• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • US Open Cup Central
  • US Open Cup Qualifying
  • US Open Cup History

Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

  • 2022 Schedule/Results
  • 2023 Qualifying Schedule
  • 2022 Stats
  • Support TheCup.us
  • TheCup.us Store
  • Awards
  • Contact Us

2018 US Open Cup Round 2: Brilla score late to stun Indy Eleven, add to Mississippi soccer history

May 20, 2018 by Datti Jinkiri

USOC IXI-MB FINALMississippi Brilla FC pulled off an upset in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Second Round by defeating the Indy Eleven 1-0 on Wednesday.

A crowd of around 900 witnessed what could arguably be the biggest win in Brilla’s history. Defender Koray Easterling scored the lone goal in the 81st minute when he side-footed an Oliver Brock free-kick into the back of the net.

With the win, Brilla become the first Mississippi team to ever reach the Third Round of the tournament.

The match was cagey for long periods, but the Indy Eleven had the larger share of the possession. The team looked calm and composed in their buildup. Towards the latter part of the first half, the USL side began to establish more possession in Brilla’s defensive half. However, the home team’s defense remained stout.

The halftime break seemed to give Brilla more life, and the team’s confidence level began to increase. Winger Bastien Oberli looked to be the team’s most dangerous player, as he fearlessly took on the Eleven’s defense.

It ended up being a set piece that finally unlocked the Eleven’s defense. Brock played a curling free kick towards the back-post, and Easterling was there to put it past goalkeeper Owain Williams.

The Eleven had brought on Jack McInerney and Zach Steinberger a few minutes before the goal, so they were both fairly fresh. Thus, they were able to apply pressure on the Brilla defense. However, the Mississippians defended solidly for the final minutes to clinch the victory.

The goal capped off a Man of the Match performance for Easterling, as he helped anchor the defense in addition to his moment of offensive inspiration.

Brilla goalkeepers Brendan Ledgeway and Jordan Bell combined for five saves in the shutout performance. Bell had the save of the match, as he made a spectacular fingertip save of a Justin Braun shot in the second half.

Braun was the Eleven’s most dangerous player, and he led the team with three shots. However, one of his best chances went begging as he missed the target on a first half header.

Brilla is now in uncharted waters, as the club has never made it past the Second Round of the US Open Cup. They will travel to play Nashville SC in the Music City on May 23.

Filed Under: 2018 US Open Cup, Feature - Main, US Open Cup Tagged With: 2018 US Open Cup, Indy Eleven, Mississippi Brilla

Primary Sidebar

Featured Video

Follow Us on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

U.S. Open Cup History

Clint Dempsey of the Seattle Sounders FC is shown a red card during a 2015 US Open Cup match against the Portland Timbers.

A history of violence against referees in US Open Cup

Unfortunately, in the long history of the US Open Cup, this was not the first time that there have been more then a few incidents where games were halted due to referee abuse.

  • How St. Petersburg Kickers became Florida’s first US Open Cup champion
  • San Francisco Bay Seals, the ‘amateur’ pro team that reached 1997 US Open Cup Semifinals
  • Vasco De Gama’s journey from Connecticut to 1978 US Open Cup Final as Pele’s opening act at Giants Stadium
  • 1938-1939 National Challenge Cup: The first time the US Open Cup was invite-only
  • American soccer’s greatest modern underdog story: Rochester Raging Rhinos win 1999 US Open Cup

Analytics powered by

Copyright © 2023 • Built by Jacob Martella Web Development