The Third Round of the 110th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is complete. There were a number of impressive individual performances over the round’s 16 games. 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 (NASR), 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)
Dion Acoff, Union Omaha (USL-1)
Acoff started and played 90 minutes and scored the lone goal in the 36th minute during Union Omaha’s Cupset over San Antonio FC to send the Owls to the Fourth Round for the third time in four years
Oalex Anderson, North Carolina FC (USL-C)
Anderson started, played 90 minutes, scored the opening goal for NCFC in the 71st minute, and assisted on Rodrigo Da Costa’s second goal in the 77th minute in a 3-1 road win over Charlotte Independence (USL-1)
Wilmer Cabrera, El Paso Locomotive (USL-C)
Cabrera came off the bench in the 58th minute, scored the game-tying goal in the 7th minute of second-half stoppage time, and converted the winning PK in El Paso’s 4-1 shootout win after a 2-2 road draw against New Mexico United (USL-C)
Rodrigo Da Costa, North Carolina FC (USL-C)
Da Costa started and played 90 minutes, scored two goals three minutes apart (74′, 77′) in North Carolina FC’s 3-1 road win over Charlotte Independence (USL-1)
Anthony Fontana, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL-C)
After coming on as a sub in the 65th minute, Fontana assisted on the Switchbacks’ go-ahead goal in the 82nd minute, then scored the game-winning goal in the 104th minute of the 3-2 extra time home win over One Knoxville (USL-1).
MD Myers, Charleston Battery (USL-C)
Myers started and played 73 minutes and scored a hat trick with goals in first half stoppage time, the 52nd minute and 70th minute in Charleston’s 4-0 home win over South Georgia Tormenta (USL-1)
Rashid Nuhu, Union Omaha (USL-1)
Nuhu collected three saves while earning a clean sheet in a 1-0 home upset over San Antonio FC (USL-C).
Peter Rakovsky, Phoenix Rising FC (USL-C)
While playing a man down for the final 45 minutes, Rakovsky played 120 minutes, faced 23 shots, made 5 saves, including a 120th-minute penalty kick. He also saved the opening penalty attempt against FC Tulsa (USL-C), helping Phoenix advance 4-2 in penalties (after a 1-1 draw).
Andy Thomas, Tacoma Defiance (MLS NEXT Pro)
Thomas made seven saves to keep Tacoma competitive through 120 minutes of play in their 2-1 upset of the Oakland Roots SC (USL-C).