skip navigation

USL Top Five – Open Cup Upsets

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 06/14/17, 8:02AM EDT

Share

USL clubs have played giant killer in previous editions of the historic tournament


Photo courtesy Sporting Kansas City

Nine USL clubs advanced to the Fourth Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup next week, the most of any league outside MLS in the tournament as the top division’s clubs prepare to enter the fray. From the likes of seasoned campaigners like the Charleston Battery and Rochester Rhinos, to those like FC Cincinnati and Tulsa Roughnecks FC who will face MLS opposition in the tournament for the first time, expectations are elevated.

All nine clubs will be hoping to write new chapters to the rich history the USL has had in the tournament. From the Battery’s run to the final in 2008, to the Rhinos’ victory in 1999, clubs have faced down the challenges posed by MLS clubs with aplomb. Here are five such instances from the past six seasons, where USL clubs overcame the odds to earn victory.

Charlotte Eagles 2, FC Dallas 0
May 29, 2012 – FC Dallas Stadium

The Charlotte Eagles had already made one trip to Texas in the Open Cup in 2012, defeating the PDL’s El Paso Patriots. By the time the Eagles’ run came to an end in that season’s quarterfinals, though, they’d be unofficially the Champions of Texas. The biggest victory in that run came on the road against FC Dallas in the Third Round. With Dallas struggling for form, its last league win had come on April 14, the host was also dealt a pair of blows in the first half when defenders Zach Loyd and George John both had to be substituted. Soon after John’s departure, the Eagles took the lead as Nate Thornton’s cross found Daryl Roberts for a headed finish into the left corner of the net and a halftime advantage.

Dallas tried to rally in the second half, and current U.S. Men’s National Team player Matt Hedges – then in his rookie season after a standout PDL career for Reading United AC – hit the crossbar in the 68th minute moments after Scott Sealy had hit the post. Then-Eagles goalkeeper Clint Irwin recorded the shutout, though, and Thornton put the finishing touch on the win with a second goal in stoppage time. Charlotte went on to defeat the San Antonio Scorpions in the Fourth Round, before falling to Chivas USA on a 94th-minute goal by Jose Correa to bring the run to an end to the club’s deepest run in the tournament.


Photo courtesy FC Dallas

Rochester Rhinos 1, D.C. United 0
June 17, 2014 – Sahlen’s Stadium

The Rochester Rhinos hadn’t had the easiest run to the Fourth Round of the 2014 edition of the Open Cup. The 1999 champions had needed overtime to get past a pair of strong PDL opponents in the Western Mass Pioneers and Reading United AC in the previous two rounds, but with those wins earned a home game against the defending champions, D.C. United.

The day of the game at Sahlen’s Stadium (now Capelli Sport Stadium) brought wind and rain to the Rhinos’ home, but the hosts earned a 13th-minute lead when current midfielder Mike Garzi broke down the left side and sent a low cross into the penalty area. Colin Rolfe turned the shot past United goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra, and Rochester had the upper hand. The early goal proved crucial as conditions worsened progressively throughout the night. United had defender Steve Birnbaum sent off on the hour-mark for his second yellow card as he dragged down current Harrisburg City Islanders midfielder Jonny Mendoza from behind, and moments later the first of two weather delays arrived, further stretching the game into the night. The Rhinos held firm over the final 25 minutes, though, to add another chapter to their giant-killing history.


Photo courtesy Rochester Rhinos

Orlando City SC 1, Sporting Kansas City 0
June 12, 2013 – Children’s Mercy Sporting Park

Orlando City SC’s first trip to Sporting Park had seen the side go toe-to-toe with the team that would end up winning the Open Cup in 2012 in Sporting Kansas City, but coming up on the short end of a 3-2 defeat. Returning to the same venue for a Fourth-Round contest in 2013 having already taken a 3-1 victory against the Colorado Rapids behind a pair of goals by Dom Dwyer in the previous round, the side was confident of reversing its prior result.

Orlando wouldn’t have Dwyer for the game, though, who was held out because of his loan to the Lions from SKC. But, within a minute of the opening kickoff, the visitor had the lead. Long Tan broke into space in the right channel to get onto a pass from Adama Mbengue, and his low shot to the left corner from 20 yards eluded the sliding effort to block of Aurelien Collin and diving effort by goalkeeper Eric Kronberg. From there, Orlando’s midfield and defense did the rest. Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo recorded a four-save shutout, and while SKC finished the game with 18 shots overall, the Lions were also dangerous on the counterattack. “We had a great start, and that gave us something to believe in,” said then-Orlando Head Coach Adrian Heath after the game. “I think for the people who were here last year, we proved that we’re a decent team, and I think we were the better team this year.”


Photo courtesy Mike Gunnoe / Sporting Kansas City

Harrisburg City Islanders 3 (4), New England Revolution 3 (3)
May 29, 2012 – Skyline Sports Complex

There have been some remarkably crazy games in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this decade, but for pure “what the heck did I just witness,” it takes a lot to beat the Harrisburg City Islanders’ penalty shootout victory against the New England Revolution in the 2012 tournament.

The game opened ordinarily enough, with the Revolution almost taking the lead early through Kelyn Rowe. Harrisburg gained a man advantage nine minutes before halftime when New England’s Diego Fagundez was sent off for a challenge on Tom Brandt, but the game progressed on to finish scoreless at the end of regulation. When overtime began, though, it went from standard to overdrive fast. Rowe gave the Revolution the lead in the 95th minute, and Lee Nyugen converted a penalty kick after Benny Feilhaber was brought down in the penalty area five minutes later. New England added a third, seemingly ending the contest as Feilhaber’s 103rd-minute goal made it 3-0 at end of the first overtime period.

But then, the City Islanders rallied. With nine minutes to go, Brian Ombiji put home a cross by Tom Mellor to give the hosts hope. Sainey Touray added a second in the 117th minute after a scramble in the penalty area, which saw Harrisburg throw everything forward, and with almost the final kick of the game J.T. Noone tied the game with a shot from 20 yards.


Photo courtesy Harrisburg City Islanders

Noone almost went from hero to goat, missing the City Islanders’ opening penalty of the ensuing shootout, but Rowe hit the crossbar for the Revs to close the second round, evening the score. Bilal Duckett, Drew Yates and Andrew Marshall, pictured, then found the net for the City Islanders in the third, fourth and fifth rounds, and when Nick Noble saved from Feilhaber, Harrisburg’s remarkable victory was complete.

Richmond Kickers 2, Sporting Kansas City 0
July 12, 2011 – Livestrong Sporting Park

As 1995 champions, considered the last before the modern era brought MLS teams into the tournament, the Richmond Kickers had already had some remarkable moments in the Open Cup in their history. When the Kickers reached the semifinals of the tournament in 2011, though, they accomplished something unprecedented on the way; Richmond was the first team to defeat Sporting Kansas City at its gleaming new home, Sporting Park.

The Kickers had already earned victory on the road in the Third Round, defeating Columbus Crew SC 2-1 behind an 85th-minute winner by Matthew Delicate. Visiting Sporting Kansas City, which had opened Sporting Park a little over month ago to great fanfare, the Kickers bent but didn’t break in the first half. SKC’s best chance came back off the post from Scott Lorenz in the 23rd minute, while Richmond almost grabbed a halftime lead only for Ryan Hertel to shoot wide four minutes before the break.

Midway through the second half, though, the weather arrived. A lightning strike sent the teams to the locker rooms in the 66th minute for a lengthy delay. Then, within a minute of the game restarting, the Kickers had a strike of their own. Shaka Bangura found the net off a counterattack that just eluded the goalkeeper, and while Sporting Kansas City pushed to equalize the Kickers added an insurance goal from the penalty spot through David Bulow with three minutes to go to seal their victory.


Photo courtesy Sporting Kansas City

The Kickers fell 2-1 to the Chicago Fire in the semifinals the following month, a goal by William Yomby only a consolation after the Fire had scored either side of halftime. The achievement places Richmond as the last side from outside MLS to reach the semifinals of the tournament, a feat this year’s group will now try to match.

Follow the USL Championship

Most Recent News

Most Read News

Latest Videos