|
 With
the
2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
entering the fourth round on August 3, and with one Major League
Soccer team already out of the competition, we have uncovered
the biggest upsets in the tournament since MLS joined the
competition in 1996.
 Before
Major League Soccer entered the
U.S. Open Cup
in 1996, the last time that a team from a first-division league
in the United States competed in the U.S. Open Cup was way back
in 1966, when the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals of the ASL
won the Open Cup.
The biggest shocker of the
2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
so far has to be the Des Moines Menace, a Premier Development
League side, hammering the Atlanta Silverbacks 5-1 in Atlanta.
Also in the third round, the Minnesota Thunder of United Soccer
League shook up the bracket by knocking out one of the new Major
League Soccer expansion franchises, Real Salt Lake, in a 10-goal
thriller, 6-4.
In
1999, the Rochester
Raging Rhinos knocked off the defending U.S. Open Cup Champion
Chicago Fire 1-0 in the third round en route to winning their
first U.S. Open Cup title. In one of the most impressive U.S.
Open Cup title runs ever, the Rhinos earned victories over four
MLS teams (the Fire, the Dallas Burn, the Columbus Crew and the
Colorado Rapids).
Rochester is the only non Major
League Soccer franchise to appear in the final since 1996,
accomplishing that feat twice (1996
&
1999).
Lets have a look at
our top five upsets since 1996 …
5. August 4, 1999 - Third Round
Charleston Battery (A-League) 4, D.C. United (MLS) 3 (OT)
The Battery shocked the American soccer world in a thrilling 4-3
comeback victory over the 1999 MLS Cup Champion D.C. United in
the third round. D.C. United did not field their strongest team,
but the Battery took full advantage of that and knocked off the
three-time MLS Champion.
4. June 14, 2000 - Second
Round
Chicago Sockers (PDL) 0, Kansas City Wizards (MLS) 0 (7:6
penalties)
The Chicago Sockers of the Premier Development League shutdown
the Wizards and eventually advanced on penalties over the
soon-to-be MLS Cup Champions. The Wizards held a 23-8 advantage
in shots in the game, but it was Chicago that used a 7-6 edge in
the eight round penalty kick shutout to advance to the third
round. It was Chicago’s first-ever match against an MLS
opponent.
Penalty kick scoring:
Sockers - Costa (goal), Lara (goal), Collins (save),
Regan (goal), Carver (goal), Wilson (goal), Bobo (goal), Baker
(goal).
Wizards - Preki (goal), Vermes (goal), Brown (wide left)
Zavagnin (goal), Klein (goal), Glasgow (goal), Henderson (goal),
Okafor (save).
3. June 27, 2001 - Second
Round
Charleston Battery (A-League) 4, MetroStars (MLS) 1
The Battery took it to the MetroStars as they scored four second
half goals on their way to a convincing 4-1 victory. Gilbert
Jean-Baptiste, Paul Conway (who played at Hartwick College),
Brian Piesner and Mac Cozier all found the net against the
MetroStars and goalkeeper Tim Howard (who now plays for
Manchester United in England) in the onslaught. This match would
also mark the final U.S. Open Cup contest of 2005 Hall of Fame
inductee
Tab Ramos.
2. August 6, 2003 - Fourth
Round
Wilmington Hammerheads (USL-PSL) 4, Dallas Burn (MLS) 1
The Hammerheads pulled off the greatest upset in the 2004
tournament when they trounced the Dallas Burn 4-1 in the fourth
round. The Hammerheads are in the USL Premier Soccer League, the
third division of American soccer, and most of the players on
that team played soccer part-time and worked fulltime.
1. September 14, 1999 - Final
Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) 2, Colorado Rapids (MLS) 0
The Rhinos became the first non-Major League Soccer team to win
the U.S. Open Cup since the MLS came into the competition in
1996. The Rhinos put together an impressive run by knocking four
MLS teams out the competition, including the defending Cup
champion Chicago Fire, 1-0, in the third round.
Here is
a complete list of upsets over Major League Soccer teams since
1996 ...
September 7, 1996 - Quarterfinals
Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) 4, Tampa Bay Mutiny (MLS) 3
October 12, 1996 - Semifinals
Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) 3, Colorado Rapids (MLS) 0
July 24, 1997 - Round of 16
San Francisco Bay Seals (D3) 2, Kansas City Wizards (MLS) 1
July 30, 1997 - Round of 16
Chicago Stingers (D3) 2, Colorado Rapids (MLS) 1
August 1, 1997 - Round of 16
Long Island Rough Riders (A-League) 4, New England Revolution
(MLS) 3 (OT)
August 20, 1997 - Quarterfinals
San Francisco Bay Seals (D3) 2, San Jose Clash (MLS) 1
July 6, 1998 - Third Round
Nashville Metros (A-League) 3, Kansas City Wizards (MLS) 1
July 14, 1999 - Third Round
Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) 1, Chicago Fire (MLS) 0
August 4, 1999 - Third Round
Charleston Battery (A-League) 4, D.C. United (MLS) 3
(overtime)
August 11, 1999 - Quarterfinals
Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) 2, Dallas Burn (MLS) 1
(overtime)
September 1, 1999 - Semifinals
Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) 3, Columbus Crew (MLS) 2
September 14, 1999 - Final
Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) 2, Colorado Rapids (MLS) 0
June 14, 2000 - Second Round
Mid Michigan Bucks (PDL) 1, New England Revolution (MLS) 0
June 14, 2000 - Second Round
Chicago Sockers (PDL) 0, Kansas City Wizards (MLS) 0
(7:6 penalties)
June 14, 2000 - Second Round
Richmond Kickers (A-League) 3, Colorado Rapids (MLS) 0
June 26, 2001 - Second Round
Connecticut Wolves (A-League) 3, Tampa Bay Mutiny (MLS) 2
June 27, 2001 - Second Round
Charleston Battery (A-League) 4, MetroStars (MLS) 1
June 27, 2001 - Second Round
Seattle Sounders Select (PDL) 3, Dallas Burn (MLS) 2 (OT)
July 17, 2002 - Third Round
Milwaukee Rampage (A-League) 1, Chicago Fire (MLS) 0
August
5, 2003 - Fourth Round
Seattle Sounders (A-League) 1, San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) 0
August 6, 2003 - Fourth Round
Wilmington Hammerheads (USL-PSL) 4, Dallas Burn (MLS) 1
July 20, 2004 - Fourth Round
Charleston Battery (A-League) 1, MetroStars (MLS) 0
July 21, 2004 - Fourth Round
Richmond Kickers (A-League) 2, D.C. United (MLS) 1
July 13 - Third Round
Minnesota Thunder (USL-1) 6, Real Salt Lake (MLS) 4
USL - United Soccer League, PDL -
Premier Development League, MLS - Major League Soccer, USL-PSL -
United Soccer League-Premier Soccer League
About the U.S.
Open Cup
The U.S. Open Cup, the national championship of the United
States, began in 1914 and is the oldest annual team tournament
in U.S. sports. Modeled after England's famous FA Cup, the Open
Cup is open to all senior division teams, amateur and
professional registered with the United States Soccer Federation
(USSF).
The oldest trophy in the United
States team sports history was donated to the American
Amateur Football Association in
 1912 by Sir Thomas R. Dewar, a
British distiller, sportsman and philanthropist during a AAFA
(now known as United States Amateur Soccer Association) visit to
London prior to the 1912
Olympics.
The trophy was originally purchased for $500 and given
in the hope of promoting soccer in the United States and in the
name of Anglo-American friendship. The cup was first awarded to
the Yonkers Football Club (NY) in 1912 after they defeated the
Hollywood Inn Football Club (NY) at the Lennox Oval in New York
City. The trophy was officially adopted as the U.S. Open Cup
trophy prior to the Brooklyn Field Club's inaugural championship
in 1914 in Pawtucket, RI. The
trophy was retired in 1979, but was refurbished by the USASA in
1997 and was presented to the 1997 and 1998 Open Cup winners,
before permanently retiring to the National Soccer Hall of Fame
in Oneonta, NY.
U.S. Open Cup
History & Information
U.S. Open Cup History |
U.S. Open Cup Champions |
U.S. Open Cup Championship Results
|
2005 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup |
Most U.S. Open Cup Medal Winners
The great Bethlehem Steel teams
appeared in six of the first seven finals, winning the trophy
five times. In the the 1920's the competition was divided with
an eastern and western final, with the winners meeting in the
grand final. Teams from the professional American Soccer League
(ASL) dominated, and in 1924 the ASL's Fall River Marksmen
became the first to win the 'The Double' - the professional
league championship and the U.S. Open Cup. In 1929, a record
crowd of 20,000 packed Dexter Park in Brooklyn for the final
between New York Hakoah SC and St. Louis Madison Kennel, with
New York Hakoah SC winning the match 3-0.
Although it is now a
single-elimination tournament, between 1928 and 1968 the U.S.
Open Cup Final could be a two match (home and an away), or even
a best-of-three. Regardless of the format, the competition lost
its glamour over time, particularly when teams from the North
American Soccer League (NASL) declined to participate. But in
recent years, the U.S. Open Cup has returned to the public
attention as teams from Major League Soccer (MLS) have vied for
the historic trophy.
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