Three More Wins
The U.S. Open Cup is a unique tournament in American professional sports. It’s a win-or-go-home tournament that runs throughout the year and pits teams from all levels against each other. For MLS clubs, it takes just five wins to take home the title and, in turn, earn a berth in CONCACAF Champions League.
With two wins already behind it against Seattle Sounders FC 2 of the USL and the Portland Timbers, RSL needs just three more victories to win the championship and it starts tonight against the LA Galaxy.
Liverpool Reunion
Both Robbie Keane and Steven Gerrard traveled to Utah for the match, meaning it could be the first competitive match the two will play together since January of 2009 when Keane was finishing a short spell with Liverpool. At the time of his departure, Liverpool was 13-1-8 on the season and went on to win the Premier League with a 28-6-4 mark.
Their reunion this year comes as Keane leads the Galaxy in scoring and is coming off of an MVP and MLS Cup championship performance in 2014. Interestingly enough, in their last match on the same team, Keane subbed on late in the match for Gerrard.
The Floodgates Have Opened
In RSL’s last six matches across all competitions, Sebastian Jaime has five goals. And while his red card against the Colorado Rapids will have him out of action against the Houston Dynamo in MLS play on Saturday, he is poised for action on Tuesday against LA and ready to add to that outstanding scoring rate.
What’s even more outstanding for RSL is that his streak includes four straight home matches with a goal. Keeping that streak alive will mean good things for the Claret-and-Cobalt on Tuesday.
71st Minute Magic
Javier Morales is having a solid season with three goals and six assists thus far in MLS play. But his two pivotal goals in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup have set the tone for RSL in the tournament. Coincidentally, both goals he scored were in the 71st minute.
In the fourth-round match against S2, he came on as a second-half substitute and dominated the match before delivering the game-winner in the 71st minute. Then against the Portland Timbers in the Round of 16, he tallied another 71st minute goal to seal the 2-0 win.
