U.S. Open Cup Game Report
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
DES MOINES, Iowa – A rematch with Minnesota United FC awaits the Des Moines Menace in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after they took a 3-0 win against the Real Colorado Foxes on Wednesday night at Valley Stadium. The Menace earned a May 28 home date against Minnesota in the Open Cup’s third round. Making their fifth straight appearance in the Cup, the Menace improve to 11-8 all-time in the national tournament.
This marks the third straight year the two teams will meet in the Open Cup. Last year, the Menace upset the pros to set up a marquee matchup with eventual Major League Soccer champion Sporting Kansas City.
“It’s something we’re not talking about yet. They’ll be looking to get back at us,” Menace head coach Mike Jeffries said of the northern foe. “It’s a great opportunity for our guys.”
A year after the Menace struggled to find the finishing touch at home, Jeffries was happy to see his team start the 2014 season in style.
Returners Nico Wright and Brandon Fricke wasted little time to get the Menace in the scoring column. In just the fifth minute, Fricke played a low cross into the six-yard box. Unmarked on the back post, Wright tapped the ball into the wide-open goal mouth.
“It was amazing,” said Wright, the team’s top scorer a year ago. “Once we got that first one, we were just rolling.”
The Menace kept rolling, with goals also coming from Alec Bartlett and Sean Dong. In the 39th minute, Bartlett got on the end of Ralphie Lundy’s free kick and smashed in a header to the top of the goal. Dong made the defense pay in the 53rd minute, when he capitalized on a blunder by the Foxes’ backline. The newcomer found some open turf, splitting two defenders and curling a goal into the bottom-right corner.
“I think this is a good game for our confidence,” Jeffries said. “Hopefully, we can build on that. A good start.”
Jeffries and company will look to build their confidence on Saturday, when they open the PDL season in Springfield (Mo.). The Menace are aiming to get back to the PDL playoffs for the first time in three years. Real Colorado knocked the Menace out of postseason contention in 2012 and 2013. These teams will not see each other this season in Heartland Division play, as the Foxes have moved to the Mountain Division.
MAN of the MATCH: Nico Wright, who started the 2014 season on the right foot. He opened the scoring in the fifth minute, and collected three more shots in the win.Wright, is a native of St. Catherine, Jamaica, who attends Fairleigh Dickinson. His three goals for the 2013 Menace led the team.
UP NEXT: On Saturday, May 17, the team starts the PDL season on the road, against the Springfield (Mo.) Demize. Kickoff is 7 p.m. CT at Cooper Complex.