2017 US Open Cup Round 2 Review: Four upsets headline surprising Second Round

Fans of the Tampa Bay Rowdies celebrate in the Second Round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Matt May | Tampa Bay Rowdies

The highlight of Round 2 was the four amateur teams that pulled off upsets, and two more that took their opponents to penalty kicks.

Three PDL teams and one regional amateur club (Christos FC) moved on to Round 3. And because of the way that the Third Round draw shook out, it set up one all-amateur matchup (Christos FC vs. Chicago FC United), which means fans will be guaranteed at least one amateur vs. Major League Soccer game in Round 4.

Check below for a full list of the Round 2 scores and links to the full match reports will be added as they are published.

#USOC2017 coverage:
* 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup schedule, results (video/audio links)
* 2017 US Open Cup bracket (TheCup.us)
* 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup schedule, results
* A map of all 99 entries for the 2017 US Open Cup
* 2017 Meet the Underdogs series
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 2 review: 14 more teams advance as Round 3 moved to next year
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1: Scores and recaps from every game
* Eric Wynalda hired to lead LA Wolves for 2017 US Open Cup run
* Reading United qualifies for record 9th straight US Open Cup, seeking more than an opening round win

* Things you should know about the Second First Round of the US Open Cup
* Notable Upsets in the Second Round of the US Open Cup (Modern Era)
* Support TheCup.us: New Del Rey City jerseys available for purchase
* Appreciate what we do at TheCup.us? Donate here
* TheCup.us is looking for writers/editors, graphics, WordPress gurus & people who can handle digital ad sales (paid position). Email us here

Twitter (#USOC2016) | Facebook | Instagram | Flickr | Reddit

The youth of Jacksonville couldn’t stand up to Tampa Bay, as the Rowdies scored in just the third minute. The rout continued and the Rowdies cruised to victory, but will have to travel to Miami for the next round.

The NPSL Silverbacks found themselves in trouble from the start. They conceded a goal in the 19th minute, and trailed 2-0 at the half. A 73rd minute goal would be the only finished opportunity for Atlanta, as the Battery prevailed.

Trailing 2-0 late, Boston City FC couldn’t quite complete their comeback bid and GPS Omens advanced. Boston City had several opportunities, but never could convert. Keith Caldwell notched a goal and assisted on the second for Omens who earn the club’s second straight US Open Cup victory.

The Dynamo proved no match for their NASL neighbors, as NCFC looked sharp throughout the match. Their six goals tied the club’s best Open Cup total, dating back to when they were called Carolina Railhawks FC. They’ll host Charlotte in the next round.

The Charlotte derby went back and fourth, but the USL side came out on top. The Eagles of the PDL scored both of their goals within three minutes, taking a 2-1 lead with less than 30 minutes to go. They tied the game with a penalty kick, and took the lead on an 88th minute goal from Enzo Martinez.

Neither side could convert in regulation, so the match went to extra time. In that extra season, a Djiby Fall header found the net in the 115th minute to push FC Cincinnati on to the next round.

In a rough game that totaled nine yellow cards, Jacksonville advanced past Miami United of the NPSL. Though Miami struck first, Jacksonville answered off a corner just a few minutes later. After taking that corner, Jack Blake later converted a penalty kick to give Jacksonville the lead. The Armada will host Charleston in the next round.

A 79th minute goal for Geaton Caltabiano was the only one of the match, but it was enough to give his amateur club the win against Richmond. Though the Kickers outshot their opponents 22-10, none of their shots found the net.

Rochester netted two goals in the first seven minutes, so it didn’t take much to finish off FC Motown. The Rhinos played possession the remainder of the game, finishing with a 3-0 victory. They’ll host GPS Omens in the next round.

Tartan Devils may have had the home field, but they lacked any advantage. Louisville City nearly doubled the club’s total goal output in its previous five Open Cup games combined as they had no trouble with their amateur opponent.

After multiple lead changes in the match, Jaime Chávez’s 79th minute goal helped Miami FC edge the Surf. South Florida scored the game’s first goal in the 20th minute, but went into halftime tied at one and soon trailed. After the equalizer, they seemed to become fatigued and conceded the game winning just five minutes later. Miami will host the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the next round. The Bucks found a way to hold on to a slim, one-goal lead for nearly 60 minutes as they slipped past Indy Eleven. Francis Atuahene scored the only goal of the match in the 36th minute and the Bucks keeper Drew Shepard kept his clean sheet to push his side to the next round. A scoreless regulation and extra time set up penalty kicks for the two clubs as Ocean City, a PDL team, earned a shutout against a pro team for a Modern Era record sixth time. However, in the penalty kick shootout, both teams were even heading into the seventh round of kicks where the Nor’easters missed and Mouhamed Dabo converted for the City Islanders to avoid the upset and advance to face Ocean City’s PDL rivals, Reading United in Round 3. The first NASL upset of the night came from the PDL’s Reading United AC, as they scored three straight goals in the first half to take a 3-1 lead at the break. Reading lost a man to a second yellow in the late goings, but managed to hold of New York, 3-2. Two quick goals after halftime led Colorado Springs to victory in this one, after a quiet first half. The teams’ chances were about equal, but Colorado Springs’ two conversions were the difference. San Antonio held on to their halftime lead to edge the Dutch Lions. A 62nd minute goal for the Lions cut the lead in half, but they would never find the equalizer. San Antonio will face Tulsa in the next round. It took extra time, but St. Louis managed to down FC Wichita. After missing a stoppage time penalty kick that would have been the equalizer, Jose Angulo redeemed himself with his second goal of the night in the 95th minute to give St. Louis the lead in extra time. Though the score was knotted up 1-1 at the half, OKC Energy soon capitalized on a Moreno Valley red card. Shortly after the card, Oklahoma City scored four goals in six minutes to create a huge lead and advance. In the kind of game where the score doesn’t tell the whole story, Tulsa dominated the match. At one point leading 4-0, the Roughnecks took their foot off the gas which made the final much closer. Orange County jumped out to a 3-1 halftime lead, and never looked back. Their potent offense led them to a 5-2 win. In a “hotly” contested game, Phoenix was in control most of the match. Rising FC opened a 3-0 advantage, and Fresno wouldn’t answer until the 68th minute. After 90 minutes of scoreless soccer, LA Wolves scored in extra time to defeat Chula Vista FC 1-0. This makes Eric Wynalda undefeated in three opening round games in his coaching career. It was a nail-biter in the Pacific Northwest, but the USL side prevailed in penalty kicks. After extra time, the teams were tied 1-1, and Reno won 4-3 in PKs to become the first pro team from the state of Nevada to advance in a US Open Cup game. Elliot Hord set up Harry Williams twice in the first 20 minutes, and Anahuac simply had no answer. Sacramento cruised to an easy home win and the club’s fourth opening round win in as many years. The Dragons struck first, but two unanswered goals from San Francisco snuffed out the upset bid. The Deltas notched their first-ever Open Cup victory with the win.