Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Drew Bartow

2018 US Open Cup Round 3: One goal all Charleston Battery needs to eliminate NPSL champ Elm City Express

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Players from the Charleston Battery and the Elm City Express battle for the ball in a Third Round match in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Ross Almers Photography
Players from the Charleston Battery and the Elm City Express battle for the ball in a Third Round match in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Ross Almers Photography

The Charleston Battery’s starting XI was significantly different as they defeated the visiting Elm City Express 1-0 in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

As opposed to last Saturday’s lineup, coach Mike Anhaeuser kept the 3–4–2–1 formation, but made seven changes in the starting lineup in order rest up players for this Saturday’s match against Nashville SC. The change also marked the return of a familiar face at right back, Battery veteran defender O’Brian Woodbine.

The Battery started off slow, but where able to move the ball somewhat effectively against Elm City’s defense. The Battery had several chances to score, however they could not find a way to put the ball in the back of the net.

Anhaeuser substituted Ataulla Guerra in the 72nd minute in an attempt to drive the offense forward and refocus the attack. The veteran’s presence on the pitch was immediately felt. It would not take long as Guerra was able to get the ball forward on the right side to a charging Gordon Wild in the 84th. Wild was able to get the ball past the tackling defender, past the keeper and into the top left corner for the only goal of the night.

It would be all the Battery would need to extend their unbeaten streak to nine games between USL and US Open Cup play, and move into round the Fourth Round against a MLS opponent.

“It’s very exciting to play an MLS team. You don’t really need motivation from the coach for a game like that,” said Battery midfielder Tah Brian Anunga. “It’s another chance for us to test ourselves against the best in this country, so we’re excited to move on.”

The Battery certainly won’t be overlooked by whoever their MLS opponent is. Charleston has eliminated nine MLS teams in its club history, which ranks only behind the Rochester Rhinos (10) among lower division teams in the Modern Era.

2018 US Open Cup Round 2: Charleston Battery’s early goal vs. Tormenta FC keeps streak alive

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Victor Mansaray of the Charleston Battery delivers a cross in a 2018 US Open Cup match against South Georgia Tormenta FC. Photo: Ross Almers Photography
Victor Mansaray of the Charleston Battery delivers a cross in a 2018 US Open Cup match against South Georgia Tormenta FC. Photo: Ross Almers Photography

Courtesy of Soccer ‘N’ Sweet Tea

For the 13th consecutive year, the Charleston Battery won their first match in US Open Cup play and advance to the next round, this year beating South Georgia Tormenta FC, 1–0 on Wednesday night. The win extends the Battery’s winning streak to five in a row in all competitions after defeating Bethlehem Steel FC at home this past Saturday.

The Battery started in a 3–4–1–2 formation, giving veteran keeper Odisnel “Super” Cooper the start, as well as Ryan Arambula and Angelo Kelly. Swedish Ian Svantesson and Patrick Okonkwo drove Coach Michael Anhaeuser’s offense up front on a humid Carolina evening.

The Battery played defensively, focusing on holding a physically aggressive Tormenta FC in the beginning of the first half. Head referee David Erbacher was on his whistle consistently stopping play. Each side lost any momentum as play started and stopped over and over.

In the 21st minute, the Battery scored the match’s only goal in dramatic fashion. Patrick Okonkwo, on loan from Atlanta United, opened his Battery scoring account with his first professional goal, playing a cross from Victor Mansaray off his head and putting the Battery up for the rest of the match.

In the 63rd minute, Nico Rittmeyer, already shown a yellow card in the 48th minute for a questionable tackle, was shown a second yellow card and sent off.

Having to play a man down for the remaining 27 minutes, the Battery then substituted out Okonkwo and Vincenzo Candela for Tah Brian Anunga and Kotaro Higashi to better control possession and manage the tempo.

The Battery frustrated Tormenta the remainder of the match, and that frustration caught up with them in the 87th minute. Tormenta midfielder Nils Vinyals was overly aggressive on his challenge to Higashi and also saw his second yellow of the night, sent off for the remainder of the match.

With an additional three minutes of stoppage time added on at 90th minute, the 10-men Tormenta squad failed to mount an attack and fell short at the final whistle.

When asked about tonight’s performance, Coach Anhaeuser had this to say: “The key is win and move on … We were unfortunate to get the red card there, but the guys defended well. I don’t think we gave up a shot which is fantastic for our defense.”

The Battery then host the Third Round of US Open Cup play the following Wednesday. Elm City Express of the NPSL will make the trek down from the northeast to Charleston. The match is tentatively scheduled for May 23rd with a 7 p.m. kickoff.

2018 US Open Cup Round 1: Aruh’s first half hat trick helps Inter Nashville stun PDL champion Charlotte Eagles

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Inter Nashville celebrate their 6-1 win over the Charlotte Eagles in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Inter Nashville
Inter Nashville celebrate their 6-1 win over the Charlotte Eagles in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Inter Nashville

The first round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup kicked off across the country Wednesday night, and two lower-division teams squared off in Matthews, North Carolina, in front of 310 fans.

It wasn’t pretty for the team from the Carolinas.

The 2017 PDL champion Charlotte Eagles hosted NPSL’s Inter Nashville FC, and from the opening whistle, Inter Nashville went straight to work. Nashville pressed every pass from the Eagles and pushed the ball up the field with a purpose, and the Eagles simply could not counter. Inter was playing in their first-ever US Open Cup game while the Eagles were playing in their 27th, but experience didn’t matter as Nashville dominated Charlotte from the opening whistle, winning 6-1 to advance to Round 2. With the win, they earn a date with the pro team in their city, Nashville SC of the USL.

Nashville put points on the board first by earning a direct kick in the fourth minute deep inside Eagles territory. NPSL 2017 Offensive Player of the Year Chuka Aruh sent his shot over the Eagles’ wall and into the back of the net to open the scoring.

Aruh, a 6-foot-3, 208-pound forward then went full-on beast mode, following his opening goal with another in the sixth minute, stealing the ball from an Eagles defender just outside the 18 yard box, driving to the right, and scoring a brace in less than six minutes.

 

That would be all that was needed to win, as the Eagles failed throughout the night on defense and lacked the ability to counter, possess the ball, or even manage to get a shot on goal in the first half.

In the 21st minute, Nashville scored an incredible goal. Coming off the corner kick, Ivan Sakou bicycle kicked his own deflected shot just inside the 18 yard box on the right side. Richard Reichenberger headed it in past Eagles and Wake Forest goalkeeper Andrew Pannenberg, putting Inter Nashville up 3–0.

In the 35th minute, Aruh completed his first-half hat trick. The Eagles, having earned a free kick off an Inter Nashville yellow card, failed to capitalize, and Aruh broke out on the counter.

At 45’+, Sakou would find the back of the net himself with the first of his two goals for the night, sending Inter Nashville into half-time up 5–0 over the Eagles. The Eagles came out in the second half with a renewed sense of focus, and after a series of solid passes, a drive into the box was met with a poor foul by Nashville and a Charlotte penalty kick in the 56th minute. Eagle Todd Fidlerconverted the penalty kick and put the first and only point on the board for the Eagles.

However, the Eagles would not be able to carry any momentum forward after that. After coming on strong at the start of the second half, the Eagles once again fell flat, failing to pass the ball effectively and having multiple long passes intercepted or broken up by Nashville’s strong midfield.

In the 85th minute, Sakou put the sixth and final point on the board for Nashville, and after five additional minutes of stoppage time, that is how it would end. Inter Nashville defeated the Charlotte Eagles 6–1 at home, and they advance to the second round of the U.S. Open Cup.

Inter Nashville recorded the first U.S. Open Cup win for a Nashville team in 20 years and are now slated to play Nashville SC next Wednesday night in what at least one online commentator has labeled “El Nashico.”

The Charlotte Eagles will face the Myrtle Beach Mutiny this coming Saturday back at the Sportsplex in Matthews.

The Mutiny also lost their first round U.S. Open Cup match, 2–1 to the South Georgia Tormenta.

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