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Back from the brink!
After starting 0-4, Crystal Palace Baltimore make the cut
Just two weeks ago, it looked as if Crystal Palace Baltimore’s chances to qualify for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup were pretty bleak. The club was sitting at the bottom of the USL-2 qualifying standings at 0-4, with games against Wilmington and Richmond remaining. After last week’s 3-0 win over fellow qualifying strugglers Wilmington, Palace saw a glimmer of hope. Traveling to Richmond to face the defending league champions, CPB needed to win and hope that New Hampshire and Wilmington didn't win their final games.
Palace managed a 1-1 draw against Richmond. David Bulow scored first for Richmond in the 39th minute, but Mathew Mbuta scored the equalizer 14 minutes from full time to save Baltimore. The draw set CPB at 22%. Wilmington dropped their qualification bid with a 0-0 draw at Cleveland , leaving them with 14%. A win would have put Wilmington at 23%, just above Baltimore. Finally, Palace got the news they were waiting for, the score from New Hampshire: Charlotte 3, New Hampshire 2. Jacob Coggins scored two goals to help give the Eagles a 3-0 lead. Narcisco Fernandes and Almir Barbosa scored in the final seven minutes to pull the Phantoms within one, but it was too little, too late. The Phantoms dropped to 11% possible points, allowing Crystal Palace Baltimore to become the third USL-2 club to make their Cup debut this season, joining Cleveland and Harrisburg.
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