The U.S. Open Cup is one of those tricky tournaments for a coach to figure. Great history, nice tradition, and anyone who supports professional soccer in this country has to pull for this tournament—which, at its best, could pit aging, part-timer amateur teams against the likes of David Beckham in a rinky-dink stadium just about anywhere—to continue to grow in prestige and prominence. It’s a goal that requires clubs to take it seriously, which means sending out quality teams and, you know, actually caring. DC United’s Open Cup title last year didn’t exactly make up for an otherwise poor season, but it did give die-hards and players a chance to enjoy one of soccer’s most satisfying moments: the lifting of the cup in front of the home fans.

But with a bruised and battered team battling for every point they’ve picked up this season, Coach Tom Soehn had to sit the regulars; there was no choice. Luciano Emilio, Jaime Moreno, Ben Olsen, Louis Crayton, and Clyde Simms all found themselves on the bench, while midfielder Brandon Barklage and goalkeeper Milos Kocic made their DCU debuts for the club in the starting 11. FC Dallas fielded a similarly weakened squad, with star striker Kenny Cooper staring out on the bench. And of the two below-strength teams, DC’s was far, far superior.