A-League Sweeps Second Round
June 27, 2002 - A-League (A-League) News Release
For the first time in modern U.S. Open Cup history, the final 16 teams of the tournament will consist solely of A-League and Major League Soccer clubs following an eight-game sweep by the A-League over the last two days in the Second Round.
The Seattle Sounders started the round off with a 2-1 road win over the Utah Blitzz Tuesday.
The remaining seven were victorious Wednesday with defending two-time A-League champion Rochester needing overtime for the fifth time in its 17-game tournament history to advance past the PDL's Des Moines Menace, 3-2. It was the third time that Rochester, who is undefeated (4-0) against lower division opponents in the Open Cup, has needed overtime to defeat a PDL team in the tournament. The Rhinos defeated the New York Freedoms 2-1 in overtime in 1999 to open their run to claiming the tournament championship.
After falling behind 2-0 on Kirk Wilson and Martin Nash tallies, the Menace rallied with goals from Tomas Boltnar and Edward Child to send the match to overtime at Frontier Field, where Lenin Steenkamp knocked home the winner three minutes in.
The Richmond Kickers advanced with a 3-0 road win over the PDL's Raleigh CASL Elite behind a two-goal effort from Josh Henderson.
Also scoring twice, John Barry Nusum led the Atlanta Silverbacks to a 2-0 win over the PDL's Memphis Express at DeKalb Memorial Stadium.
The Charleston Battery went to Greenville and took a 3-0 decision over the D3 Pro League Lions with Steve Klein and Raul Diaz Arce each notching a goal and assist.
The Rampage blanked the D3 Pro League's New York Freedoms 4-0 with goals from four different players. Angel Rivillo netted a goal and assist and Igor Soso had two assists on the night.
The Hampton Roads Mariners defeated the South Jersey Barons 1-0 in Camden, NJ.
A-League Stories from June 27, 2002
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- A-League Sweeps Second Round - A-League
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