USL-1 Rochester Rhinos

Rhinos Looking To Advance To USOC Finals

Published on July 21, 2009 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Rochester Rhinos News Release


(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Rhinos will be looking to advance to the finals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament for the third time in team history. To do so, they will have to outscore a team they have never beat in Open Cup play - D.C. United (MLS) who has outscored the Rhinos 8-0 in three previous meetings and is the defending Open Cup champion. The two teams will kickoff tonight at 7:30 p.m. from the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Maryland.

The Rhinos advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 win against the Wilmington Hammerheads (USL-2) at Marina Auto Stadium in

Rochester. The Rhinos received goals from Tai Atieno and Andrew Gregor (PK) to avoid extra time for the only time in

their Open Cup run. Previously, in third round play, the Rhinos eliminated the Columbus Crew (MLS), by winning 5-3 in a penalty

kick shootout after a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes. It was the third straight match that Rochester needed more time to

advance. The club went to overtime to defeat Cleveland (USL-1) 2-1 and knocked off the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2) 4-2 in a

penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in the first round.

United advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup, by knocking off the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2), 2-1 in the quarterfinals on July 7. United began defense of their 2008 U.S. Open Cup title with a third round win Ocean City Barons (USL-2), 2-0 at the Maryland SoccerPlex. After finishing out of the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2008, United had to play through MLS qualifying rounds to reach the tournament. In the second MLS play-in round at RFK Stadium, United defeated FC Dallas 2-0 before defeating the New York Red Bulls 5-3 in Washington.

Rochester enters tonight's match with a 7-5-5 (26 points) in USL league play placing them in fifth place while United has posted a 6-3-9 mark one point behind MLS Eastern Conference leader Chicago (28 points).

Open Cup History: Since 1996, only 10 non-MLS teams have advanced to the semifinals. Only five teams have advanced to the semifinals after beginning play in the first round. The Charleston Battery (2008), Carolina RailHawks (2007), San Francisco Bay Seals (1997) and the Seattle Sounders (2007 and 2008) San Francisco Bay Seals (1997) remain the only "third division" club (now the USL Second Division) to advance to the final four during that span.

The Rhinos (1996 & 1999) and the Charleston Battery (2008) are the only USL teams to win a semifinal match. Rochester remains the only non-MLS team (since '96) to win the title when they defeated the Colorado Rapids 2-0 in 1999.

Rochester's path to the semifinals

6/9/09 - vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2) (T, 1-1, 4-2 pk's)

6/16/09 - vs. Cleveland City Stars (USL-1) (W, 2-1 OT)

6/30/09 - vs. Columbus Crew (MLS) (T, 1-1, 5-3 pk's)

7/7/09 - vs. Wilmington Hammerheads (USL-2) (W, 2-1)

D.C. United's path to the semifinals

6/30/09 - vs. Ocean City Barons (USL-2) (W, 2-0)

7/7/09 - vs. Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) (W, 1-0)

Next Time: The Rhinos will resume USL play on Saturday, July 25 when the return to Marina Auto Stadium to face the Cleveland

City Stars at 7:35 p.m. The two sides have met twice in league play this season, with each team winning 3-0 results in

Cleveland. The Stars also lost 2-1 to the Rhinos in Rochester in the second leg of U.S. Open Cup play.

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USL First Division Stories from July 21, 2009


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