DC United defeat Philadelphia Union 4-2 in shoot-out at US Open Cup Play-in
The DC United defeated the Philadelphia Union 4-2 in a semi-final qualifier of the 2011 United States Open Cup, at the Maryland SoccerPlex, on Wednesday.
After a 2-2 draw in regulation time, United has managed to advance in the tournament on a penalty kick shoot-out.
The match had been a back-and-forth battle between the two Major League Soccer clubs, as both sides traded many goal scoring opportunities. However, Union’s striker, Carlos Ruiz provided his team a lead early in the first half. United’s striker, Josh Wolff
brought his team back in the competition with a brilliant equaliser in the same half.
The opening goal of the game came as a result of a defending error from Sheanon Williams, who had left Ruiz un-noticed and he wasted no time in netting the ball. The United defender, Ethan White, made a similar error when he could not clear a ball properly
and it deflected back. Striker, Joseph Ngwenya capitalised on it and made no mistake in sending it home on a rebound, a minute before the mid-way whistle.
The second half begun, with a 1-1 tie, both sides have produced some moments of trying to claim a lead, but none of the strikers got any success against their opponents. The game ended in a 1-1 draw after the regulation 90 minutes of play. During extra time,
United’s Daniel Woolard got the opening goal. Pressure and desperation began to reflect from Union’s play, after going under a one goal deficit. The team scrambled to find a way to score. Mid-fielder, Brian Carroll had rescued his team, with a free kick in
the 116th minute. The United goal-keeper, Bill Hamid, did not have any time to catch-up with the pace on the ball and he was thoroughly disappointed of leaking the equaliser, just before the closing time whistle.
This led to a penalty kick shoot-out, as Jack McInerney missed-out on converting a simple spot kick and let his team down. The United goal-keeper, Hamid made another magnificent save on a penalty kick from mid-fielder Roger Torres. United mid-fielder, Branko
Boskovic had it converted into an important goal, in the context of the game. Montenegrin had made it difficult for his team, as he carelessly sent a ball flying over the Union’s goal post.
DC United will play against fellow Major League Soccer side Sporting Kansas City for the US Open Cup title. Kansas City recently defeated the Houston Dynamo to get to this stage. A home game against the New England Revolution is another up-coming challenge
for DC United to take place at the Maryland SoccerPlex, on 26 April.
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