MLS: 12 U.S. Open Cup upsets fresh in the memory

Saint Louis FC midfielder Austin Martz, front, and Lewis Hilton (8) celebrate Martz' goal in the first half during a U.S. Open Cup game against the Chicago Fire at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., on Tuesday, June 11, 2019. St. Louis won, 2-1, to advance to the next round. (David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS via Getty Images) /

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – OCTOBER 04: Macoumba Kandji #30 of the New York Red Bulls in looks on in the second half against the Toronto FC during their game at Giants Stadium on October 4, 2008 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Toronto FC defeated the Red Bulls 3 to 1. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for Red Bulls) /

6. 2008: Crystal Palace Baltimore 2-0 New York Red Bulls

It is fair to say that the New York Red Bulls have a pretty bad history with the Open Cup.

The Red Bulls have never won the competition and have dropped to embarrassing defeats to the likes of the Staten Island Vipers, Charleston Battery (2001 and 2004), Rochester, Harrisburg City (2010 and 2012), and the New York Cosmos.

But what makes this loss to Crystal Palace Baltimore the worst is the convincing manner in which Baltimore won, and the fact that it was only their second-ever year in the USL-2, whilst the entire club would dissolve two years later. So, I guess it’s fair to say that the Red Bulls did, in fact, lose to a bunch of nobodies… literally.

Baltimore would go on to advance further than any other USL team that year, but this victory over the Red Bulls will remain the sweetest of the lot. It was just another bad day at the office for the New York side in this competition.

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