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Eylander is unanimous POTR for quarterfinals
Seattle GK makes 13 saves including a pair of PK stops as the Sounders eliminate KC
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| Chris Eylander celebrates with teammate Zach Scott after Scott scored the winning penalty kick in the shootout to send Seattle to the semifinals for the second year in a row. Photo by George Holland |
Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander was a unanimous selection as the USOpenCup.com Player of the Round for the Quarterfinals. The award was voted on by the USOpenCup.com staff and members of the North American Soccer Reporters.
Eylander was challenged for the award by Jamie Moreno of D.C. United, along with goalkeepers Doug Warren of the New England Revolution and Eric Kronberg of the Kansas City Wizards.
The University of Washington alum helped the Sounders earn their fourth straight shutout in the tournament (a Professional Era single-tournament record of 420 shutout minutes), while holding Major League Soccer’s Kansas City Wizards to a scoreless draw through 120 minutes of play. After extra time, Seattle earned their second straight trip to the semifinals with a 6-5 win in the penalty kick shootout.
Eylander made 13 saves in the match, including two stops (Jimmy Conrad, Tyson Wahl) in the shootout to send the Sounders to a date with fellow USL First Division club, the Charleston Battery on August 12 at Blackbaud Stadium.
The goalkeeper took some time to talk with USOpenCup.com following his quarterfinal performance.
2008 U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals Recap
Three of the four games had to be settled in extra time
The quarterfinal round of the 2008 U.S. Open Cup seemed like it was never going to end...but in a good way. Three of the four matches went into extra time, with two of them finishing with penalty kicks, and the lone game to finish in regulation was hit by an hour and ten minute lightning delay.
The biggest story to emerge from the quaterfinals is that for the first time since 1999 (Rochester Raging Rhinos), there will be a team from the United Soccer Leagues in the U.S. Open Cup final.
That was made possible by the Charleston Battery’s 3-1 win over FC Dallas and the Seattle Sounders’ penalty kick victory (0:0 in regulation, 6:5 in PKs) over the Kansas City Wizards. The two teams will meet at Blackbaud Stadium on August 12 to decide which team will play for the Open Cup title, and a place in the 2008/09 CONCACAF Champions League.
Second string Revs avoid USL Second Division upset
PK save by Doug Warren in Round 4 keeps defending champs alive
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Veterans Stadium
New Britain, Connecticut
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1
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1
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After Extra Time
New England advance 5-3 on PKs
NER - Kenny Mansally (Brandon Tyler) 6’
CPB - Dan Lader (unassisted) 20’
CPB - Sergio Flores (SENT OFF) 119’
Penalty Summary:
NER - Chase Hilgenbrinck - GOAL
CPB - Shintaro Harada - GOAL
NER - Kheli Dube - GOAL
CPB - Bryan Harkin - GOAL
NER - Chris Tierney - GOAL
CPB - Matthew Mbuta - GOAL
NER - Amaechi Igwe - GOAL
CPB - Val Teixeira - SAVED
NER - Mauricio Castro - GOAL
Match Reports:
RevolutionSoccer.net
MLSnet.com
Boston Globe
Boston Herald
Baltimore Sun
Soccer-New-England.com
NewEnglandSoccerNews.com
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The New England Revolution’s defense of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup nearly ended in New Britain, CT at the hands of a resolute Crystal Palace Baltimore team on Tuesday night. Following 120 minutes of even soccer, the Revs pushed past Palace 5-3 on penalty kicks, with Mauricio Castro slotting home the final shot for New England.
Baltimore, who already claimed the $10,000 prize money as the USL-2 team that advanced the furthest, was attempting to become the first 3rd division club to advance to the semifinals since the San Francisco Bay Seals made the final four in 1997.
In a very similar lineup from their third round match against the Richmond Kickers (USL-2), the Revolution started Taylor Twellman, Kenny Mansally, Khano Smith along with a collection of players who, up until this point in the season, have not seen very much first team action.
The defending champs would get on the scoreboard first after just six minutes with Kenny Mansally running onto a Brandon Tyler pass and putting it past Palace goalkeeper Brian Rowland. Baltimore would equalize in the 20th minute on a Dan Lader tally after he buried a shot from the top of the box after it pinballed off a couple of players in front.
DC finally puts out the Fire
United eliminate four-time champs in extra time
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Maryland SoccerPlex
Boyds, Maryland
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2
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1
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After Extra Time
CHI - Daniel Woolard (Logan Pause) 36’
DCU - Francis Doe (Jaime Moreno) 77’
DCU - Bryan Namoff (Jaime Moreno) 99’
CHI - Cuauhtemoc Blanco (SENT OFF) 105+
DCU - Marc Burch (SENT OFF) 105+
Match Reports:
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For the first time in franchise history, DC United eliminated the Chicago Fire in a knockout competition, winning 2-1 after extra time in Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal match.
The Fire, winners of four U.S. Open Cup titles, looked to be on their way to a fifth when Daniel Woolard opened the scoring in the 36th minute when he caught the DC defense out of position after receiving the ball from Logan Pause.
The early going was shaky for DC, prompting some changes in the second half. It turned out to be the subs that helped make the difference for United. Jaime Moreno and Francis Doe with fresh legs combined for a 77th minute goal to even things up.
The second half saw the sides more aggressive with five cautions being issued, though the score remained even at full time. The MLS rivals determined to knock each other out of the competition did not hold back with all four substitutions being used by both squads.
Third time's the charm for Charleston
Battery avenge two years of quarterfinal losses to FC Dallas
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Pizza Hut Park
Frisco, Texas
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1
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3
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CHS - Lazo Alavanja (unassisted) 28’
CHS - Ian Fuller (Stephen Armstrong) 43’
CHS - Randi Patterson (unassisted) 91+
FCD - Kenny Cooper (Dax McCarty) 94+
Match Report:
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In 2006 and 2007, FC Dallas crushed the hopes of the Charleston Battery in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals. This year, it was the Battery’s turn to exact revenge, winning 3-1 in Frisco after waiting out a weather delay.
FC Dallas came out with a relatively strong lineup as they played most of their regulars for the match. They looked the stronger of the two teams out of the gate, controlling play early.
However, in the 28th minute, it was the Battery who struck first. Lazo Alavanja blocked a clearance by the Dallas defense near the top of the 18 and put it past keeper Dario Sala to give Charleston the 1-0 lead.
In the 39th minute, lightning struck. One hour and ten minutes later, play finally resumed after 9:00 local time.
Seattle creates All-USL semifinal with upset of Wizards
Sounders' Eylander makes 13 saves, including two PK stops in shootout
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Qwest Field
Seattle, Washington
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0
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0
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After Extra Time
Seattle advance on PKs, 6-5
Penalty Summary
KC - Ryan Pore - GOAL
SEA - Danny Jackson - GOAL
KC - Jimmy Conrad - SAVED
SEA - Sebastien LeToux - MISS
KC - Ryan McMahen - GOAL
SEA - Kenji Treschuk - GOAL
KC - Roger Espinoza - GOAL
SEA - Kevin Sakuda - GOAL
KC - Kerry Zavagnin - GOAL
SEA - Leighton O’Brien - GOAL
KC - Mike Harrington - GOAL
SEA - Yousouff Kante - GOAL
KC - Tyson Wahl - SAVED
SEA - Zach Scott - GOAL
Match Reports:
Seattle Sounders
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With the steady hands of goalkeeper Chris Eylander leading the way, the Seattle Sounders are on their way to a second straight U.S. Open Cup semifinal appearance, after defeating the Kansas City Wizards on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw.
Both teams had good opportunities to jump in the lead in the first half. In the 3rd minute, Seattle’s Andre Schmid found himself found himself one on one with Wizards goalkeeper Eric Kronberg, but as Kronberg game out to cut down the angle of the shot, Schmid sent the ball wide right of the goal. Nearly fifteen minutes later, Mike Kraus received a through ball from John Leathers, and shot point blank from the top left corner of the penalty area, but Eylander made a sliding save. Near the end of the half, Hugo Alcaraz-Cuellar found Sebastian Le Toux in the box with a perfect through ball. Le Toux was brought down by Wizards defender Rauwshan McKenzie, but no penalty was called.
Midway through the second half, Seattle seemed to have the goal they were looking for, but were denied. Alcaraz-Cuellar again found Le Toux, who then chipped a shot over the head of Kronberg. As the ball moved towards an open net and a sure goal, defender Tyson Wahl cleared the ball off the line to keep the game scoreless. Seattle has not allowed a goal in any of their four Open Cup games this year.
After extra time ended scoreless, the match moved on to penalty kicks.
U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal blog
Follow along with us through all four games
Three of the four games going to extra time, two of them to penalty kicks. It was a great night for the U.S. Open Cup. Re-live all the action here.
Quarterfinal Previews
All four games to take place on Tuesday, July 8th
 Eight clubs remain, ready to determine who will meet on August 12 to determine the participants in the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final. USOpenCup.com takes a look at each match with news and notes, as well as our "Tale of the Tape" feature, comparing the statistics and results of each matchup.
Potential Quarterfinal pairings announced
The final eight teams will be narrowed to four on July 8
U.S. Soccer has determined the possible pairings for the quarterfinals of the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The matches will be played on July 8, and feature the winners of the tournament’s third round matches, to be played on July 1 across the United States.
Notable upsets in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open Cup
There have only been five upsets in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open Cup since 1995, therefore all four of them are, in fact, "notable."
Tampa Bay Mutiny (MLS) 3 : 4 (asdet) Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League)
September 7, 1996
Frontier Field - Rochester, NY
In front of more than 12,000 fans at Frontier Field, the Rochester Raging Rhinos knocked off Major League Soccer's best team, the Tampa Bay Mutiny, in sudden death overtime. It's known as one of the most exciting Open Cup games in the Professional Era. Henry Gutierrez and Doug Miller put the Rhinos up 2-0 at the half, but it was Roy Lassiter who began one of the most thrilling 10 minutes in modern Open Cup history. Lassiter's goal in the 80th minute brought the Mutiny to within one goal, but two minutes later, Miller would score his second to make it 3-1. The home crowd thought the game was over, but Tampa Bay would score two goals in two minutes (Carlos Valderamma PK in the 85th and Evans Wise in the 86th on an assist from Lassiter) to send the game into overtime. 23 minutes of sudden death overtime saw the Rochester crowd whipped into a frenzy when substitute, and Rochester native, Chris Kennell scored the game-winner in the 113th minute. The first-year franchise would advance to the Open Cup final that year, falling to DC United in the championship game.
San Francisco Bay Seals (D3 Pro League) 2 : 1 San Jose Clash (MLS)
August 20, 1997
Spartan Stadium - San Jose, CA
Ronald Cerritos converted an early first half penalty kick to put the San Jose Clash up 1-0, but the Bay Seals, the darlings of the 1997 tournament, got a pair of late goals from Shani Simpson (77th minute) and Shane Watkins (86th minute) to put them in the semifinals. San Francisco remains the only third division club to advance to the semifinals during the Professional Era (1995-present).
Dallas Burn (MLS) 1 : 2 (asdet) Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League)
August 11, 1999
Frontier Field - Rochester, NY
After a 71st minute goal by Mauro Biello put Rochester in front 1-0, the Rhinos were five minutes away from pulling off the upset in regulation when Jason Kreis tied the game up thanks to an assist by Paul Broome. After 20 minutes of extra time, Michael Kirmse scored the golden goal (assisted by Darren Tilley) to send the Rhinos to the semifinals, on their way to winning the tournament.
Minnesota Thunder (USL-1) 3 : 1 Kansas City Wizards (MLS)
August 24, 2005
Julian Field - Parkville, Missouri
In the midst of a disappointing run of league form, the Minnesota Thunder continued their run in the U.S. Open Cup with a road win over the Kansas City Wizards. It was the third MLS team Minnesota had eliminated in a row (Real Salt Lake, Colorado Rapids). Johnny Menyongar scored two goals and was a part of the third when his shot was re-directed by the Wizards’ Shavar Thomas and past goalkeeper Will Hesmer.
Colorado Rapids (MLS) 0 : 5 Seattle Sounders (USL-1)
August 7, 2007
Qwest Field - Seattle, Washington
Seattle completely dominated the Colorado Rapids in the worst loss ever suffered by an MLS team in the Open Cup. After two goals by Sounder defenders midway through the first half, Colorado’s Ugo Ihemelu put the ball into his own net to make it 3-0 Seattle at the half. The game was all but over, but when Colorado defender Facundo Erpen was sent off in the 49th minute, the Sounders poured it on in the second half to return to the semifinals for the first time since 1995.
Things you should know about the Quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup
In 2007, when the Seattle Sounders (USL-1) defeated the Colorado Rapids (MLS) 5-0, it was the worst loss suffered by an MLS team in the U.S. Open Cup.
In 2007, the USL First Division had three teams in the quarterfinals (Carolina, Charleston, Seattle), the most ever. That same year, only three MLS teams advanced to the quarterfinal round, the fewest ever. For the first time ever, two USL-2 teams (Richmond Kickers, Harrisburg City Islanders) made the round of eight in the same year.
The Carolina RailHawks and the Seattle Sounders won their quarterfinal matches in 2007, marking only the second time that two USL First Division teams had done that in the same year. In 1999, the Charleston Battery and the Rochester Raging Rhinos both made the semifinals, with Rochester eventually winning the tournament.
The USL First Division has been represented in the quarterfinals by at least one team in all but two tournaments (2000, 2006).
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