It was a night of knockout soccer that saw three games go to extra time, two games go to penalty kicks, and one famous Mexican lose his temper and get sent off. By the time the smoke cleared, the glass slipper still fit for two USL First Division clubs, who had advanced to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. Why isn't this competition on TV again?
The Charleston Battery obliterated FC Dallas, 3-1, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, TX, scoring before an after an hour-long lightning delay in the first half and shutting down all but one meaningless strike in the 93rd minute. Meanwhile, the Seattle Sounders fought the Kansas City Wizards to a 0-0 draw and advanced 6-5 on penalties, thanks in part to a 12-save performance by Sounders goalkeeper Chris Eylander, who also saved two PKs to help Seattle advance.
Meanwhile, USL Second Division club Crystal Palace Baltimore pushed the defending Open Cup champion New England Revolution to penalties, but lost the shootout, 5-3. In Boyds, MD, Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Mark Burch were shown red cards in extra time, while Bryan Namoff scored the winner in the 99th minute to push D.C. United past the Chicago Fire, 2-1.
The Sounders were nearly undone by poor officiating on their home field for the second straight year in Open Cup play. Early in the first half, a Wizards defender pulled down Sebastien Le Toux in the box on a breakaway, yet the Wizards somehow weren't called for the penalty. Seattle also watched three shots hit the woodwork, which left it to Eylander to save the day.
Seattle will face Charleston in one semifinal, while the Revs will visit RFK Stadium to play D.C. United in the other, thus ensuring that a non-MLS club will reach the Open Cup final for the first time since the Rochester Raging Rhinos won it all in 1999. The Sounders have to be the Cardiff City of this competition. If they win the Open Cup, who gets the CONCACAF Champions League bid? The MLS Sounders that will replace them next season? Technically, those are two different clubs.
