Palace skidding into Open Cup

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Crystal Palace USA is nothing if not streaky.

The United Soccer League Second Division club started 5-0, and didn’t allow a goal through the first four games.

Now, Palace is on a three-game losing streak, getting outscored, 7-1, after a 1-0 loss to the Harrisburg City Islanders on Friday at UMBC.

“I think some of the things we were getting away with when we were winning games were masked by the fact that we were winning,” Palace co-manager Pete Medd said. “We just have to take care of our penalty box. Teams are getting in there and scoring soft goals, and it’s enough to make your stomach turn. We’ve just got to toughen up in our box.”

Palace faces an important hurdle — the opening round of the US Open Cup, the country’s largest soccer tournament that includes professional and amateur teams. Palace visits the Los Angeles Legends of the 64-team amateur USL Premier Development League tonight at 7:30 at Azusa Pacific (Calif.) University.

The Legends (4-1-2) are tied for second in the PDL Southwest Division. With no USL2 teams on the West Coast, the PDL is a similar level to Palace’s league.

“Only eight of 64 PDL teams qualified for this round, so they’re a good side, playing at a similar level to our league,” Palace co-manager Jim Cherneski said. “We want to do well in the US Open cup and we’ve signed a good squad. It’s important to us.”

Palace (5-3, 15 points) has dropped to third in the USL2 standings, five-points behind Charlotte (6-1-2, 20 points) and three behind Cleveland (5-1-3, 18 points).

After today’s game, Palace returns home to UMBC Stadium Friday night to host Cleveland at 7:30 p.m. in what will be its fourth game in eight days.

“The game [Sunday] was unbelievable. It was over 100 degrees on the field, and guys just ran their legs off,” Medd said. “We competed hard. We’re unlucky. We gave up a soft goal. Teams haven’t had to earn their goals against us lately. That’s the real frustrating thing.”

swelsh@baltimoreexaminer.com

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