2026 US Open Cup Round of 16: Orlando City trails 3 times, still rallies to beat New England

In an appropriate result for a stadium sponsored by a bank, the Wednesday night Round of 16 matchup between New England Revolution and Orlando City SC saw four players open their accounts with their respective clubs.

Orlando City’s first ever trip to Rhode Island was an eventful affair, as the away team advanced with a late winner in a 4-3 victory over New England at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, securing a spot in the US Open Cup Quarterfinals.

This marks just the fourth time in the Modern Era (1995-present) that a team has trailed three times in a game and come back to win. It is just the second time that one of those teams came back to win in regulation.

New England struck first, when an Orlando defensive lapse in the 21st minute allowed a chip from Eric Klein to find Malcom Fry. Able to get in on goal, Fry used his left foot to put it through the legs of Orlando goalkeeper Javier Otero to make it 1-0. A 20-year-old native of Groton, Massachusetts, it was Fry’s first goal with the first team.

Orlando struck back in the 31st minute, as defender Iago Teodoro’s header from a Colin Guske cross into the box beat diving Revs goalkeeper Donovan Parisian to make it 1-1. A product of Brazil’s Flamengo, it was Teodoro’s first goal for his squad as well, having joined Orlando in February.  

The Revolution responded five minutes later, as a Diego Fagundez’s cross into the box from a free kick eventually found the foot of Gabe Dahlin, who backheeled it to veteran defender Andrew Farrell. The club’s all-time US Open Cup minutes leader blasted it past Otero for his first-ever goal in the competition and a 2-1 advantage. 

The New England lead lasted just a few minutes; Orlando defender Griffin Dorsey replied with a 40th minute goal, assisted by Justin Ellis. It was the last goal of an eventful first half seeing the Revolution outshoot Orlando 10-5.

After a brief lull, New England’s Marcos Zambrano became the third player to add himself to the score sheet in the 58th minute with a low shot that beat Otero to his right, becoming yet another player to score his inaugural first-team goal. Klein added his second assist. 

Orlando once again quickly responded in the 70th minute, with the 18-year-old Ellis coolly slotting home a loose ball in the box that came to him off the glove of New England’s Parisian to make it 3-all.

The away squad grabbed their first lead of the night in the second minute of injury time, as Zakari Taifi found a Tyrese Spicer cross just feet from the goal line, finishing it to become the fourth player of the match to score his first-ever goal for his team. 

It wound up the gamewinner and a huge moment for a 20-year-old who first joined the Orlando City system at the U9 level. 

“It’s an amazing group of players,” said interim head coach Martín Perelman. “When they need to show up, they do it. The Cup is not easy. I’m happy with the result.”

The result means Orlando City SC will be heading to the Quarterfinal for the first time in club history, after having lost in the Round of 16 last season.