Former Bradley All-American Gavin Glinton returned from injury by playing a handful of minutes in both of the Carolina RailHawks USL First Division games last week and could be in position to boost his team's offensive production as the RailHawks prepare to host the USL Second Division Wilmington Hammerheads Tuesday night in the second round of the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Although second in the First Division standings with 23 points, Carolina (7-3-2) failed to find the net in its two league games last week. The RailHawks did extend their unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1) by playing the third-place Portland Timbers to a 0-0 draw Thursday night, but saw the streak come to an end with a 2-0 loss Sunday at previously winless Minnesota. While Glinton totalled 17 minutes in his first two games back from injury, his former Bradley teammate Luke Kreamalmeyer played 79 minutes as a starter against Portland and 10 minutes off the bench Sunday against the Thunder.
The winner of Tuesday's second-round game between Carolina and Wilmington at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C., will host Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire June 30 in a third-round game of the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. In between, Carolina will visit the Austin Aztex Friday and will host the Puerto Rico Islanders June 27 in a pair of USL First Division games.
Former Bradley All-American Bryan Namoff continued his stellar play in the backline for D.C. United last week, helping the Black and Red to a 2-1 home victory versus Chicago. The victory allowed D.C. (5-2-7, 22 points) to leapfrog the Fire (5-3-6, 21 points) into first place in the MLS Eastern Conference standings. Namoff once again played the entire 90 minutes from his right back position and he has played all 1,260 possible minutes so far this season. United will be on the road for a pair of MLS games this week: Wednesday's 9:30 p.m. (CT) game at Seattle will be televised nationally on ESPN2 and D.C. will visit Colorado Saturday night. The defending Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champion, D.C. will enter this year's draw in the third round June 30 against the winner of Tuesday night's second-round game between the Ocean City Barons (PDL) and Real Maryland Monarchs (USL-2).
Two current Braves also could be in U.S. Open Cup action Tuesday night when the Chicago Fire Premier (PDL) visits the Minnesota Thunder for second-round action. Seniors Grant Campbell and Chris Cutshaw both saw action in Chicago's 3-1 victory versus Milwaukee Bavarians SC in the opening round last week. Cutshaw also played 80 minutes in a 1-1 draw Saturday at London in a PDL contest. Individual stats from Sunday's 2-0 victory at Toronto are not yet available online, but the win kept the Fire Premier (5-1-3, 18 points) in second place in the PDL Heartland Division standings. The winner of Tuesday's Fire Premier-Minnesota Thunder game will visit Kansas City Wizards (MLS) June 30 in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.
2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Second-Round Games -- June 16
Western Mass Pioneers (USL-2) at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2)
Real Maryland Monarchs (USL-2) at Ocean City Barons (PDL)
Wilmington Hammerheads (USL-2) at Carolina RailHawks (USL-1)
Charleston Battery (USL-1) at Miami FC (USL-1)
Cleveland City Stars (USL-1) at Rochester Rhinos (USL-1)
Chicago Fire Premier (PDL) at Minnesota Thunder (USL-1)
El Paso Patriots (PDL) at Austin Aztex (USL-1)
Portland Timbers (USL-1) at Sonoma County Sol (USASA)
Third Round -- June 30 -- *Winners vs. Eight MLS Teams
Chicago Fire vs. Wilmington/Carolina winner
Chivas USA vs. Charleston/Miami winner
Columbus Crew vs. Cleveland City/Rochester winner
D.C. United vs. Real Maryland/Ocean City winner
Houston Dynamo vs. El Paso/Austin winner
Kansas City Wizards vs. Fire Premier/Minnesota winner
New England Revolution vs. Western Mass/Harrisburg City winner
Seattle Sounders vs. Portland/Sonoma County winner
*The third-round sites will be announced after the second-round results
