AI-Summary – News For Tomorrow
The 1995 US Open Cup Final was an unexpected showdown between the Richmond Kickers and the El Paso Patriots, both from the USISL leagues. The Kickers, largely composed of current and former college players from the University of Virginia dynasty, upset A-League’s Atlanta Ruckus in the Quarterfinals and then edged the Chicago Stingers in a dramatic Semifinal. The Patriots began their journey with a comeback win against the McCormick Kickers. The Kickers, with a modest budget and focus on amateur status for NCAA eligibility, defied expectations to reach the final, making it a true underdog story.
News summary provided by Gemini AI.
At the beginning of the 1995 US Open Cup, many in the American soccer community figured the Final would be a showcase for the A-League, the top professional league in the United States. But instead, the country’s national championship will feature a showdown between the two leagues of the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL).
The Kickers roster is made up mostly of current and former college players. Ten of those players were college All-Americans, including five from the University of Virginia, the four-time defending NCAA Champions under head coach Bruce Arena.
The fact that the Kickers are an amateur team is mostly to allow any college players to maintain their NCAA eligibility, although a handful of players do receive a salary. Richmond’s annual operating budget is roughly $300,000, not too far below the estimated $350,000 budget for the Patriots.
In the Quarterfinals, the Kickers defeated the A-League’s Atlanta Ruckus 2-1. Rob Ukrop and Scott Snyder provided the scoring for Richmond, although Ukrop was forced to miss several games due to a broken cheekbone after a collision with Atlanta’s John Doyle. Ben Crawley, another one of the stars from the University of Virginia dynasty, assisted on both goals and was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round.
In the Semifinals, Richmond faced the Chicago Stingers of the USUSL Pro League and came out on top after a back-and-forth game. The Kickers took the lead three times only to see Chicago equalize each time. The last time, Chicago’s Don D’Ambra tied the game in the 88th minute, but then Ukrop, who came off the bench still recovering from a broken cheekbone, drew a penalty a minute later. Ben Crawley stepped up and converted the PK in the 89th minute to give the Kickers a 4-3 win in what many believe to be the game of the tournament.
The El Paso Patriots kicked off their 1995 US Open Cup with a 5-2 comeback win over 1989 Open Cup champs McCormick Kickers (Fla.). The Patriots scored five unanswered goals after falling behind 2-0 in the opening ten minutes. David Stewart led El Paso with a brace and Raul Gomez had a goal and an assist.
