Scott Goodwin may be considered a rookie by NASL standards, but his exploits between the posts during the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup belie his lack of game experience. The Carolina RailHawks backup goalkeeper made his professional debut in the tournament and put together a string of impressive performances that continually put him in contention for TheCup.us’s Player of the Round (POTR) Award despite not showing for the club during the NASL Spring Season. His 2014 US Open Cup Round 5: Rookie GK leads Carolina RailHawks to 3rd straight win over full-strength LA Galaxy finally earned him POTR honors for the tournament’s Fifth Round.
For his role in the RailHawks’ Open Cup run to the Quarterfinals, including two upsets of Major League Soccer teams, Goodwin claimed another prize, this year’s TheCup.us Lower Division Player of the Tournament award.
The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.
Goodwin had some stiff competition for the award as there were plenty of players deserving of praise. Among them were Atlanta Silverback and El Salvador international Junior Burgos and the Richmond Kickers’ George Davis IV, who finished second and third respectively. In the end, Goodwin’s two shutouts and three consecutive victories proved to be what impressed the voters most.
Goodwin, who signed with the RailHawks in January after spending a year playing for IF Hottur in the Icelandic second division, used this year’s Open Cup as a platform to showcase his skills. The University of North Carolina alum came out and simply posted a shutout in his professional debut, a 2-0 win over the Chartlotte Eagles (USL Pro) in the Third Round.
The shutout, and an injury to starting goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald, earned Goodwin another start in the next round against Chivas USA (MLS) where the Raleigh native picked up right where he left off, delivering when his team needed him most. After finishing 120 minutes deadlocked at 1-1, the two teams took to the penalty spot to decide the game. It was during the shootout that Goodwin proved his mettle. After recording eleven stops during the 120 minutes of play, Goodwin saved three penalties to send the RailHawks through to the next round.
With Fitzgerald still injured, and after posting successive victories in the tournament, Goodwin got the nod in the Fifth Round against the Galaxy, his third game as a professional. It was during this affair that Goodwin put together his most impressive performance in the tournament weathering 30 shots while registering eight saves to ensure the RailHawks made it through to the Quarterfinals.
The Galaxy entered the game seeking to avenge consecutive Open Cup defeats to the RailHawks as the club trotted out a lineup full of starters, including stars Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan.
From the first whistle, the Galaxy dominated play and assaulted RailHawks’ goal. Goodwin stood tall, saving anything that came his way giving the RailHawks a chance to win the game after entering halftime at 0-0. Goodwin proved up to the task in the second frame as well, making key saves against Donovan in the 84th minute and Keane in the 90th.
Goodwin continued his virtuoso performance in extra time. After RailHawks forward Daniel Jackson put the North Carolina club up 1-0 in the 105th minute, Goodwin weathered the Galaxy blitz on goal, sealing the win with another save in the 117th minute against Keane.
The win saw the RailHawks through to the Quarterfinals for the second year in a row and the third time in team history (2007, 2013, 2014). It was there that Goodwin’s string of Open Cup victories came to an end as the RailHawks fell to the high-powered offense of FC Dallas 5-2 led by a hat trick by Blas Perez.
Nevertheless, Goodwin proved worthy of valuable game time after shining throughout the tournament, eventually earning several starts for the RailHawks during the NASL Fall Season before Fitzgerald returned from injury and re-claimed the starting spot. In addition to his extended run of playing time, Goodwin caught the eye of fans and media alike with his play during this year’s Open Cup earning Lower Division Player of the Tournament honors in the process.
For the RailHawks, this is the second year in a row that the club has had a player win the award. Last year, midfielder Ty Shipalane led Carolina to the Quarterfinals as well.