Detroit City FC welcomed a Third Division club to Keyworth Stadium for the fourth straight year to start its US Open Cup journey, but faced off against their first USL League One opponent – one playing a professional side in the competition for the very first time: newcomers Westchester SC. This match finished as all the rest of those aforementioned matches have: with a Le Rouge victory as DCFC won, 3-1, after two late goals by Jeciel Cedeño and Darren Smith.
With the win, Detroit City FC moves on to the Round of 32, guaranteeing a chance to play a Major League Soccer team. Head coach Danny Dichio, having felt the joys of advancing past an MLS side last year (they defeated 2023 Champions Houston Dynamo on penalties on the road), is looking to host one this time around.
“I’d love to host an MLS club here. I really would,” he said. “To have an MLS club here at Keyworth on a magical night. That’s my dream for the Open Cup this year.”
Detroit’s Michael Bryant was wearing the captain’s armband for the night with long-time captain Stephen Carroll taking the night off, as were many regular Detroit City players due to a rotated squad. Players like Haruki Yamazaki and Dominic Gasso earned their first starts of the season. Meanwhile, Westchester essentially fielded a fully rested starting lineup since they had last weekend off.
Other than an early corner kick by Westchester earned after a turnover within 30 seconds of kickoff, Detroit dominated play for the first 20 minutes of the match, controlling the vast majority of possession and sending in chance after chance. However, none of those efforts particularly threatened Westchester goalkeeper Dane Jacomen. The 18th minute saw the first true build up by the visitors, working the ball in the DCFC half for a while until a through ball was effectively guided beyond the end line by Bryant.
The best chance of the first half for Detroit came in the 43rd minute, when Bryant sent a long ball from the back towards striker Ben Morris. Westchester defender Tobi Adewole was able to get his head to it, but it allowed Morris to sneak past him. The ball just got away from him though as Jacomen was able to collect. Three minutes later saw Westchester’s best chance of the half as it approached the end. A Noah Powder corner kick caught goalkeeper Carlos Saldaña off his line, and Jonathan Bolanos settled the delivery inside the six. Unfortunately for the visitors, Gasso was there to clear out the danger.
The second half saw more excitement and more physicality. The first shot on target by either side came courtesy of Powder in the 48th minute. He was given a layup from teammate Juan Obregon about 25 yards out, but his resultant shot trickled into the box and was easily collected by Saldaña. Six minutes later in the 54th, Morris found himself with the ball near the end line surrounded by two defenders. He was able to get it toward the top of the six-yard box, where Sebastian Guenzatti sent a bicycle kick just wide right. The physicality came courtesy of Gasso, who in the 55th minute made a reckless challenge on Westchester defender Stephen Payne, earning himself a yellow card.
The 71st minute finally saw the first goal of the match, and it came via an initial feed from Yamazaki on the left wing to Jay Chapman in the box near the end line. He was able to send a flat cross to Morey Doner at the penalty spot, where Doner sent a one-timer past a helpless Jacomen, giving Le Rouge the 1-0 lead. His celebration? The Macarena, coordinated with Cedeño – in Doner’s own words – “a week in advance.”
That lead wouldn’t stay there for long, though. Just five minutes later in the 76th, Powder sent a ball up to Obregon near the top of the box. He settled it (partially with his face) and volleyed a rocket just under the crossbar beyond the reach of Saldaña to tie it at 1-1. It was Obregon’s fifth US Open Cup goal (his third this year).
The goals kept coming late. Detroit had the opportunity to take the lead for good in the 84th minute as Ates Diouf stormed into the box, only for Powder to stick out his foot in and tackle him. A penalty was called, and Cedeño stepped up to the spot. His shot was fired into the left corner past a diving Jacomen, who guessed correctly, but couldn’t reach far enough to deflect. The goal from the spot gave Detroit City the 2-1 lead they needed.
DCFC got a capper in stoppage time to secure the win. In the 94th minute, Payne (on the left wing) looked to relieve pressure by sending a ball back to Jacomen. However, Detroit substitute Jordan Adebayo-Smith, witnessing the slow roller, would seize the opportunity. He was able to touch the ball forward just before crashing into Jacomen, leaving the ball trickling towards an empty net. Smith was there to put it home and give Le Rouge the 3-1 victory.
Yamazaki, named Man of the Match for his tough play and chance creation having played the full 90 minutes, embraced the idea of playing in his first match at home for Detroit.
“I felt really good since the first minute of the game. … I’ve never played in front of that crowd before, so it kept me going,” he said.