The Open Division qualifying tournament for the 2027 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is entering its final stage after 32 teams punched their ticket to the final round.
After a busy Halloween weekend, there were some high-scoring drama, some impressive comebacks and some highlight reel goals as teams from around the country battled to try to be the US Open Cup’s next Cinderella story.
16 of the 32 teams that will take part in the “Win & You’re In” round come from the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL).
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That deciding round will take place the weekend of Nov. 21-22 with 16 winners joining the field for the 112th edition of the US Open Cup next spring. TheCup.us will have full coverage of every one of those games.
Below you will find a brief summary of all 30 games and the two forfeits that took place.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31 (8 games)
Fall River FC (UPSL)
5:1
KO Elites FC (APSL / USASA)
Britland Park – Fall River, MA
By Todd Tinkham
Fall River FC wasted no time in their 2027 US Open Cup Third Round qualifier Saturday afternoon at Britland Park in Fall River, Mass.
Luizandro Sanches scored in the 2nd minute with Kevin Correia doubling the lead in the 10th minute after a fantastic cross from Valdir Silva.
KO Elites were able to slow the Fall River attack the rest of the half to keep the score at a respectable 2-0 score line. The greater Hartford area based club found a lifeline to begin the 2nd half when they were awarded a penalty after they created a chance against the run of play. Dax Hoffman buried his pen bringing a goal back for KO Elites.
This seemed to reignite Fall River’s , attack as they tallied 3 goals in the next 15 minutes. Sanches found his 2nd, Zidane (not the French legend) put a 4th by KO, and Sanches completed his hat trick to cap the scoring for Fall River.
Sanches was the hat trick hero of the day as the 19 year old combined pace, power and clinical finishing in his man of the match performance. Fall River advances to face CD Faialense in the final qualifying round the weekend of Nov. 21-22.
Denton Diablos (USL League Two)
1:2
FORO SC (The League for Clubs / USASA)
Mean Green Soccer Stadium – Denton, TX
By Josh Hakala
FORO SC scored deep into second half stoppage time to beat a 10-man Denton Diablos team 2-1 to advance to the final round of qualifying for the third time in four years.
FORO had a tough break in the first 20 minutes when their starting goalkeeper had to leave the game due to a wrist injury, leaving them to call upon striker Jorge Delgado to play in goal for the second qualifier in a row.
FORO, who have qualified for the US Open Cup twice (2024, 2025), opened the scoring in the 42nd minute when Daniel Escorcia won the ball at midfield. He sent a pass through the middle ahead to Juan Ramirez who took a touch and blasted a low shot with his left foot past the goalkeeper.
The Diablos’ chances of equalizing took a hit in the 56th minute when Eric Gomez was shown a straight red card for a reckless tackle near midfield on Sebastian Coronado, who had to come out of the game with an injury. After a lengthy stoppage for the injured player, Denton resumed with 10 men. Despite being down a man, the Diablos didn’t give up, putting pressure on the visitors and creating multiple chances.
The pressure would pay off in the 81st minute when a ball was played down the right wing where the ball was crossed to Kyle Bennett who hit it with a one-time volley past the goalkeeper.
As the match approached the 90th minute, Denton captain Waleed Cherif suffered a severe injury while making a save on a shot from close range. He laid on the field for several minutes as paramedics were called and an ambulance had to drive on to the field to take him to a nearby hospital to treat what a team official claimed to be a broken leg.
Just like their opponents, the Diablos had to replace their goalkeeper with a field player. In the 21st minute of stoppage time, FORO took advantage of the inexperience in goal. After intercepting a pass, FORO’s Surafel Anka saw the goalkeeper off his line and fired a shot from about 40 yards out as the backpedaling netminder was unable to get a glove to it as it ended up in the back of the net for the game-winner.
GAME REPLAY:
SCU Heat (UPSL)
8:2
Mint Hill FC (NPSL / USASA)
Southeastern Freight Lines Stadium – Columbia, SC
By Andrew Barnikel
Mint Hill SC was unable to handle the heat, as they fell 8-2 to a high flying SC United Heat side. It was the Tom Marriott and Hykeem Kevon Martin show all night long, as the two combined for 5 goals and 3 assists, absolutely tormenting the Mint Hill back line.
The two combined in the 20th minute for the first goal of the game after a perfectly weighted ball from Martin slipped in Marriott, who finished calmly past the keeper. Just 10 minutes later, the two would link again, this time after winning the ball back in the press. Martin cut the ball back across goal to Marriott, who tucked a left footed finish home to double the lead. It would only take 10 more minutes for the duo to combine once more in the same fashion, with Martin playing the ball into Marriott’s feet. He turned his defender brilliantly and fired home to go 3-0 up just before halftime.
The second half brought more of the same for Heat, as Modou Faye would get in on the action after intercepting a clearance at the top of the box and firing past the goalkeeper in the 50th minute. Just two minutes later, it would be Marriott again finishing what might be his best of the night, receiving a pass in the left wide channel before cutting inside past multiple defenders and firing a bullet into the top left corner of the goal to make it 5. In the 59th minute, Marriott would cap his historic night off with a tap in from close range after a neat assist by Emmanuel Arkoh. He was subbed after the goal to put an end to his fantastic finishing on the night.
However, the fun did not end there, as Kazuma Ishizuka would get on the end of a direct ball from Pablo Gonzalez Cacho and poke it past the goalkeeper who found himself in no man’s land in the 61st minute. Then just 5 minutes later, SCU Heat would add their 8th and final goal after a nice combination on the right side of the Mint Hill penalty area led to Justin Madjeski squaring the ball across Benjamin Mackay to fire home. Mint Hill would get one back from the penalty spot thanks to Joseph Kabwein the 70th minute, before going down to 10 men after Alonso Gomez-Castrejon saw the second of his two yellows for stopping a promising attack. He was subbed in at halftime and saw an early shower on the night. Kabwe would add one more on the night, but it wasn’t enough as SCU Heat would finish the match 8-2 winners on a night they soon won’t forget.
Inter City FC (UPSL)
W:L
Charlotte County FC (NPSL-RL / USASA)
Paradise Coast Sports Complex – Naples, FL
Inter City advance via forfeit
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
The UPSL’s Inter City FC moved into the Final Round via forfeit over Charlotte County FC of NPSL-RL. The issue is apparently unpaid league dues from Charlotte County FC for the next NPSL-RL season, causing them to be disqualified. The club has disputed this decision. Even in the hours leading up to the originally scheduled kickoff time, Charlotte County was claiming that they did not forfeit the match. Despite the club’s claims on social media, the United States Soccer Federation confirmed to TheCup.us that they had indeed forfeited the match.
Houston Lions FC (United States Soccer League / USSSA)
2:4
ASC New Stars (Houston Football Assoc. / USASA)
Matias Almeyda Stadium Center – Houston, TX
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
ASC New Stars advanced to their second straight “Win and You’re In’ game with a 4-2 victory over the Houston Lions of the United States Soccer League.
ASC opened the scoring in the 18th minute when Ivan Luquetta scored from a penalty kick, sending his shot just outside the diving Lions goalkeeper. New Stars doubled their lead six minutes before halftime when a cross was sent to Winner Assi , who was able to easily tap it in.
Houston cut the lead in half in the 61st minute when Bringsluck Nche stole the ball from an ASC defender near the box and out dribbled the goalkeeper to score. ASC wasted no time restoring their two-goal lead when Alejandro Noboa took advantage of a botched goal line clearance attempt for an easy tap-in.
Houston continued their comeback in the 77th minute when a shot from Pedro Olvera deflected off an ASC defender for an own goal. ASC would put the game away in the 90th minute when Assi pounced on a loose ball in front of the goal for another easy score.
The win continues ASC’s quest to return to the Open Cup field after qualifying in 2026.
Lansdowne Yonkers FC (APSL / USASA)
6:1
New York Greek American SC (APSL / USASA)
Tibbetts Park – Yonkers, NY
By Dave Einhorn
It was a trick and a treat for Lansdowne Yonkers this Halloween as they defeated NY Greek Americans. Lansdowne advanced to the “Win and You’re In” round of the 2027 US Open Cup qualifying tournament.
The night started with a scare for NY Greek Americans, as they only had 11 players available on the teamsheet due to illness and injury. Lansdowne only needed a few minutes to hack through their defense as Ali Dawha made a run through the center and scored from close range for Lansdowne’s first goal.
Danu Kinsella Bishop would double their lead in the 20th minute as he was left unmarked in the box and slotted home before the keeper could react. Musa Bala Danso would set up Danu Kinsella Bishop for his second of the game, and Lansdowne’s third, in the 28th minute. A corner to Danso at the far post was headed back into Bishop’s path and he smashed it home to give Lansdowne a monster 3-0 lead. It was Liam Salmon who really put this match in a coffin, as he was set up by Aitor Jorde Gaztelu from a long way out at the top of the area and he drove his foot through the ball like a stake through the heart to give Lansdowne an emphatic 4-0 lead at halftime.
It wasn’t over yet though, as NY Greeks conjured a spirit of their own. Scott Testori received a pass in the area, controlled with one foot, and then chipped the Lansdowne goalkeeper with that same foot. He gave the Greeks a goal back to make it 4-1 in the 53rd minute and had Lansdowne thinking they were seeing ghosts.
The real ghost was Danu Kinsella Bishop, who Sam McCann found at the far post with a low cross. Bishop only had to tap the ball in the net for his hat-trick in the 61st minute. Lansdowne had one last trick up their sleeve as substitute Melvin Pierre Louis sealed the win with a sixth goal, only about one minute after coming on. His effort toward the far corner found the back of the net with a little black magic in the 66th minute.
Lansdowne Yonkers haunted NY Greek Americans out of the cup and advanced to the “Win and You’re in” round.
NY Renegades FC (UPSL)
2:0
NY Pancyprian Freedoms (APSL / USASA)
SUSA Orlin & Cohen Sports Complex – Central Islip, NY
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
The New York Renegades gained a bit of redemption for their 3-0 qualifying loss four years ago by defeating the NY Pancyprian Freedoms 2-0 in the Third Round.
In 2024 qualifying the Renegades match with the Freedoms was halted in the 75th minute due referee abuse after several Renegades players were shown yellow and red cards. This time around the emotions were held in check and the Renegades earned a trip to the Final Round for a “Win and You’re In” game, possibly against Lansdowne Yonkers FC.
After a scoreless opening half, the Renegades got the scoring started in the 52nd minute when Open Cup veteran Junior Rosero collected a long pass from near midfield and dribbled across the top of the penalty area before striking a shot that went just inside the post.
The Renegades put the game away in the 76th minute after Francisco Flores collected a loose ball near the penalty spot and found himself one-on-one with Pancyprian goalkeeper Ioannis Angelopoulos and scored after the Pancyprian defenders paused in belief Flores was offside.
The Renegades will continue their quest for a third straight Open Cup berth in the Final Round in a few weeks.
Laguna United FC (UPSL)
2:5
San Diego Internacional FC (UPSL)
La Paz Sports Park – Laguna Niguel, CA
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
San Diego Internacional finally defeated its boogeymen, knocking off Laguna United FC 5-2 to advance to the Final Round of qualifying for the third year in a row.
The previous two years San Diego lost to Laguna United in “Win and You’re In” games, with Laguna United winning 6-2 in 2025 qualifying and 4-2 last year.
The opening moments of the game were filled with action. San Diego jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead after just 15 minutes on goals from German Sierra (2’), Spencer Hoyle (10’) and German Sierra (15′) again. On Hoyle’s goal, Taj Winnard won the ball, played it to Sierra who then passed to Hoyle, who cut inside and scored a goal into the far top corner.
On the third goal, a sequence of 7-8 passes led Spencer Palmer delivering a through ball to Sierra who ran about 40 yards and got by three defenders before slotting it home.
Five minutes after San Diego’s scoring spree, they were reduced to 10 men after James Hone received a red card for a foul on a clear goalscoring opportunity for Laguna United.
Jacob Fuson extended San Diego’s lead five minutes before halftime, then Laguna threatened a comeback in the second half. Carter Biondolillo scored on a header from a set piece in the 50th minute and five minutes later Ben Nicholson scored on an acrobatic two-touch side volley.
That was all Laguna United could muster however, as San Diego held them at bay the rest of the way, then Hoyle scored his second goal of the game in the 82nd minute to make it academic, stopping Laguna United from making a third straight Open Cup appearance.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1 (24 matches)
Philadelphia Lone Star FC (UPSL)
4:4
WC Predators (APSL / USASA)
Philadelphia Lone Star advance on penalties, 4-3
John Bartram High School Stadium – Philadelphia, PA
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
In one of the wilder games of the qualifying tournament, Philadelphia Lone Star overcame a 3-0 halftime deficit to force extra time, then advanced via penalties, denying the WC Predators their fifth straight Open Cup berth.
In recent years, there are three things you can count on: death, taxes, and the WC Predators reaching the Final Round of Open Division qualifying. The Predators have reached the Final Round of Open Division qualifying four years in a row and six of the last seven years. They entered Sunday’s game one game away from their fifth straight berth in a “Win & You’re In” match.
The Predators got on the board first after 15 minutes. At the top of the penalty area Ridge Robinson gathered a pass from past midfield, flew by two Lone Star defenders and beat Lone Star goalkeeper Chidiebere Iloka.
The Predators doubled their lead in the 28th minute. Noah Beltran picked up the ball and dribbled down the left side, sending a cross into the box that was tipped by a Lone Star defender, and Adam Gomaa jumped over another lone Star defender to head it into the net.
Six minutes later it was 3-0 Predators when Ethan Birch received a pass into the penalty area and went around Iloka for the score.
Six minutes into the second half, Lone Star got on the board. Philadelphia was awarded a penalty kick after Gomaa brought down Patrick Singbah near the touch line. Bill Walleekendeh’s shot was initially saved by Solley but Singbah swooped in to put away the rebound to make it 3-1.
Two minutes later it was suddenly 3-2. After the ball was stolen in the SC half, Walleekendeh found himself with the ball, passed up a chance to dish it off to Singbah, and beat the Predators defender.
Near the end of the second half Lone Star came close to scoring and then were gifted the tying goal. In the 86th minute, Andres Bernabeo fired a shot from 20 yards out that Solley was able to get a hand on and push over the bar. Two minutes later, the score was tied 3-3 after WC defender August Axtman deflected a Lone Star pass into his own net.
Lone Star took the lead for the first time in the 10th minute of extra time when substitute Musa Abdelgadir headed in a 25-yard free kick from Andres Bernabeo. With three minutes remaining, it was the Predators’ turn for a comeback. After a long throw-in into the penalty area, Ridge Robinson, the team’s top scorer, passed to Mason Miller, who sent his shot up under the crossbar to tie the game at 4-4.
In the penalty shootout, both teams had their first two attempts saved then August Axtman missed the third kick for WC. In the fifth round of kicks Mohamed Conde saw his attempt stopped by Solley to force sudden death. In the seventh round, WC’s Justin Thomas hit the crossbar, and Andres Bernabeo scored for Lone Star to win the shootout 4-3.
Lone Star return to the Final Round of qualifying for the first time since 2022 and will try to qualify for the first time since 2017.
Penalty shootout summary
WC – Ridge Robinson (SV), Adam Gomaa (SV), August Axtman (M), Mason Miller (G), Luke Thomas (G), Noah Beltran (G), Justin Thomas (M)
LS – Musa Abdelgadir (SV), Eugene Dennis (SV), Patrick Singbah (G), Alexander Duopu Jr (G), Mohamed Conde (SV), Edwin Teah (G), Andres Bernabeo (G)
FC Omens (Bay State Soccer League / USASA)
1:2
CD Faialense (Bay State Soccer League / USASA)
West Roxbury High School – West Roxbury, MA
By Eric Casey
CD Faialense edged Bay State Soccer League rivals FC Omens 2–1 Sunday at West Roxbury High School to reach the final round of 2027 US Open Cup qualifying.
Martin Vician broke open a quiet first half in the first minute of stoppage time, striking a stunning half-volley off the post and in beyond diving Omens goalkeeper Jason Katz. It was his first goal of the qualifying campaign.
After a second-half opening largely contested in midfield, Faialense doubled its lead in the 71st minute. Max Krause supplied Arnaud Abdoun as the pair broke in on goal, and Abdoun’s shot trickled over the line despite Katz getting a piece of it.
Omens pulled a goal back eight minutes later, with Joseph Akisik tapping in a rebound to cut the deficit to 2–1, but CD Faialense held on. The victory extended CD’s qualifying winning streak to eight matches, following its seventh straight win against Brockton FC United in the previous round.
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (PA / APSL / USASA)
3:0
Colonial SC (PA / APSL / USASA)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge Clubhouse – Warminster, PA
By Dave Einhorn
Vereinigung Erzgebirge advanced to the “Win and You’re in” round of the 2027 US Open Cup Qualifying with a 3-0 win over Colonial SC. The first half was quiet for both sides as each mounted attacks that looked dangerous, but came to nothing. It seemed like both teams slept well with the extra hour of sleep, but needed to wake up in the final third.
VE got going in the second half as a saved shot attempt turned into a deflection into the Colonial SC net. Vereinigung Erzgebirge didn’t mind that it went down as an own goal, they were in the driver’s seat against their APSL rivals.
The second goal came from the penalty spot after some deliberation from the referees. A clear foul in the box led the center referee to point to the spot, but there was also a call for offside. Did the penalty overrule the offside? Or did the penalty not count since the play was offside? In the end, the referees spoke at length and determined the correct course of action was to award the penalty. It was converted by Daniel Bloyou in the 73rd minute. Moments later Bloyou would have his brace. He received a pass at the top of the area and worked the angle himself to find the back of the net, capping off the 3-0 victory.
Tennessee Tempo FC (UPSL)
W:L
Columbus Astray (UPSL)
Tennessee advances via forfeit
Richard Siegel Soccer Complex – Murfreesboro, TN
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
Tennessee Tempo move on to the Final Round via forfeit over fellow UPSL side Columbus Astray. According to team officials, Columbus was forced to forfeit after arriving to the game with just 10 players, then finding out two of the players that made the trip were ineligible, leaving them with just 8 players.
Shark Coast FC (USL League Two)
0:1
Harbor City FC (UPSL)
New Smyrna Beach Sports Complex – New Smyrna Beach, FL
By Taylor George
Harbor City FC edges out familiar foe Shark Coast FC to reach the “Win and You’re In” round of the 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifying, moving one step closer to a spot in the tournament. This matchup was a rematch between the Florida clubs after meeting in the UPSL fall season.
Both teams started aggressively throughout the first half, each club managing to put various efforts on frame. Ultimately neither team would end up finding the back of the net, leaving the match scoreless at the half. Harbor City came out in the second half on fire, breaking the lock on scoring shortly after the half began. It was number 34 Yauri De Groot who capitalized on a rebound in the 48th minute to give HCFC a goal lead.
The physical side of the matchup also saw both clubs receive yellow cards as they battled for possession and goal opportunities.
Shark Coast put the burners on and pushed for an equalizer in hopes of keeping their qualifying run alive. Despite the effort, HCFC held on to their narrow lead to secure the win. This victory ended Shark Coast’s qualifying debut and Harbor City now advances to the final round for the third consecutive year, hoping to secure another U.S. Open Cup berth.
RGV Red Crowns (The League for Clubs / USASA)
2:2
ATX United (Austin Men’s Soccer Association / USASA)
RGV Red Crowns advance on penalty kicks, 7-6
Harlingen Field – Harlingen, TX
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
On a much drier day than they dealt with in the previous round, RGV Red Crowns had to play 120 minutes and win a penalty shootout to eliminate ATX United FC. Last round, RGV endured torrential rain to eliminate fellow TLC club Central Texas Coyotes to reach the Third Round.
The first half scoring took place immediately, as Vincente Alvarez scored in the second minute of play. After having his initial shot stopped by ATX goalkeeper Trey Plasko, Alvarez followed up on the rebound and put it in the net.
Two minutes later ATX equalized from the penalty spot. After Ido Meltz was brought down in the box, Armando Vidal stepped up and blasted his kick to the right while RGB goalkeeper Jacob Pardo dove left.
The rest of the half finished scoreless as the teams went to the break tied 1-1. RGV regained the lead in the 69th minute when Isidro Martinez sent a free kick into the box from the right of the penalty area, and Santiago Alonzo met the ball right in front of the goal and gave Plasko no chance with his shot.
Pablo Gill was in the right place at the right time in thew 80th minute to tie the game for ATX. After Pardo blocked an ATX shot to the side, Gill was right there to shoot the ball into an open net. RGV nearly won it in the 90th minute. After ATX’s Plasko dove and missed a shot, one of the ATX defenders cleared it off the goal line.
30 minutes of extra time went by without any additional scoring, so penalty kicks would decide who advanced to the Final Round. Each team made four of their first five shots as well as attempt #6. In the 7th round of PKs, RGV goalkeeper Jacob Pardo would save the kick from ATX’s Drew Tacher, and Bradley Campas would convert to give RGV a 7-6 shootout win and a spot in the “Win and You’re In” game to try and qualify for the US Open Cup for the first time.
Omaha Street FC (UPSL)
4:4
Milwaukee Bavarians (Milwaukee Premier League / USASA)
Omaha advances 4-2 on penalties
Nebraska Multisport Complex – La Vista, NE
By Timothy Howerton
Omaha Street FC advanced to the final round of US Open Cup qualifying over a resolute Milwaukee Bavarians side on Sunday afternoon. The hosts advanced on a 4-2 advantage in the penalty shootout following an exciting 4-4 draw after extra time.
Omaha Street wasted no time jumping out to a 3-0 lead within the first 13 minutes. Emanuel Palga used his speed and vision to set up goals for Evan Southern (6’) and Junior Casillas (10’), while an unlucky deflection from a Parker Jeppsen strike (13’) resulted in an own goal for the Bavarians. The visitors seemed to be in for a long match.
Milwaukee woke up not six minutes later as Veljko Petkovic delivered the first of his 3 assists on the night with a pinpoint corner to Jacob Kelderman, who scored to cut the deficit to 3-1. The score remained there until halftime, despite the Bavarians making huge strides in possession and momentum.
In the 51st minute, Petkovic used some great dribbling and passing up the wing to free up space for Benjamin Grimm to slot home the visitors’ second goal of the night. The match seemed to be heavily tilted toward Milwaukee at this point and an equalizer seemed inevitable.
That equalizer came with 15 minutes left to go in the match via another Petkovic pass, this time to Paul Mues who put in a great curling shot that found its way inside the post to complete the comeback. Bavarians kept the pressure up but couldn’t find a fourth to take the victory in regulation.
In the first half of extra time, Petkovic got on the goal side of the scoresheet by taking a pass from Noel Alvarez in the box and blasting it past a diving Cole Stewart for what seemed like it might be a game winner. However, in stoppage time, Noe Meza got on the end of a goalmouth scramble following a corner to improbably equalize for the hosts and end the scoring at 4-4.
In the shootout, Omaha Street scored all four of their penalties. Milwaukee Bavarians scored their first two but had their third penalty go off the right post before Stewart guessed correctly to save Shawn Azcueta’s fourth penalty. In heartbreaking fashion, Omaha Street eliminated the visitors and now find themselves one win away from their first appearance in the US Open Cup tournament proper.
Sin City FC (NISA Nation / USASA)
3:4
Next Level Soccer Premier (UPSL)
Mater Academy East – Las Vegas, NV
By Thomas Viola
Next Level Soccer Premier defeated Sin City FC 4-3 on a cold, windy Sunday in Las Vegas to advance to the Final Round of the qualifying tournament for the 2027 US Open Cup.
A first half hat trick by Don Tchilao had Next Level cruising into halftime with a 3-0 lead, but found themselves holding off a spirited Sin City comeback attempt in the second half to secure the victory.
Next Level wasted no time taking an early lead, after a 4th minute Sin City handball call resulted in a penalty kick and goal for Tchilao, which would be his first of three first half goals on the day. However two goals for Roberto Soto put Sin City right back in the game by the 63rd minute.
With their lead suddenly slimmed, Next Level responded in the 79th minute with a laser beam from Jamaine Turner, who fired the shot from outside the box perfectly into the top left corner. Next Level had a 4-2 lead with less than 10 minutes to play.
Sin City answered one more time with an 89th minute goal from Federico Garcia, but could not find a way to tie the game in stoppage time.
Steel City FC (USL League Two)
1:3
Akron City FC (USL League Two)
North Allegheny Senior High School – Wexford, PA
By Tunde Akinlosotu
Akron City FC emerged victorious 3-1 in a heated, high-stakes qualifying clash against Steel City FC, weathering a frantic second half that saw two red cards and four total goals.
From the opening whistle, Akron City set the tone and took control on the front foot. Their relentless high press caused persistent problems for Steel City’s backline, heavily driven by Akron’s standout No. 19, who proved to be the most dangerous player on the pitch. Akron’s sustained pressure broke through in the 34th minute when they found the back of the net to take a deserved 1-0 lead. Steel City was under siege for much of the remainder of the half, surviving multiple scoring opportunities and relying on a string of crucial defensive blocks to keep Akron at bay. Steel City went into the halftime break trailing 1-0, fortunate not to be facing a steeper deficit.
The match broke wide open in a chaotic second half. Just past the hour mark, Steel City capitalized on their momentum when Didi (Darius) Flowers struck to level the match at 1-1. Controversy quickly followed shortly before and after the equalizer, highlighted by a contentious waved-off penalty appeal from Akron City that had their bench furious.
Akron City regained control with a moment of quality in the box, bringing down a cross with a sharp chest control before finishing cleanly past the keeper to reclaim a 2-1 lead.
Tempers boiled over heading into the final ten minutes, resulting in a pair of red cards. Akron City went down a man around the 80th minute following a straight dismissal, giving Steel City a numerical advantage and a glimmer of hope to mount a late comeback. However, despite being down to ten men, Akron effectively killed off the match in the 85th minute, pouncing on an opportunity to score their third and seal a dramatic 3-1 victory.
Iron Rose FC (The League for Clubs / USASA)
0:2
Bellevue Athletic FC (UPSL)
Placer Valley Soccer Complex – Roseville, CA
By Marcos Lopez
On the afternoon of Nov. 1, Iron Rose FC hosted Bellevue FC in the Third Round of the 2027 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Bellevue FC were rude guests, beating Iron Rose by the score of 2-0 to advance to the final round of qualifying.
Both squads showed their stamina and talent early on in the first half, with Iron Rose generating several good chances to score off of long crosses. Roman Warren had some success in penetrating the defense to create many of those chances. Indeed a number of these attempts from both teams would have fallen if not for their respective goalkeepers. The first half was also very physical and multiple yellow cards were given near its end.
The scoring would start late in the second half to the tune of Jackson Finn’s two goals for Bellevue in the 83rd and 91st minutes. Both goals were off of crosses while on the attack, but the second goal was particularly telling that Iron Rose was losing their stamina because of their inability to get back on defense fast enough. Moreover, Finn was a part of Bellevue’s substitutions along with Felipe Oliveira Souza and his physical playstyle; so they ultimately won the day for them.
New Jersey Alliance FC (UPSL)
1:2
SC Vistula Garfield (APSL / USASA)
Athenia Steel Park – Clifton, NJ
By Michael Battista
On a chilly night in Clifton, N.J., SC Vistula Garfield stepped closer to returning to the US Open Cup. The APSL side beat New Jersey Alliance FC, 2-1, in a close battle between two teams that have recent tournament experience. In the end, an early goal set the tone and a strike midway through the second half turned out to be the difference maker.
Both teams had a lot of similarities coming into the match. Both have played against USL League One teams in the USOC in recent years and held leads (NJAFC lost in penalty kicks to Chattanooga Red Wolves in 2025, Vistula lost to One Knoxville in 2026). Both teams were also in a busy part of their season. Vistula played a National Amateur Cup match on Friday, needing 120 minutes and 10 rounds of penalty kicks to beat Kearny Scots American in Round 2 of the New Jersey Qualifying Pathway. NJAFC meanwhile had its second team playing a UPSL Division 1 American South Conference semifinal at the same time, and at the same venue, against Junior Mafia FC as the USOC match – meaning a split coaching staff.
The game kicked off and, unlike previous games in qualifying, Vistula looked organized and fast off the beat. The visitors only needed 11 minutes to take the lead. Alex Zielonka sent a long ball to Alex Wojtowicz on the left side of the field. The latter battled a defender, before slightly playing the ball to an on the run Emiland Elezaj, who shot into the right corner to give Garfield the early lead.
The goal is Elezaj’s fourth in three games for Vistula in this qualifying tournament. If there weren’t so many blowout wins this year across the country he might be in the top 10 for the Golden Boot.
Assistant coach, acting as head coach, Rob Kruk, said afterwards that he and the team know about their tendency to start slow.
“It’s the mentality and we talk about it. It’s a big struggle with us right now,” he said. “So it’s how we come out to games and obviously with the prestigious US Open Cup, it’s like you’re mentally almost locked in. It’s almost a cheat code, so we don’t have to motivate the guys to do what they have to do, but at the end of the day they lock in, they wanted it. We talked about it and we wanted to start strong.”
The match stayed the same heading into the second half, where things got a bit faster. Alliance, who had more possession and less dangerous chances in the first 45, began pressing hard. Fouls became more common between both teams. It looked as though Vistula had pulled away in the 76th minute when Marlon Preciado struck a stellar free kick into the top left corner of the Alliance goal to make it 2-0. The man, who played with NJAFC in the USOC against the Red Wolves, said it came at a perfect moment.
“I knew (NJ Alliance) were catching momentum,” Preciado explained. “The players, when I got fouled, they told me to take the ball. When the team gives you confidence, there’s no better way to go up to the ball, you know, and take that shot. Behind that shot was a lot of people behind my back and thankfully it went in.”
Two minutes later, NJ Alliance struck back when Djofolo Coulibaly countered. A free kick into the box was headed away by Vistula, but Coulibaly scored his second goal in as many qualifying games with a hard shot through traffic that deflected off a defender and into the net. NJAFC tried their best to find an equalizer but Vistula held on to advance into the final round of qualifying.
Vistula achieved some revenge after being eliminated by NJAFC in both 2024 and 2025, with both games ending 2-0 in favor of Alliance. Now Vistula is one win away from being back in the US Open Cup proper for a second straight year. Now they need to win one more match against Bulldogs SC later this month.
“That’s what’s exciting. That’s the game you wanna be at, and you get an opportunity to play in that game,” Coach Kruk said afterwards. “We gotta lock in and play and it’s going to be another dogfight, right? Teams that go through this qualifying, deserve to play and get the opportunity to play against a pro team. And then from there you build and it’s awesome. So whoever, you know, us, hopefully it’s us, that gets it, but you know at the end of the day, you got to earn it.”
Arkansas Wolves 2 (UPSL)
3:4
Oklahoma United FC (The League for Clubs / USASA)
North Little Rock High School – North Little Rock, AR
By: Chuck Nolan Jr.
Oklahoma United moved one step closer to earning their first ever berth in the US Open Cup with a 4-2 win over Arkansas Wolves 2 of the UPSL.
The League for Clubs side took over halfway through the opening half, as Nickell Alexander scored three straight goals. Goal #1 came in the 22nd minute when Alexander stole the ball after some sloppy defending and rushed past the Wolves goalkeeper to score. Ten minutes later the Trinidad and Tobago native struck again after stealing the ball from a Wolves defender once again, beating the goalkeeper with a shot to the far corner of the net.
It only took Alexander three minutes to complete his hat-trick. After receiving a through ball Alexander nutmegged the goalkeeper for a 3-0 lead. Arkansas would pull a goal back just before halftime, as Daniel Chacon received a free kick from Karim Diao at the left side of the box and blasted a shot past the Oklahoma United goalkeeper.
In the 68th minute Arkansas would cut the lead down to one when following a free kick that resulted in the ball pinballing in front of the goal, Ousseynou Gueye found the ball at his feet at the goal line and backheeled it in.
With 13 minutes left Oklahoma United seemingly put the game away when Isaias Silva scored to put OKU up 4-2. Arkansas still had some fight in them, however. Soon after seeing one of their players sent off in the 90th minute, the Wolves were awarded kick, which was converted by Diao to make it 4-3. Arkansas tried desperately to find the equalizer at the death but Oklahoma United made it to the full-time whistle unscathed.
FC Denver (Colorado Premier League / USSSA)
1:2
Harpos FC (Colorado Premier League / USSSA)
Pinnacle Athletic Complex – Thornton, CO
By A.D. Mosier
A pair of close-range goals in the 90th and 90+2nd minutes put Harpos FC through to the final round of the 2027 US Open Cup Qualifying with a 2-1 win over FC Denver Sunday night at a rain-soaked Pinnacle Athletic Complex in Thornton, Colo.
George Marchant leveled the score for Harpos in the 90th minute and Noah Hannula scored the game-winner with only seconds left in added time to give Harpos the victory. It was the fifth meeting between the two clubs in Open Cup qualifying with each team advancing twice.
Played in a steady downpour, both teams struggled early on with the conditions that would wreak havoc for all 90-plus minutes.
With things seemingly under control, a lapse in concentration by Hannula gave FC Denver its first and only opportunity of the first half. McCleary capitalized on Hannula’s poor touch in the back, beating him to the ball and going straight to goal, pushing the ball past Harpos goalkeeper Kenneth Symmes to put FC Denver in the lead in the 16th minute.
The rest of the first half was played in FC Denver’s half, but Harpos could not find any continuity in the final third. In the second half, Harpos picked up where it left off, keeping play in FC Denver’s half to open the second half but could still not find the final pass to create any meaningful goalscoring opportunities until Harpos began throwing more numbers forward.
In the 71st minute, McCleary nearly doubled FC Denver’s lead, once again capitalizing on a misplayed ball from the Harpos back line. Quick to come off his line, Symmes was able to cut the angle, swatting away McCleary’s shot on goal.
Forced to use three early substitutes, Harpos took advantage of fresh legs throwing numbers forward. Time and again Harpos was stymied by FC Denver goalkeeper, Matthew Burford, until the 90th minute, when Harpos captain side-footed the equalizer from inside the six-yard box as Harpos hopefully lobbed ball after ball into the FC Denver goalmouth.
With seconds left before the game went to extra time, Harpos threw everything forward for one last attack. With the ball pinballing around in front of the FC Denver goal, Hannula more than made up for his gaffe earlier in the match, slotting the game winner home to put Harpos through to round four.
Pinellas County United Pelicans SC (FL / UPSL)
1:0
FC America CFL Spurs (FL / UPSL)
St. Leo University – St. Leo, FL
By Josh Hakala
After surviving a 7-goal extra time thriller in the last round, the Pinellas County United Pelicans needed just a single goal to beat FC America CFL Spurs on Sunday. With the 1-0 win, the Pelicans advance to the final round of qualifying.
The evenly-matched game didn’t see a breakthrough until about the 72nd minute. Former Marshall University and Oral Roberts University player Nikola Sljivic delivered a corner kick that found Hampton Lombard for the game’s only goal. Former pro Connor Sparrow (RSL, Nashville SC, Chicago Fire, Miami FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies) earned the clean sheet in goal for the Pelicans who are now one win away from punching their ticket for the first time.
Yinz United (VA / Super Soccer League / USASA)
2:0
Bowleys Athletic (MD / UPSL)
Oakton High School – Vienna, VA
By Sam Brummitt
On a cool and crisp November evening, Yinz United and Bowleys Athletic faced each other for the first time in US Open Cup qualifying, while down the road Virginia Dream (UPSL) and DC Hyper (UPSL) kicked off later that evening to determine which two teams from the DC and Baltimore area would advance to the “Win & You’re In” round of qualifying.
Yinz United defeated Bowleys Athletic 2-0 at Oakton High School outside of Washington, D.C. behind goals from Jimmy Grace and Jose Noriega to advance to the final round.
Yinz United went ahead in the 19th minute when Jimmy Grace scored his first goal in a US Open Cup qualifying round. Yinz United needed just two long passes to move the ball to Jeff Rosenberg on the left wing, who hit a well-placed pass over the top while under pressure. Grace ran onto the pass near the left touchline and took one touch to get the Bowleys Athletic goalkeeper, Austin Heid, to come off his line before Grace hit the ball with the outside of his right foot. The ball hit the far post and rolled into the goal.
In the 61st minute, Bowleys’ Peter Gansallo received the ball on the left side of Yinz United’s area, dribbled into the box, and hit a cross that struck the arm of United’s Malik Thom. The visitors pleaded for a penalty, however, the assistant referee called the play offside, which negated the handball.
The Yellow-and-Black doubled their lead in the 62nd minute. Yinz United’s Grace forced a turnover high up the field and chipped the ball to Thom in the box. Thom squared the ball to Jose Noriega who scored with one touch just in front of the goal.
With only a two-goal lead and about half an hour left to play, Yinz United had to absorb a great deal of pressure from Bowleys Athletic. The visitors were able to move the ball into their attacking third a number of times and created chances but either failed to finish or were rebuffed by Yinz United’s back line.
Bowleys Athletic had only 12 players dressed for the match and they used their one available substitute, Cheebehn Wesseh, in the 73rd minute. In the 78th minute, Wesseh hit a thundering shot from 25 yards out that hit the cross bar. Five minutes later, Wesseh beat his defender and squared the ball to Greg Adams, who scored only to see the goal overturned for offside. The visitors continued to push for a goal until the final whistle but could not break through.
Jimmy Grace, the Yinz United striker who scored his first goal in Open Cup qualifying, said after the game, “(tonight was) all around (a) great team performance. Defensively, I thought we really started from the back, locked it down there, and that let us find a little bit of space up top.”
Nathan Brown, the Yinz United centerback who was nominated by his team as Man of the Match, described the final minutes of the game as “a little nerve wracking.”
Jimmy Grace noted that the competition has stiffened as his team has advanced to the final round of US Open Cup qualifying for the first time in the club’s history. Grace said, “this was definitely the best team we’ve faced so far… (Bowleys Athletic) definitely knew how to play and kept us honest, and we had to have a full team effort to get the win.”
Virginia Dream FC (VA / UPSL)
1:2
DC Hyper (DC / UPSL)
Meridian High School – Falls Church, VA
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
The “dream” of a third straight Open Cup appearance came to an end for Virginia Dream FC after losing to UPSL rivals DC Hyper 2-1 in the Third Round.
All the goal scoring took place in the final 20 minutes. DC Hyper struck first in the 71st minute. After losing the ball while dribbling down the right sideline, Tashawn Johnson recovered and deflected a pass from Dream defender Kyle Dixon, sending it straight to the feet of Didico who promptly fired a shot past Dream goalkeeper Trey Wolf.
Didico struck again seven minutes later to put Hyper up 2-0. Hassan Elsayed sent a long pass into the box for Tashawn Johnson, whose shot was partially blocked by Wolf, and Didico was right there for an easy tap-in.
Virginia Dream didn’t get on the board until the first few seconds of second half stoppage time. Diarra Zoumana’s free kick from 30 yards out and into the box, where Olufela Osifeso attempted a bicycle kick. Hyper goalkeeper Vato palmed the ball up in the air, where Elijah Amo was able to head it in at the goal line, setting the stage for a few minutes of tense stoppage time, but Hyper kept Dream at bay to advance to the Final Round for the first time.
Bulldogs SC (UPSL)
5:4
FC Monmouth (The League for Clubs / USASA)
Geick Park – Old Bridge, NJ
By Josh Hakala
Bulldogs SC advance to the final round of US Open Cup qualifying for the first time with a 5-4 win over FC Monmouth in a battle of New Jersey clubs.
The 9-goal barnburner started 80 seconds into the match when Ernst Louisius volleyed home a cross from close range. About 10 minutes later, FC Monmouth equalized with the help of their opponents when a cross into the box deflected off of two defenders and past a diving goalkeeper.
In the 38th minute, a cross into the center of the box was held by Louisius. The Stockton University standout attempted to turn and shoot but his shot was blocked, which fell to the feet of Kristofer Maza who scored to retake the lead. Three minutes later, Maza would strike again when a long ball was sent up field and the ball was headed forward to an onrushing Maza who beat the keeper from the left wing.
The Bulldogs’ increased their lead to three in the 52nd minute and this time Louisius played provider. He crossed the ball from the left wing and the low-struck ball deflected off a defender and into the back of the net.
Louisius completed his hat trick four minutes later with an impressive individual effort after retrieving a rebound from close range. The goalkeeper came out to get it but Louisius managed to avoid his diving attempt,dribbled around his slide tackle attempt, found some space and blasted it into the upper part of the goal.
Down 5-1, FC Monmouth didn’t roll over as Enrique Mutsoli scored a minute later, followed by a pair of goals by Ben Zakowski. The former Monmouth University star scored in the 70th minute and added a PK goal in the 89th minute to cut the lead to 5-4. The Bulldogs managed to hold on the rest of the way to punch their ticket to a “Win & You’re In” match the weekend of Nov. 21-22.
Swarm FC (USL League Two)
3:1
Potros FC (UPSL)
Marathon Soccer Park – Austell, GA
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
Swarm FC of USL League Two defeated their third UPSL opponent in a row with a 3-1 win over Potros FC, putting them one win away from their first ever Open Cup berth.
Swarm scored first after the ball found its way into the Potros goalmouth, where Hugo Enander was able to tap it in. The score remained 1-0 until the 82st minute. A cross was sent into the box from the left side, where Rodrigo Lopez headed it at the goal line.
In the 90th minute Potros finally cut the Swarm lead in half via the penalty spot. Pedro Valenzuela placed his shot down the middle as the Swarm goalkeeper appeared to get a hand on it as he dove to his right.
Swarm extinguished any hope of a dramatic finish in the third minute of stoppage time when Segun Angolans took a free kick from about 20 yards out that stuck the Potros defensive wall and snuck inside the post.
Chicago Nation FC (UPSL)
3:0
Chicago House AC (Midwest Premier League / USASA)
College of DuPage Stadium – Glen Ellyn, IL
By Tom Arnison
Chicago Nation FC (Nation) defeated Chicago House AC (House) 3-0 in front of 250 fans on Sunday night at College of DuPage Stadium. It was the first competitive meeting between the two suburban clubs.
There were many familiar faces on the field, with Nation starting 4 players who had suited up for House over the summer, and House starting keeper Ryan Grady who had previously suited up for Nation in the UPSL playoffs.
Nation would command the match in the first half, registering 13 shots, 6 on goal, compared to House’s 3 and 2. Despite the control, House would find space behind Nation’s midfield on several occasions, always keeping a potential result within reach.
Nation would break the deadlock in the 40th minute. Former Las Vegas Lights player Tyler Bagley would swing in a corner from the left side. The ball curled to the far post, and House keeper Grady would be forced to back pedal and swing his fist at the potential Olympico shot. Grady would only get a partial fist to the ball which would drop to former UIC striker Preston Huitron who would score on a one-time volley. 1-0 Nation.
In the lone minute of added time to end the first half, House midfielder Georgi Gyurov would pick up a yellow for a shirt pull on Jedidiah McCloud at midfield.
That infraction would hurt House two minutes into the second half as Gyurov would pick up a second yellow for a late slide on Nation’s Nick Klabjan, leaving his side down to 10 men. Of note, both McCloud and Klabjan had suited up for Chicago House over the summer.
Bagley would have another moment of brilliance from a set piece two minutes later. From 26 yards out, Bagley would hit a direct free kick to the far post, which would deflect-in off the iron for a 2-0 lead.
It would be Nation’s game for the remainder of the night. After several near misses in 3-on-2 and 2-on-1 breaks, substitute winger Muazu Sagir would tap in Nation’s third and final goal of the night, finishing the low cross from Nation left back Noah Glorioso.
Nation would finish the evening with 25 shots, 13 on target, and 3 converted.
Nation advanced to the 4th and final round of qualifying in their first year competing in the competition, while House failed to reach the final qualifying round for the first time in the 5 years participating.
Dreamers AFC (Premier Futbol League / USASA)
5:4
Florida Badgers FC (UPSL)
After Extra Time
Miami Dade College – Kendall – Miami, FL
By Josh Hakala
With 22 minutes elapsed, it appeared as though the Third Round US Open Cup qualifier between Dreamers AFC and the Florida Badgers FC was a foregone conclusion. The Badgers were up 4-1, but the Dreamers AFC fought back to score four unanswered goals to win in extra time by the score of 5-4.
Playing in a steady rain, Nicolas Villalobos of the Dreamers opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, but Roodolf Smart Jean answered for the Badgers five minutes later. Five minutes after that equalizer, the Dreamers retook control with a goal from Joseph Chaoua. Then Guiberon Choune and Rodrigo Pombo extended the lead with a goal each about 90 seconds apart (21’, 22’) to give them a 4-1 lead after 22 minutes.
After halftime, the comeback started in the 50th minute and it was fast and furious. It began with Roodolf Smart Jean scoring his second goal off a header from close range, then two minutes later Don Dave scored a header off a corner kick. Then three minutes after that, in the 55th minute, Leandro Thide chested a pass down from the right wing, turned and finished to tie the game in the blink of an eye.
With eight goals scored in 55 minutes, the game went scoreless for the rest of regulation and 22 minutes into extra time. The game-winning goal came from a penalty kick in the 112th minute. Michael Moise received a ball from a throw-in and was fouled from behind by a Badgers defender, forcing the referee to point to the spot. Christensen Couyoute stepped up and blasted a shot into the back of the net to complete the comeback and send the Dreamers into the final round of qualifying.
Florida Badgers goal highlights: https://www.instagram.com/p/DfP5c5Vu-jY/
CF San Rafael (The League for Clubs / USASA)
2:4
Napa Valley 1839 FC (The League for Clubs / USASA)
Beach Chalet Athletic Fields – San Francisco, CA
By Carlos Ochoa
Napa Valley 1839 FC controlled much of the match and started the night by scoring at the 3rd minute of the game through Alhasan. However, the home team, CF San Rafael kept things interesting, taking a 2-1 halftime lead behind goals from Ryan Brown and former professional and Open Cup qualifying folk hero Matt Fondy.
Napa wasted no time responding in the second half, scoring three unanswered goals in just 10 minutes through Marco Manzo, Ian Reis, and Alhasan Alsakati. The quick turnaround sealed a 4-2 comeback victory and sent Napa Valley 1839 FC into the final round of qualifying, putting them one win away from punching their first-ever ticket to the US Open Cup.
San Ramon FC (The League for Clubs / USASA)
6:0
Oakland Stompers (NPSL / USASA)
Tiffany Roberts Field – San Ramon, CA
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
San Ramon FC will continue their quest for a second straight berth in the US Open Cup after defeating the Oakland Stompers of the NPSL 6-0 in the Third Round.
Six different players contributed goals in the win. Second Round goal scorers Roberto Gonzales and Jonathan Montoya found the back of the net, and were joined by Danny Flores, Chris Gomez, Carver Jensen and Arman Mogharei.
San Ramon FC made their Open Cup debut in 2026 after defeating The Olympic Club from the San Francisco Soccer Football League in the Final Round of qualifying 2-1. They face potential Final Round opponents Napa Valley 1839 in the Final of The League for Clubs NorCal Fall Cup on the weekend of Nov. 7-8, a title San Ramon won last year over the same opponents.
DC Monsters (Southwest Premier League / USASA)
3:0
Olympiacos CA (UPSL)
Great Park – Irvine, CA
By Chuck Nolan Jr.
After a three-year hiatus from Open Division qualifying, DC Monsters find themselves one win away from their first ever appearance in the US Open Cup with a 3-0 victory over Olympiacos CA of the UPSL.
Monsters grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the 11th minute when team captain Norberto Ochoa supplied a through ball to Rene Santillan, who faked out the Olympiacos goalkeeper and two defenders before putting the ball in the back of the net.
Two minutes before halftime, DC made it 2-0 when a Denilson Rivera free kick was stopped by the goalkeeper only to see Aaron Ortega pounce on the rebound for an easy goal.
With three minutes left in the second half it was Rivera’s turn to score, driving home a 25-yard strike to eliminate any hopes Olympiacos had of a late comeback.
Formerly known as LA Monsters, the team changed to DC after a merger with another club. The Monsters will make their 4th appearance in a “Win and You’re In” game, the last coming in 2020 qualifying for the cancelled 2020 US Open Cup.
JSC Jasa (Southwest Premier League / USASA)
2:1
SF Vikings SC (San Francisco Soccer Football League / USASA)
Red Morton Park – Redwood City, CA
By Josh Hakala
JSC Jasa gave up an early goal but it was the late goal that they scored – one of the best goals of the tournament – that was the difference in a 2-1 win over SF Vikings SC. With the win, JSC Jasa advances to the final round of the 2027 US Open Cup qualifying tournament.
After some early chances, Sergio Valencia set up the opening goal for the Vikings in the 18th minute. Valencia led a counterattack down the right wing and played a low pass across to Nate Logan who put it past the goalkeeper to put the visitors in front.
After holding that 1-0 lead into the second half, Jasa would find the equalizer around the 53rd minute. A corner kick was sent to the back post where a Jasa player headed back across the middle. The ball pinballed around before finding Christian Abrego who sent the ball toward goal where the Vikings goalkeeper appeared to make the save, but the lineman ruled that it crossed the line to make it 1-1.
The last match of the round appeared to be headed to extra time but Jasa had other ideas in stoppage time. A cross from the right wing ended up to the opposite wing where the ball was headed toward the center of the box by Alvin Fuentes. Jayakrishnan Gopakumar chased down the ball, let it take a bounce and then launched himself in the air and struck it with a side scissor kick past the diving goalkeeper for the win.
Jasa, taking part in their first Open Cup qualifying tournament, now move on to the “Win & You’re In” round Nov. 21-22.