The third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match between the City Islanders and the Rochester Rhinos was anyone's game for 104 minutes.

In the 105th minute, it became Harrisburg's with the first goal of the game. Three minutes later, the Islanders let the Rhinos take control for good.

"I think we over celebrated after the goal," coach Bill Becher said. "Maybe we learn a lesson from this -- that it's not over till the end."



After playing through a scoreless regulation and first overtime period, the City Islanders scored the first goal at Skyline Stadium Wednesday against Rochester.

Two minutes later, the Rhinos tied it up again, and seven minutes after, Rochester doubled the score.



A stoppage time shot from Asani Samuels put the game away, and Rochester advanced to the fourth round of the 102nd Open Cup with a 3-1 win. The Rhinos will face the Philadelphia Union on June 16 at PPL.



Eric Bird took a shot from the 25-yard-line one minute into the second overtime period that was stopped by Brandon Miller and ended up at the feet of Brett Jankouskas slightly to the left of center. The Palmyra grad one-timed the shot to put the Islanders briefly in control.



"We were disappointed, especially playing against ten men," defender Dante Leverock said of the Islanders' advantage through the end of the game. "We should have stayed focused and saw the last five to ten minutes out."

The loss is disappointing, Leverock said, but the Islanders still head into Saturday's home contest against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds with a five-game unbeaten streak in the league.

The league is the number one priority, Becher said, though the Islanders always seek to get as far as possible in the U.S. Open Cup.

The Cup's 102nd edition began with a preliminary round on April 25. The format of the tournament is unlike any other in pro sports: teams from the three professional leagues (MLS, NASL and USL) participate along with amateur clubs.

That allows match-ups of teams on different tiers in the system, something that would be unheard of in another major American sport, Becher points out. He compares it to the type of tournament where the Harrisburg Senators might get a chance to play the New York Yankees.

"It creates that atmosphere of underdogs," Leverock said. The excitement surrounding a match-up of a team like Rochester against the Union is good for the growth of the sport in the country, he said.