2010 First Round: Miami FC’s Paulo Araujo Jr. scores four in overtime to win Player of the Round

After a record-setting first round performance against the Central Florida Kraze, Miami FC’s Paulo Araujo Jr. has been voted as TheCup.us Player of the Round. Araujo Jr. came off the bench in the second half and scored four goals in under 10 minutes in overtime to lead the Blues to a 5-1 win over the Kraze.

The award is voted on by the staff of TheCup.us and a selected panel of members of the North American Soccer Reporters (www.soccerreporters.com).

The game was a challenge for the Blues of the USSF Second Division, as the Kraze, an amateur team from the Premier Development League, took them into extra time with the score tied 1-1.

Most goals scored in a US Open Cup match (Professional Era 1995-present)

6 – Mugurel Dimitru – San Diego Flash (vs. Arizona Sahuaros – 1999 First Round) 4 – Paulo Araujo Jr. – Miami FC (vs. Central Florida Kraze – 2010 First Round) 4 – Jorge Munoz – Jacksonville Cyclones (vs. Cocoa Expos – 1999 First Round) 4 – Welton – Miami Fusion (vs. New Jersey Stallions – 2000 Second Round) 4 – Josh Wolff – Chicago Fire (vs. Dallas Burn – 2000 Quarterfinals) 4 – Johnny Menyongar – Minnesota Thunder (vs. San Diego Gaunchos – 2002 Second Round) 4 – Melvin Tarley – Minnesota Thunder (vs. Colorado Rapids – 2005 Fourth Round) 4 – Sebastien Le Toux – Seattle Sounders (vs. Hollywood United – 2008 Second Round)

“When they tied the match, it was harder, because usually when a team scores they usually come full-attack to get the 2nd goal,” said Araujo Jr. “But I thought that took it well and eventually the game spoke for itself.”

Araujo Jr. entered the match in the 62nd minute and it wasn’t until the second overtime period until he got on the scoresheet. His first goal came in the 110th minute. “They didn’t really know anything about the match. The team has to play every game like it’s a final,” explained Araujo Jr. He was surprised the Kraze were “pretty good, and it’s always hard to play against a lower level team that’s supposedly weaker, because you never know.”

Araujo Jr.’s four goals is the most ever scored by a player in overtime since the golden goal format was dropped after the 2004 tournament. In fact, no individual team has ever scored four in extra time and only once have two teams combined for four goals in the extra session (2009 First Round: Carolina RailHawks 3:3 Wilmington Hammerheads — Match was 1-1 after full time).

Scoring four goals is not unheard of in the Professional Era, as seven other players have reached that total. One of them, Mugurel Dimitru of the San Diego Flash (A-League), surpassed that total by scoring six in a 9-2 route of the Arizona Sahuaros in the opening round of the 1999 tournament.