This is looking like it’s just not the San Jose Earthquakes’ year. Just a few months after capturing Major League Soccer’s Supporters Shield for best regular season record, the ‘Quakes are two spots out of playoff spot. And …
Tuesday they became a “quick out” in the Lamar Hunt U.S. OpenCup.
The Charleston Battery on the USL Pro League (U.S. soccer’s third tier) eliminated San Jose in a third round Open Cup contest Tuesday at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C., 1-0. The Battery’s Colin Falvey supplied the game-winner in the 73rd minute, not long after Earthquakes defender Brad Ring was sent for a second yellow card.
Major League Soccer’s other upset came in Orlando, where Orlando City SC prevailed in its third round match over Colorado. Dom Dwyer, who spent last year with Sporting Kansas City, scored twice in the 3-1 win at Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
Rapids manager Oscar Pareja played a strong lineup, using most of the same regulars who have seen his team go unbeaten over their last five MLS matches. The Rapids were down a goal (2-1) when goalkeeper Stew Ceus was shown a red card in the 56th minute.
D.C. United, Philadelphia, FC Dallas, New England, Sporting Kansas City, Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA all survived to move into the fourth round.
United, desperate for something good to happen with things going so poorly in league play, needed penalty kicks to squeeze past Richmond after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer.
Goalkeeper Joe Willis saved two of the Kickers efforts from the 12-yard spot, moving United into a fourth-round contest against Philadelphia. Jack McInerney opened the scoring for Philly, which rolled out its top lineup for a 2-1 win over USL-PDL side Ocean City.
League-leading Dallas got past the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, 2-0, on goals by Blas Perez and Matt Hedges.
Kelyn Rowe (pictured) had two goals and an assist as New England comfortably advanced, 5-1, over the Rochester Rhinos.
A largely second-choice lineup was enough for Sporting Kansas City to get past the Des Moines Menace of soccer’s fourth tier. Even though Peter Vermes used mostly reservists, Claudio Bieler and Kei Kamara were around to supply the goals in the 2-0 win at Sporting Park.
Real Salt Lake needed extra time to survive a challenge from Atlanta, the current leaders in soccer’s second division, the North American Soccer League. Manager Jason Kreis chose a mostly first-team lineup for the 3-2 win in Utah.
Finally, Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy went forward to convert a second-half penalty kick in a 2-1 win over the third-tier LA Blues.
Six MLS teams are in Open Cup action Wednesday night; the full schedule and complete results are here.