A thrilling team performance saw MLS NEXT Pro team Carolina Core FC continue to the next round of the 2025 US Open Cup after defeating back-to-back UPSL Champion Soda City FC. An early penalty in the 18th minute by Joshua Rodriguez laid the groundwork for Carolina Core’s dominant performance throughout the game, leading to a final score of 4-2 after eventually conceding two late goals to the visiting Soda City FC.
With this game being the last chance of a first-round cupset in the Carolinas, eyes turned to Soda City to see if they had the little bit of Open Cup magic needed to make it happen. But Carolina Core, one of the two independent MLS NEXT Pro teams, had the first opportunity as Joshua Rodriguez was fouled in the box, quickly converting the penalty awarded to them.
The High Point, North Carolina-based team continued to keep control of the ball, achieving 75% possession in the first half. Each team had chances of their own before halftime came; Soda City with strong free kicks in the 34th and 39th minutes, and a Carolina shot on goal was deftly saved by Soda City goalkeeper Jacob Cotton in the 36th to keep it 1-0 at the break.
As the players returned to the field, it was palpable how much Carolina wanted another goal, and how hard Soda City was going to try to keep that from happening. In the 59th minute, Rodriguez achieved a brace (assisted by Facundo Canete) and added an extra air of confidence to the Next Pro side. Canete scored a goal of his own in the 69th minute, followed closely by Jacob Evans’s free kick goal in the 72nd.
It seemed like a clean sheet was inevitable, and possibly even more goals to add to the tally for Carolina when a pair of goals in the 80th and 84th minute from Soda City forwards Lamar Thompson and Rauf Salifu, respectively, kept the amateur team’s hope alive. But there simply wasn’t enough time as the final whistle blew.
In winning this game and continuing to the next round of the US Open Cup, coaches and players alike aim to give Open Cup matches the same strength as regular league play.
Evans, in his second year with the team, said that the team “can become complacent if we try and treat a little bit different, so we just went into it like a normal game, and I think that’s what helped to win tonight.”
The Core has made it at least past the First Round in both years of competing in the Cup, but coach Donovan Ricketts has his sights set on making it at least to the Round of 32.
“These competitions are one game at a time, because if you lose, you go home.” Ricketts said. “This is a competition that we want to push as far as we can and we earmark this competition because we want to face an MLS opponent this year, so we’re taking it seriously.”
Carolina have its next MLS NEXT Pro league game on March 24, visiting NYCFC II, before it will play in the Second Round on either April 1 or 2. Soda City FC will play SCU Heat in Columbia, South Carolina on March 30.