RailHawks and Rowdies Shock MLS Clubs U.S. Open Cup
Published on May 29, 2013 under North American Soccer League (NASL) News Release
MIAMI, Fla. (May 29, 2013) - Two clubs will fly the North American Soccer League flag in the Fourth Round of the centennial Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup having beaten Major League Soccer opposition on Wednesday night.
For the second year in a row, the Carolina RailHawks upset the reigning MLS Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy at the Third Round stage with a thrilling 2-0 win that saw both goals scored inside a three-minute spell to delight a record attendance of 8,121 at WakeMed Soccer Park.
The defending NASL champion Tampa Bay Rowdies edged the Seattle Sounders 1-0 at Al Lang Stadium with a 75th minute Georgi Hristov goal and a dramatic late penalty save by keeper Diego Restrepo.
Carolina will now face Chivas USA at home on June 12, eager to avenge a loss to the MLS club last year, while the Rowdies will face either the Portland Timbers of MLS or Wilmington Hammerheads of USL Pro, who meet late on Wednesday night.
The RailHawks win came as a tight game that could have swung in either team's favor was turned on its head after 58 minutes when Austin Da Luz forced a shot under Galaxy keeper Brian Rowe and then in Carolina's next attack, Brian Shriver raced clear to add a second goal.
The Rowdies broke the deadlock in the 75th minute as Luke Mulholland stormed into the box and unleashed a shot on Marcus Hahnemann's net that forced the keeper to give up a rebound, which landed perfectly for Hristov to tap in.
The Sounders were presented with a perfect chance to equalize when they were awarded a penalty kick in the dying minutes of the game after a scrum in front of Restrepo's goal and a handball that saw Jordan Gafa sent off. But Restrepo dove to his right and saved the spot kick by substitute and Nigerian international Obafemi Martins, preventing the Sounders from reaching at least the semi finals of the competition for the first time since 2006.
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Third Round Games Featuring NASL teams
Carolina RailHawks 2 Los Angeles Galaxy 0
Tampa Bay Rowdies 1 Seattle Sounders FC 0
Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0 FC Dallas 2
Real Salt Lake 3 Atlanta Silverbacks 2 (after extra time)
North American Soccer League Stories from May 29, 2013
- RailHawks Defeat LA Galaxy for Second Straight Year - North Carolina FC
- RailHawks and Rowdies Shock MLS Clubs U.S. Open Cup - NASL
- Rowdies Overcome Three-Time Champion Seattle Sounders - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Cosmos Name Nike as Team's Official Kit Supplier - New York Cosmos
- Silverbacks Force Extra Time, Fall to Real Salt Lake - Atlanta Silverbacks
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