Off from MLS play, Ocean City looms next for DC United in US Open Cup

June 28, 8:12 PMWashington Soccer ExaminerEd Morgans

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DC United have had the week to rest, focus on training, and maybe take in the Confederations Cup matches, with the next league match not until July 4 at Columbus. 

Coming off a road trip that saw United draw in Seattle (3-3) and lose at Colorado (3-0), the club must set their sights now on the task at hand, which is a match against the PDL's Ocean City Barons at the Maryland SoccerPlex on Tuesday night in the third round of the US Open Cup. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. 

So, who are the Ocean City Barons? 

The Barons reached this round of the Cup by beating Crystal Palace Baltimore and Real Maryland FC. They also lobbied to try and host this match, but it didn't work out and the match will be at the SoccerPlex. The clubs have never met. The Barons are 6-3-1 in the PDL, where mostly college-level players compete over the summer in preparation for their upcoming seasons. They are the last PDL club alive in the Open Cup. 

While the division itself is several levels below MLS, that doesn't mean that an upset is out of the question. In 2000, the New England Revolution and Kansas City Wizards both fell victim to PDL sides in the Open Cup. In 2006, the PDL's Carolina Dynamo reached the fourth round, beating the Seattle Sounders (then a USL side) in the third round before losing to the Houston Dynamo in Round 4. Also that year, Dallas Roma FC of the North Texas Premier Soccer Association, a not-for-profit league, upset Chivas USA in the third round before losing in the next round to the Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-0. 

Ryan Richter and Kyle Miller lead this year's Barons with four goals in PDL play. Byron Carmichael has three. Carmichael is the veteran of the group at 27 years old; Both Richter and Miller are 20. Richter had two goals and two assists last season for LaSalle University. Miller was the runaway leader for Holy Cross in goals last season, scoring nine times. Both Richter and Miller are rising juniors. Miller has put home 16 goals in his two-year college career.

Carmichael was selected by the Wizards in the sixth round of the 2003 MLS SuperDraft after playing his college soccer at Marshall University. He left Marshall as the school's all-time leader in goals (57) and points (128). 

Tunde Oginbiyi has seen most of the action in goal for Ocean City, posting an 0.86 goals against average in 630 minutes played. Oginbiyi just turned 21 on June 23, and will suit up this season for Boston College after attending the University of New Hampshire for two years, but not seeing any playing time. 

With a win vs. Ocean City, United would host either the New England Revolution or the Harrisburg City Islanders in the next round on July 7. Regardless of the opponent, the match would be played at the SoccerPlex. An Ocean City win would have them either at Harrisburg or New England in the next round. 

United played New England in last year's Open Cup, eliminating the Revolution by a 3-1 score at RFK Stadium in the semifinals. Luciano Emilio scored twice and Santino Quaranta added the other. In 2007, a Steve Fisher goal powered Harrisburg (USL-2) past United, 1-0. Harrisburg had beaten Ocean City in the round prior.

I will not be posting updates on twitter of the match Tuesday, since I will be out of town and away from computers. For updated information, follow the club at www.twitter.com/dcunited.