Where Was Jordan Farr???

DC United crashed out of the US Open Cup on penalties Wednesday (April 15), losing on penalties (6-5) to third-tier squad One Knoxville after a wild 3-3 draw in regular and extra time.

As is typical of the Open Cup, DC started a lot of reserves. Regulars are in bold print:

Bono in goal.

Kurokawa, Rowles, Markovic, Antley in defense

Peglow, Hopkins, Peltola, Kijima in midfield

Munteanu, Turner at forward.

Subs: Stroud for Kijima (halftime), Servania for Hopkins (halftime), Pirani for Turner (halftime), Murrell for Munteanu (76th), Hefti for Antley (82nd).

It was a scoreless first half, although Knoxville should have been up 1-0. A shot hit the crossbar and landed behind the goal line, but Bono grabbed it and threw it out, the referee did not call the goal, and there is no VAR for US Open Cup matches.

Peltola put DC on the board in the 61st minute with a nice shot from distance, but the DC defense showed gaps and Knoxvill scored twice in 3 minutes (75th and 78th) to take the lead. Markovic had a nice volley to tie the game in the 83rd minute. It was 2-2 after regulation.

In extra time, Bono sent a long pass into the offensive third. It took a high bounce over the Knoxville goalie, and Peglow headed it into the goal, although it may have gone in anyway. But yet again, the DC defense could not hold, and Knoxville tied the game in the 113th minute, leading to a penalty shootout.

Then, the unexplainable. DC has a substitute goalie, Jordan Farr, who has a rare gift for making penalty saves. Last year in the Open Cup he saved 4 out of 5 penalties to help DC advance in a similar situation. He was on the bench this year, and DC had a sub available, but HE WAS NOT USED! Bono was left in.

Both teams made their first 5 penalties. PIrani's penalty effort was saved in the 6th round, and Knoxville scored, winning the match.

Maybe, given DC's lack of depth, this makes things easier for the rest of the pre-World Cup schedule, but the decision not to use Farr makes no sense. In addition, there seemed to be no research on penalty preferences by DC, as Bono was obviously diving randomly as Knoxville went through their shots.

On to Subaru Field to play the Philadelphia Union on Saturday April 18.