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Battery captain Nelson Akwari led Charleston to the brink of an Open Cup Championship victory [Chris Leon / D.C.United]
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9/3/2008 11:05:07 PM
Battery edged by DC United in Cup Final Thriller
Washington, DC. The Charleston Battery lost to DC United in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final Wednesday night at RFK Stadium in front of 8,212. Ian Fuller scored the lone Battery goal to tie the game in the first half but Fred converted for United just after half-time to lift DC to victory.
The win gives United it’s first National Championship since 1996 and they advance to represent the U.S.A in the 2009 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League. It was the Battery’s first appearance in the Cup final and the first for a USL side since 1999.
Charleston started slowly and paid the price conceding in the 4th minute after the ball was worked to Luciano Emilio at the edge of the box. Emilio took a touch then drove a shot into the top corner as Hudock just failed to keep it out.
The Battery responded by pushing forward and were rewarded for their efforts with a goal in the 11th minute. Defender Nelson Akwari played an excellent diagonal pass out to Chris Williams on the right side. Williams cut inside his man then left the ball for Fuller just inside the box. Fuller fired home neatly into the bottom right corner.
Charleston almost took the lead in the 20th minute with a sweeping counter-attack from the left side. The ball was quickly worked to striker Lazo Alavanja but his hard left-footed effort cannoned back off the post.
In the 35th minute Stephen Armstrong was brought down twenty-yards out just to the left of center. Osvaldo Alonso took the ensuing free-kick but curled his shot over the cross-bar.
In the 45th minute DC came close after earning a free-kick twenty-five yards out. Santino Quaranta took the shot but his attempt was smothered by Dusty Hudock.
DC regained the lead in the 49th minute after a slotted through-ball to substitute winger Fred. Fred carried the ball into the box and beat Hudock with a sharp right-footed shot at the near-post.
The Battery piled on the pressure looking for an equalizer; Ian Fuller slipped a superb pass through the middle for Armstrong in the 66th minute but the defender just managed to shield the ball back to the keeper.
In time added on at the end of the match the Battery thought they had equalized after Marco Reda slipped the ball to substitute midfielder David Kenga at the edge of the six-yard box. The ball wound up in the back of the net but the goal was disallowed as Reda was adjudged to have been in an offside position.
Charleston returns to league action on Saturday night with a 7:30 PM match versus the Carolina RailHawks in Cary, NC (REAL 1340 AM / USLLive.com).
Match-up: Charleston Battery vs. D.C. United
Competition: 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
Venue: RFK Stadium (Washington, D.C.)
Date: September 3, 2008
Kickoff 7:30 p.m. ET
Attendance: 8,212
Weather: Clear, 87 degrees
Scoring Summary:
1 2 F
DCU 1 1 2
CHR 1 0 1
DCU – Luciano Emilio 4th minute
CHR – Ian Fuller (Chris Williams) 10.
DCU – Fred (Clyde Simms) 50.
Lineups:
DCU: 27-Louis Crayton; 4-Marc Burch, 18-Devon McTavish, 23-Gonzalo Martinez, 26-Bryan Namoff; 3-Joe Vide (7-Fred, 40), 12-Ivan Guerrero, 19-Clyde Simms, 25-Santino Quaranta; 11-Luciano Emilio (15-Rod Dyachenko, 7, 10-Marcelo Gallardo, 80), 99-Jaime Moreno (22-Ryan Cordeiro, 92+)
Subs not used: 20-Michael Zaher, , 28-Craig Thompson, 40-James Thorpe
Head Coach: Tom Soehn
CHR: 1-Dusty Hudock; 2-Nelson Akwari, 3-Kevin Nylen, 5-Marco Reda, 25-John Wilson; 6-Osvaldo Alonso, 7-Chris Williams (9-Darren Spicer, 73), 16-Stephanie Armstrong (21-David Kenga, 82); 8-Lazo Alavanja, 11-Ian Fuller (14-Aaron King, 80), 20-Randi Patterson
Subs not used: 4-Tim Velten, 18-Brandon Curran, , 22-Domenic Cianciarulo, 30-Keith Wiggans
Head Coach: Michael Anhaeuser
Statistical Summary:
DCU / CHR
Shots: 12/11
Shots on Goal: 5/2
Saves: 1/3
Corner Kicks: 2/7
Fouls: 13/12
Offside: 4/4
Misconduct Summary:
CHR – Kevin Nylen (caution) 33rd minute
DCU – Gonzalo Martinez (caution) 35.
DCU – Clyde Simms (caution) 46.
CHR – Osvaldo Alfonso (caution) 62.
Officials
Referee: Mark Geiger
Asst. Referee: Gregory Barkey
Asst. Referee: Robert Fereday
4th Official: Andrew Chapin
Sierra Mist Man of the Match: Fred
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