WINNERS & LOSERS: Young Liberian hits four against Colorado

Winners:

MELVIN TARLEY scored all four goals for USL1 team Minnesota Thunder in its 4-1 fourth-round U.S. Open Cup win over MLS's Colorado Rapids. Tarley, a 22-year-old Liberian in his third season with the Thunder, had also scored against MLS's Real Salt Lake in the Thunder's 6-4 third-round win.

The CHICAGO FIRE kept alive its quest to win a fourth U.S. Open Cup — it won titles in 1998, 2000 and 2003 – thanks to a 3-2 win over the New England Revolution on two goals by Costa Rican Andy Herron. LOS ANGELES won its fourth clash with city rival Chivas USA, 5-2. KANSAS CITY trounced PDL's Des Moines Menace, 6-1. SAN JOSE beat USL1's Portland, 2-0. Christian Gomez scored twice while Freddy Adu scored and assisted in D.C. UNITED's 3-1 win over USL1's Richmond Kickers.

Losers:

Underscoring how formidable the challenge will be for GM Alexi Lalas to turn the METROSTARS into a ''SuperClub'' was their 3-1 U.S. Open Cup loss Wednesday to the USL1's Rochester Rhinos.

COLUMBUS' Danny Szetela and Frankie Hejduk each received red cards in overtime for fouling Arturo Alvarez of Dallas, which won the U.S. Open Cup match, 3-1, with overtime goals from Abe Thompson and Eddie Johnson.