Triangle Offense

• Rob Kinnan
• Teammates congratulate Zack Schilawski after his goal during the Carolina RailHawks' 3-1 win over the Carolina Dynamo Tuesday in Cary

Tuesday night at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, a different RailHawks squad took the field, one atop the NASL standings and winners of all three of its home league matches. Yet, the Open Cup mission remained the same: defeat your lower division opponent and next week you get the chance to again host the still-defending MLS champion Galaxy. But while the execution this year wasn’t nearly as overwhelming, the outcome was the same: a 3-1 victory by the RailHawks over the Carolina Dynamo and a Wednesday, May 29 date to host the Galaxy in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.

The RailHawks found themselves behind the eight ball early. In the 6th minute, Milton Blanco played a ball ahead to an officially onsides Rubén Luna. Luna rounded goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald, then delivered an angled shot that deflected off defender Paul Hamilton positioned goalmouth and into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Matters worsened for Carolina when Hamilton was forced to leave the game in the 16th minute. According to Jarrett Campbell, who was among a contingent of RailHawks supporters who made the trip to Atlanta for the match, Hamilton said postgame that he suffered a concussion.

Nevertheless, Carolina was the more aggressive and dangerous side for the remainder of the first half but was unable to convert their chances. Meanwhile, their frustration mounted with referee Jonathan Weiner over a number of curious calls, including a yellow card issued to RailHawks defender Julius James in the 23rd after James was taken down by Luna. Later, a two-footed, studs-up challenge by Atlanta’s Pedro Mendes earned the forward merely a foul but no booking.

When asked on the Silverbacks’ webcast at halftime what changes he might make for the second half, RailHawks manager Colin Clarke shot back, “I hope the referee has a better second half. I thought he was awful.”

Unfortunately, the RailHawks’ frustration with Atlanta's gamesmanship boiled over at the outset of the second stanza, culminating with a reckless challenge by Floyd Franks that drew a straight red card from Weiner. Franks will be suspended the RailHawks’ game at the Fort Lauderdale Strikers on June 1.

Once a man down, the RailHawks never got the opportunity to figure out a fast, aggressive Silverbacks midfield and a defense that earned its second consecutive clean sheet. The result was made inevitable in the 76th minute when Martyn Lancaster converted a leaping, point-blank header off a cross from Danny Barrera to account for the final margin.

The RailHawks lone bright spot was, per usual, the goalkeeping of Fitzgerald, who added to his league-leading saves total with a number of fingertip deflections and punchouts.

Carolina (3-2-1, 11 pts.) enters the midway point of the NASL Spring season tied with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, each with 11 points. However, the RailHawks remains atop the table based on goal differential.

The RailHawks has a quick turnaround as it returns to Cary to face the USL PDL’s Carolina Dynamo Tuesday in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The winner will host the L.A. Galaxy, defending MLS champions, in the third round the following Wednesday, May 29.

click to enlarge

A visit from the defending Major League Soccer champion awaits the winner of the Carolina RailHawks and Carolina Dynamo match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup next Tuesday, May 21 in Cary.

This is but one of the potential U.S. Open Cup third round pairings and venues announced Wednesday by U.S. Soccer. Should the RailHawks defeat the Dynamo next Tuesday, they will host the L.A Galaxy the following Wednesday, May 29 at WakeMed Soccer Park. It would be the second consecutive year the RailHawks and Galaxy will have faced each other for the Open Cup in Cary—last year, the RailHawks upset the Galaxy in the third round of the Open Cup. If the Dynamo downs the RailHawks, the Galaxy will visit Macpherson Stadium in Browns Summit, N.C. on May 29.

Of course, every NASL, USL Pro and other lower division participant remaining in the tournament must still handle the business of advancing beyond next Tuesday’s second round. However, several other intriguing MLS matchups await the winners.

A victory over the USL PDL’s Laredo Heat means the Fort Lauderdale Strikers hosts FC Dallas. The San Antonio Scorpions stands to earn a return visit from the Houston Dynamo, which the Scorpions defeated in last year’s tournament. With a win over VSI Tampa next week, the Tampa Bay Rowdies would host the Seattle Sounders, the three-time U.S. Open Cup champions from 2009-11. Minnesota United FC would visit Sporting KC in the third round, and the Atlanta Silverbacks travels to Utah to face Real Salt Lake.

On the USL Pro side, if the Charlotte Eagles defeat the Seattle Sounders U23s next week, Charlotte will host the Chicago Fire the following week. Other possible USL Pro third round matches include D.C. United at Richmond Kickers, New England Revolution at Rochester Rhinos, Philadelphia Union at Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Colorado Rapids at Orlando City SC, and San Jose Earthquakes at Charleston Battery.

The RailHawks and Dynamo take the field next Tuesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. at WakeMed Soccer Park.

• Rob Kinnan
• Zack Schilawski celebrates his first goal of the season during the Carolina RailHawks' 5-2 win over the San Antonio Scorpions in Cary

Late in the unbeaten Carolina RailHawks’ 5-2 win over the San Antonio Scorpions Saturday evening, Carolina manager Colin Clarke was exhorting his team to continue attacking in search of goals. His presumed purpose was that while Carolina’s back line has improved dramatically from last season, the RailHawks’ best defense remains their potent offense.

But, there may have been another motivation at play.

“[We still had] a bit of a horrible taste in our mouth from last year when we got beat down in San Antonio, so that was still in the back of our mind,” Clarke said. “I’d have loved to stuff a few more in, but five’s pretty good.”