Wilmington Hammerheads turn corner, turn back clock

By CHARLIE CORR - charlie.corr@uslsoccer.com

Thanks to the late heroics of Kyle Parker, Wilmington Hammerheads FC is enjoying something that has not happened in more than two years – a league winning streak.

Parker’s brace and stoppage-time game-winner lifted Wilmington to a 3-2 victory against the Harrisburg City Islanders on Friday at Legion Stadium. Combine that with Wilmington’s 3-1 road win against Toronto FC II on May 29, and the 4-4-3 Hammerheads have posted consecutive victories for the first time since a four-game winning streak in May of 2014.

“All the hard work has started to pay off,” Parker said. “Especially throughout the beginning of the season, we were playing well, but some things weren’t falling for us and we knew they were going to start. This week was that starting point for us.”

For more, visit USLSoccer.com.

USL clubs shatter goal-scoring records in U.S. Open Cup

By CHARLIE CORR - charlie.corr@uslsoccer.com

The volume of the USL teams’ goal-scoring during the Second Round of the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup marked a new peak for several clubs who advanced in the tournament with some record-shattering numbers.

Three sides posted a single-game record for goals during Wednesday’s matches to move on to the Third Round on June 1.

Leading the charge were the defending USL champion Rochester Rhinos who bounced Southie FC 7-0 at Rhinos Stadium in Rochester, N.Y. That seven-goal effort, led by Asani Samuels’ hat trick, topped the organization’s previous high of five goals during the 2006 U.S. Open Cup, when the then-named Raging Rhinos defeated the New Hampshire Phantoms 5-1 on July 12 of that year.

Wilmington Hammerheads FC also changed its Open Cup record books with a dominating 6-0 victory against the NPSL’s Miami Fusion, with Austin Martz and Kyle Parker recording braces.

For more, visit USLSoccer.com.

U.S. OPEN CUP: FIRE UPSET IN 3RD ROUND

USL-2's Wilmington Hammerheads edge Chicago, 1-0

Kenny Bundy of the United Soccer Leagues Second Division's Wilmington Hammerheads once again came through for his squad in this 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Bundy (pictured, right) scored a goal in the 37th minute as the Hammerheads upset Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire, 1-0, on Tuesday night in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup in front of 5,423 spectators at Legion Stadium in Wilmington, N.C.

For Bundy, this is the second straight game he has come up big. Bundy was a 68th-minute sub during Wilmington's second-round match against the USL First Division's Carolina RailHawks. In the final minute of stoppage time, Bundy scored a goal to tie the match at 3-all. He also converted one of the Hammerheads' penalty kicks in the tiebreaker to help Wilmington advance to face the Fire.

The Fire supplied enough of an attack Tuesday, but could not put much on goal. They held a 15-6 shots advantage. The Fire's starting front line supplied nine shots alone, with Stefan Dimitrov shooting six times and Justin Mapp (pictured left) three. Chicago also held a 10-4 advantage in corner kicks.

Hammerheads goalkeeper Darryl Sattler had four saves for the clean sheet. Chicago backup goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra made three saves in a full game of work.

Chicago went with a bulk of its usual substitutes to start this match. The starting midfield alone had a different look to it with Mike Banner, Baggio Husidic, Peter Lowry and Patrick Nyarko. Lowry was placed on the disabled list earlier this year because of a left knee strain.

Maybe the Twitter updates were a bad omen for the Fire. During their "Tweet-cast" (there was no broadcast of the game) the Fire quickly updated one of their posts that said they will play the Rochester Rhinos/Columbus Crew winner with an accurate "should the Fire win tonight" correction.

It was Upset Central on Tuesday for MLS squads. Rochester topped the Columbus Crew in PKs, 5-3, after playing to a 1-all draw in regulation. The Harrisburg City Islanders defeated the New England Revolution, 2-1. The Charleston Battery topped Chivas USA, 3-1, though the Battery have a good track record having made last year's U.S. Open Cup finals.

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Next up: The Fire resume MLS play after a three-week league hiatus. They hit the road to take on the Colorado Rapids for an 8 p.m. (CST) match on Saturday, July 4.

FIRE FACE WILMINGTON IN U.S. OPEN CUP

Tuesday's game can be followed through Fire's 'Twitter-cast'

The Chicago Fire open play in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. They take on the United Soccer Leagues Second Division's Wilmington Hammerheads for a 6 p.m. (CST) match Tuesday at Legion Stadium in Wilmington, N.C. Because there is no television broadcast, the Fire are providing fans with game updates on Twitter. CLICK HERE for their updates.

If the Fire advance, they will face either Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew or the USL First Division's Rochester Rhinos in the quarterfinals. The winner of the U.S. Open Cup automatically qualifies for the CONCACAF Champions League.