The Second Round of the 110th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is complete. There were a number of impressive individual performances over the 16 games last week. But which one was the best?
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):
Player, Team (League)
Yaniv Bazini, South Georgia Tormenta FC (USL-1)
Bazini came off the bench in the 68th minute and scored a go-ahead goal in the 85th minute and then assisted on the game winner late in second half stoppage time in a 2-1 home win over FORO SC (UPSL).
Francisco Bonfiglio, Miami FC (USL-C)
Bonfiglio started, played 90 minutes and scored the lone goal in the 84th minute in a 1-0 Miami derby road win over Inter Miami CF II (MLS NEXT Pro).
Taylor Calheira, FC Tulsa (USL-C)
Calheira started, played 90 minutes, assisted on the opening goal and scored a penalty kick to seal FC Tulsa’s 3-1 road win over Forward Madison (USL-1).
Josue Gomez, Union Omaha (USL-1)
Gomez started, played 90 minutes, assisted on the opening goal and scored what would end up being the game-winner in the 33rd minute in 10-man Omaha’s 2-1 road win over the Des Moines Menace (USL-2) and its roster full of former MLS stars.
Ricardo Jerez, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USL-1)
Jerez made two saves in the game, (allowing just one goal) in a 1-1 draw against Chattanooga FC (MLS NEXT Pro) but came through in the clutch in the penalty shootout with a save that made the difference in the Red Wolves’ 5-4 PK win over their crosstown rivals.
Edgard Kreye, El Farolito (NPSL)
Kreye came off the bench at halftime and scored a late (and chaotic) game-winning goal (83rd min.) to give the Burrito Boys a 2-1 road win over Monterey Bay FC (USL-C) to complete the upset.
Ben Mines, Loudoun United FC (USL-C)
Mines came off the bench in the 30th minute, scored a goal and assisted twice to put the game away for Loudoun in their 4-2 home win over Virginia Dream FC (USASA/VSSL).
Hunter Morse, Portland Hearts of Pine (USL-1)
Morse started, played 120 minuntes, made five saves during the game and saved a penalty kick in the shootout to give shorthanded Portland a 4-2 shootout win over Hartford Athletic (USL-C) after a 1-1 draw.
Zach Ryan, Loudoun United FC (USL-C)
Ryan came off the bench in the 57th minute, assisted on a go-ahead goal two minutes later, scored what would prove to be the game-winner in the 77th minute and put the game away in second half stoppage time with his second goal in Loudoun’s 4-2 home win over Virginia Dream FC (USASA/VSSL).
Jimmie Villalobos, AV Alta FC (USL-1)
Villalobos came off the bench in the 86th minute and scored the game-winning goal in the 120th minute to avoid penalty kicks and give AV ALTA FC a 2-1 home win over LAFC2 (MLS NEXT Pro).
Stavros Zarokostas, One Knoxville SC (USL-1)
Zarokostas started and played 67 minutes, scored the opening goal assisted on what would prove to be the game-winner in One Knoxville’s 3-1 road win over Greenville Triumph (USL-1).