Midfielder Kupono Low scored on a free kick in the 85th minute, giving the Carolina RailHawks a 1-0 victory over the PDL’s Brooklyn Knights in a First Round US Open Cup match in Cary, N.C.
Carolina had a 10-6 advantage in shots, but the USL First Division team put only two shots on goal. The only one that got past Knights goalkeeper Elvir Prasovic was Low’s free kick that got through the Brooklyn defense to give them a late lead. The RailHawks defense would hold on in the final minutes to advance to the next round.
It hasn’t been easy for Carolina lately. The club has allowed the tying or winning goal in the final six minutes three times in their previous five games. Chris McClellan earned a clean sheet while only having to make two saves for the RailHawks, who will play host to Real Maryland in the Second Round.
Lineups
Brooklyn Knights: Elvir Prasovic, Gabriel Ortega, Tomasz Groch, Javier Gonzalez, Daniel Buehrens (Erik Rengifo 28th), Arthur Kulkov, Mathias Carrizo (David Panchano 66th), Juan Guerra, Frank Alesci (Giuseppe Buscemi 73rd), Hemir Niebles, Tarik Smith
Carolina RailHawks: Chris McClellan, Frankie Sanfilippo, Richard Perdomo, Chris Lemons, Martin Nuñez, Kupono Low, Ryan Solle, Steven Curfman (Santiago Fusilier 63rd), Jacob Coggins (Phillip Long 73rd), Matthew Watson (Caleb Norkus 89th)
Scoring Summary: Kupono Low (CAR 85th)
Cautions: Tarik Smith (BRO 31st ), Hemir Niebles (BRO 76th)