Carles Gil made history in a number of ways during his dominant performance against FC Cincinnati in the Fourth Round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Not only was his three-goal, one assist performance the first hat trick in the club’s history in the competition, he was also the first Spanish national to score a hat trick in the US Open Cup’s Modern Era (1995-present), earning himself the title of TheCup.us Player of the Round.
While Sacramento Republic goalkeeper Danny Vitiello, Nashville SC midfielder Hany Mukhtar and Charlotte FC’s Yordy Reyna also had strong performances in the Fourth Round that netted them a fair share of votes, neither could outshine Gil, who managed to score three goals on four shots on target. He also added one assist and racked up a 94.6% passing percentage in just 62 minutes of action. One can only imagine what his stat total would have been if he played the full 90, but the Revolution’s commanding 5-1 lead allowed the club’s captain to get some much-needed rest.
The Player of the Round award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters and select backers (those that pledge $10 or more) of TheCup.us’ Patreon team.
Speaking after the game, Gil was more focused on his team’s effort and the road ahead than his own historic performance.
“I think we needed a game like this today, scoring goals. 5-1 is a very good result. I think in the last two or three games we’ve felt better, hopefully we continue playing like this,” said Gil, referencing his squad’s slow start to their MLS season when compared to the highs of their 2020 campaign.
“We now have four more games to win a trophy. We are focused on this competition and also in the MLS.”
Down 1-0 in the 34th minute, Gil netted his first goal on a penalty after the Revolution’s Arnór Traustason was fouled by FC Cincinnati defender Zico Bailey. Just three minutes later, he scored again, this time smashing a ball from just outside the top of the box. The ball deflected off a Cincinnati defender, changing its direction and giving Cincinnati goalkeeper Kenneth Vermeer little hope of stopping it.
Gil would seal his hat trick just a few minutes after halftime. In the 54th minute, he received a pass from Brandon Bye at the top of the box and coolly curved it into the top left corner of the net on his first touch.
He would find the stat sheet one last time in the 57th minute, when a short pass from Gil to Adam Buksa led to a stunning long-range shot from the Polish striker, giving Carles an assist to go with his three goals.
2022 US Open Cup Round 4: Carles Gil’s historic hat trick helps New England Revolution cruise past FC Cincinnati
The New England Revolution celebrated the 20th anniversary of the opening of Gillette Stadium in style, routing Cincinnati FC 5-1 in Round 4 of the US Open Cup that saw Carles Gil score the first hat trick in the history of the competition for his club. Cincinnati opened the scoring in the 12th minute, when […]
Read This ArticleBorn in Spain, Gil started his career with his hometown team Valencia, with stops along the way for Premier league side Aston Villa and Deportivo La Coruña, a squad base in Galicia, Spain that currently plays in Spain’s third division.
Signed by the New England Revolution in 2019 as a Designated Player for a club record fee of $2 million, Gil quickly hit the ground running, scoring in his MLS debut against FC Dallas. Gil’s impressive performances and European pedigree allowed him to be quickly elevated to captain, and his first season performance led to him being named 2019 MLS Newcomer of the Year.
While an injury-plagued 2020 saw him play just 152 minutes of the MLS regular season, Gil returned in time to make an impact in the playoffs, racking up two goals and three assists in four postseason games. In 2021, Gil returned to form, leading the league with 18 assists and playing a critical role in his team’s first ever Supporters Shield title.
Speaking after Gil was signed to a contract extension with the club in May 2021, Revolution head coach Bruce Arena had nothing but praise for the 29-year-old attacker.
“We are pleased Carles will continue to be a member of the Revolution in the years to come. He’s an elite player who has proven himself to be one of the best in Major League Soccer,” Arena said. “His consistency and productivity on field as well as his professionalism and leadership in the locker room are an important part of our team and he will be a key piece in helping the team compete for championships in the years to come.”
Gil had only one prior appearance in the US Open Cup, which came back in 2019 in a 2-1 defeat against Orlando City in the Round of 16.
His Revolution squad will head to Jamaica, NY on Wednesday to face New York City FC in the Round of 32 at Belson Stadium.
2022 TheCup.us Player of the Round winners
Round 1: Tomas Bosuel (San Fernando Valley FC)
Round 2: Villyan Bijev (Central Valley Fuego FC)
Round 3: Maxi Rodriguez (Detroit City FC)
Round 4: Carles Gil (New England Revolution)
