Quality Cup Final, five goals, a good referee all in all a splendid match.  .

 

The oldest team tournament in US sports is the US Open Cup, currently named after Lamar Hunt; a long time benefactor to football in the US and particularly the MLS. 

Two MLS teams had both needed extra time to beat US League 1 opposition in the semis.  This tournament is akin to the FA Cup in England, a competition for all levels of football in the US.  The only odd rule is no more than five senior internationals per team that gave Steve Morrow and Stevie Nicol a couple of selection headaches.  Pizza Hut park in Frisco, Texas was the venue; a home game for FC Dallas, was sparse at the kickoff but filled up as the game unfolded.  Plenty at stake for both teams, FC Dallas needed a boost with somewhat of a late season slump and New England need to prove to themselves that they could win a Cup competition; runners up in the last two MLS Cup Finals.  The evening was bright and warm and the drummers; so much an MLS feature in most of the stadia; were warmed up.  The crowd was low, probably due to the mid week game time and lack of fanfare about the game.  A Cup Final should be a weekend affair and much more attention given to it. 

 

With a definite Latin flavour to his side Steve Morrow had some tough choices to make; a less than fully integrated Denilson and substitute Ricardinho were omitted from the team in favour of other Internationals.  Sala starts in goal behind a back four of Moor, Goodson, Serioux and Wagenfuhr; a solid enough back line but can be mistake prone; McCarty; always improving; Ricchetti and Toja; the playmaker occupied the middle with Alvarez; a great left foot; and Oduro; plenty of pace; forward on the flanks and Ruiz the focal point of the attack.

 

New England played their usual 3 5 2 in front of Reis; Heaps, Parkhurst; developing into a US MNT player and Riley formed a back three; Thompson and Smith; a good young Bermudan operated on the flanks with Dorman and Larentowicz in the centre, Ralston; more used to being a wide player, played further forward; Twellman and Noonan; one of the MLS's best forward partnerships; led the line.  . 

 

The game started well with Dallas making the early running, forceful wide play and the young Colombian pulling the strings in the midfield.  New England looked to absorb the pressure and counter with quick counters, they were the away side and expected to be heard pushed in the opening portion of the game. 

Oduro combines with McCarty and a good deep cross is delivered without anyone on the end of it. 

Goodson fluffs an easy clearance and allows Twellman in behind the defence; the New England forward rushes a touch and doesn't take advantage of the early gift. 

Wagenfuhr looks good going forward and puts in a lovely ball as Dallas look to use the flanks to get behind New England and open them up and when Oduro and Alvarez switch flanks the home team really works up a head of steam.  A free kick is only half cleared by Reis, the second ball in from Ricchetti is just too high for an unmarked Oduro at the back stick; Gordon heads wide from a long Serioux throw in.  New England start to exert a bit of pressure in midfield; Smith gets in a good cross from wide and wins a corner; then from some Dallas pressure New England break out and come forward quickly; Ralston goes deep on the right and whips a ball into he box; Serioux; obviously without a shout from Sala; tires to clear the ball wrong footed and it skips up over the big 'keeper to Noonan at the back stick, unmarked the forward has time to juggle with then tap the ball into an empty net.  Dallas were playing better football, had more of the ball and go behind from some really sloppy defending. 

Dallas keep up their attacking football, Ruiz is out muscled by Parkhurst in trying to stab home a through ball; McCarty plays in Oduro but Reis is quick off his line; Alvarez splits the defence with a great pass but Ruiz just can't connect from eight yards out; another good Alvarez cross only results in a corner kick; Noonan can't find Twellman on a quick counter which typifies the New England play; a Wagenfuhr run on the left pulls the defender wide and Alvarez cuts in from the flanks to take advantage of the space, he unleashes a beautiful strike with the outside of his left boot, the ball curls past the flying Reis to smack home off the inside of the far post; a serious piece of quality from Dallas to draw level. 

The tempo of the game increase, both side are looking for the next goal although Dallas still retain more possession, New England are playing themselves into the game with stout defending and lightning quick counter attacks. 

Oduro's pace isn't quote enough to capitalize on Riley's defensive mistake as Reis is very quick to come out and claim the loose ball; Alvarez finds himself one on one with Reis and the big keeper does well to save with his legs; Twellman finds space on the edge of the are but his snapshot is held by Sala; a New England attack is thwarted by Goodson as he heads behind for a corner, Ralston takes the kick; from the right; Ruiz and Noonan jump together as Sala stays on his line, the ball comes off the Dallas player and Twellman is at his predatory best with a back post shot that finds the net; Serioux hadn't marked the New England forward very well.  Yet another goal practically handed to New England by shoddy Dallas defending. 

 

Ricchetti was injured so Yi came on at the half, he went into the back four as Serioux came forward to occupy Ricchetti's midfield place; no changes were made by New England. 

Morrow talked about possession and attacking whilst Mariner spoke about dropping deeper and playing hard against the Dallas front three. 

 

Alvarez, McCarty and Toja combine from the whistle but the move is cleared by New England; Ruiz heads wide when given a great opportunity from Moor's ball in; up at the other end Twellman shoots narrowly wide after getting open in the area; Oduro puts in a good ball from the left but Ruiz can't find the net at the back post. 

The game is finely balanced with tactical shifts and tussle going on all over the pitch, Dallas still have more possession but the danger of New England on the break keep them honest. 

Twellman can only find Sala after a good Smith cross; Serioux makes a great run down the right channel and looks disappointed to only get a corner after his claims for a penalty are waved away; it's two against one as New England breaks from the Dallas corner, Wagenfuhr is back against Twellman and Noonan; the ball goes from left to right and Twellman is pushed wide, he retains the ball and keep his head up; he doesn't play the ball in the air but rolls a great near post cross on the floor; Noonan back heels into the path of Thompson who buries New England's third from close range.  Dallas gives away a third with more mental weakness at the back, although the New England counter attack was particularly swift. 

Dallas keep up their momentum with more attacking play; New England are more cautious and sit back more to protect their lead; but the first attack of note after the goal is from the visitors; Sala claims a Smith cross; Dallas gets a free kick within range of the goal; it comes back off the wall and Serioux is the quickest to react, his effort allows him to deliver a good cross from the right, Goodson heads the ball back into the box from the back post and the substitute Thompson; brought on for the injured Yi just before the kick was taken; gets a goal with his smoothly executed first touch. 

Alvarez sees his cross collected by Reis; Twellman is almost in on goal after a slip by Serioux; Alvarez puts in a ball which McCarty does well to get on, it's half cleared and Wagenfuhr goes just over with a well directed shot from range; Cooper comes on for Wagenfuhr and Cristman replaces Thompson; Ruiz is almost in on an Alvarez cross but Ralston does enough to put him off; Odoru's goal is called back for an offside and right at the death a McCarty free kick is headed over by Cooper. 

 

New England gets the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time. 

They played well and took advantage of some sloppy defending by Dallas in an open and entertaining game. 

Dallas will rue their sloppy defending, it probably cost them the match.  We did see a candidate for goal of the season; the first half strike by Alvarez was sheer class. 

 

The referee had a good game, he let things flow made few mistakes and took into account the added fire of a Cup Final.  He didn't pay any attention to the bawling and ranting coming from the New England manager either. 

 

New England Revolution:-

Reis

Parkhurst

Riley

Heaps

Smith

Dorman

Larentowicz

Ralston

Thompson (Cristman 78)

Noonan

Twellman

 

Bookings:-

Larentowicz

Riley

 

Goals:-

Noonan 21

Twellman 41

Thompson 57

 

 

FC Dallas:-

Sala

Moor

Goodson

Serioux

Wagenfuhr (Cooper 76)

Toja

Ricchetti (Yi 46, Thompson 63)

McCarty

Alvarez

Oduro

Ruiz

 

Bookings:-

 

Goals:-

Alvarez 30

Thompson 64

 

Attendance:-

10618

 

Referee:-

Alex Prus