After being eliminated by FC Dallas in each of the last two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups, the Charleston Battery were not to be denied and turned the tables, defeating the Hoops 3-1 at Pizza Hut Park in their quarterfinal.
The visitors from the United Soccer League's top division got goals from Lazo Alavanja in the 28th minute, another from Ian Fuller in the 43rd, which came shortly after the sides returned to the field following a 53-minute weather delay, and the final nail in FCD's coffin came in stoppage time from Randi Patterson. FCD's lone goal came from Kenny Cooper just before the final whistle.
FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman made a couple of changes to his starting 11 from one week ago. The first was inserting Blake Wagner in at left back for Adrian Serioux, who suffered a groin injury in a 1-1 draw with Kansas City on Friday.
Hyndman also inserted Abe Thompson, who had both of FCD's goals a week ago in the round-of-16 victory against Miami FC, into the starting 11 for Dominic Oduro. Thompson also had a game-tying goal against the Wizards on Friday.
The Hoops got the first few scoring chances of the evening. In the fifth minute, midfielder Andre Rocha's shot was right at Battery goalkeeper Dusty Hudock, who made the easy save.
One minute later, FCD had another opportunity. Cooper hit a great ball in from the right flank and the cross bounced around in the box before landing at the feet of Juan Toja, who shot right at the goal. Toja's effort was deflected and landed inside the six-yard box but Thompson was unable to get a shot off on the carom.
But for the second straight week, it was the visitors who drew first blood. After Wagner badly misplayed a ball just outside the Hoops box in the 28th minute, Alavanja, who played for the Dallas Burn in 1999 and 2000, corralled the ball.
He then won a footrace with FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala, chipping the ball just before the Hoops 'keeper reached him. FCD center back Duilio Davino and Wagner made great efforts at catching the ball before it went in but were too late by mere seconds.
In the 38th minute, heavy rain began falling in Frisco and one minute later, referee Doug Wolff blew his whistle and took both teams off the field after lightning was spotted in the area. After a lengthy weather delay that spanned nearly an hour, both sides returned to the pitch to finish the opening half.
FCD put together a nice sequence in the 42nd when Thompson hit a beautiful cross toward net from the right flank. His ball found Arturo Alvarez, but his shot from about 16 yards out hit the far post.
Not even a minute later, Charleston found the back of the net yet again. Battery midfielder Stephen Armstrong spotted Fuller open inside the 18 and all he had to do was convert, which he did by beating Sala high from about 14 yards out.
At the break, the Hoops had six total shots to the Battery's five. Charleston did have three of their efforts go on frame compared to just two by the host side.
In the 47th minute, Toja made a nice run on the left flank, dribbling around several Charleston players. He sent a ball towards the goal just before going over the endline but Hudock was there to save it at the near post.
Alvarez delivered a great ball from the left side in the 54th minute that was intended for Toja, who was completely on the other side of the field. However, while the ball was on its way to the Colombian international, Wagner got part of his head on it, slowing it down enough that Toja was no longer able to play the cross.
Hyndman first went to his bench in the 65th minute by bringing on rookie Eric Avila for Alvarez. Five minutes later, fellow rookie Brek Shea entered for Rocha.
In the 70th minute, Alavanja left the field for Aaron King. Just four minutes later, he was sent off for dissent after tossing the cap from a bottle in the direction of referee Wolff. It was Alavanja's second yellow of the evening, meaning an automatic expulsion.
The Battery then made any thoughts of a comeback academic just after the regulation 90 minutes were complete. Patterson first beat Davino at the top of the arc and then slotted a shot inside the far post and just out of the outstretched Sala's reach.
FC Dallas pulled back a consolation marker later in stoppage time when rookie Avila hit a ball from about 23 yards out into the middle of the Charleston box and Cooper headed it into the back of the net. But by then, it was certainly clear FC Dallas would not reach the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final for a second consecutive year.
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
