Looking for evidence that the U.S. Open Cup is important for Major League Soccer teams? New York Red Bulls defender Todd Dunivant presents Exhibit A.
"[In the last three years] the teams that have won the Open Cup have at least made it to the MLS finals," the Red Bulls defender said.
And Dunivant is an eyewitness, as well, having seen this theory proved last year when he was with the Los Angeles Galaxy and won the double. In fact it goes beyond the last three years. In five of the last six years, the U.S. Open Cup winner went on to play for the MLS Cup. The only exception? In 2002, when Columbus beat Los Angeles in the Open Cup. Oh, but the Galaxy went on to beat New England in MLS Cup.
So Dunivant's closing argument is clear: The Red Bulls are taking Wednesday's fourth round Open Cup match against the Wilmington Hammerheads of the USL Second Division (third tier) seriously. Very seriously.
"There's definitely a correlation," Dunivant said. "It gets your team in a confident mode, a championship mode. It's very important, I think. We're putting everything into it, that's how we're approaching this game."
The proof, obviously, comes at Legion Sports Complex in Wilmington, N.C., on Wednesday night. But, thanks in part to some favorable scheduling, the odds are pretty good the Red Bulls will field their first team against the Hammerheads.
Last year, the fourth round of the competition was played a few days after the MLS All-Star Game. The MetroStars trekked up to Rochester, N.Y., and were crushed by the Raging Rhinos, 3-1. It's the second consecutive year the team was bounced in their first game of the tournament. In 2003, they fell to the Charleston Battery 1-0.
If the Red Bulls players aren't looking at their own history in the Open Cup to know that upsets happen on the regular, they just need to rewind a few weeks ago when Dallas-based amateur side Roma FC stunned Chivas USA in penalty kicks in the third round.
"These teams are quality teams and even though they play in lower divisions, they're capable on the night of defeating anybody," Red Bulls interim head coach Richie Williams said. "You have to make sure you show up and ... especially with them playing at home, they're going to come out with a lot of energy and a lot of enthusiasm and if you don't match that, next thing you know you might be behind or you might not score and you go into overtime and lose on penalty kicks."
After leading the Red Bulls up the Eastern Conference standings into sole possession of third place, Williams will be the team's head coach for the last time Wednesday night. He'll hand the reins over to Bruce Arena, who will conduct his first practice Aug. 7.
There was a shaky start, with the Red Bulls going winless in five games in a row and taking what at times appeared to be permanent residence in the Eastern Conference basement. But he leaves with the team playing its best soccer of the year, riding a four-match unbeaten streak, which included three straight clean sheets.
"I've enjoyed it thoroughly and gained a lot of experience in the short stint that I've been the head coach," Williams said. "I'm happy to be one of the assistants again under Bruce. I still have a lot to learn as far as coaching."
One thing Williams learned is the importance of networking and it's paid off big time in preparing for Wilmington. Williams contacted Richmond Kickers coach Leigh Cowlishaw, who he played for last year when the team was in the USL First Division.
But the Kickers are in the Second Division now and have played the Hammerheads three times already. One phone call got Williams a full scouting report and a tape of Wilmington's last win -- 2-1 over the Kickers -- last Wednesday.
The Hammerheads currently sit eighth in the nine-team Second Division table with a 4-7-6 record. But Dunivant knows to look beyond the stats.
"It's a one-off game and it's at their place and they have that advantage," he said. "We have our work cut out for us. If they get an early goal, it's going to be a long night. We need to come out strong and take it to them."
He rests his case.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
