MLS vs USL in US Open Cup Final

posted by kidpurple July 9, 2008

We will have one MLS team and one USL team in the US Open Cup Final this year. Two MLS powerhouses will play each other in one semi-final while two USL teams will do battle in the other semi-final.

The New England Revolution beat Crystal Palace Baltimore on PKs after a 1-1 draw to move into the semis with DC United who beat fellow MLSers Chicago Fire.

On the other side of the tournament we had the Charleston Battery beat FC Dallas 3-1 and the Seattle Sounders beat the Kansas City Wizards 6-5 on PKs after a scoreless draw.

This will be only the 3rd time since the beginning of Major League Soccer that a non MLS team has advanced to the final. In 1996 DC United beat the Rochester Raging Rhinos 3-0 in the final. Three years later the Rochester Raging Rhinos made it to the final again and this time came out victorious with a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids. Since that game the final has seen nothing but MLS teams – until now.

Posted in Charleston Battery, DC United, New England Revolution, Seattle Sounders, US Open Cup | Comments (0)

US Open Cup round of 16 results

posted by kidpurple July 2, 2008

A couple MLS teams dropped out of the US Open Cup last night to lower league opponents. Here are all the results:

Crystal Palace Baltimore 2 -0 New York Red Bulls

Richmond Kickers 0 – 3 New England Revolution

Cleveland City Stars 1 – 4 Chicago Fire

Rochester Rhinos 0 – 2 DC United

Miami FC Blues 1 – 2 FC Dallas

Charsleston Battery (4-3 on PKs) 1 – 1 Houston Dynamo

Carolina Railhawks 2 – 4 Kansas City Wizards

Seattle Sounders 2 – 0 Chivas USA

So we are left with 5 MLS teams, a single USL-2 team and a pair of USL-1 teams. This is what the quarterfinals look like for next week. Both the Revolution and DC United will not host these games at their normal home field. Dallas will be at Pizza Hut Park for their game.

Crystal Palace Baltimore at New England Revolution

Chicago Fire at DC United

Charleston Battery at FC Dallas

Kansas City Wizards at Seattle Sounders

Posted in Charleston Battery, Chicago Fire, Crystal Palace Baltimore, DC United, FC Dallas, Kansas City Wizards, New England Revolution, Seattle Sounders, US Open Cup | Comments (0)

US Open Cup Update

posted by kidpurple June 30, 2008

The third round of the US Open Cup is upon us.  There are 8 MLS teams remaining in the tournament – each of which will face a non-MLS team.

Three teams from the USL Second Division have made it to the round of 16.  These teams all face MLS teams in this round.  Here are those matchups:

Crystal Palace Baltimore vs. New York Red Bulls

Richmond Kickers vs. New England Revolution

Cleveland City Stars vs. Chicago Fire

The remaining lower level teams all came from the USL First Division:

Rochester Rhinos vs. DC United

Miami FC Blues vs. FC Dallas

Charsleston Battery vs. Houston Dynamo

Carolina Railhawks vs. Kansas City Wizards

Seattle Sounders vs. Chivas USA

The previous round saw the exit of 8 more USL First and Second Division teams along with the only team from outside USL to make it that far – Hollywood United.  Hollywood United are a part of the United States Adult Soccer Association.

What MLS teams may fall to their lower league opponents?

Posted in Carolina Railhawks, Charleston Battery, Chicago Fire, Chivas USA, Cleveland City Stars, Crystal Palace Baltimore, DC United, FC Dallas, Hollywood United, Houston Dynamo, Kansas City Wizards, Miami FC Blues, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Rhinos, Seattle Sounders, US Open Cup | Comments (0)

Good things in store for San Jose Earthquakes in 2008

posted by kidpurple March 24, 2008

The newly created San Jose Earthquakes team just finished up the Carolina Challenge Cup, an annual pre-season tournament featuring 4 teams.  This year along with the Earthquakes the New York Red Bulls, Toronto FC, and home team Charleston Battery.  San Jose went a perfect 3-0 to win the tournament while the USL team went 1-1-1 which was good enough to finish in 2nd place above the other 2 MLS teams.

Usually pre-season results don’t mean much – but that hasn’t been the case of the Carolina Challenge Cup.  Each of the past 4 years the winner of the Challenge Cup has gone on to see great results in the MLS regular season.  The winner has either won the MLS Cup or the MLS Supporters’ Shield in each of the past 4 years.

Which will it be for the Earthquakes?

Posted in Carolina Challenge Cup, Charleston Battery, New York Red Bulls, San Jose Earthquakes, Toronto FC | Comments (0)