Charlotte Eagles End San Antonio Scorpions’ US Open Cup Run With Extra Time Win
The USL-Pro Charlotte Eagles continue their run into USOC play with a 2-1 quarterfinal win against the San Antonio Scorpions FC (NASL). The match was locked up at the end of regulation but an extra time penalty was the deciding factor that sees Charlotte advance to take on Chivas USA in the next round.
What FC Dallas slowly learned, the Scorpions quickly realized. Don’t expect the Charlotte Eagles to play like a team from the lower division who is on the road.
The Charlotte Eagles pressed on the gas early and resembled a free flowing offensive minded outfit committed to constantly attacking the opponent’s goal. In the first 20 minutes, Charlotte created several chances and ended up with seven shots in the first half. Their formation was fluid and resembled a 4-3-3, which switched to a compact formation when on the defensive side of the ball.
“We try to attack, we like to attack, whatever game it is we try to set the tempo and make a statement early and we defend as far as we can, but we’re coming after it,” said head coach Mark Steffens.
But as one would expect, any team who is offensive minded can be left open to counter attacks and that was certainly the case with Charlotte. In the 16th minute Pablo Campos was released into the box near the byline and centered the ball to a semi-open Esteban Bayona who lazily swung his leg in an attempt to catch Charlotte keeper Clinton Irwin but he was easily in the right place.
Bayona would continue to keep getting involved in the offense at the outset but for all his work, couldn’t find the right connecting pass on several occasions.
Things came to a head for the Eagles when in the 27th minute Charlotte forward Nathan Thornton went on a run from deep within midfield and punished the Scorpions back line for allowing him through unmolested while he powered a 25-yard shot past Scorpions keeper Daryl Sattler. The goal was the first allowed by Sattler in USOC play.
After a few opportunities from the Scorpions, the attack continued for Charlotte and in the 35th minute a corner came in and resulted in a shot on Sattler’s goal. Sattler dealt with it but immediately got up and gave his defenders an ear full.
Immediately after on the other end, Pablo Campos was released on the right-hand side of the box from a short pass by Hans Denissen. Campos was patient enough to expertly get around the defender and take a shot toward the opposite side of goal that just rolled into the goalpost and deflected back into the traffic of the oncoming Charlotte defense.
After a yellow on Campos for diving in the box, Bayona was fouled on the left for a free kick. The cross ended up at the head of Campos whose header was saved by Irwin to end the half. The Scorpions were frustrated but they were not defeated and came out immediately in the second with an early shot from Campos once again, on the left side of the box. Campos finished with eight shots on the night and put in a 120 minute performance to score his team’s only goal.
Charlotte never wavered and in the 57th minute Charlotte continued to pester the Scorpions defense and Eagles forward Mauricio Salles broke free from San Antonio defenders and shot low and toward the feet of Sattler who smothered the ball.
Scorpions winger Walter Ramirez was putting in an encouraging effort on the left flank and even assumed defensive duties in order to allow Blake Wagner, at left back, to move forward in attack at times.
He wouldn’t finish the match, however, as he was subbed for Javier Saavedra to which he exited the game visibly disappointed. Meanwhile, Hans Denissen was replaced due to injury, and Esteban Bayona was replaced by Fabian Kling, who usually plays as a defender.
Despite the changes, in the 73rd minute, Scorpions midfielder Jonathan Greenfield pounced on a misplaced pass and rifled a shot on goal forcing Irwin to save wide. The resulting corner was cleared but ended up at the feet of Javier Saavedra, on the right, who sent the ball to the opposite side where Campos leaped over two defenders to direct the ball toward the ground where it rolled just out of reach of a Charlotte defender to equalize, 1-1.
Just as the Scorpions finished celebrating, Charlotte advanced the ball from their own half at lightning quick speed and shot the ball from a forced turnover in San Antonio’s box, almost instantly going ahead if it weren’t for Sattler’s quick reaction save.
The play between Charlotte midfielder Juan Guzman and forwards Mauricio Salles and Darryl Roberts proved to be dangerous throughout the night for San Antonio.
After that, Wes Knight rescued the ball deep in midfield and raced toward the box with only Campos to his right. Knight sent Campos into the box, and patiently waited for the return pass. When it was given, he was slightly off balance and shot the ball up and over the bar to finish out regulation time.
Both teams came out slow in extra time, until Wagner went on a tear through the Charlotte defense and shepherded the ball into the box and almost completed a glorious run until the last shot was snuffed out by the defense.
From that point, each team traded blows with creative efforts at both ends of the pitch. Charlotte continued playing with quality on every possession and picked out defensive lapses in the waning minutes to get forward with quite impressive passing into the first period of extra time.
The second period started with more of the same on both ends, and players on both teams were expecting to score at any moment. Until a handball penalty was awarded to Charlotte when Scorpions defender Ryan Cochrane handled a low-flying cross into the box.
Mauricio Salles stepped up and sent Sattler the wrong way to finish an impressive match deep into extra time.
“We had a number of opportunities but we just couldn’t finish them and that ended up being the difference,” said Scorpions head coach Tim Hankinson.
As the ball was sent into the box, it appeared to skip off the ground and strike Cochrane in the hand but the referee was forced to call the penalty.
“When games go late, referees can decide the result and we need to do better in controlling the result. Let the players finish and decide the result, referees should never decide the result [of the match] and I think that he did tonight,” said Hankinson.
The Charlotte Eagles move into the quarterfinals to face MLS side Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center in Carson California, Tuesday, June 26th at 7:30 p.m.
“The Home Depot Center will get the guys pumped, it’s a couple of weeks away so we have some time. We’re struggling in the league but I think this will unify our team but we’re excited to play Chivas,” said Charlotte head coach Mark Steffens.
Comments are closed.
Ahhhhh, the lowly USL Pro D3 team has beaten an admittedly very good inaugural team in NASL.
Surely, the level of play at D2 is so much higher than at D3, so how could this happen?
Brian,
I’m sure it’s just a ‘late night’ oversight, but the Charlotte Eagles are in the USL Pro not USL-PDL.
Bart,
I don’t remember anyone claiming that NASL was much better than USL Pro, after all most of these clubs were all together at the same level for years. Additionally, with the likes of Rochester, Charlotte, Richmond and Charleston who had played well in the second tier for a number of years, not to mention Orlando City (formerly Austin) who came on the stage with a bang everyone expected them to be just as good as their counterparts. I feel the NASL have a better future than the USL Pro, but that doesn’t take away from the USL Pro teams have accomplished in the Open Cup this year. Congrats to all the USL Pro teams.
@Fotbalist: I agree. This whole debate about USL versus NASL have consistently been about the differences in business model, not quality. Congratulations to the remaining USL Pro teams. I’m hoping for another upset!
Fotbalist and Lego7. While the business model has been a topic. That is not all that was discussed. I’m not trying to start a war here but, MAJORITY of the posters here stated that NASL is head and shoulders above USL in terms of on field quality. I think they are one in the same and would like to see all of the teams play together in one league again and let the PDL be the third division.
I’m going to disagree about the quality of play.
Different people have had different takes on the quality of play between the leagues. I’ve seen people banter over which league is better when it comes to on the field play.
I can’t be the only person who’s ever seen it. Or maybe I am.
I’m gonna put it out there (y’all know I don’t care, I’m gonna give my take and if it hurts some feelings or people disagree then so be it):
From top to bottom, I STILL think the NASL is better. When you are paying guys and have better resources, I expect better results. Of course, I’m kinda simple that way.
I’ve previously been a season ticket holder for MLS, the second and third division. I’ve bought all three products. So my worthless opinion has been formed from seeing dfifferent coaching staffs come in with their clubs or following them on the interweb.
Harrisburg still being around is no shock. Talked them up on the podcast. Saw them in a scrimmage last month aginst the U of MD and their guys were getting after it like it was a USLPRO or USOC match because the competition is so fierce to get playing time on that club. They are wll coached and well organized.
Charlotte had been subpar this season until their USOC performances. They are always well coached and the missionaries always get guys who can play. So they aren’t a surprise in my book.
Dayton-I’m not gonna front. They have been TERRIBLE this season in USLPRO and now they look like a different squad.
Call it whatever you want, call it matchups, call it luck, call it being hot at the right time call it what–I gotta give them their props.
I’m saying that I think that there is a difference in the quality of the leagues, from top to bottom and that NASL clubs, and even in a cup competition, I expect more from them.
MN, SA for example–they took out some MLS competition and they made me proud. Even in defeat, some of the NASL clubs put up a good fight.
The Wilmington debacle was an embarrasment. Not coz they lost to Cal FC but how they got torched. Maybe they would have done the same to the Silverbacks, I don’t know. I’d like to hope not but I can’t say for sure.
I gonna render unto Tamper that which is Tamper’s. Next year, I hope that the NASL can make it further in the USOC.
I’m not saying that the level is a big one. I’m just saying that I consider there to be a difference. Just like I consider their to be a difference between MLS and the NASL.
That’s what’s great about a cup competition. I could care less about friendlies and preseason matches.
While i don’t think the game in SA should have gone to OT, the referee called an absolute BS handball in th 119th minute and essentially decided the game. I hate when a ref decides the game. That should have gone to a PK shootout. That particular ref is out of shape and was out of position for every call he made, for both teams. And what i mean by BS handball is not that it was and unintentional touch in the box, it didn’t even touch his hand.
Refs in Open Cup games have been crap for awhile now. Just ask Ben Olsen.
Fortunately, there may be some changes ahead. I read an SI article with some brief comments from Sunil Gulati and it appears the USSF will review the competition at the end of the year and will be looking at its format, venue selection, marketing and how to make broadcasts more accessible. Hopefully this will affect the quality of officiating as we approach the Open Cup’s centennial year.
Lego 7. Can you provide a link to that article. I’ve not seen it.
@Fotbalist, I don’t and couldn’t possibly write all the articles on IMS my friend. This is Andrew’s article who lives in San Antonio and reports for me. I’m guessing either Andrew or Teresa our editor made that correction.
Brian Q:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/avi_creditor/06/05/us.open.cup/2.html
Thanks, Lego7
@kevthegerman: That WAS BRUTAL call. The one that resulted in the Sounders first goal of the penalty against CalFC was harsh. I’m feeling you on the pk down in San Anton.
That’s a bitter way to go down. Real bitter.
@Yanki, “The one that resulted in the Sounders first goal of the penalty against CalFC was harsh.” Are you kidding me? On the replay he literally stuck his arm out at the ball. He knew exactly what he was doing and the ref made a good call on that one.
Didn’t see the SA call.
The ball skipped through the box from the midfield angleing toward the flag. I forget which player was NEAR the ball but it skipped at hip height, didn’t change trajectories slow down or anything and the ref blew the whistle and pointed to the spot. He was consistantly in the way of the flow of the ball and out of position.