - Ciaran O’Brian - GOAL
CHS - Nelson Akwari - GOAL
SEA - Kevin Forrest - SAVED

10:05 - Not much left with penalty kicks nearing. Alonso is down and hurt, and that could be bad for the Battery if he is unable to participate in the PK shootout.

9:58 - NEAR miss by Aaron King, as the ball was crossed in by Richardson from the left wing, and King dove feet-first to re-direct the ball and sent it just wide of the far post.

9:55 - Big save by Hudock on a shot from distance by SEA.

As the clock continues to tick...still plenty of time, I just thought I would pass along that Charleston are 1-1 all-time in penalty kick shootouts in the Open Cup (Beating the Houston Dynamo in the third round of this year’s tournament, and losing to F.C. Dallas in a fourth round thriller in 2006). Seattle is 1-0 all-time, with their only shootout win coming vs. Kansas City in the last round.

9:52 - Back underway in the second overtime period. If the game is still tied after 120 minutes, we’ll have a penalty kick shootout.

9:46 - Halftime of overtime, both teams create chances, with Seattle sending a ball off the post early in the first overtime period.

9:42 - Chances galore...Battery nearly head home from point blank range, but it goes wide of the goal. Corner kick doesn’t produce anything. 101st minute, still 1-1.

9:39 - Another near goal by Seattle, but Hudock dives to his left.

9:37 - Seattle NEARLY go up a goal after a header by the Sounders put the ball off the crossbar!

We thought maybe we’d have an early night with both games starting at 7:30 p.m. -- but if we had been checking our history we should have realized that we haven’t had a round (finals aside) without overtime since the semifinals of 2006.

9:32 - Overtime is underway for Charleston & Seattle.

Just as a reminder, if Seattle wins...they will host D.C. United on Sept. 3rd at 11pm (yes, that’s an hour before MIDNIGHT on the East Coast). If Charleston wins, they will play at RFK Stadium (first Open Cup Final since they lost won the cup in 1996) on Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

9:24 - Overtime in Charleston.

9:21 - Both teams pushing for a late game-winner in Charleston. 3 mins. of stoppage time.

D.C. moves on to their first championship game since 1997 (when they lost in penalty kicks to the Dallas Burn at IUPUI’s Track & Field Stadium in Indianapolis, IN)

9:16 - Alonso for the Battery forces a diving save by Eylander as he tried to cross the ball (in the penalty area) across to the far post, where a man was open. Still tied.

As it sits...assuming D.C. holds on (up 3-1, NE playing with 10 men)...the final will either be at Seattle (11pm kick off) or Charleston will play at DC....both on Sept. 3

9:10 - D.C. takes advantage of being a man up with a second goal from Luciano Emilio. Moreno sent Ivan Guerrero down the left wing, and Ivan crosses it to Emilio who makes it 3-1 for United.

3,798 fans at Blackbaud Stadium (official)

9:08 - A couple players down in Charleston, giving the players a bit of a rest as they head into the home stretch in Charleston.

9:01 - Sebastien Le Toux was clear to the goalkeeper and put a shot right into Dusty Hudock.  Still 1-1 in Charleston.

8:58 - Still a bit of back-and-forth in both matches.  Wells Thompson has been SENT OFF for the Revolution for a second yellow card.  11 v. 10 in DC.

8:52 - Not much to report from either game. Both teams canceling each other out.

8:46 - Just as the camera pans toward Seattle’s offensive third, I noticed the fact that (and I know it’s a Tuesday) the crowd in Charleston is not all that impressive on the far side. But just as I make that mental note, Seattle creates another chance, sending a ball across the face of goal, and then moments later, Hudock (former Sounder) punched a ball to safety. Sounders putting on a little pressure.

8:43 - Le Toux broke into the box near the touch line and had it tackled away to earn a corner kick...but SEA have their corner cleared.

8:37 - A few minutes after the second half kicked off, we have another goal by D.C.! Santino Quaranta was on a diagonal run and received a ball from Jaime Moreno and he flicked it over Doug Warren to make it 2-1 United.

Charleston/Seattle are back underway and the Battery already have a put a ball toward goal with Seattle blocking a shot by Stephen Armstrong.

8:35 - DC/NE is back underway - see Radio links above.

8:25 - Halftime in Charleston as well...let’s get to some emails:

Tom in England is watching the sister club (Seattle) of his beloved Cambridge United. However, he’s a happy camper because Cambridge won their match earlier today 2-1.

Ed in Seattle writes: DC United wants it more because of the poor MLS season they are having.  Right now the USOC is their best guaranteed chance at making the 09-10 CCL.

Which answers the question for Wilhelm in Seattle and David in Toronto.

The Seattle "situation" is, if the Sounders win the Open Cup, the winner of the Open Cup earns a place in the 2009/10 CONCACAF Champions League. But since the Sounders USL team is technically folding to make room for the Seattle Sounders MLS team...the question becomes...who will get the place in the Champions League? There’s a few different opinions out there, but some people think that the Seattle MLS team should get the spot, even though it is a new franchise and it will not be the same players on the roster (although I’m sure there will be SOME carry overs -- like Le Toux, who has already signed with the Seattle MLS team.

And then there’s someone named "Miller" who seems to think I have something against Seattle... ? Good to know people still drink while watching soccer.

Kevin from Minneapolis thinks that if Seattle wins, the runner-up should get the Champions Cup place, he says: It should go to the runners-up, providing they haven’t already earned a way into the CCC via other means.  That should have happened for this year, meaning that FC Dallas would be in, rather than Chivas USA.  The spot awarded due to US Open Cup results should not end up based on MLS results.

Roberto says: Get real. If Seattle wins the whole thing, the USSF will HAVE to let Seattle be one of the two USA teams in the CONCACAF Champions Cup First of all, Seattle is the closest thing to a "promotion/relegation" there has been in the USA.  The club will be keeping the name, a significant number of the players, and all the front office staff when they move to the MLS. If they don’t get the chance to represent the USA, it’ll create some MAJOR resentment against the MLS.  Not exactly the best way to welcome a team to the league.

8:18 - It’s halftime at RFK...New England is holding up nicely against D.C.’s best team. 1:1

8:16 - Another great attack by the Battery...Patterson nearly heads in his 2nd goal, but Eylander was in a good position (by that, I mean, in front of his own net). Battery have really controlled the play for the last few minutes. NE continuing to threaten, Khano Smith sends a ball wide after a Cristman through ball.

8:11 - Cross by Charleston from the right wing, headed on goal by Spicer and stopped by Eylander, and Randi Patterson pounced on the loose ball to make the game 1-1.

Got some emails to get to as well...check out the link above for all your questions/comments. What do YOU think about the potential Seattle "situation" if they win the tournament. Might not matter if the Battery keep this attacking momentum going. I always thought that Randi Patterson would make a solid USL-1 striker, he could be one of those USL success stories if he continues to get better. He had a nice Open Cup run with the Carolina Dynamo (PDL) a few years ago.

For Germanese’s goal for New England, from what I’m told, he received a throw in, and then worked his way into the penalty area and fired a shot past Zach Wells.

8:07 - WOW! NE and CHR both equalize! (Had a computer issue, had to reboot...we’re back!)

7:49 - One more bit on the Seattle issue -- if they end up winning it, I’m sure that they will end up just giving the spot to the runner-up. But that’s just my guess.

7:44 - Even match so far in Charleston...I know that fans will be curious to see what happens if Seattle ends up winning this tournament. That’s certainly been a fun topic of conversation that is getting closer and closer to being a real situation. When I spoke to a USSF official about this last month, they said "We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it."

7:39 - According to the MLS Matchtracker - Namoff had the assist on the Emilio goal.

7:36 - Before we can even get comfortable in our seats...DC United has SCORED! Luciano Emilio from Gonzalo Peralta. It was a cross to the far post and Emilio headed it in. By the looks of the lineups, seems like DC wants this one a LITTLE more than NE does. Although, to be fair, this is a stronger lineup than what the Revs have fielded in recent rounds.

7:30 - A rainy night in Charleston...you’ll find the broadcast links above.