2007 US Open Cup champs New England stay alive.
The defending Open Cup champion Revolution needed penalties to fend off the plucky CP Baltimore and will play DC United in the first semifinal. And for the first time since 1999, a USL.1 squad is guaranteed to reach the final of the US Open Cup, after both Charleston and Seattle advanced to the other semifinal.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CP Baltimore (USL.2) 1-1 New England (MLS) (Veteran's Stadium)
Crystal Palace Baltimore nearly pulled off the improbable, taking MLS's best club to penalty kicks before finally succumbing 5-3 on penalty kicks. Revolution apologists might point out that their line-up consisted largely of benchwarmers and reservists (although both Taylor Twellman and Khano Smith started), but you can't take anything away from CP Baltimore's colossal effort.
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Chicago (MLS) 1-2 DC United (MLS) (Maryland SoccerPlex)
Jaime Moreno assisted on both the equalizer Francis Doe and the extra time winner by Bryan Namoff. In the first half of extra time, a terrible double ejection by referee Shane Moody on a harmless exchange sent Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Marc Burch to the showers early. The ejection along with a string of injuries spells trouble for DC going forward, however.
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Charleston (USL.1) 3-1. FC Dallas (MLS) (PH Park)
If MLS had promotion/relegation, Charleston wouldn't be playing in USL.1, but FC Dallas might. The Battery flipped the script at Pizza Hut Park, scoring three unanswered goals to burn last year's Open Cup runners-up. Lazo Alavanja in 28th, Ian Fuller in the 43rd and then Randi Patterson rubbed salt in the wound in injury time. A goal by Kenny Cooper seconds before full time did nothing to salve the home sides' ills.
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Kansas City (MLS) 0-0 Seattle (USL.1) (AET) (Qwest Field)
KC and Seattle put on show with incredible saves, lots of near misses, a few rail rattlers and one apparent goal (for Seattle) called back for offside. It was a shame someone had to lose. And an even bigger shame that it had to be settled in penalty kicks. But such is life. Seattle makes it an all USL.1 semifinal, winning 6-5 in PKs.
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Semifinal Match-ups (August 12)
New England @ DC United (RFK Stadium) -- 7:30pmET
Seattle @ Charleston (Blackbaud Stadium) -- 7:30pmET
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