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sports Wednesday 7 september 2022
Orlando City to take on Sac Republic for U.S. Open Cup title

By ANNE M. PETERSON perseverance after a tough
AP Sports Writer couple of years.
Orlando City’s pursuit of its MLS announced in 2019
first trophy in the U.S. Open that Sacramento would
Cup is personal for Benji be joining the league this
Michel, who grew up in Or- season. But the COVID-19
lando and was signed by pandemic delayed the
the Lions as a homegrown start and the team’s lead
player. investor pulled out. The bid
“It means everything. I was put on hold, and it ap-
mean, this is why we fight, pears Las Vegas may have
this is what our job is,” he leapfrogged Sacramento
said. “We don’t just play as the league’s next pos-
to play, we want to play to sible franchise.
win trophies. And we have For the Open Cup, Sacra-
an amazing opportunity.” mento coach Mark Briggs
Major League Soccer’s is keeping his team ground-
Lions host United Soccer ed.
League upstart Sacramen- “I think we’d be false to
to in the title match of the think that they don’t recog-
Open Cup on Wednesday nize the occasion and they
night in Orlando, Florida. don’t recognize the signifi-
Sacramento is looking to cance of what we’re walk-
become just the second Orlando City's Benji Michel, left, and Arsenal's Rob Holding try to get control of a head ball during ing into tomorrow,” Briggs
lower-division club to win the second half of a Florida Cup friendly soccer match Wednesday, July 20, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. said on Tuesday. “But it’s
the championship in a Associated Press important that when they
quarter-century. kid,” Michel’s big brother cer seriously when I was After Michel scored Orlan- have those feelings, when
Orlando City, which joined became his legal guard- 15. At that age, I got my do’s final goal, he celebrat- they have those thoughts,
MLS in 2015, has never won ian and set him on a better first college offer. And that ed with a backflip. we bring them back to
a title. The closest the Lions path, which eventually led was that was pretty good. Sacramento advanced 5-4 the to being present and
came was in 2020, when back to his hometown. That’s when I really de- on penalties after a score- we bring them back to un-
they were runners up in the Michel played at the Uni- cided OK, this is what I’m less draw with Sporting Kan- derstanding the detail of
MLS is Back tournament. versity of Portland, where good at, this is what I can sas City in the semifinals. which they need to focus
In addition to a trophy, he was Freshman of the do,” he said. Just last year, The Republic also downed on for tomorrow.”
the Open Cup winner also Year for the West Coast the 24-year-old striker got a the San Jose Earthquakes Michel has started in 12
earns a spot in the CONCA- Conference and was call up to the senior U.S. na- and the LA Galaxy in Open games for Orlando in MLS
CAF Champions League. named an All-American tional team, but he did not Cup play. play this season. The Lions
But it’s about more than his final year. He signed a feature in a match. Sac Republic’s appear- are above the playoff line
just hardware for Michel, homegrown contract with Orlando defeated the ance in the title match of in fifth place in the Eastern
whose parents immigrated Orlando ahead of the 2019 New York Red Bulls 5-1 in the tournament, which is Conference standings with
to the United States from season. the Open Cup semifinals to more than a century old, is six games left in the regular
Haiti. A self-described “bad “I think I started taking soc- advance to the title game. a testament to the team’s season.q

Vuelta: Roglic falls near finish but gains

time on Evenepoel

TOMARES, Spain (AP) — Pri- to catch up to the leading hindered by a crash at the
moz Roglic crashed with breakaway group of four Tour de France.
the finish line in sight in the riders. The Slovenian would have
Spanish Vuelta on Tuesday Mads Pedersen won the been at least fifth in the
but still gained ground on stage for his second victory stage. He ended finishing
Remco Evenepoel after with team Trek-Segafredo 35th but was given the time
the overall leader had a in this year’s Vuelta. He pre- of the leading group.
puncture a few kilometers vailed over Pascal Acker- Evenepoel also didn’t lose
from the end. mann and Danny van Pop- time because of his punc- Mads Pedersen of Denmark and Team Trek, center left, sprints
Neither rider lost time be- pel. ture in the final kilometers, at the finish line as Primoz Roglic of Slovenia falls, left back, in
cause of their mishaps as “Everyone was really on the losing only eight seconds to the final sprint during the 16th stage of the Vuelta cycling race
they benefitted from a 3-ki- limit,” Pedersen said. “It’s a Roglic, who now is 1 minute, between San Lucar de Barrameda and Tomares, in Tomares,
southern Spain, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022.
lometer (1.8-mile) protec- pity that (Roglic) crashed, 26 seconds back entering Associated Press
tion zone at the end of the he hasn’t been lucky this the decisive final stages.
stage. year. I hope he’s not too Enric Mas is more than two that the 3-kilometer rule ex- “I expected him to at-
Roglic was bleeding from bad, so he can keep con- minutes behind Evenepoel ists, otherwise I would have tack,” Evenepoel said of
his right shoulder, arm and tending for the victory.” in third place. lost a lot of time today.” Roglic. “We all know that
leg as he crossed the line in Roglic, seeking an unprec- “I wanted to move up on It is the 11th consecutive Primoz is really explosive
the 16th stage. The three- edented fourth straight the steep bump but my stage Evenepoel has held so a finale like this is really
time defending champion Vuelta title with team Jum- rear wheel just went off,” the leader’s red jersey, the made for him. That makes
was going for the victory bo-Visma, had his prepa- said Evenepoel, the Belgian longest run since Roglic it even more a pity that he
but went down hard with ration for the final Grand rider from team Quick-Step took his first Vuelta win in crashed. You never want
75 meters to go while trying Tour race of the season Alpha Vinyl. “I’m happy 2019. anybody to crash.” q