On a night where most of DC United’s regular players were nowhere to be found, the club soon found itself outside the party looking in of the 2007 US Open Cup. A goal in the first half by Steve Fisher lifted the Harrisburg City Islanders to a 1-0 win over United in the 2007 US Open Cup, DC’s first and last match of the tournament that season. It marked the last time United played a road match in the Open Cup, and it’s also the last time United were beaten in the tournament.

Last year, United rode its home matches to a trip to the final against the Charleston Battery, a match played at RFK Stadium. United were victorious that night, as well, giving the club its second USOC triumph (1996 was the other).

Tonight at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md., United and the Islanders meet again, with a trip to the semifinals on the line. It’s impossible for me to predict what kind of lineup that United head coach Tom Soehn is going to use. He is limited to some extent since forwards Jaime Moreno and Luciano Emilio are injured, and midfielder/forward Santino Quaranta and defender Dejan Jakovic are away with the US and Canadian National Teams, respectively, for the Gold Cup. The main roster also is only 22 players deep rather than 24, due to the release of Anthony Peters and Louis Crayton.

But a lineup full of reserves isn’t going to cut it. That was tried two years ago and blew up in United’s face. Credit to Harrisburg – they are two divisions below United and managed to get a victory. But if United are going to be a top club again, such losses are inexcusable. Having put together a decent first half of the Major League Soccer season, and sitting just outside of first place in the Eastern Conference, a loss to Harrisburg tonight would be equally embarrassing.

Some would argue that the Open Cup shouldn’t be a priority when there’s league points to be earned. But United don’t play another league match until July 18 vs. Colorado at RFK Stadium, so there’s no reason not to make sure of victory tonight, although it would be understandable to rest a couple players here and there if they need it following the 1-1 draw at Columbus on Saturday.

But there’s no SuperLiga this season, and the old CONCACAF Champions Cup that required matches before the MLS season even starts is now gone. With CONCACAF Champions League play not starting until the end of the month, United have every reason to focus in on the task at hand and make sure of advancement. After all, United have a nice path to the final if they choose to take it. A win tonight would mean another game at the SoccerPlex on July 21, against a USL team, either the Rochester Rhinos of USL-1 or the Wilmington Hammerheads of USL-2. The other side of the brackets has Kansas City playing Seattle in an all-MLS match, while the USL’s Charleston Battery, beaten finalists a year ago, play the Houston Dynamo.

There isn’t a team in the draw that United can’t beat. But that won’t matter if they don’t reverse history and beat Harrisburg tonight.

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