Brooks Laimbeer

2016 US Open Cup Round 1: Evan Louro carries Detroit City into Round 2, earns TheCup.us Player of the Round

May 18, 2016 by Brooks Laimbeer

Evan Louro of Detroit City FC saves a Michigan Bucks penalty kick in the First Round of the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Jon DeBoer | DCFC

Detroit City FC goalkeeper, Evan Louro, was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup First Round. This was due, not only to his clean sheet over 120 minutes against the Michigan Bucks (PDL), but also for the two saves he made in the penalty kick shootout that helped DCFC advance to the Second Round for the first time in club history.

One of the biggest of Louro’s 13 saves came in the 96th minute. Louro would come up huge when Bucks midfielder, Adam Najem, would try to chip him from 18 yards out. Louro tracked back and dove to push Najem’s shot over the crossbar to keep the game tied at 0-0.

“Honestly I was thinking please save it because I don’t want to get a text from Adam on the drive home talking trash,” said Louro, who was a teammate of Najem with the Red Bulls academy.

City defender, Bret Nason, would close out the game in penalties, winning 4-3, but before he could do that, Louro would come up with a diving save on Bucks midfielder, Brad Dunwell, to keep the penalties at 3-3.

“Evan was huge for that victory,” City head coach Ben Pirmann said. “He was man of the match during the run of play as well as in the shootout. His presence on the field was second to none.”

Detroit City FC goalkeeper Evan Louro gets ready for a PK attempt from the Michigan Bucks during the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Jon DeBoer | DCFC

Advancing was extra sweet for Detroit City as they avenge last year’s 3-0 drubbing by the Bucks in the opening round of the Open Cup.

DCFC will head to Louisville to take on Louisville City, but they will be without Louro, the homegrown product of the New York Red Bulls, as he heads back to New Jersey, his home state, to train with the club for the rest of the summer.

“It’s difficult (leaving) because I feel like I grew a solid relationship with the club in a very short amount of time,” Louro said. “I have been at the New York Red Bulls since I was 13 so being familiar and comfortable there makes it easier.”

This was not Louro’s first US Open Cup experience. He started two games for the Red Bulls U-23s in 2014, back when they were a member of the NPSL. He made five saves to help the Red Bulls defeat the PDL’s Vermont Voltage 2-1 before falling to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USL, 3-1.

The former University of Michigan netminder is the first Detroit City player to take home the award as he beat out Ash Apollon (Seattle Sounders U-23s), Charlie Sales (West Chester United) and Jamie Siaj (Charlotte Eagles) for the honor. He also becomes just the second goalkeeper from the NPSL team to win the award, joining Gregory Hartley from Chattanooga FC from last year’s opening round.

The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.

Penalty kick shootout: Detroit City vs. Michigan Bucks

2016 US Open Cup Round 1: Detroit City FC gets revenge, eliminates Michigan Bucks in PK shootout

May 14, 2016 by Brooks Laimbeer

For the first time in the clubs history, Detroit City FC has advanced to the second round of the U.S. Open Cup after defeating the Michigan Bucks in 4-3 in penalty kicks after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer.

“I think we have been legitimized by what we do off the field in the stands and in our community,” DCFC head coach Ben Pirmann said. “We have fallen up short in the Open Cup and we were naive last year and to take it to them this year and get the win is what we needed.”

The Bucks would have the first scoring chance of the match in the fifth minute off a free kick from 25 yards out that would ring off the crossbar and out for a goal kick.

The set piece pressure would continue for the Bucks as center back, Lalas Abubukar, would rise above his defender off a corner in the eighth minute and head a ball to the towards the bottom left corner where City goalkeeper, Evan Louro, would make a diving save to keep the game scoreless.

Detroit would have a scoring chance off a set piece in the 12th minute as a ball from 30 yards out would be whipped in to the back post where midfielder, Dave Edwardson, would miss-hit the ball and Bucks goalkeeper, Drew Shepherd, would come off his line to smother the loose ball in the box.

In the 37th minute, Shepherd, would come up big for the Bucks as DCFC would create a turnover and force him off his line where he would make a foot save at the top of the 18 yard box to keep the game scoreless.

The match would head in to a midfield battle as the next best scoring opportunity would come in the 76th minute when City midfielder, Danny Deakin, would hit a shot at the top of the 18 that would just go wide of the far post.

In the latter part of the 80th minute the Bucks would have three corners in a row, but nothing would come of it as Detroit’s defense would pack it into the box and withstand the pressure.

“The Bucks kept the ball quite a bit and made us chase around at times so we got a little tired,” Pirmann said. “We had three chances there where we really stepped on them. Once those didn’t go in and we had a couple of guys go down with injuries I made sure we said defense first.”

The match would need an extra 30 minutes of overtime and the Bucks would keep the Detroit defense on their toes.

Bucks midfielder, Adam Najem, would have a good look in the 96th minute as he would try to chip Louro from 18 yards out, but Louro would track back and dive to push the ball over the crossbar to keep the game scoreless.

“Evan is a big boy and has a great presence,” Pirmann said. “The chip that Najem had, I thought game over. He tipped it wide and Evan is a big time goalie.”

The Bucks would maintain the pressure but City would pack it in to make it difficult for a clear shot on goal and after 120 minutes of overtime, the game would move to penalty kicks.

Bucks would go first in penalties and defender, Tom Owens, would strike his shot way over the crossbar.

Detroit would answer as defender, Seb Harris, would hit as a shot right down the middle that Shepherd would get a hand on, but the ball would bounce off the cross bar and in.

Forward, Russell Cicerone, would have his shot saved by Louro and then City forward, Jeff Adkins, would convert his to give Detroit a 2-0 lead.

The Bucks wouldn’t quit though as Najem would convert his to make it 2-1 and then City forward, Tyler Moorman, would make his to put it as 3-1.

With the game on the line Bucks forward, Andre Landell, would convert his penalty and then Shepherd would come up with a huge diving save to his left to keep the penalties at 3-2.

Midfielder, Jordan Snell, would convert his and Deakin would hit his penalty over the goal to tie it up at 3-3.

Midfielder, Brad Dunwell, would have a chance to give his team the lead, but Louro would come up with a huge diving save to his left to keep it tied.

Defender, Bret Nason, would close it out for City as he would slot his penalty into the left side of the goal to give Detroit the 4-3 win in penalties.

“I kind of just went up there and knew the spot that I was going to kick it in and it was honestly just lucky,” Nason said.

Detroit will travel to Louisville on Wednesday May 18th to play Louisville City in the Second Round of the US Open Cup.

2015 US Open Cup Round 2: Louisville City gives Kentucky first win in 22 years, 1-0 over Lansing United

May 23, 2015 by Brooks Laimbeer

Lansing United's Sons of Ransom created a home field advantage, but Louisville City prevailed 1-0. Photo: Paul Swaney | StadiumJourney.com — Lansing United’s Sons of Ransom created a home field advantage, but Louisville City prevailed 1-0. Photo: Paul Swaney | StadiumJourney.com

Unlike last round where penalty kicks seemed to be the hot commodity, the match between Louisville City FC and Lansing United ended in 90 minutes. Louisville scored three minutes into the second half to eventually win the match 1-0 in what is the first victory by a Kentucky team in the US Open Cup since 1993 (Louisville Soccer Alliance).

From the opening kickoff at Archer Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., Louisville came out strong offensively and dominated possession in the first half.

“We expected to possess the ball a lot. We knew Lansing would make it very difficult for us,” said City head coach James O’Connor. “Great credit to them, they defended very well, they got numbers behind the ball and made it difficult for us to break them down.”

In the third minute of the game, forward Nate Polak, hit a shot that went wide of the United goal.

The game went back and forth for the next few minutes and in the 10th, Lansing United forward Matt Brown had a good look at the top of the box and struck a shot wide of the City goal.

In the 25th minute, City midfielder Charlie Adams ripped a shot 20 yards out. But the ball flew just over the crossbar on the far side of the goal.

United got a few more looks at goal in the first half, but none that would cause a scare for City goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh.

“They held the ball for a really long time, but our guys really stayed to our tactics, we defended extremely well and I thought we chased the game,” said United head coach Eric Rudland.

In the second half United put pressure on Louisville by earning an early free kick, but Lansing couldn’t make anything of it as defender Ben Lamb headed it wide of the goal.

Off a corner kick in the 48th minute, City midfielder Magnus Rasmussen played it short to Adams who hit a shot towards goal which deflected off Brown and into the United goal.

“The short corner was on to play and it was one of them ones where you’re shaping it with the inside of your foot that you want it to go towards goal,” Adams said. “I was aiming for the back post and to gradually get in the goal. But it’s one of those ones that’s difficult for defenders so it’s likely for you to get a deflection and I scored.”

Lansing broke out of their defensive mode and pressured the Louisville defense which cut down City’s time of possession to 60-40 15 minutes into the second half.

By the 70th minute, United switched their tactics and moved left back Ade Adeniyi to the striker position and dropped Brown into the midfield while midfielder Jack Smith dropped into the defensive back role.

This switch gave United a spark offensively as the big and strong Adeniyi created havoc for the City defense and just missed netting the equalizer in the 88th minute as his shot rung off the outside of the right post.

“We were able to make the adjustment to bump Ade up, he had a nice couple chances,” Rudland said. “Then we had guys getting around their outside backs in the last few minutes of the second half.”

Louisville held strong defensively at the end and almost added a few more goals if it wasn’t for a few big saves from United goalkeeper Quinn McAnaney.

“Honestly I think this was more to do with our backline and their performance,” McAnaney said. “I had to make one big save and the rest of the game they held them in check. This one goes to our backline and they were great all day.”

Louisville City FC will play the Indy Eleven Wednesday in the Third Round.

2015 US Open Cup Round 1: Lansing United need PKs to end RWB Adria’s Michigan reign

May 16, 2015 by Brooks Laimbeer

RWB Adria from Chicago have enjoyed playing soccer in the state of Michigan lately. Last year, they kicked off the 2014 US Open Cup by eliminating Detroit City FC in penalty kicks and followed that up a week later by upsetting the Michigan Bucks in overtime.

This year, they opened the 2015 tournament in East Lansing, Mich. to take on first-time entry Lansing United from the National Premier Soccer League. However, after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer, Lansing would deny RWB a third straight win in Michigan with a 4-2 victory in a penalty kick shootout.

It was Lansing United’s first-ever match in the Cup and it was the city of East Lansing’s first-ever time hosting a match.

“We talked about goal up, goal down, killing a game, chasing a game,” said Lansing United head coach Eric Rudland. “So tactically the guys were all prepared for this type of match and it really became that type of match where we sat in defensively and they sat in a bit the game never really opened up.”

In the next round, Lansing will return to play Louisville City FC from the USL on May 20 at Archer Stadium in East Lansing.

Marcelo Petit, Liam Madden, Matt Brown and Yves Nzwanga each made kicks from the spot while Quinn McAnaney saved one and a miss by RWB Adria led to Lansing’s victory.

RWB went first in as Antonio Aguilar was stopped by a diving McAnaney.

“That’s what you live for as a goalkeeper, you want to be in those positions and you just got to read what they’re doing and react,” McAnaney said. “All the pressure is on the shot taker in my opinion and I go in with that mentality and nothing to lose and came up with a big save.”

Petit, buried his shot into the lower right corner to give Lansing a 1-0 lead. The teams traded kicks in the second round and in the third round, Vlad Baciu a second half sub who was voted the Player of the Round in last year’s tournament, hit his penalty kick over the crossbar. It would turn out to hurt RWB as Brown converted his kick to make it 3-1.

Semir Mesanovic, converted his opportunity and put the pressure on Lansing to close out the game.

With the crowd on its feet, Nzwanga hit a shot towards the lower right corner, which skimmed off the goalkeepers’ fingertips to went in and give Lansing the win.

“Just getting a result tonight is massive whether it’s extra time PKs or in 90 minutes,” Rudland said. “For us as a club to be in the tournament is monumental and then to get the result tonight is just a great thing for us moving forward.”

In the first ten minutes of the match, RWB possessed the ball and put a lot of pressure on the United defense, which caused the United backline to make errors early in the match.

Lansing caught the Adria defense off guard in the fourth minute as Brown slipped behind the defense and hit a shot inside the 18-yard-box that went wide of the right post.

In the 26th minute, RWB responded as midfielder Derek Huffman hit a shot inside United’s 18-yard-box that rung off the crossbar near the upper right-hand corner of the goal.

Both teams would have a few more scoring opportunities, but none better than the ones in the first 30 minutes of the match.

Coming out of halftime, RWB replaced Huffman with Baciu, a strong and tall forward, who kept the United defense on their toes the entire second half.

“Jim (Fiscus) and Ben (Lamb) were so big there at the center back position because they had a couple center forwards that one big guy who I think subbed on in the second half was kind of a nuisance in the air but they did a great job holding them up,” McAnaney said.

In the 50th minute, Fiscus had a good look at goal off a corner kick from James DeCosemo, but Fiscus’ header was cleared away the RWB defender.

A few minutes later, Adria responded as midfielder and former Major League Soccer player Daniel Paladini ripped a shot 20 yards from goal that just missed the upper-left corner of the goal.

The game went back and forth the remaining 41 minutes of regulation as both teams got very few good looks at goal.

The game headed to extra time and in the 94th minute, RWB hit a dangerous cross into the United six-yard-box, which bounceed around the goal line and eventually was cleared by a United defender.

In the 97th minute, United forward Stephen Owusu got behind the Adria defense and headed a ball off the crossbar, but the ball was played a little too late as the linesman flagged Owusu for being offside.

RWB had another scoring opportunity as Baciu found himself open in the middle of the 18-yard-box in the 115th minute as he flicked a header towards the far post, but McAnaney easily made the save with two hands.

Penalty kick shootout: Lansing United vs. RWB Adria

Lansing United GM/Head Coach Eric Rudland

Lansing United GK Quin McAnaney

Lansing United’s Austin Dunn

Lansing United’s Yves Nzwanga