2007 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP FINAL
FC DALLAS v NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
Oct. 3, 2007, Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, Texas (7 p.m. CT; FSC/FSE)
THE FINAL
• FC Dallas and the New England Revolution meet for the open national championship of soccer. For FC Dallas, they are hoping to win a second trophy in club history, after winning the 1997 U.S. Open Cup, defeating holders D.C. United on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw over 120 minutes. It's their third trip to the final, having lost 1-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy two years ago. The Revolution have reached one Open Cup, losing 2-1 in extra time to the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2001.
• For the final, influential Revolution midfielder Sharlie Joseph will be suspended. Both teams are relatively, with only long-term absences listed as out - Roberto Mina and Marcelo Saragosa for FC Dallas, and Joe Franchino for New England. Striker Taylor Twellman did not figure for the Revs in their 1-0 win at the weekend against Colorado with a groin injury, but is listed as probable.
• Of course, the site of the final could be something to overcome for the Revolution. Still to claim a trophy in club history, they've reached the MLS Cup Final each of the last two years, and lost both - both at Pizza Hut Park, in extra time in 2005 to Los Angeles, and last year on penalty kicks to Houston Dynamo.
• The victory by the then-Dallas Burn in 1997 was the only time in the 93-year history of the U.S. Open Cup that a team from Texas lifted the Dewar Trophy. Teams from Massachusetts have had a rich history in the oldest continuous sporting competition in the USA, but the last of seven championships won by clubs from the Bay State came in 1947 when Fall River Ponte Delgada reigned victorious, one of five title teams from that seacoast town.
• Alex Prus has earned the honor of refereeing the Open Cup Final. George Gansner and Kermit Quisenberry will run the lines while Terry Vaughn, the center official for the 2006 championship match, will handle the fourth official duties.
FC DALLAS
2007 OPEN CUP RUN
• On Sept. 4, FC Dallas reached the U.S. Open Cup final for the third time in club history when they defeated the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division (second tier) 2-1 in extra time at Qwest Field in Seattle.
• Carlos Ruiz broke the deadlock when he turned home an Arturo Alvarez cross in the first minute of extra time, then in the 119th minute, Abe Thompson converted a penalty kick after Dax McCarty was upended in the area. A stoppage-time goal from Leighton O'Brien brought a few tense moments, but the Hoops still secured their second Open Cup final berth in three years.
• Here's Steve Morrow's team in that semifinal: Dario Sala, David Wagenfuhr, Alex Yi (Aaron Pitchkolan 56), Clarence Goodson (Adrian Serioux 46), Drew Moor, Denilson (Dax McCarty 94), Juan Toja, Pablo Ricchetti, Arturo Alvarez, Carlos Ruiz (Bobby Rhine 109), Abe Thompson. Subs not used: Ray Burse (GK), Chris Gbandi, Anthony Wallace.
• FC Dallas reached the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup for the sixth time in club history after a tense 2-1 victory in extra time against the USL-1 Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. on Aug. 7.
• A wonder goal from one-time MLS veteran Stephen Armstrong gave the home side a 17th-minute lead, but Clarence Goodson headed home a corner kick six minutes later to pull FCD level. Five minutes into the extra period, Arturo Alvarez cut in from the right and lashed home a shot inside the near post.
• FC Dallas survived a penalty kick shootout for the second consecutive season in their opening match in the competition, playing to a 1-1 draw with the Atlanta Silverbacks over 120 minutes before advancing 4-3 over six rounds in a shootout.
• Carlos Ruiz scored in the 74th minute before Dan Antoniuk equalized for the USL First Division team four minutes later; three minutes later he was then sent off.
OPEN CUP HISTORY
• FC Dallas have reached the U.S. Open Cup Final twice in club history, winning one. The only honor in Dallas club history came in 1997, when they claimed the U.S. title, defeating D.C. United on penalty kicks after a scoreless draw in Indianapolis.
• They reached the final in 2005 but came out on the short end of the result, falling 1-0 to the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center as Herculez Gomez scored the game's only goal in the 25th minute.
• Here's the team from that night at The Home Depot Center: Scott Garlick, Bobby Rhine (Steve Jolley 86), Clarence Goodson, Greg Vanney, David Wagenfuhr, Arturo Alvarez (Abe Thompson 69), Ronnie O'Brien (Oscar Pareja 53), Carey Talley (Aaron Pitchkolan 54), Mark Wilson, Ramon Nunez, Roberto Mina
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
2007 OPEN CUP RUN
• On Sept. 4, the Revolution reached the U.S. Open Cup Final for the second time in club history, defeating the USL First Division's Carolina RailHawks 2-1 in extra time in New Britain, Conn.
• Anthony Maher gave Carolina the lead on six minutes with a side-foot finish to the right side of Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis. After Shalrie Joseph and Connolly Edozien saw red after a 42nd-minute confrontation, New England drew level in first-half stoppage time through Jeff Larentowicz.
• Neither side broke the deadlock in the second half, forcing the match into extra time with New England up a man after David Stokes was dismissed for hauling down Adam Cristman on his way to goal 10 minutes from time. Pat Noonan, who had seen shots go off the post twice on the night, fired the Revolution ahead three minutes into extra time against the nine-man RailHawks to secure the victory.
• Here's Nicol's team: Matt Reis, Avery John (Sainey Nyassi 91), Michael Parkhurst, James Riley, Khano Smith, Shalrie Joseph, Jeff Larentowicz, Steve Ralston, Andy Dorman, Adam Cristman, Pat Noonan (Chris Loftus 106). Substitutes Not Used: Doug Warren, Amaechi Igwe, Gary Flood, Kyle Helton, Bryan Byrne
• The Revolution advanced to the semifinals when they defeated the Harrisburg City Islanders 2-1 at Gillette Stadium in the quarters.
• Andy Dorman hit home with a third-minute volley and Taylor Twellman converted a Pat Noonan in the 17th minute to stake the Revs to an early lead. Matt Tanzini hit a spectacular long-range blast to pull the USL Second Division (third tier) to within a goal with 12 minutes left, but the Revolution held on.
• In the third round, the Revolution once again faced the Rochester Raging Rhinos (USL1) in the U.S. Open Cup, and again were given a scare before advancing 4-2 from their third-round tie.
• Steve Ralston scored in the 19th minute and Taylor Twellman in the 67th to seemingly send the Revs on their way, but Hamed Diallo scored twice in 10 minutes to pull the home side level. But Twellman scored in the final minute of regulation and Ralston added a penalty in stoppage time to send the Revs through to the fourth round.
OPEN CUP HISTORY
• The Revolution reached the Open Cup final in 2001, falling to the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 in extra-time at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, Calif. - a year before the same result would occur in the MLS Cup Final.
• Wolde Harris gave New England the lead on 30 minutes, but goals from Ezra Hendrickson (70) and Dan Califf (92) gave Los Angeles the trophy. The Revs began their run to the final with a 7-1 victory against PDL (fourth division) Mid-Michigan Bucks, then defeated Charleston Battery (A-League) 2-1, before knocking off Columbus Crew 2-1 in the quarterfinals and D.C. United 2-0 in the semifinals.
• Here's the Revolution team from that final: Jose Fernandez - Leo Cullen, Joe Franchino, Mauricio Wright - Jay Heaps, Leonel Alvarez, Nick Downing (Ted Chronopoulos 78), Caté, Braeden Cloutier - Andy Williams (Alan Woods 61), Wolde Harris (William Sunsing 68)
2007 HEAD-TO-HEAD
• This season, the Revolution won both regular season meetings, winning 1-0 on April 29 in Frisco, then 4-2 at Gillette Stadium three weeks ago.
• In the first meeting, the game's lone goal came after just 13 minutes. Jeff Larentowicz headed a half-clearance to Steve Ralston, who curled in a ball to Taylor Twellman near the penalty spot. Twellman then hit a side-foot volley inside Shaka Hislop's left-hand post.
• On Sept. 15 in Foxborough, Khano Smith had been dangerous from the start for the Revolution, and in the 29th minute he whipped in a low cross from the left flank that Pat Noonan turned home at the near post with a flick of the outside of his right boot. But FC Dallas pulled level just six minutes later. Dax McCarty swung in a high free kick from well out on the right, and Carlos Ruiz acrobatically rose up at the far post to twist a header back into the goal.
• After the break, the Revolution put the game away. Noonan grabbed his second in the 65th minute, finishing off a lovely short-passing movement. Steve Ralston took over from Jeff Larentowicz in the area and pulled back a quick pass for Noonan, who hooked it home.
• Then in the 78th minute, FCD 'keeper Dario Sala couldn't hold Andy Dorman's rolling cross from the left, and Taylor Twellman found Ralston on the doorstep, who finally prodded the ball over the line on the second attempt after Sala blocked the first.
• The Hoops pulled a goal back in the 84th minute when Ruiz powered home a header from a Dominic Oduro cross on the right, but Smith scored a deserved goal for his work on the night in the 90th minute, lashing home a right-footed drive from well outside the area that beat Sala inside his right-hand post.
• Here's Nicol's team (3-4-1-2): Matt Reis - James Riley, Michael Parkhurst, Avery John - Steve Ralston, Jeff Larentowicz, Shalrie Joseph, Khano Smith - Andy Dorman - Taylor Twellman, Pat Noonan (Adam Cristman 79). Substitutes Not Used: Jay Heaps, Marshall Leonard, Chris Loftus, Sainey Nyassi, Wells Thompson, Doug Warren
• Here's Morrow's team (4-1-3-2): Dario Sala - Drew Moor, Clarence Goodson, Aaron Pitchkolan, David Wagenfuhr (Dominic Oduro 83) - Pablo Ricchetti - Denilson, Dax McCarty, Anthony Wallace (Arturo Alvarez 69) - Abe Thompson, Carlos Ruiz. Substitutes Not Used: Ricardinho, Ray Burse, Chris Gbandi, Bobby Rhine, Alex Yi
• Said Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis after the game: "This was a good way to make a statement, especially because we are playing them again in the Open Cup coming up. Of course it was in the back of our minds. We were facing a team that you are going to play in a final, so you want to give them something they can think about, like, 'Oh well, we've played them twice this year and we haven't done too well.'"
• The Revolution lead the all-time series with 19 wins in 29 meetings (one by shootout), with 55 goals for; FC Dallas have won nine (one by shootout), with 37 goals scored, and their has been one draw.
