Rochester Rhinos News Release -- www.rhinossoccer.com
Monday, June 27, 2011
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Rochester Rhinos begin a busy three-game week on Tuesday when they face the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer in the third round of U.S. Open Cup tournament play at Sahlen’s Stadium. The match will begin at 7:30 p.m.
The match will mark the third time in franchise history that Rochester has faced Chicago in tournament play. The first came in 1999 when the Rhinos upset the heavily favored Fire 1-0 on a 51st minute goal from Yari Allnutt en route to their 1999 Open Cup title. The second meeting came in 2005 when the two sides were level after 120 minutes of play, however Chicago would advance after a penalty shootout.
Chicago has posted an all-time U.S. Open Cup mark of 26-9-2 since their inception in 1998, and have captured the Dewar Cup as tournament champions four times during the 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 seasons. This season they have struggled through their first 17 matches of the season, posting a 2-4-11 record. Currently they reside in seventh place in the Eastern Conference and are led offensively by Guatemalan midfielder Marco Pappa with five goals and 11 points and Cory Gibbs who has made 19 appearances for the U.S. National Team. Tuesday will mark the first appearance in the tournament for Chicago in 2011.
For Rochester, Tuesday’s match marks the third time they have appeared in Open Cup play this season. They have advanced to third round play by virtue of their 2-1 win over amateur side Phoenix SC and a 1-0 road win over Harrisburg last week. Rochester is led by goalkeeper Neal Kitson, who has personally outscored the opposition during June. The second-year pro has not allowed a goal in the last 379 minutes of play, including U.S. Open Cup and USL PRO regular season matches. During that same span, he has tallied a goal and added an assist (both game-winners). Offensively USL Pro’s reigning Player of the Week Andrew Hoxie leads Rochester with three goals and seven points in 2011.
Rochester remains the only team from outside of Major League Soccer to win the oldest soccer tournament in the United States in the modern era. The Rhinos won it in 1999 going 5-0, knocking off four MLS teams to capture the championship.
Rochester will resume league play this weekend when they host the Richmond Kickers on Friday, July 1at 7:30 p.m. on Scott Vallow bobblehead night and Orlando City on Sunday, July 3 at 7 p.m.