In one of the closest votes in recent memory, Cristian Olivera of Los Angeles FC was narrowly voted the 2024 TheCup.us Player of the Tournament after leading his club to its first Lamar Hunt US Open Cup title.
With each first place vote receiving three points and second place votes getting one each, Olivera won the award by a single point over LAFC teammate Timothy Tillman. Dembor Benson of El Farolito SC, the winner of the Lower Division Player of the Tournament award, finished third, just six points behind Olivera.
The Player of the Tournament 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) from TheCup.us’ Patreon team.
Olivera helped LAFC win the club’s first US Open Cup title with a team-leading three goals and one assist.
The Uruguayan came off the bench in the 67th minute in the Final and assisted on what would prove to be the championship winning goal in extra time by Omar Campos in the 102nd minute.
That was the second time Olivera came off the bench in a 1-1 contest to score — the first was in a 27-minute cameo on the road in the Round of 32 match against the Las Vegas Lights (USL Championship). They would win the match, 3-1.
Recent Player of the Tournament winners
2023: Andrew Tarbell (Houston Dynamo)
2022: Rodrigo Lopez (Sacramento Republic)
2019: Darwin Quintero (Minnesota United)
2018: Mauro Manotas (Houston Dynamo)
2017: Tim Melia (Sporting KC)
2016: Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas)
2015: Krisztian Nemeth (Sporting KC)
2014: Kenny Cooper (Seattle Sounders)
2013: Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United)
2012: Osvaldo Alonso (Seattle Sounders)
2011: Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders)
His pair of goals rescued the Black and Gold who found themselves struggling to find a go-ahead goal after both teams scored early in the second half.
The close-range, tap-in goal from defender Omar Campos’ cross gave LAFC the lead with 20 minutes left while his second tally in stoppage time cooled off any threats of a late equalizer and guaranteed his side a place in the next round.
Up next in the Round of 16 for Olivera and LAFC was a second USL outfit, Loudoun United. The winger featured in the team’s starting 11 and began the game with a contribution on the game’s first goal.
After eight minutes the winger’s sneaky cross through the face of goal found Tillman in acres of space at the back post to tap in from close range.
Olivera doubled LAFC’s lead after forward Denis Bouanga set up his Uruguayan teammate to cap-off a darting run that started in the Black and Gold’s defensive third.
While he did not play in the 3-1 home win over New Mexico United in the Quarterfinals, he started and played 68 minutes in LAFC’s narrow 1-0 road win over Seattle Sounders FC (MLS).
Olivera is the third Uruguayan player to win an award from TheCup.us. He joins Orlando City’s Facundo Torres who was the Player of the Round for the 2022 US Open Cup Final and Diego Rossi of LAFC who won Player of the Round for the 2018 Semifinals, despite not advancing.