51黑料

51黑料 City FC鈥檚 opening night in the U.S. Open Cup was also opening night for a set of players battling for more playing time in the team鈥檚 offense while leading scorer Klauss is out with a quad injury.

Aziel Jackson, who has spent more time with City2 than with City SC this season, scored twice and Celio Pompeu, getting his first chance to start with City SC, had a hand in four goals as City SC romped over third-division Union Omaha 5-1 on Tuesday night in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.

The crowd at CityPark was just as emphatic as the result. The attendance of 22,423 鈥� a sellout on a Tuesday night, no less 鈥� was the largest crowd ever for the third round of the Open Cup in the tournament's modern era (from 1995 on) and the 10th largest crowd for any round.

鈥淚t's incredible,鈥� said coach Bradley Carnell. 鈥淭he fans never cease to amaze us. We know what we have in 51黑料. And we know that when teams come to 51黑料, it's not just the team that they're going to play against. It's also this cauldron that we have, the fans, the fan base, the stadium.鈥�

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect a full stadium for a Tuesday night,鈥� said Pompeu.

Akil Watts and Eduard Lowen also scored for City SC, which also got a goal when an Omaha player knocked the ball into his own net, as the team advanced to the round of 32 to be played May 9-10. The next opponent will be determined in a draw after the third round is completed on Wednesday.

With the quick turnaround from a game on Saturday night in Colorado, City SC fielded almost an entirely new lineup on Tuesday. Only midfielder Indiana Vassilev and defender Akil Watts played at least 45 minutes on Saturday and were in the starting lineup Tuesday. The four attacking players in the lineup were all new faces: Pompeu, Jackson, Tomas Ostrak and Isak Jensen.

Ostrak is the only player in that group to have made a start this season, but all of them have a chance to get more playing time as Klauss is expected to miss at least the next two weeks. With Niko Gioacchini and Rasmus Alm getting the night off, it gave plenty of time for the others to make their case and all showed well, even if Ostrak and Jensen didn鈥檛 make the scoresheet.

鈥淚 always tell the boys,鈥� Carnell said, 鈥渋t's like you're a salesman, you take out your business card and you try to sell me your product tonight and all of the boys who were out there really gave a good account of themselves.鈥�

For Jackson, just getting a chance to get in the game was good. Jackson has played only two games and 17 minutes with City SC this season, more often than not the odd man out in the midfield. He鈥檚 played five games with City2, starting three, with no goals or assists. He played 24 minutes with City2 on Sunday.

鈥淚t鈥檚 tough sometimes because you may not be part of the team,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut we鈥檙e all treated the same within the group and I feel I need to trust in my abilities and trust in my journey. 鈥� I鈥檓 just focused when the moment comes and when I鈥檓 ready, I鈥檓 ready.鈥�

鈥淎Z, we know he's extremely talented,鈥� Carnell said. 鈥淏ut what's even more special he's committed to City2 minutes as well and it's never easy for a guy where he trains week in and week out and doesn't make a game roster. We asked him to go play City2 and if he's up for the challenge, and he's been up for the challenge many times and you can see just through game time alone and through rhythm. Now you get put on the display full stadium and, bang, he's able to shine. 鈥� I've seen growth in AZ the last two weeks, three weeks.鈥�

Wearing shoes given to him by goalie Roman Burki聽鈥� Jackson invoked the concept of feng shui: 鈥淢aybe sometimes when you change something about your attire, it can change for the better. Or for the worse.鈥澛犫�� he made a long run with the ball as Union Omaha was hesitant to challenge him as he scored from the top of the box in the third minute to start the scoring. He scored again in the 66th minute and almost got a hat trick, shooting wide just before being subbed out in the 75th minute. As he came off the field, he got a huge ovation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a crazy feeling,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was trying not to smirk because it was 22,000 fans, the atmosphere is amazing. I felt really good in my soul. I'm really happy that the fans came out and supported.鈥�

While getting any time with the first team would be a step forward for Jackson, Pompeu has a little playing time but wants to take the next step. He has seen action in seven of the team鈥檚 nine MLS games, but only twice has he played more than 12 minutes. On Tuesday, he played 90 minutes and embraced the chance to show Carnell and the staff what he can do.

鈥淓verybody wants more minutes so today was a chance to prove that we deserve more minutes and show the coach that they can trust us," Pompeu said. "I came into this game thinking it's one more chance. I always want more minutes because I work hard on and off the field. I think it was a great day, I ran a lot and gave it everything I had.鈥�

On Jackson鈥檚 first goal, it was Pompeu who got him the ball to start his long run. On the second goal, Pompeu took a pass from Vassilev on a free kick and took the ball into the box, where his cross was knocked into the net on a sliding tackle by Omaha鈥檚 Joe Gallardo. On the third goal, Pompeu played a give-and-go with Watts, who scored, and on the fourth goal, Jensen got him the ball in the middle of the box, but trapped by the defense, he slid the ball over to an open Jackson, who drove it home.

鈥淚t felt so good,鈥� Pompeu said. 鈥淢y first start in a long time. It felt good to play 90 minutes in front of this amazing crowd that gives us energy. I had three assists, so I love it, and I had not a goal, but for me it was a goal. I鈥檓 happy.鈥�

Josh Yaro captained the squad and Jonathan Bell got into his first game with City SC, coming on as a sub in the 71st minute.