A Gentlemen’s Agreement!
When Sporting Kansas City loaned four players to their USL PRO affiliate Orlando City, KC owner Robb Heinerman didn’t want to see those players on the opposite bench should the two teams play in the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Especially Dom Dwyer, who has been scoring against everyone since joining the Lions.
“The gentlemen’s agreement that we had with Orlando City was that they weren’t going to (play against Kansas City),” said Heineman. [show_disconnected][show_to accesslevel=’Subscriber’]If those guys could impact that (KC’s winning) in a negative way, which, with the quality of players they are, they could, then they’re not going to play.”
Kansas City pays their salaries, and had the final say. They did not play when Orlando City traveled to Kansas City for the third round game.
Didn’t matter. Orlando City won, 1-0, and eliminated the defending Open Cup champions without using the “loaners.”
Rowdies’ Bigtime Win
It was every goalkeeper’s dream! Down to 10 players with less than five minutes to play in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, Tampa Bay Rowdies ‘keeper Diego Restrepo saved a penalty kick from Obafemi Martins to seal the victory as Tampa Bay ended Seattle’s 22-game Open Cup unbeaten streak.
Georgi Hristove gave Tampa Bay the lead in the 75th minute before a home crowd of 4,124.
It looked like the two teams were headed to overtime when Martins stepped to the penalty mark, but the former University of Virginia All-America made the save, the Rowdies won the game, and the Sounders were left, collectively, shaking their heads.
Edwards Joins USL PRO
Jake Edwards, who played collegiate soccer at James Madison University and had a 12-year professional career in England has been named the VP of the USL PRO league. He returned to the U.S. and played for the Chrleston Battery for nine games in 2002-03.
Edwards, a native of Manchester, England, is now an experienced international soccer executive. He comes to the USL from a position as strategy consultant in London for Octagon Worldwide, the world’s largest sponsorship consulting company. There he worked with global legues and clubs, building business models and strategies.
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