When Jordan Farr stepped in goal for his first cap as a Major League Soccer player, little did he know it would go on to become one of the most memorable moments in D.C. United’s rich history.
As extra time neared its final minutes in D.C. United’s Fifth Round US Open Cup match against Charlotte FC, Farr entered the game as a last-minute sub and went on to save four out of five penalties to send DC United into the quarterfinals and earning him TheCup.us Player of the Round honors for the Round of 16.
Farr became the first player in the US Open Cup’s Modern Era to make four saves in a PK shootout to send United into the Quarterfinals with a 2-1 win after a 3-3 draw.
TheCup.us Player of the Round 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.
Farr earned more than half of the first place votes to distance himself from Anthony Markanich of Minnesota United FC (MLS) who scored two late goals to help his club complete a comeback win over St. Louis CITY SC. San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. finished third for his 120-minute shutout win over the Portland Timbers FC.
Record-Breaking Ending
Normally, as the backup goalkeeper, Farr would only be making an appearance in the event of injury. But in this moment, it was part of the plan all along.
Shared D.C. United head coach Troy Lesesne, “We knew going into this that if we went to penalties and we had a substitution left, we wanted him to be in that situation so he could do what he did tonight.”
Since signing his first professional contract in 2018, Farr’s profile had grown to legendary status in the second division of US Soccer thanks in large part to clutch saves in moments just like this one.
Growing up in Salem, Oregon, Farr first made a name for himself playing college soccer locally at Corban University, a school whose teams compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which caters to smaller colleges across the U.S. It was there that he earned a host of conference and league awards, while also reaching number two on the NAIA All-Time Career Shutouts List.
Upon graduation, he signed with USL Championship’s Indy Eleven and took hold of the starting goalkeeper spot by his third year, which is when his professional highlight reel started to grow. Thanks to his success at Indy Eleven, Farr was acquired by San Antonio FC through an emergency loan deal in anticipation of the 2021 USL Championship playoffs. The next year, Farr joined San Antonio on a permanent deal and became the USL Championship Goalkeeper of the Year while helping the team secure its first title in the club’s history. Following a second successful season with San Antonio, Farr signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies where he became known for his many game-saving moments, none greater than when he saved two penalties in a shootout to help his side beat Detroit City FC and advance to the playoff quarterfinals.
Still though, Farr had yet to be tested at the Major League Soccer level.
So when the first Charlotte FC player stepped up to the penalty spot, few knew what to expect. But it soon became apparent that Farr was the calmest person inside Audi Field. As the first kick was struck, Farr dove to his right with outstretched arms and parried the shot away before it had the chance to hit the side netting of the goal.
Then came the second shot. Another save. And another. And another.
For the fans in attendance, it was a moment they’ll never forget. But for Farr, it was business as usual.
“As a keeper, you have to love moments like this,” Farr said. “I said to myself, you’ve done this before and you just have to trust your gut. I’m blessed I was able to be in this position for my team.”
His heroic shootout performance was the first time in the US Open Cup’s Modern Era that a goalkeeper saved four out of five penalties. And to do so after spending the majority of the game on the bench is another feat all unto itself.
The practice of subbing in a goalkeeper just for the penalty kick shootout is pretty rare in the US Open Cup as well. It has only happened five times.
The first two times that it happened both involved D.C. United in 1997. In both instances, head coach Bruce Arena replaced Scott Garlick with Tom Presthus. In the Third Round, Presthus made three saves to deny the A-League’s (Div. 2 pro) Hershey Wildcats a shot at an upset. However, in the 1997 Final, Presthus and United fell short, with a 5-3 loss to the Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas) after a scoreless draw.
The Philadelphia Union also subbed in a goalkeeper in a championship game when they sent in John McCarthy to replace Andre Blake in the 2025 US Open Cup Final. They would lose to Sporting Kansas City 7-6 after a 1-1 draw.
Two years later, the gamble paid off for amateur side Anahuac FC edged Sonoma County Sol (NPSL) 5-4 after trading a goal each in regulation. Christopher Valentin would replace Angel Octavio Alvarez.
The last time it happened was in the Third Round of the 2022 US Open Cup when the now defunct Rochester New York FC (MLS NEXT Pro) took six rounds to prevail against FC Motown (NPSL) 4-3 following a 2-2 draw.
Outside of the US Open Cup, only a select-few goalkeepers around the world have come off the bench to help their teams in penalties in a high-profile situation. During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul was subbed on in the 120th minute and saved two out of five penalties to help the Netherlands beat Costa Rica in the Quarterfinals. Similarly, during the 2021 UEFA Super Cup Final, Chelsea FC brought on backup goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga in the 119th minute for penalties against Spanish side Villareal, and the club won the shootout 6-5 thanks to two saves from Arrizabalaga.