That “great little competition,” the U.S. Open Cup, produced a dandy final Wednesday night when D.C. United topped the USL’s Charleston Battery 2-1 at RFK Stadium, writes Steve Davis. “The home team prevailed in a classic clash of a splashy MLS side against a smaller but impressive USL outfit, one that gave Tom Soehn’s home team all it could handle.”
Davis pinpoints the contrast in playing styles as evidence of the competition’s attraction in pitting major against minor league. “You certainly wouldn’t want U.S. Soccer to contrive these MLS-USL finals, but who would mind seeing more of them?” he asks. “Charleston patiently dealt with United’s high pressure, thanks mostly to Lazo Alavanja’s bright work. The home side, meanwhile, needed some time to plot solutions but ultimately found ways around the Battery’s effective low-pressure tactics.”
“I’m sure everybody in the stadium is thinking right then [after DC’s early goal] that it’s gonna be 3- or 4-nil,” said Battery manager Mike Anhaeuser. “But our team competed very well, and we came right back and got a goal. They do have that little bit of extra quality in a couple of players. But other than that, I think we’re pretty close, and that’s why it’s gonna be a battle any time these teams play.”
Although perhaps next year, Davis suggests, it would be fairer to award the minor league team home advantage.