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History will record that New York Cosmos and FC Motown were eliminated from the 2017 US Open Cup at the same stage.
Since flirting with extinction (well, hibernation - they never really go away, just go to sleep) in the off-season, the Cosmos have been good but not dominant in NASL so far this year, and have made the peculiar decision to schedule a friendly (against Al-Hilal) in Saudi Arabia in the middle of their competitive season.
Still, even with a flight to Riyadh to think about and a starting lineup featuring six changes from the team that beat Puerto Rico FC 4-3 in NASL on May 14, it seemed reasonable to think the Cosmos would be too strong for Reading United.
Starting XI
— New York Cosmos (@NYCosmos) May 17, 2017
I #RUACvNYC pic.twitter.com/SKf905caBK
And the Cosmos started the game as expected, opening the scoring in the 11th minute through Kalif Alhassan.
11' Kalif Alhassan GOAL!! ⚽️
— New York Cosmos (@NYCosmos) May 17, 2017
0-1I #RUACvNYC
But Reading staged a late first-half mugging, scoring three times in six minutes to head into the half-time break with a 3-1 lead.
38' GOALLLLL!! Marie finds the back of the net on a great run!#RUACvNYC | 1-1#USOC2017
— Reading United AC (@ReadingUnited) May 17, 2017
41' GOAAALLL! Micaletto hits it on the volley to Reading in the lead!#RUACvNYC | 2-1#USOC2017
— Reading United AC (@ReadingUnited) May 17, 2017
44' Three goals in six minutes!! Pierrot slots it past Maurer! #RUACvNYC | 3-1#USOC2017
— Reading United AC (@ReadingUnited) May 17, 2017
If there was any suspicion the Cosmos were guilty of taking the game lightly, head coach Giovanni Savarese tried to set that straight with a couple of at-the-half substitutions that saw veterans Dejan Jakovic and Ayoze enter the game.
New York Halftime Substitutions
— New York Cosmos (@NYCosmos) May 18, 2017
⬆️Jaković
⬇️Mendes
⬆️ Ayoze
⬇️ Ochieng
3-1I #RUACvNYC
And Salvadoran international Andres Flores joined the match when the first 15 minutes of the second half failed to bring a goal for the Cosmos.
62' New York Substitution
— New York Cosmos (@NYCosmos) May 18, 2017
⬆️ Flores
⬇️ Herrera #RUACvNYC | 3-1
The changes did the trick: Danny Szetela brought the defending NASL champs back in to the game in the 63rd minute.
63' Danny Szetela GOAL!! ⚽️
— New York Cosmos (@NYCosmos) May 18, 2017
3-2I #RUACvNYC
And the Cosmos would enjoy much the better of the remainder of the match, but Reading defended deep and stoutly - surviving even the loss of Mohammed Adams to a red card in stoppage time.
90+2' Red Card issued to United's Adams. #RUACvNYC | 3-2#USOC2017
— Reading United AC (@ReadingUnited) May 18, 2017
FULL TIME: Goals from Marie, Micaletto, and Pierrot help United shock the Cosmos!#RUReady #USOC2017 pic.twitter.com/yDVQcT2l9c
— Reading United AC (@ReadingUnited) May 18, 2017
@ReadingUnited pic.twitter.com/mhpTMOXd7Y
— Artie (@aauchenbachIV) May 18, 2017
While Reading celebrated a victory over one of US soccer's most famous names, the other underdogs in RBNY-relevant matches in USOC did not fare so well.
In Rochester, FC Motown fell behind quickly to two goals from the Rhinos inside the opening 10 minutes.
A nice 1-2 in the box between @SosoTergou & @jochengraf and Tergou finishes from a tight angle - Its Sofi's 1st match of 2017! 1-0 #USOC2017
— Rochester Rhinos (@RochesterRhinos) May 17, 2017
Combo of @jalen_brown11 and @jochengraf work together again, this time Brown crossing to Graf and he goes 5-hole on Tartara 2-0 #USOC2017
— Rochester Rhinos (@RochesterRhinos) May 17, 2017
Motown head coach Sacir Hot had promised his side would play its preferred passing game, and his players did just that, refusing to engage in any damage limitation despite the Rhinos demonstrated ability to pierce the back line consistently and effectively.
Motown's positive approach made for an entertaining game and one could not say the New Jersey amateurs were overawed by their professional opponents. In possession, the defense pushed up confidently while the ball was worked smartly forward with crisp and attack-minded passes. But Motown never found the net, while the Rhinos added a third toward the end.
85' Rhinos GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!! @Rayane_b_fever Boukemia on the rebound of a Correia shot 3-0 #USOC2017
— Rochester Rhinos (@RochesterRhinos) May 18, 2017
It was ultimately a comfortable victory for Rochester, which will host Boston-based amateurs GPS Omens in the third round.
Rhinos Defeat FC Motown 3-0, Advance to Third Round of US Open Cup https://t.co/ONEarou5lM
— Rochester Rhinos (@RochesterRhinos) May 18, 2017
.@GPS_Omens - the white-collar amateurs from Boston - are through to the 3rd Round after beating @bostoncityfc1. #USOC2017 https://t.co/MhiiBVcrDq
— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) May 18, 2017
FC Motown's run is over, but the team's continuing domination of the Garden State Soccer League suggests this won't be its last US Open Cup campaign. But it won't be a surprise package next time around: the ambitious amateurs from Morristown have at least made themselves more widely known with their brief foray on to the national stage.
Thanks to @RochesterRhinos for hospitality. A bit of stage fright but we settled in nicely from mins 10-70. Proud of guys who fought hard!
— FC Motown Celtics (@fc_motown) May 18, 2017
Meanwhile, the New York and New Jersey amateur soccer scene's Cupset specialists, Ocean City Nor'easters, came achingly close to another win over professional opposition.
Thanks to @RochesterRhinos for hospitality. A bit of stage fright but we settled in nicely from mins 10-70. Proud of guys who fought hard!
— FC Motown Celtics (@fc_motown) May 18, 2017
The Nor'easters and Harrisburg City Islanders played 120 minutes of scoreless soccer at Ocean City's "Beach House" (aka, Carey Stadium).
120 minutes aren't enough tonight as we head to penalties with the @city_islanders #USOC2017
— OC Nor'easters (@OCNoreasters) May 18, 2017
The home team took an early lead in the shootout.
Ribeiro misses! The Nor'easters are ahead early
— OC Nor'easters (@OCNoreasters) May 18, 2017
OCN O
HCI X
But HCI caught up.
It's 4-4 after 5
— OC Nor'easters (@OCNoreasters) May 18, 2017
OCN OOOXO
HCI XOOOO
The shootout went to sudden death. Ocean City blinked first and HCI bagged the winner.
Dabo scores and we fall in a shootout to the @city_islanders tonight#USOC2017
— OC Nor'easters (@OCNoreasters) May 18, 2017
Harrisburg City Islanders will be on the road again in the third round, against Cosmos-conquering Reading United.