1:0 Charleston MetroStars Klein 07.20.04 · Open Cup

Well, at least we don't have to suffer through another Open Cup final like last year. The MetroStars were knocked out from this year's edition in a much quicker fashion, falling to second division's Charleston Battery 1:0. This is the second time in four years that the Battery took out the Metros in the Open Cup.

With Amado Guevara, Jonny Walker, and Craig Ziadie shelved with injuries and Ricardo Clark rested, Zach Wells and Seth Stammler got rare starts, with Mike Magee and Joselito Vaca coming back to the midfield. But the Battery had most of the play in the first half, hitting the post in the 12th minute.

Hitting the post became a theme as Magee touched one in the 20th. It continued after Charleston took the lead on a Steve Klein goal two minutes after the break. First Fabian Taylor hit the post in the 71st. Two minutes later, Mike Magee hit the crossbar on a penalty kick to round up Metro kisses of the woodwork.

Yes, Los Angeles and New England also lost to A-League teams today, and yes, we played without Guevara and Walker, and yes, it was a road game after just coming back from a tough trip, and yes, in this sport, any team can beat another on any given day, but... We should have done better. For no matter how horrible the Open Cup final last year was, the run to it was pretty sweet.

Lineup: Wells, Leitch, Pope, Parke, Stammler, Arena, Vaca, Magee, Gaven, Wolyniec, Glen. Subs: Bonseu, Taylor, Galvan Rey.