US Open Cup: The Silent Semifinals
By: Bob | September 4th, 2007
It is easy to imagine what it was like leading up to the final of the first US Open Cup in 1914. Not many people knew about the inaugural tournament and it received scant attention from the media. In other words, it was almost exactly like it is today.
The oldest cup competition in the United States, which happens to be one of the oldest cup competitions in the world, enters its semifinals stage on Tuesday and as is almost always the case it is being met with a collective yawn. This is a shame because this year’s tournament has featured a number of lower level teams knocking off MLS sides – the type of upsets that get everyone’s panties all aflutter during the NCAA basketball tournament, for example.
On one side of the bracket we see the New England Revolution hosting the Carolina RailHawks at the Revolution’s apparent home away from home, New Britain, Connecticut. Despite having to play with the albatross of an absurd nickname wrapped around their necks and despite the fact that they are in their first year of existence, the USL-1 RailHawks have made it this far. They face a New England club that made the US Open Cup final in 2001 but has otherwise faired poorly in the competition.
On the other side of the bracket and on the other side of the country, the Seattle Sounders will host FC Dallas. The USL-1 Sounders opened some eyes last round when they spanked the Colorado Rapids 5-0. They last made it to the US Open Cup semifinals in 1995, the last year before MLS teams joined the fray and essentially diminished the importance of the tournament. FC Dallas have made it to the semifinals five times and have advanced to the tournament final twice.
If you are one of the few, the proud, the brave who think the US Open Cup is a cool thing and that it is worth supporting, you will have to fire up your browsers because just like in 1914 the games will not be broadcast on television. What a pity.
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Comments
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Go Sounders and Railhawks. USL 1 represent. No matter the country or the Cup, I love to see lower division teams in finals. One of you guys kick some MLS ass.
Posted from
United Kingdom
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I will be attending the Railhawks vs. Revs and look forward to a good game.
Posted from
United States -
I wanted Carolina to be called the Cary Carpetbaggers, which I thought would have given the team a sense of history. Unfortunately they named them after a fictional bird. Do you think it’s a coincidence that the person who named the team was also the head of the local supporters club? Railhawks is such a stupid name.
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United States -
FYI for those interested in watching, the sounders vs Dallas game will be broadcast live (and free) on USLLive.com (http://usl.playonsports.tv/schedule/index.html). The Revs/RailHawks match is NOT on that site (which is what we USL-1 fans have to rely on to watch our teams’ away games), perhaps because it is the home team’s responsibility to produce the broadcast.
Posted from
United States -
Geez – Railhawks is a dumb nickname. But then, they’ve been playing football since April 2007, and you can’t argue with tradition.
Seriously, go Trainbirds! Er, Thunderfeathers! Um…Railhawks!
Posted from
United States -
Y’know, everyone’s gone crazy for Appalachian State, but the Seattle Sounders have pulled off TWO upsets against MLS sides — including a 5-0 throttling of Colorado — and they get no love at all. Soccer has a long way to go in this country.
Posted from
United States -
Railhucks lead 1-0 already, sixth minute goal
Posted from
United States -
You can listen to the Railhucks broadcast here:
http://wshafm.org/listen_to_wish.htmor the Revolution here:
http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/Posted from
United States -
New England down to ten men, Shalrie Joseph red card
Posted from
United States -
Connally Edozien sent off for Railhawks as well, both sides down to ten now
Posted from
United States -
Noonan header on a cross, 1-1
Posted from
United States -
Some quizzically bad officiating in the second game – Seattle seemed to be getting the short end of a lot. I loved Toja back at the All-Star game, but I’m starting to grow tired of his exaggerations and his 80’s-metal-band hair. I woulda preferred seeing the Sounders in the final – even after that thrashing of Colorado, FCD’s weapons (Denilson, Toja, stall-tactics, diving, etc.) still scare me a little more.
Could only listen to the audio feed of my Revs game (why, oh WHY couldn’t the Trainbirds have hosted it?! My school is only 20 minutes from Cary!), but it sounded like it had some officiating problems as well, though after a while our ref certainly wasn’t shy with the cards like the man in Seattle. I wish I coulda seen the first half skirmish for myself – the way the announcers (namely, the Lalas brother who still knows a thing or two about the sport) described it, RailHawk and ex-Rev (I wish I could use the term ex-Patriot, but that’s our other football team…) Connally Edozien had a personal score to settle with Shalrie and was after him all game… I didn’t get to see what Shalrie did to deserve his own send-off, so I can’t really say if matching fouls were the right call or not.
Huge that Larentowicz tied it up before half, I knew that’d be key. And Noonan, after two NOONAN-like misses in regulation, came through with the winner. And Cristman has still yet to look like a rookie – two assists in a cup semifinal? Huuuuuge.
AND CHRIS LOFTUS GOT TO PLAY OMGOMG.
Posted from
United States
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