The El Paso Patriots began their quest for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 4-3 victory over division 3 Chico Rooks. Luis Macias led the way with 2 goals. Mark Rowland and Esmundo Rodriguez also contributed a goal each. Carlos Farias and Michael Griego each had an assist. El Paso played the game with a traditional 4-4-2, rather than their usual 3-5-2.
The match began with the Patriots quickly going on the offensive. The first three minutes featured the Patriots going forward and trying to get the early goal, but with no luck. Then Chico got on board when they received back to back corner kicks, but neither came even close to threatening. In the 15th minute, Chico received their first chance to get on the post when German Campos received the ball near the goal area. Campos took the shot, but it hit the post before going out of bounds. The Patriots were not about to be outdone, when in the 19th minute, Luis Macias’ shot also hit the post and then rolling out of bounds.
El Paso finally got on the board at the 27th minute when Mark Rowland scored the first goal of the night by splitting the Chico defense. After the goal, neither team came close scoring. The first half ended with the Patriots leading the Rooks 1-0.
The Patriots wasted no time in adding to their lead. In the 48th minute, Luis Macias scored when he slammed a shot off the far post and put his own rebound into the net. It was described as "Macias' most picturesque goal of the night" by the El Paso Time’s Matthew Aguilar. However, Macias did not stop there. Only four minute’s later, he struck again when he "roofed" a shot from short range off Michael Griego's pass-back in the 52nd. With a three goal lead, the Patriots seemed to be on cruise control. However they were brought back to reality when in the excitement after the goal, Chico midfielder German Campos hustled the ball down the right side and lofted a shot over Llamas to put the Rooks on the board. A minute after the score, Chico substituted Arturo Barragan into the game in place of Justin Selander. El Paso came back with a substitution of it’s own when in the 62nd minute they put Esmundo Rodriguez into the game in place of Paul Cabrera.
The substitution did make a difference in the 64th minute. Esmundo Rodriguez ran down Carlos Farias' free kick, eluded a defender and scored what would prove to be the game winner. However, as was the case with the last Patriots’ goal, Chico took advantage and came right back to score. Substitute Arturo Barragan faked a defender and drew Patriots’ 'keeper Jesse Llamas out of position for a goal in the 67th minute. With the Patriots’ lead cut down to 4-2, both teams made substitutions. El Paso entered Vicente Figuroa into the came in place of Jose Lomeli. Maxx Henry Frazer entered the match for Luis Orellana for the Chico Rooks.
With the Rooks losing by 2 goals, frustration began to set in. Chico defender Joel Hurd was ejected in the 71st minute for denying an El Paso scoring opportunity. Then a couple minutes later, Chris Biason received a yellow card for a hard tackle. Arturo Barragan closed the gap to one by outleaping his defender to head home a shorthanded goal in the 77th minute. El Paso quickly entered forward Victor Mora into the game in place of Mark Rowland in the 85th minute. To end the game, Chico player Jay Gore received a red card for a serious foul in injury time.
Finally, the referee brought the match to an end and with it came the third round of the U.S. Open Cup for the Patriots. It is the first time they have been this far since 1995. Next up for El Paso is a "Sweet 16" 3rd round match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds here in El Paso. The match will be July 11th at 7:30 @ the SAC. Winner faces the winner of the Kansas City/Chicago match up in the national quarterfinals.
El Paso Patriots 4 Luis Macias 48th, 52nd
Mark Rowland 28th
Esmundo Rodriguez 65th
Chico Rooks 3 Arturo Barragan 67th, 77th
German Campos 54th
El Paso Patriots
Jesse Llamas
Severo Hernandez
Carlos Martinez
Guillermo McFarlane
Michael Griego
Pablo Cabrera Esmundo Rodriguez 62nd
Carlos Farias
Freddy Juarez
Jose Lomeli Vicente Figueroa 69th
Mark Rowland Omar Mora 85th
Luis Macias
Chico Rooks
Brandon Hearron
Jay Gore
Todd Simmons
Craig Murray
Joel Hurd
Calvin Robertson
Brandon Kaplan
Chris Beason
German Campos
Justin Selander Arturo Barragan, 55th
Luis Orellana Maxx Henry Frazer 69th
Cards
CR Joel Hurd (Red)
CR Chris Biason (Yellow)
CR Jay Gore (Red)
Shots on Goal
El Paso 15
Chico 7
Saves
El Paso 3
Chico 1
Attendance - 1,380
