Becca Mitchum

2025 US Open Cup Round 3: North Carolina FC wins Dogwood Derby with Charlotte Independence

April 16, 2025 by Becca Mitchum

North Carolina FC players celebrate after defeating Charlotte Independence 3-1 in the Third Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: North Carolina FC

The heated “Dogwood Derby” between USL Championship team North Carolina FC and USL League One team Charlotte Independence lived up to its name in the Third Round of the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. While NCFC was ahead in shots and possession, it was Independence’s Jon Baquero who struck first in the 49^th minute. North Carolina was soon to answer with three goals in quick succession. A goal in the 71^st minute by Oalex Anderson and a brace by Rodrigo Da Costa in the 74^th and 77^th minute made for smooth sailing into the next round for NCFC, with the final score being 3-1.

As the match began, both teams saw quite a few chances, with NCFC striking with a shot in the first minute. Independence struck back with two back-to-back chances in the 8^th and 9^th minutes – both with Luis Alvarez involved.

Independence’s next big chance was in the 39^th minute, with Souaibou Marou’s shot sailing just over the crossbar. Plenty of set pieces were afforded to NCFC, but none were able to find the back of the net. And so, halftime came with a 0-0 stalemate.

The second half began just as strongly as the first, with Oalex Anderson giving two shots in rapid succession within the first two minutes. As hot as NCFC started, Independence answered right back.

Jon Baquero’s shot at close range hit true, with an assist from Luis Alvarez. Now North Carolina was on the hunt for an equalizer and almost had one with a shot from Ahmad Al-Qaq in the 59th minute.

There wasn’t much time to wait for that equalizer, with one of Anderson’s many shots on the night finally finding its target in the 71st minute. Control of the field shifted once again, punctuated by another goal from North Carolina, this time from Da Costa in the 74th minute, followed by another in the 77th minute, a brace for the Brazilian.

For the remainder of the game, the Independence just couldn’t find the answer to such a quick cluster of goals. Once the final whistle blew, it was North Carolina heading into the next round.

North Carolina FC Sporting Director and Head Coach John Bradford was proud of his team’s accomplishments.

“It was a quick turn-around for us having played in New Mexico this weekend and to get down here yesterday to play tonight. The guys did well after conceding a goal against the run of play – to stay disciplined and then get to respond – was positive and a whole team effort. The who came on really impacted the game.”

And about this particular match-up, Bradford had this to say:

“It’s a good group, a well coached group, there’s a lot of respect for the Independence and we knew tonight was going to be a situation where we had to come in and try to be the aggressor and dictate the game and I thought we did that. And it won’t be long until we see them again.”

This is Bradford’s second time bringing NCFC to the round of 32 as Head Coach, and he has high hopes for his team.

“I’ve followed the Open Cup for years, as well as the history of it, and so for us to be able to compete in it, is a privilege that we don’t take lightly. The opportunity for us to win, whether it be the league, the Jägermeister Cup, or the Open Cup, is something we want our players to value, and they do.”

NCFC travels south this weekend to play against Miami FC Saturday, April 19, and Charlotte Independence will host South Georgia Tormenta this Sunday in league play. Another instance of this rivalry looms close, with these teams meeting each other again in Cary, NC for the USL Jägermeister Cup opening match on April 26. North Carolina FC will play in the next round of the Open Cup on May 6 or 7. The draw for the next round will be this Thursday, April 17.

2025 US Open Cup Round 2: Marou’s OT goal gives Charlotte Independence first pro win in 10 years

April 2, 2025 by Becca Mitchum

Souaibou Marou of the Charlotte Independence celebrates after scoring a goal against Carolina Core FC in the Second Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Charlotte Independence

While USL League One side Charlotte Independence and MLS NEXT Pro team Carolina Core FC have only met in preseason matches prior to the 2025 US Open Cup, the tension on the field was that of storied rivals that had something to prove. A hectic start saw goals on each side after only ten minutes on Tuesday night, but the game was pulled into extra time before the game winner by Souiabou Marou in the 93rd minute.

Mike Jeffries, head coach of the Charlotte Independence, has spent a lot of time in and around the US Open Cup. Tuesday’s 2-1 extra time win was the 17th time in his career that he has led a team to the next round of the competition, which is tied for 10th most of any coach in the Modern Era (1995-present).

“I love the Open Cup, because it’s fun, and I’ve been on both sides of the coin, being the underdog with the amateur team and trying to figure out how to get a result, and then also being the favorite in a game, or being an MLS club that’s expected to win some of the games,” said Jeffries.

With this mindset, it’s easy to see the intensity that Jeffries instills in players season after season with the club.

An unfortunate goalkeeping error by Andrew Pannenburg led to an early lead by the Independence, with Luis Alvarez scoring easily on an empty net in only the 2nd minute of the game. Carolina Core responded numerous times over the next few minutes, most notably with a blocked shot on goal in the 7th minute. So it’s no wonder that they were able to equalize in the 10th minute with a goal from Josuha Rodriguez, assisted by Derek Cuevas. A grueling pace was set for the rest of the half, both teams urging each other to get ahead once more.

As the second half began the tone on the field seemed more subdued, with less urgency seen from both teams. There were plenty of shots taken, each player itching for that winning goal, with a free kick in the 58th minute giving Carolina Core their most clear cut chance. But no goals were given, and extra time loomed in Matthews, N.C.

In almost a repeat of the beginning of the game, the deciding goal was scored within the first three minutes of extra time. Souaibou Marou, in his first season with the team, made the angles work for him and brought Charlotte Independence one step closer to the next round of the Cup. All they had to do was survive the remainder of the extra time, and Carolina Core wasn’t going to make it easy for them. Tensions rose, tempers flared, and after a few small scuffles, the final whistle blew.

Independence Captain Clay Dimick was proud of his teammates’ performance.

“The team did everything you could ask from them,” said Dimick. “Mentality was the biggest thing we wanted to harp on going into this game and from minute one to minute 120 the mentality was there. is a way to see how far you can go … the players, the staff, we believe that we have a lot of quality and can play with teams in the higher divisions than us, and it’s a good chance to showcase that.”

With the win, Charlotte wins back-to-back extra time games to advance to Round 3 which is scheduled for the week of April 15-16. Tuesday’s win marked the first time they have elimated a pro team in the Open Cup without the use of penalty kicks since the club’s inaugural season in 2015. That year, Charlotte upset the Carolina RailHawks of the NASL (now North Carolina FC) and the New England Revolution (MLS) to reach the Fifth Round. The only pro team Charlotte has eliminated since then was last year when they beat Rhode Island FC (USL Championship) 5-4 in a PK shootout after a 4-4 draw.

Charlotte Independence will compete in the next round of the Open Cup, which is scheduled for the week of April 15-16. In regular league play, they will visit Greenville Triumph on Saturday. Carolina Core will have their home opener for the MLS NEXT Pro season this Saturday against NYCFC II.

2025 US Open Cup Round 1: Joshua Rodriguez sparks Carolina Core to 4-2 win over Soda City

March 21, 2025 by Becca Mitchum

Players from Carolina Core FC celebrate after scoring a goal against Soda City FC in the First Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Carolina Core FC

A thrilling team performance saw MLS NEXT Pro team Carolina Core FC continue to the next round of the 2025 US Open Cup after defeating back-to-back UPSL Champion Soda City FC. An early penalty in the 18th minute by Joshua Rodriguez laid the groundwork for Carolina Core’s dominant performance throughout the game, leading to a final score of 4-2 after eventually conceding two late goals to the visiting Soda City FC.

With this game being the last chance of a first-round cupset in the Carolinas, eyes turned to Soda City to see if they had the little bit of Open Cup magic needed to make it happen. But Carolina Core, one of the two independent MLS NEXT Pro teams, had the first opportunity as Joshua Rodriguez was fouled in the box, quickly converting the penalty awarded to them.

The High Point, North Carolina-based team continued to keep control of the ball, achieving 75% possession in the first half. Each team had chances of their own before halftime came; Soda City with strong free kicks in the 34th and 39th minutes, and a Carolina shot on goal was deftly saved by Soda City goalkeeper Jacob Cotton in the 36th to keep it 1-0 at the break.

As the players returned to the field, it was palpable how much Carolina wanted another goal, and how hard Soda City was going to try to keep that from happening. In the 59th minute, Rodriguez achieved a brace (assisted by Facundo Canete) and added an extra air of confidence to the Next Pro side. Canete scored a goal of his own in the 69^th minute, followed closely by Jacob Evans’s free kick goal in the 72^nd.

It seemed like a clean sheet was inevitable, and possibly even more goals to add to the tally for Carolina when a pair of goals in the 80^th and 84^th minute from Soda City forwards Lamar Thompson and Rauf Salifu, respectively, kept the amateur team’s hope alive. But there simply wasn’t enough time as the final whistle blew.

In winning this game and continuing to the next round of the US Open Cup, coaches and players alike aim to give Open Cup matches the same strength as regular league play.

Evans, in his second year with the team, said that the team “can become complacent if we try and treat a little bit different, so we just went into it like a normal game, and I think that’s what helped to win tonight.”

The Core has made it at least past the First Round in both years of competing in the Cup, but coach Donovan Ricketts has his sights set on making it at least to the Round of 32.

“These competitions are one game at a time, because if you lose, you go home.” Ricketts said. “This is a competition that we want to push as far as we can and we earmark this competition because we want to face an MLS opponent this year, so we’re taking it seriously.”

Carolina have its next MLS NEXT Pro league game on March 24, visiting NYCFC II, before it will play in the Second Round on either April 1 or 2. Soda City FC will play SCU Heat in Columbia, South Carolina on March 30.

2025 US Open Cup Round 1: One Knoxville “tickled pink” with road win over Appalachian FC

March 20, 2025 by Becca Mitchum

A crisp mountain backdrop set the scene as NPSL side Appalachian FC and USL League One team One Knoxville met on the second night of the 2025 US Open Cup. The teams seemed equally matched, but goals from Leo Santos (16’), Babacar Diene (63’), and Scott McLeod (74’), as well as a clean sheet from Knoxville’s goalkeeper Johan Garibay ensured their place in the next round with a 3-0 victory.

The teams wasted no time showing their strength, but a corner kick given in the 15th minute to One Knoxville led to the sole goal of the first half. A right-footed strike by Santos found the back of the net, with a headed assist from Dani Fernandez.

When asked about the match, defender Dani Fernandez said it was tough with this being their second away game in a row.

“We just came from Seattle, and winning and having a clean sheet on the road is very special,” he said. Fernandez also credited Appalachian FC, saying that this was a very competitive match.

Coming into the second half, One Knoxville heavily rotated its squad, using all five substitutions to bring out fresh legs from the locker room. Even so, Appalachian made it clear that they weren’t giving up without a fight, pressing against the professional team when possible.

In the 63rd minute, Knoxville doubled the lead from a free kick taken by Diene. Chances continued to come for Appalachian, but the second goal was joined by a third just 11 minutes later, with Diene assisting McLeod’s strike in the 74th minute. Eventually, it was Appalachian substitute Jeremiah Luoma (one of the team’s returning players) with the biggest chance for ruining a clean sheet: a powerful header that sailed just over the crossbar in the 85th minute.

One Knoxville’s coach Ian Fuller cited the team’s travel earlier this week against Spokane Velocity FC and praised his club for its resilience.

“This isn’t an easy competition to win in – you saw it last night – teams in the higher divisions have lost, so it’s not easy to come on the road after our travel and the preparation,” Fuller said. “We were finally able to break through with three set piece goals and (we’re) tickled pink to have a shutout.

“But you have to give App FC a lot of credit. They fought really, really hard and made it really difficult on us. We’re happy to move on.”

What’s next for these teams? Appalachian FC’s NPSL season begins May 10 at home against Port City FC and One Knoxville will visit Texoma FC this Saturday. One Knoxville will continue its Open Cup journey in the next round on either April 1 or 2.