On a warm summer’s evening at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA, home of USL Championship side Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Soda City FC became the second team to qualify for the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The South Carolina side beat Inland Empire FC, 3-2 after extra time, to win the Spring 2024 United Premier Soccer League national championship in one of the most chaotic matches this year.
Since 2023, the UPSL Spring national champion, as the league has a split calendar format, has earned direct qualification into the following year’s US Open Cup. Last year, A.S. Frenzi became the first team to qualify via this method. This is Soda City’s first time qualifying for the Open Cup after narrowly missing out on making the tournament in two local qualifying appearances.
“Very excited (to be in the Open Cup),” said head coach George Trifos. “It’s a great competition and we’re privileged to be entered, especially being a national champion.”
To reach this game, both Soda City and Inland Empire needed to win semifinal matches on Friday. Inland Empire played Kansas City side Dodge City Toros FC to a 3-3 draw, before winning in penalty kicks 6-5. Soda City beat Rochester New York FC, 4-1.
RNYFC is not the same team that used to play in MLS NEXT Pro and forfeit its Second Round match in the 2023 Open Cup. The team is a soccer academy from Rochester, Empire United, that merged with RNYFC prior to its ceasing operations in March 2023, but has continued to use the name for academy purposes. Coincidentally, Soda City is a “sister” club to Rochester’s other former professional team, Flower City Union.
Following Dodge City’s win in the third place game, Soda City and Inland Empire took the field for a close clash to determine the UPSL National Champion. The first half was back and forth with neither side giving an inch.
Soda City took the lead in the 33rd minute when a corner kick bounced to Rauf Salifu on the left side. He cut towards the end line and crossed in, where an Inland player deflected the ball to clear. However, SCFC’s Cole Falco shot off the volley from inside the box to make it 1-0. It was Falco’s second goal in as many games after he scored against Rochester in the national semifinals.
That ended up being the only “natural” goal from openly play in a game with five goals.
Following the halftime break, Inland started to take more control. The emotions of the first half, which included forward Alexis Perez being injured and needing to be consoled by teammates as they headed off, were either put aside or fueled the group. It came to a head in the 51st minute after multiple IE attacks. A free kick near midfield by Empire’s Fernando Alejo was put into the box where SCFC’s Caleb Daniels accidentally headed the ball into his own net to tie the game.
If that wasn’t enough, both teams converted penalty kicks within a five minute span. Inland forward Cody Bell was fouled in the box by Soda City’s David Tuso. IEFC’s Brian Castillo stepped up to the spot and shot bottom right as keeper Jacob Cotton dove to the left, making it 2-1 in the 73rd.
A few minutes later, Inland returned the favor after Soda City’s Wynston Johnson was fouled in the box. Forward Rauf Salifu stepped up to the spot and shot to the left. IEFC keeper Luis Flores guessed correctly but couldn’t get a hand on it, tying the game once again, 2-2, in the 78th.
Neither team could find a go-ahead goal in regulation, meaning two more extra time 15 minute halves were in store. In the 95th minute, goal scorer Falco was involved in the game winner when he made a long throw-in towards the IEFC goal. Inland’s Darrin Vogel attempted to clear but headed right into the back of the net for the game’s second own goal to make it 3-2.
Inland was unable to find another equalizer in the rest of extra time and Soda City earned its first ever UPSL National Championship and first US Open Cup berth.
“It’s an incredible feeling,” said coach Trifos. “We worked very hard to be here… we made the most of it and the boys are taking it home.”
Previously, Soda City took part in the Open Division Local qualifying tournaments for the 2019 and 2020 US Open Cups under the name Soda City FC Sorinex. In the fall of 2018, the team reached the third qualifying round before losing to fellow UPSL side America SC. The following year, Soda once again reached the third round, this time with it being a “Win & You’re In” match, but lost to Nashville United, 4-0.
According to TheCup.us records, Soda City is the ninth non-professional team to ever qualify for the tournament. Since 2022, four Open Division teams from South Carolina have qualified for the Open Cup.
(Thank you to Lewis “Caz” Tidrick of Steel Army for helping us with reporting)