2008 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP FINAL
D.C. UNITED vs. CHARLESTON BATTERY
Sept. 3, 2008, RFK Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C. (7:30 p.m. ET; FSC/FSE)
THE FINAL
• For the first time in a decade, teams from different levels in the U.S. soccer pyramid will battle for the open national championship when D.C. United of Major League Soccer takes on the USL First Division's Charleston Battery for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
• D.C. United is looking to win the Dewar Trophy for the second time in club history - the first also coming against a second-tier club (then called the A-League), and also coming at RFK Stadium, when they defeated the Rochester Raging Rhinos 3-0 in 1996, to complete the domestic double. This is the first time the Battery have reached the Open Cup Final.
• Since the inception of Major League Soccer, a non-top flight has won just once - in 1999, when Rochester defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-0. This is the first time two MLS teams have not comprised the final pairing since.
• United are looking to be the third MLS team to win the Open Cup on multiple occasions. The Chicago Fire have claimed the Dewar Trophy on four occasions (1998, 2000, 2003, 2006), and the Los Angeles Galaxy twice (2001, 2005).
• D.C. United still reports regular defender Gonzalo Peralta as out for the match, along with reserves Domenic Mediate, Quavas Kirk, Jeff Carroll and backup goalkeeper Zach Wells. Probable to be available are midfielders Fred and Marcelo Gallardo and strikers Luciano Emilio and Francis Doe.
• In their last league match, Battery goalkeeper Dusty Hudock took a nose-crunching knock to the face in the second half and Ian Fuller has struggled with a leg strain, but the Battery report their side looks fit going into the final.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
• The clubs have met twice previously in U.S. Open Cup, each winning once, with both matches played at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston.
• In 1999, the Battery claimed a stunning 4-3 upset of the future MLS champions in the third round of the competition. Mike Burke and Dean Sewell put Charleston two goals up within 24 minutes, but United bounced back with goals from Jaime Moreno, Chris Albright and A.J. Wood to lead with six minutes to go. But Ivailo Ilarionov scored with three minutes left in regulation time, then scored the golden goal 10 minutes into extra time for the victory.
• The next year, the teams met again, in the second round, but there would be no similar giant-killing exploits as United ran out 4-0 victors. Jaime Moreno broke open a scoreless draw with his 62nd-minute goal, then Raul Diaz Arce completed a hat trick in 17 minutes (67, 78, 84) to complete the rout.
• Here's United's team: Tom Presthus - Judah Cooks, Carey Talley, Eddie Pope (Carlos Llamosa 46), Jeff Agoos - Ben Olsen, Richie Williams (Geoff Aunger 80), Marco Etcheverry (A.J. Wood 80), Chris Albright - Jaime Moreno, Raul Diaz Arce
• Here's the Battery: Dusty Hudock - Darren Warham, Kevin Scott (Alan Woods 77), Gilbert Jean-Baptiste, Brent Sancho - Nicky Spooner, Temoc Suarez, Mac Cozier (Ivailo Ilarionov 65), Braeden Cloutier, Todd Miller - Paul Conway, Jon Akin (Derrick Brownell 65)
D.C. UNITED
2008 OPEN CUP
• On Aug. 12, D.C. United advanced to the U.S. Open Cup final for the third time in club history, first since 1997, with a 3-1 victory against the New England Revolution at RFK Stadium.
• Luciano Emilio headed United into the lead before the game was four minutes old, but Joe Germanese pounced on a poor clearance to level terms in the 34th minute. Santino Quaranta put United back into the lead in the 48th minute, and the game then changed in the 71st minute when Wells Thompson was sent off with a second caution. Emilio rounded off the victory with his second nine minutes from the end.
• D.C. United advanced to the semifinals in dramatic fashion, coming back for a 2-1 extra-time win in the quarterfinals against the Chicago Fire.
• Daniel Woolard put the Fire in the lead in the 36th minute, but when Jaime Moreno came on in the 62nd minute, he changed the game, setting up goals from Francis Doe (77) and Bryan Namoff (99). Both teams were left with 10 players when Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Marc Burch were sent off at the end of the first extra session.
• D.C. United survived a spirited challenge in the third round from USL1 Rochester Rhinos, winning 2-0 on the strength of a pair of free kick goals from Marc Burch. Burch scored in the 78th and 85th minutes to send United through.
OPEN CUP HISTORY
• Finalists in their first two years of the U.S. Open Cup and winners of the domestic double in 1996, United have reached the final for the first time since.
• After the 1996 Open Cup Final victory against Rochester, United took on the then-Dallas Burn in the championship match the following season, in Indianapolis, losing 5-3 in a penalty shootout after the teams played to a scoreless draw over 120 minutes.
CHARLESTON BATTERY
2008 OPEN CUP
• The Charleston Battery have survived five rounds to reach the Open Cup Final, the most of any team in the professional era (which began in 1996).
• In the first round, the Battery cruised to victory in the first round as a first-half hat trick from Darren Spicer (19, 27, 43) helped them see off USASA competition in the ASC New Stars (Aria Soccer Club, from south Texas) with a 3-0 victory.
• In the second round against USL-2 Charlotte Eagles, Spicer's 12th-minute goal put the home side into the lead. Charlotte midfielder Jorge Herrera leveled terms in the 67th, only to see Charleston claim victory with a final minute penalty kick converted by Osvaldo Alonso.
• In the quarterfinals, the Battery knocked the Houston Dynamo out of the Open Cup for the second successive year. A Marco Reda goal gave the Battery a 31st-minute lead, and after Charleston's Chris Corcoran was sent off in the 74th minute, Stephen Wondolowski hit for the equalizer in the 89th minute. Reda was sent off in extra time, but the Battery survived to a penalty shootout, which they won 4-3.
• The Battery then continued their magical run with another victory against an MLS team in the semifinals, defeating FC Dallas 3-1 at Pizza Hut Park. Lazo Alavanja gave the Battery a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute, then the game was halted for 70 minutes as thunderstorms rolled through the area. Four minutes after the restart, Ian Fuller doubled the Charleston lead, and Randi Patterson and Kenny Cooper each scored in stoppage time to provide the final 3-1 scoreline.
• Charleston then dispatched fellow USL1 side Seattle Sounders at Blackbaud Stadium to reach the final. The Sounders took the lead off an own goal,but Randi Patterson leveled terms in the 33rd minute. Again the match went to the penalty kick shootout, and Battery 'keeper Dusty Hudock turned aside Seattle's final attempt for the 4-3 win.
OPEN CUP HISTORY
• The Battery have gained a real giant-killing reputation in the Open Cup. Before this year, they had defeated MLS competition on four occasions - the win against D.C. United in 1999, and against Houston in 2007. The Battery also twice defeated the MetroStars, 4-1 in the second round in 2001, and 1-0 in the fourth round in 2004.
• They had reached as far as the semifinal stage on two prior occasions - 1999 and 2004.
FORM GUIDE
• Like D.C. United, the Battery come into the Open Cup Final off a scoreless tie, against the Puerto Rico Islanders on Fri., Aug. 28. The single point left the Battery still in third place in the USL First Division with 37 points, nine behind the Islanders and Vancouver Whitecaps, who are tied for first.
• Here's Mike Anhaeuser's team: Dusty Hudock, Kevin Nylen (Tim Velten 83), Marco Reda, Nelson Akwari, John Wilson, Chris Williams (Stephen Armstrong 72), Osvaldo Alonso, Mike Richardson (David Kenga 59), Ian Fuller (Chris Corcoran 86), Lazo Alavanja, Darren Spicer (Randi Patterson 65)
