CHARLESTON BATTERY v FC DALLAS
Wed., Aug. 2, Blackbaud Stadium, Charleston, S.C. (7:30 p.m. ET)
FC Dallas face a difficult challenge in the fourth round when they travel to Charleston, S.C. to take on the Battery at Blackbaud Stadium - three times a graveyard for U.S. Open Cup hopes for MLS clubs. A year ago FC Dallas reached the final before losing to the Los Angeles Galaxy.
CHARLESTON BATTERY
U.S. OPEN CUP: Another USL team with a rich pedigree in U.S. Open Cup play - especially at their Blackbaud Stadium home, always a tricky proposition for MLS teams. Three times MLS teams have gone down to defeat in Charleston: D.C. United in the third round in 1999 (3-4 aet), the first visit by an MLS club to Blackbaud Stadium; MetroStars in the fourth round in 2001 (1-4); and MetroStars again in 2004, in the fourth round (0-1). ... Each time the Battery have knocked off an MLS team, they have later seen their Open Cup run ended by an MLS side, twice in the semifinals (1999, Colorado Rapids 3-0; 2004, Chicago Fire 1-0 aet). ... A year ago, the Battery were shocked in the third round of the Open Cup, losing 3-2 at home to the Des Moines Menace of the fourth-tier PDL, their opening match of the competition.
THIS YEAR: The Battery entered the competition at the second round, and came away with a difficult 1-0 victory against the adult amateur Sonoma County Sol (Ben Hollinsworth 49). Then in the third round, the Battery overcame an early to defeat fellow USL1 side Portland Timbers in Charleston (Ben Hollinsworth 37, 86 pen; Gavin Glinton 79 - Luke Kreamalmeyer 4)
FORM GUIDE: The Battery are tied for second place in the 12-team USL First Division, with 31 points from 20 matches, level with the Rochester Raging Rhinos seven points behind L'Impact de Montréal. ... The Battery are coming off a 2-0 loss to the Virginia Beach Mariners on the road last weekend, ending a three-game winning streak for Charleston. ... Former MLS striker Gavin Glinton (Dallas, Los Angeles) leads the Battery with 10 goals - third in the USL First Division - while Ben Hollingsworth has six, while Stephen Armstrong has five.
FC DALLAS
IN THE OPEN CUP: A year ago, FC Dallas reached the U.S. Open Cup Final for the second time in club history, but this time came out on the short end of the result, falling 1-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center. ... The only honor in Dallas club history came in 1997, when they claimed the U.S. title, defeating D.C. United on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw in Indianapolis. ... They've reached the semifinals three other times - losing in 1996 to D.C. United, in 1998 to Chicago Fire and in 2002 to Los Angeles Galaxy. They've also reached the quarterfinals on three occasions, in 1999, 2000 and 2004. ... Twice they've been dumped out at the first hurdle by lower-level competition - in 2001 by the PDL Seattle Sounders Select and in 2003 by the Wilmington Hammerheads (PSL). ... Dallas has also been defeated once by second-tier competition along the way: in 1999, losing to the Rochester Raging Rhinos 2-1 in extra time in the quarterfinals. The Dallas club has defeated second-tier (A-League or USL First Division) eight times in nine all-time meetings in the U.S. Open Cup.
LAST YEAR: A Herculez Gomez goal - his sixth in four U.S. Open Cup matches - stood up as the only goal of the game as the Los Angeles Galaxy claimed the Dewar Trophy for the second time, defeating FC Dallas in last year's U.S. Open Cup final. ... The Hoops reached the final with a 1-0 victory against the Chicago Fire in the semifinals at Pizza Hut Park - their first-ever victory at their new home (Ronnie O'Brien 20). ... FC Dallas reached the semifinals for the fifth time in club history when they defeated D.C. United on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes in their quarterfinal tie. United opened the scoring in the 47th minute when Dema Kovalenko set up Christian Gomez. But Kovalenko was sent off for a second bookable offense in the 72nd minute, then four minutes deep into stoppage time Carlos Ruiz stroked a cool finish past Troy Perkins to level the match. ... FC Dallas booked passage to the quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory in extra time against a nine-man Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium. Carey Talley (29) and Kyle Martino traded goals in the first half, and the draw stayed intact into extra time, when Danny Szetela and Frankie Hejduk were sent off with direct red cards. Abe Thompson gave FC Dallas the lead in the 113th minute, then Eddie Johnson converted a penalty three minutes later. ... In the third round, FC Dallas survived more giant-killing exploits from the USL Second Division Wilmington Hammerheads (third tier), getting two goals in extra time for a 3-1 victory (Talley 98, Mina 112 - Derek Popovich 18).
