CHARLESTON, S.C. - After his team wrapped up its third consecutive Carolina Challenge Cup on Saturday with a come-from-behind 2-1 win against the New York Red Bulls, Houston Dynamo coach Dominic Kinnear relaxed with a nice cup of Boddingtons.
It was more than a cup, really. Per tournament tradition, the sterling chalice awarded to the tournament winners each year is filled in the stadium's pub for the winning coach's pleasure - and anyone else who might be thirsty. It's a big cup.
Kinnear-led teams rule the four-year old tournament hosted by the USL First Division's Charleston Battery. In 2005 his San Jose Earthquakes won the tournament before claiming the MLS Supporters' Shield. Last year Houston lifted the CCC before, of course, going on to win MLS Cup.
"There may be something to it," Kinnear said. "Going into the season, you can't ask for better preparation for the season. Three high-quality games, a beautiful stadium, great fans. There's a reason we come back every year."
This year's edition of the Carolina Challenge Cup saw, along with Houston, Bruce Arena's New York Red Bulls, who participated in last year's tournament under Mo Johnston, and expansion club Toronto FC, led by Johnston.
Going into the final day of the weeklong round-robin tournament, the CCC title was very much up for grabs. Toronto, after a slow start (losing to the Dynamo 2-0) topped New York 2-1 midweek and handed a mostly reserve Battery side their biggest defeat in the history of the tournament, 3-0. Had Houston not pulled out a win against New York, Toronto would have walked away with the title.
Unfortunately for Toronto, Houston looked very much like the reigning MLS champions - in the second half - behind goals by Brian Ching and Alejandro Moreno.
"It may be a preseason tournament, but its one we take very seriously," Kinnear said.
And he wasn't the only coach who took the tournament seriously.
In tournaments past, coaches have often used the games to give reserves some playing time. Not as much this year. Injuries and national team call-ups did cause some regulars on all three teams to miss some time, but all three coaches, in all three games, played the strongest team they could field.
"The MLS teams are coming here and playing their best players the entire tournament," said Charleston Battery president Nigel Cooper. "That says a lot for the tournament. Just about every team in the league called wanting to play in the tournament this year."
"We'll come as long as they keep asking us," Kinnear said. "It's just a great tournament."
And the fans are coming too. In 2004, the first year of the tournament, a young player called Freddy Adu made his professional debut with D.C. United. He also happened to get a goal in the first game he played in Charleston.
"That was great for the fans," Cooper said.
But this year there was no Adu. There were other names, however, to draw people in through the turnstiles.
"There were some great names here this year," Cooper said. "Claudio Reyna, Bruce Arena, Brian Ching, Dwayne De Rosario. We had some of the best players in the country playing here. People recognized that. Turnout, as always, was great."
TOURNAMENT NOTES:
Andrew Mosier is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
