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U.S. Open Cup: SKC kicked out by Richmond, FCD turns tables on RSL

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The Richmond Kickers figured out how to do something no Major League Soccer team could — beat Sporting Kansas City at Livestrong Sporting Park.

The USL Pro side scored twice after a lengthy weather delay in the second half to keep its U.S. Open Cup hopes alive with a surprise 2-0 quarterfinal victory.

Sporting KC fielded a number of first-team players, with Teal Bunbury, Kei Kamara, Aurelien Collin and Matt Besler among those who started and Omar Bravo and C.J. Sapong appearing off the bench. It didn't matter. After play resumed following an 81-minute storm delay, Shaka Bangura scored to put Richmond ahead, and David Bulow iced the result with a penalty to seal Richmond's second consecutive win over an MLS team.

Richmond, which defeated the Columbus Crew in the Round of 16 and won the Open Cup in 1995, will face the Chicago Fire in an Open Cup semifinal on Aug. 30 at Toyota Park.

In another Open Cup quarterfinal on Tuesday night, FC Dallas topped Real Salt Lake, 2-0, at Pizza Hut Park in a reverse result of their league meeting on Saturday, when RSL won, 2-0, at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Jair Benitez scored on a free kick in the first half, and halftime substitute Jackson added an insurance goal to account for the scoring. Both players beat RSL backup keeper Kyle Reynish, who started in place of Nick Rimando (ankle injury).

FC Dallas will either host the Los Angeles Galaxy or play at the Seattle Sounders in the semifinals. L.A. and Seattle meet in Tukwila, Wash., Wednesday night.

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What do you make of Richmond's USOC run? Think the Kickers can knock off the Fire and reach the final? What do you make of FCD's victory over RSL? Disappointed that the top four MLS teams were all put on the same side of the bracket?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Promotion and relegation – couldn’t agree more. Richmond is a solid side and has for years been a competitive team that can hold it own.

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  2. Don’t be such a snob, we have every right to represent the US as any other team in America. While there might not be the funds like LA and NY have there is heart and determination. There is something to be said about small local soccer teams and if they can play with the big boys then they are good!

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  3. Not to be that guy — and I am usually the first person to defend single-entity — but it’s times like this that I really wish we had some form of promotion/regulation. Richmond is one of those teams, in one of those markets, that could jump into a top flight and hold their own (competition wise and financially) if they had the chance for a rainmaking like Championship teams do when they are promoted. One game does not make a trend, but Richmond has a pretty fair history of upsetting MLS teams.

    Honestly, Richmond could probably be a decent candidate as an expansion city (larger population than Salt Lake; urban center of a rich, populous, soccer-playing state; rapidly growing immigrant population; corporate depth; no major league teams to compete with; in the South). Of course, being close to D.C. is its biggest problem, but it’s really not that much less than the distance between D.C. and Philly.

    But it won’t happen, even if it made perfect sense in every way. Which is a shame, because Virginia still has no major league team (D.C. doesn’t count), even though it could probably support one very well. This makes promotion very attractive for situations like this, but we all know it’s not a possibility here. Sigh.

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  4. Puerto Rico has always been tough in the CCL, good luck to Richmond. Vancouver is coming along and Montreal has the next group of supporters to take the top division by storm.

    It is great to see the underdog shine. Europe has mimicked our playoff format quite well with the UEFA version. Underdogs Shlake and Shaktar seem to do well.

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  5. This tourny is a joke. No one takes this seriously nor should they. Its sad people are so desperate for soccer history here and so eager to copy europe that they want teams to take this seriously. The worst part of all is this determines a spot in the ccl and the thought of richmind respresenting the US is scary. The best regular season teams need to represent us not division three teams that would go bankrupt flying to mexico. This thing needs to go its a waste of time and adds congestion to the season. I would rather see mls vs europe friendlies (and I hate those) than this. But my most favorite part of all is that teams that win it think they are good.

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  6. Ask for your money back on the free tickets.

    Conversely, large pockets of the Chicagoland area have been/still experiencing power outages.

    Can’t really blame them for much other than not getting Mother Nature’s cell phone call prior.

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  7. and add a ps. chicago fire next time you give away tickets for free and change a start time please let someone know…thanks

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  8. Lets go Kickers..! Lets go all the way!

    Its kind of sad the the Kickers don’t get to host a single MLS team, but if they win it will show that it was no fluke. My best memory is the 2007 upset by the kickers over LA Galaxy where we saw Donovan dive and lay in the box to the booing of the fans. Really wish MLS teams would visit the USL sides at least once before the final.

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  9. 81 minutes. That is a shame. Must be nice to rest an hour and a half after 2/3’s of a game is played. Who needs conditioning anyways……… sheesh.

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  10. Chicago has shown since in two matches so far that they care about this competition. They fielded starters in Rochester and put out a pretty much first team about New York. Frank Klopas wouldn’t let them lose to Richmond. But the Kickers already won the 10,000$ prize, to congrats to them.

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  11. I don’t disagree with you, but if 100,000 people were showing up for the games, USOC would be huge.

    My point is, LA is probably going to rest Donovan toinght for the Madrid friendly which makes them more money.

    Do I like it ? NO is pisses me off. I want to see Donovan cry tonight, not his sub.

    But it is really up to the fans. 100% up to the fans.

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  12. As a Sporting KC fan, I really doubt Richmond will beat the Fire. Thought the Kickers win was due mostly to a lack of desire on the Sporting KC players part. Not to detract from the Kickers; they sat back, defended, and waited for their opportunity to score. Kansas City should have been able to score, but, while they absolutely dominated possession, they showed very little desire to create chances from the possession.

    Unless the Fire show the same lack of motivation, I doubt Richmond will win.

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  13. Dear USSF & MLS,

    Please make more of a marketing, prestige & relevance effort with our countries oldest Cup competition.

    Love, Soccer & MLS supporters

    Reply

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