Carolina Challenge Cup returns to Blackbaud Stadium
The Charleston Battery will host the third annual Carolina Challenge Cup March 18 - 25 at Blackbaud Stadium, Daniel Island. The 2006 pre-season tournament will feature the holders, Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes, 2004 MLS Cup Champions DC United, MLS’s Metrostars and the USL First Division Charleston Battery. DC United’s 16-year old soccer sensation Freddy Adu is expected to make a return visit to the tournament. The full tournament schedule and ticket pricing will be announced in January 2006. D.C. United Following an exceptional 2004 campaign that saw DC win its fourth MLS Cup victory, United failed to win a trophy in 2005 despite being entered in four tournaments. DC fell to Chicago in MLS’s Eastern Conference Semifinal and suffered premature exits from the CONCACAF Champions’ Cup, the U.S. Open Cup and the Copa Sudamericana. United remains one of the most storied US clubs and with a recent re-commitment from Freddy Adu will be setting its sights on a record fifth MLS Cup in 2006. After featuring in every match for DC in 2004, Freddy Adu scored four goals and added six assists in 25 games for United in 2005, which included 16 starts. He was absent from the lineup on several occasions due to commitments with the U.S. U-20 national team, for which he played at the FIFA World Youth Championships last summer. Despite his more limited role in 2005 after appearing in every game of the 2004 championship season, Adu still finished the season tied for the team lead in game-winning goals (three), while also supplying two game-winning assists. San Jose Earthquakes After claiming the 2005 Carolina Challenge Cup on its first entry into the tournament the San Jose Earthquakes carried its pre-season momentum into an outstanding 2005 MLS campaign that culminated with the Earthquakes winning its first ever MLS Supporters shield. San Jose benefited from the excellent attacking play of Canadian international Dwayne DeRosario and became the first team in league history to complete their home schedule unbeaten, with a record of 9-0-7. Metrostars This will be the first Carolina Challenge Cup for the Metrostars but not their first visit to Blackbaud Stadium. The Metrostars faced the Charleston Battery on one previous occasion losing 1-0 in a July 2004 US Open Cup clash. The Metrostars advanced to the 2005 MLS post-season after making a coaching change late in the year appointing former Scottish international Mo Johnston as the team’s 8th head coach. Johnston led the Metrostars to the fourth and final Eastern Conference playoff berth but the Metrostars fell to eventual MLS Cup runners-up the New England Revolution 4-2. 2005 Carolina Challenge Cup recap The San Jose Earthquakes captured the 2005 Carolina Challenge Cup with three solid performances that featured a win over DC United in their first game, a tie versus the 2004 champions the Columbus Crew in the second and a 1-0 victory versus the Charleston Battery in the final match.