The 109th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup started off with a bang and a plethora of the chaos we all know and love in this competition. Amateur teams, who made it through the grind of qualifying rounds in the fall, competed against professional teams in Round 1 of the tournament proper. 32 teams advanced to the next round, seven of those being upstart amateurs and one team advancing by forfeit. There were many players whose performances stood out among all of the fun and exciting games in the first round.
Since 2006, TheCup.us has set out to honor the best individual performance of each round.
The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters, and select backers from TheCup.us’ Patreon. If you’d like to vote in this, or upcoming rounds, consider pledging $10 or more and help us continue to cover the US Open Cup and research its long history. If you did have a vote, which player do YOU think should win?
Here are the finalists (in alphabetical order):
Jordan Adebayo-Smith – MNUFC2 (MLS Next Pro)
Adebayo-Smith scored every one of MNUFC2’s goals in their 3-0 road win over Chicago House AC (USASA/Midwest Premier League). He scored all three goals in the second half and completed his hat trick in thrilling fashion in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Kharlton Belmar – Charlotte Independence (USL League One)
Belmar was the definition of an impact substitute, coming into the game in the 62nd minute and assisting on the winning goal ten minutes later. He then scored in the 86th minute to seal the 2-0 road win over Vereinigung Erzgebirge (USASA/United Soccer League of Pa.).
Kyle Bennett – FORO SC (UPSL)
Late game heroics put another impact substitute on the list. Kyle Bennett came into the game in the 71st minute, ten minutes before his team went down to ten men right before extra time while tied. Bennett scored the equalizing goal in stoppage time of the second extra time period, scoring the winning penalty in a 4-3 shootout win (after a 2-2 draw) on the road against Austin FC II (MLS NEXT Pro).
Christian Chaney – Forward Madison (USL League One)
Chaney scored two goals for Forward Madison starting with a goal in the ninth minute. He then scored an insurance goal in the 53rd minute as they easily defended home turf against Duluth FC (NPSL), 2-0.
Darwin Espinal – Maryland Bobcats (NISA)
Darwin Espinal scored a brace in their 2-0 road win over West Chester United (NPSL). An early goal in the eighth minute set the tone for the game, completing his brace in the 57th minute to seal the win.
Joe Gallardo – Union Omaha (USL League One)
Joe Gallardo scored all but one of Union Omaha’s goals in a lopsided 4-0 win over Western Mass Pioneers (USL League Two). His hat trick bookended the match, scoring the first and last two goals of the game.
Johan Garibay – One Knoxville SC (USL League One)
Johan Garibay faced 17 shots and made six saves, preserving the clean sheet in a 2-0 road win over Asheville City (USL League Two) while playing with ten men for the final 29 minutes of the game.
Sacha Kljestan – Des Moines Menace (USL League Two)
Despite not having played in a competitive match in 18 months, the 38-year-old Sacha Kljestan played all 120 minutes of the match, assisting on the opening goal in the 53rd minute and converting the winning penalty in the shootout in Des Moines’ 2-2 road draw and 5-4 PK shootout win over Capistrano FC (NISA).
Juan Manuel Martínez – Club de Lyon FC (NISA)
In Club de Lyon’s 3-2 road win over AS Frenzi (UPSL), Juan Manual Martinez scored a goal in the 23rd minute and later completed his brace with the game-winner in the 90th minute.
Ropapa Mensah – Chattanooga Red Wolves (USL League One)
In his team’s 4-2 extra time road win against Brockton FC United (UPSL), Ropapa Mensah came off the bench in the 59th minute, making a difference with two extra time goals with his team playing shorthanded late throughout the end of the second half and all of extra time.
Tatenda Mkuruva – Michigan Stars (NISA)
Tatenda Mkuruva kept a clean sheet, facing 16 shots and making six saves in Michigan Stars’ tight 1-0 road win at Steel City FC (NPSL).
David Polanco – Carolina Core FC (MLS Next Pro)
In the Carolina Core FC’s 3-2 home win over Northern Virginia FC (USL-2), David Polanco scored the game-tying goal in the 50th minute before assisting on the game-winning goal in the 82nd minute.