U.S. Open Cup: Selolwane strikes again in overtime, sending Fire past Charleston 1-0 in semifinal.

Selolwane strike sends Chicago past Kickers 1-0 in quarterfinals.

Cephas nets pair to lead Richmond past D.C. United 2-1 in Round of 16.

Brunt strike sends Minnesota to 1-0 upset over Galaxy in fourth round.

2003 U.S. Open Cup complete results

Ralph's tally gives Fire title 1-0 over MetroStars.

2002 U.S. Open Cup complete results

U.S. Open Cup champions

Simutenkov penalty kick propels Wizards past San Jose 1-0 in semifinal.

U.S. Open Cup

Selolwane strikes again in overtime, sending Fire past Charleston 1-0 in semifinal.

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (Wednesday, August 25, 2004) -- Recent history repeated itself when midfielder Orlando Perez fed striker Dipsy Selolwane who scored in a second sudden-death overtime period to lift the defending champion Chicago Fire to a 1-0 decision over the Charleston Battery in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals before 1,847 at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium tonight.

Perez also fed Selolwane whose goal 12 minutes into overtime defeated the host Richmond Kickers in the quarterfinals.

With those two victories over teams from the second-division A-League, Chicago advanced to the September 22 title match against a fellow Major League member, the Kansas City Wizards, who will host the contest at Arrowhead Stadium. In its seven years of existence, the Fire has played in four Open Cup finals, winning in 1998, 2000 and 2003.

There was some question whether the game would be finished tonight. Thunderstorms rolled through northern Illinois during the first half and lightning in the distance threatened the area. Play was halted at halftime and did not resume until nearly two hours after the teams had entered their lockerrooms.

The match ended when Perez sent a left-side cross to Selolwane who converted the winner in the 107th minute,

Because the weather and the two teams' strong defenses slowed down their opponents' attackers, the goalkeepers were not forced to expend much energy early. Fire keeper Henry Ring had to move very little to make his three saves in the first half while the Battery's keeper Dusty Hudock only twice had to exert himself, both times turning away efforts from Fire midfielder Andy Williams.

In the 19th minute, Hudock was quick off of his line and smothered the ball at Williams' feet as the Jamaican international looked poised to finish a Logan Pause through ball into the box. Ten minutes before the halftime whistle, Hudock snuffed out another Williams attempt, diving to his right to stop a shot from 15 yards.

After the long delay, the Fire came out pushing to take a lead. Eleven minutes after the start of the second half, midfielder Justin Mapp turned inside from his position on the left flank and, after driving into the box, fired a shot that Hudock pushed over the crossbar. Off the ensuing corner kick, Fire forward Damani Ralph triggered a shot, but Hudock again was there for the save.

In the 61st minute, Ring saw his first real action of the game. He put a stop to a dangerous situation after a cross fell at the feet of Battery forward Jesus Martinez near the top of the six-yard box. Ring came out to save Martinez's shot, apparently with his face.

Ring again had to come up big in the first overtime session, turning away Battery midfielder Steve Klein's header off a corner kick four minutes in.

Soon after, Ralph, looking for his second game-winning goal of the 2004 Open Cup, was stoned at the near post by Charleston keeper Chris Doyle, who replaced Hudock in the 78th minute.

2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
(all times Eastern)

Key:
MLS - Major League Soccer (first division)
A - A-League (second division)
PSL - Pro Select League (third division)
PDL - Premier Development League (fourth division)
USASA - United States Adult Soccer Association (amateur)

Semifinals
Wednesday, August 25

at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Ill.
Chicago Fire (MLS) 1, Charleston Battery (A) 0 (2OT)

Tuesday, August 24

at Blue Valley Complex in Overland Park, Kans.
Kansas City Wizards (MLS) 1, San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) 0

Quarterfinals
Wednesday, August 4

at James Griffin Stadium in St. Paul, Minne.
San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) 2, Minnesota Thunder (A) 2
(San Jose advances 5-4 in penalty kicks)

at Blue Valley Complex in Overland Park, Kans.
Kansas City Wizards (MLS) 4, Dallas Burn (MLS) 0

at University of Richmond (Va.) Stadium
Chicago Fire (MLS) 1, Richmond Kickers (A) 0 (2OT)

at Frontier Field in Rochester, N.Y.
Charleston Battery (A) 1, Rochester Raging Rhinos (A) 0

Fourth round
Wednesday, July 21

at University of Richmond Stadium
Richmond Kickers (A) 2, D.C. United (MLS) 1

Tuesday, July 20

at the Metrodome in Minneapolis
Minnesota Thunder (A) 1, Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) 0

at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas
Dallas Burn 3, Colorado Rapids (MLS) 0

at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, Mass.
Rochester Raging Rhinos (A) 1, New England Revolution (MLS) 1 (2OT)
(Rochester advances 3-1 in penalty kicks)

at Columbus (Ohio) Crew Stadium
Chicago Fire (MLS) 2, Columbus Crew (MLS) 1 (OT)

at DeKalb Stadium in Clarkston, Ga.
Kansas City Wizards (MLS) 4, Atlanta Silverbacks (A) 1

Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C.
Charleston Battery (A) 1, MetroStars (MLS) 0

Wednesday, July 14

at PGE Park in Portland, Ore.
San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) 3, Portland Timbers (A) 0

Third round
Wednesday, June 30

at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City
Portland Timbers (A) 2, Utah Blitzz (PSL) 1

at James Griffin Stadium in St. Paul, Minn.
Minnesota Thunder (A) 2, Boulder Rapids Reserve (PDL) 1 (2OT)

at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C.
Charleston Battery (A) 2, Wilmington Hammerheads (PSL) 0

at MacPherson Stadium in Browns Summit, N.C.
Atlanta Silverbacks (A) 3, Carolina Dynamo (PDL) 2 (2OT)

at Old Panther Stadium in Duncanville, Tex.
Dallas Burn (MLS) 2, Virginia Beach Mariners (A) 0

at Sports Backers Stadium in Richmond, Va.
Richmond Kickers (A) 1, Cape Cod Crusaders (PDL) 0 (OT)

at Columbus (Ohio) Crew Stadium
Columbus Crew (A) 2, Syracuse Salty Dogs (A) 1

at Frontier Field in Rochester, N.Y.
Rochester Raging Rhinos (A) 1, Chicago Fire Reserves (PDL) 0

Second round
Tuesday, June 21

at Winslow (N.J.) High School
Syracuse Salty Dogs (A) 4, South Jersey Barons (PDL) 2 (replay)

Wednesday, June 15

at Pleasant View Field in Boulder, Colo.
San Diego Gauchos (PSL) 0, Boulder Rapids Reserve (PDL) 0
(Boulder advances 5-4 on penalty kicks)

at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City
Utah Blitzz (PSL) 3, Sacramento Knights (USASA) 0

at Winslow (N.J.) High School
South Jersey Barons (PDL) 1, Syracuse Salty Dogs (A) 1, suspended, rain

at Virginia Beach Sportsplex
Virginia Beach Mariners (A) 2, DFW Tornadoes (PDL) 0

at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, N.H.?
Chicago Fire Reserves (PDL) 5, New Hampshire Phantoms (PSL) 1

at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, Mass.
Cape Cod Crusaders (PDL) 3, Western Mass Pioneers (PSL) 2

at Legion Stadium in Wilmington, N.C.
Wilmington Hammerheads (PSL) 3, Cocoa Expos (PDL) 0

at MacPherson Stadium in Browns Summit, N.C.
Carolina Dynamo (PDL) 4, Charlotte Eagles (PSL) 3

First round
Tuesday, June 8

at Pennington Field in Bedford, Tex.
DFW Tornadoes (PDL) 3, Legends FC (USASA) 1

at Cocoa (Fla.) Sports Complex
Cocoa Expos (PDL) 2, Azzurri (USASA) 1 (OT)

Wednesday, June 2

at Rooks Stadium in Chico, Calif.
Boulder Rapids Reserve (PDL) 2, Chico Rooks (USASA) 1

at Joe Albi Stadium in Spokane, Wash.
Sacramento Knights (USASA) 2, Spokane Shadow (PDL) 1 (OT)

at Winslow High School in Tansboro, N.J.
South Jersey Barons (PDL) 5, Allied S.C. of Baltimore 0

at Redmond Recreational Complex in Bensenville, Ill.
Chicago Fire Reserves (PDL) 5, SAC Wisla of Chicago (USASA) 1

at Belson Stadium in Jamaica, N.Y.
Cape Cod Crusaders (PDL) 4, N.Y. Greek American-Atlas (USASA) 1

at McPherson Stadium in Browns Summit, N.C.
Carolina Dynamo (PDL) 5, Milwaukee Bavarians (USASA) 1

Fourth round - Tuesday, July 14-21
Quarterfinals - Wednesday, August 4
Semifinals - Tuesday, August 24 and Wednesday, August 25
Championship - Wednesday, September 22

The field

MLS (10): Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, Dallas Burn, D.C. United, Kansas City Wizards, Los Angeles Galaxy, New England Revolution, MetroStars, San Jose Earthquakes
A-League (8): Atlanta Silverbacks, Charleston Battery, Minnesota Thunder, Portland Timbers, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Syracuse Salty Dogs, Virginia Beach Mariners.
Pro Select League (6): Charlotte Eagles, New Hampshire Phantoms, San Diego Gauchos, Utah Blitzz, Western Massachusetts Pioneers, Wilmington Hammerheads.
Premier Development League (8): Boulder Rapids Reserves, Cape Cod Crusaders, Carolina Dynamo, Chicago Fire Reserves, Cocoa Expos, DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth) Tornadoes, South Jersey Barons, Spokane Shadow
USASA (8): Allied FC (Baltimore), Azzurri (Dallas), Chico Rooks, Legends FC (Texas), Milwaukee Bavarians, N.Y. Greek-American-Atlas, SAC Wisla (Chicago), Sacramento Knights.