Charleston (August 7, 2007) - FC Dallas advanced to the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the sixth time in team history on Tuesday night with a 2-1 overtime win over the Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina. Arturo Alvarez scored the game-winner five minutes extra time, cutting back from the right side before hitting a shot past Charleston keeper Dusty Huddock. For Alvarez, it was his fourth goal in the last five games he's played in.
The game was a rematch of the 2006 U.S. Open Cup, when FC Dallas defeated Charleston on penalty kicks at Blackbuad Stadium in the 4th Round after tying 3-3 through 120 minutes. FC Dallas will next face the winner of the quarterfinal match between the Colorado Rapids and Seattle Sounders, which is scheduled to be played later Tuesday evening on the west coast.
"We said before the game that if we play our own game and played our own soccer, that eventually our quality should come through," said FC Dallas head coach Steve Morrow. "And we fought hard all night. We matched their commitment, and I think we showed a lot of composure and calmness. We didn't get all the goals we wanted, but got the result in the end."
Charleston got on the board first on a blast by midfielder Stephen Armstrong in the 17th minute. Taking the ball down the left flank, an unmarked Armstrong ripped a dipping left-footed shot from nearly 35 yards over the head of FCD keeper Ray Burse to give the Battery the 1-0 lead.
Dallas nearly tied the game off the restart. Dax McCarty sent Abe Thompson through down the middle on the left side, and Thompson was able to turn and pass to Juan Toja at the top of the box. Toja then made a quick move inside the box to free himself but his shot bounced off the right post after getting by Huddock.
FCD kept the pressure up and evened the scored in the 23rd minute. McCarty sent corner kick in from the left side that was met by defender Clarence Goodson, who headed the ball past Charleston keeper Dusty Huddock at the near post to tie the games one a piece.
Dallas received bad news nearly 20 minutes later, when Toja sprained his right ankle on a sliding play and the following cross. He fought through the pain until halftime, but was replaced at the break by Dominic Oduro. Toja will be reevaluated when the team returns to Texas on Wednesday.
FCD continued dominating play to start the second half, however could not find the final touch. Thompson had the best chance in stoppage time, but his sliding stab at a cross from the right somehow lifted over the goal.
"We expected a difficult game coming in here, they always give us a hard time," said FC Dallas head coach Steve Morrow. "I thought we could have made it easier tonight for ourselves. We had a lot of chances which we didn't really take and our finishing wasn't as good as it could have been. But a lot of credit to my boys; a very resilient bunch and what ever it takes to get the job done do they do it."
Alvarez scored the winner five minutes into the first overtime period. Oduro received a ball on the left side from Chris Gbandi and moved forward, cutting inside before advancing the ball to his right to Bobby Rhine at the top of the box. Rhine quickly pushed the ball out to his right to Alvarez, who cut back to the middle before hitting a shot past Huddock into the right side of the net.
NOTES: Dallas forward Carlos Ruiz traveled with the team but was rested and did not dress...goalkeeper Ray Burse, making his first U.S. Open Cup appearance, became the 100th player in team history to play in an Open Cup game...Bobby Rhine tonight played in his 18th Open Cup game for the team, passing Jason Kreis for most Open Cup appearances in team history.
SCORING:
CHA - Stephen Armstrong (unassisted) 17
DAL - Clarence Goodson (Dax McCarty) 23
DAL - Arturo Alvarez (Bobby Rhine) 95
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
CHA - Kevin Nylen (Caution) 30
DAL - Adrian Serioux (Caution) 60
CHA - Anthony Catalano (Caution) 76
DAL - Drew Moor (Caution) 86
DAL - Clarence Goodson (Caution) 109
FC DALLAS: Ray Burse, Chris Gbandi, Clarence Goodson, Adrian Serioux, Drew Moor, Pablo Ricchetti, Marcelo Saragosa (Bobby Rhine 72), Arturo Alvarez (David Wagenfuhr 99), Juan Toja (Dominic Oduro 46), Dax McCarty (Aaron Pitchkolan 114), Abe Thompson.
Subs not used: Boris Pardo (GK), Michael Dello-Russo, Anthony Wallace.
CHARLESTON BATTERY: Dusty Huddock, Kevin Nylen (Jordan Hughes 114), Tim Karalexis, Chris Corcoran, Anthony Catalana, Lazo Alavanja (Gordon Chin 87), Mike Richardson, Stephen Armstrong, Luke Vercollone (Ian Bennett 46), Andre Toussaint, Byron Alvarez (Aaron King 75).
Subs not used: Keith Wiggans (GK), Brandon Curran, Armando Romero.
