Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Forrest Wimberly

2025 US Open Cup Round 3: MD Myers’ historic hat trick leads Charleston Battery over Tormenta FC

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MD Myers celebrates with Charleston Battery fans after scoring a hat trick inn a 4-0 win over South Georgia Tormenta FC in the Third Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly - TheCup.us
MD Myers celebrates with Charleston Battery fans after scoring a hat trick inn a 4-0 win over South Georgia Tormenta FC in the Third Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly – TheCup.us

For the third time in the past four years, South Georgia Tormenta (USL-1) and Charleston Battery (USL-C) have been paired in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The familiar foes had split the previous two meetings and Tuesday night’s Third Round match at Patriots Point saw the host Battery cruise to a comfortable 4-0 victory.

MD Myers loves to score goals against Tormenta. Myers recorded a hat trick against Tormenta in the 2024 tilt and followed it up with a historic hat trick in this season’s tournament. Myers is now the first player in the Modern Era to record hat tricks in back-to-back Open Cup campaigns.

“Its exciting, before the game today I was thinking it would be hard to top what I did last year against Tormenta,” Myers said. “The first goal came (by) just hanging around the net and then a couple more easy goals landed at my feet. I’m just happy to help the team win. 

“I’m a poacher around the goal, I just like to get in the box for one-time finishes. It was just working for me tonight.”

The match started with the Battery pressing the attack in the first quarter hour. The best chance of this run of play was when Jackson Conway broke free on a long run and forced a sprawling 1v1 save from Tormenta goalkeeper Austin Pack. After the save, the momentum of the match swung in the visitor’s favor and Tormenta enjoyed its best spell of attack over the following few minutes.

Against this run of play, the Battery earned a corner kick that was cleared by Tormenta to the top of the box where the Battery’s Chris Allen collected a poorly cleared ball, faked a quick shot and cut to his right where he drove a ball that deflected off a Tormenta defender’s foot. The ball looped up and over the crowd in the box and into the bottom left corner of the net to give the Battery a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute.

Tormenta looked to be getting back into the game just before the break after they won a penalty kick in the 45th minute. A trip inside the box awarded Tormenta the penalty kick but the Battery keeper, Christian Garner, guessed correctly by diving to his right to turn away the low shot for a corner kick. The Battery cleared the following corner kick, catching Tormenta in a classic counter-attack situation. Charleston drove the length of the pitch before slotting the ball into the feet of Myers inside of the Tormenta box. Myers dribbled around a defender to calmly place the ball into the back of the net as the Battery took a 2-0 advantage to the locker room.

The second half was all Charleston. The field seemed to tilt in the Battery’s favor and wave after wave of black and gold threatened the Tormenta nets. All of that pressure created a mistake inside of the Tormenta box in the 52nd minute that Myers was first to pounce on and deposit in the net for a 3-0 lead.

The Battery attack kept Tormenta pinned deep in their half and in the 70th minute it was Myers again, pouncing on a Tormenta mistake to complete his historic hat trick. Shortly after his third goal, Myers got a curtain call and was subbed out of the game and into Lamar Hunt US Open Cup history.

In 2024, Myers needed 120 minutes to score his hat trick, but Tuesday only needed 70 minutes to complete the historic Cup moment.

Photo: Wade Wimberly – TheCup.us

The Battery maintained its dominant attack but was unable to find the net again. The result books the Battery into the Round of 32. The draw is set for April 17th.

“I think the score-line was a little bit flattering for us overall because it nearly was 1-1 for the entire first half,” said Battery Coach Ben Pirmann. “Credit to Tormenta, they played a good game, but in the end of it I think we did a lot of good movements and selfless attacks to create those chances and finish them off. It was good to see MD  bang in some goals and for Chris (Allen) get his first (goal) for the club in his third season and a younger player, Viggo (Ortiz Cordova) making his debut. 

“A good performance, and with these tournaments, it’s kind of chaos, you never know how it’s going to play out, so we’ll take it and advance and turn our attention to league play on Saturday.”

 

2025 US Open Cup Round 2: South Georgia Tormenta need 3 go-ahead goals to fight off FORO SC

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Players from FORO SC (Orange) and South Georgia Tormenta FC battle for the ball in a Second Round match in the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly | TheCup.us
Players from FORO SC (Orange) and South Georgia Tormenta FC battle for the ball in a Second Round match in the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly | TheCup.us

It was a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup instant classic Tuesday night in Statesboro, Georgia as South Georgia Tormenta defeated visiting FORO SC 3-2.  The UPSL side from Texas just refused to go away and twice leveled the game in the final 20 minutes before Tormenta found the late, late winner to advance.

The match started with both teams looking to control the midfield spaces with Tormenta studying their opponent as they read and reacted to the visitors from Texas.  This was all part of the plan for Tormenta Head Coach Ian Cameron.

“It was a quick turnaround (from the USL One game last Saturday) and the mentality of the group was to see what they bring and then test ourselves as a staff and players to see if we can adapt to their tactics within the game”.  

In the 38th minute, Tormenta adapted their attacking pattern and found space down the right flank to drive the ball deep and FORO SC in their penalty box.  The ball was then dropped to the 18 where defender JP Perez floated a ball into the center of the box as midfielder Aaron Walker rose first and rose highest to head the ball down into the left corner of the net for the 1-0 advantage.  

The score line stayed in the hosts favor all the way into the 65th minute when Tormenta thought they had scored a second goal only to see the offside flag wipe it away.  From this moment on the match went bonkers.

FORO SC found their first goal in the 67th minute as Gibran Rayo pressed forward from his right back position and hit a curling shot into the back post upper 90 to level the match at 1-1.  FORO SC had dribbled into the attacking third of the field followed by some quick passes from the center to the right flank which opened up the Tormenta defense. This allowed the ball to be cut back to Rayo for the first-time shot at the edge of the penalty box.  The scrambling Tormenta keeper Austin Pack had no chance of even getting a touch to the bending shot up over his outstretched arms.

The match picked up tempo as both teams pressed for the game-winner and Tormenta substitute Yaniv Bazini was slipped a ball at the top of the box in the 85th minute and he perfectly timed his run and calmly converted the chance versus the onrushing FORO SC keeper low to the left post for the 2-1 Tormenta lead.

FORO SC threw everything forward after the Tormenta goal and a scrambling save by Austin Pack in the 90th minute looked to preserve the result.  

The following run of play saw FORO SC deliver the ball into a dangerous area of the Tormenta box where a penalty kick was won by FORO SC to send US Open Cup first round hero Brayan Padilla to the spot.  Padilla converted the penalty at 90+2 minutes and again FORO SC had leveled the match and looked to be sending the match to extra time.

Tormenta forward Sebastian Vivas had other ideas and scored the decisive goal for the hosts at the 90+4 minute mark taking all the wind out of the Cupset minded FORO SC attack.  Tormenta pushed the ball down the right flank and won a very physical duel 1v1 to serve the ball into Vivas at the goal box where he nodded the ball down to the right past the frozen FORO SC goalkeeper.  The hosts finished out the final minutes of the match and claimed the win to advance to Round Three.

“I thought they (FORO SC) were terrific,” said Tormenta Head Coach Ian Cameron.  “Their touch, their movement, their togetherness…they are all on the same page.  They made it really difficult.  It wasn’t just spirit, or their World Cup Final with them playing up; it was proper football they played.  It was really cool to see.”

The win keeps South Georgia Tormenta’s home US Open Cup undefeated streak alive at 5-0-0 in home matches played inside Tormenta Stadium which opened in the fall of 2022

Tormenta now awaits the third round draw to see who their next opponent will be.

 

2025 US Open Cup Round 1: South Georgia Tormenta comfortably advance, 3-0 vs. Harbor City

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Players from South Georgia Tormenta (white) and Harbor City FC battle for the ball in the First Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly | TheCup.us
Players from South Georgia Tormenta (white) and Harbor City FC battle for the ball in the First Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly | TheCup.us

The South Georgia Tormenta (USL League One) cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over visiting Harbor City FC (UPSL) in the First Round of the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Thursday night in Statesboro, Ga.

Both teams battled the strong winds around the park during the match but it was the hosts who found the better run of play and the goals needed on the night to separate the two sides.  Tormenta were the more aggressive side and Harbor City FC sat in a deep defensive block giving Tormenta the majority of possession and scoring opportunities.

Tormenta opened the scoring in the 23rd minute as Jonathan Nyandjo collected a floated ball across from the right flank and slotted it neatly into the bottom corner of the net through a crowded six-yard box for the 1-0 advantage.  Tormenta looked to find a second goal late in the first half but were just off the mark to send the game to the half up one.

The second half saw Tormenta again create chances around the box but the hosts were just unable to find the final goal-scoring touch until the 75th minute when substitute Niall Reid-Stephen streaked into the box on the end of a Connor Doyle pass to bury the ball for a 2-0 lead. 

Reid-Stephen had just subbed into the match in the 71st minute and made an immediate impact in the match. Just a few minutes after his first goal, he put the game out of question on a free kick as he curled a driven ball around the Harbor City FC wall at the top of the box in the 80th minute for the 3-0 final score line.  

The driven free kick just swerved around the hip of the defender guarding the near post and Harbor City FC goalkeeper Bryce Notardonato was surprised low to the near post as the left-footed curler nestled in the back of the net.

When asked about the free kick after the game Reid-Stephen had a simple answer as to what he saw, “a goal,” he said with a huge smile. “I just struck it…from practice, after training every day I keep putting in the reps.”

The early rounds of the Open Cup are about a “survive and advance” mentality, said Tormenta head coach Ian Cameron.  

“We are through, I don’t think we conceded too many chances,” he said. “We had control of the game in some tricky circumstances — the wind and a lack of atmosphere — as they we’re up and at it too aggressively, but we navigated the round to move on and see who we get in the next round.”

Round Two of the 2025 US Open Cup will be played April 1 and 2 and Tormenta now awaits the draw to see who they will face in the next match.

2024 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Indy Eleven holds on to make history with win over Atlanta United

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Indy Eleven players celebrate with their fans after a 2-1 win over Atlanta United FC in the 2024 US Open Cup Quarterfinals. Photo: Wade Wimberly | TheCup.us

The 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup rolled into Kennesaw, Ga. Tuesday night with a quarterfinal match between Atlanta United FC and the visiting Indy Eleven.

Indy Eleven used a first-half Augustine Williams goal along with a second-half own goal to build an advantage that the late-pressing hosts just couldn’t equal. The result was the first Open Cup win over an MLS foe for the Indy Eleven and the first time the franchise has advanced into the Open Cup Semifinals.

The win marked just the second time in the tournament’s 109-year history that a team from the state of Indiana has reached the final four. They join the 1992 Indianapolis Inferno as the Hoosier state’s only semifinalist.

Indy Eleven will move on to play the winner of Wednesday’s match between FC Dallas and Sporting Kansas City in the Semifinals. Indy will play that game on the road and will take place during the week of Aug. 27-28.

Indy Eleven We Want The Cup Shirt
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It was a night that played out just like the season fortunes of the two sides taking the pitch who seem to be moving in opposite directions.

Atlanta United currently just below the MLS playoff line in the middle of a mid-season reboot with numerous transfers out and an interim manager. This season of change found the hosts again out of rhythm and just not fluid in all phases of the game.

Indy Eleven currently sits in third place in their USL Championship campaign and have been very successful on the road with a stable and sturdy roster of proven USL performers. The commitment and energy was there whistle to whistle as they took full advantage of the opportunities that presented during the match.

The first part of the match was start-stop due to numerous fouls committed by both teams. The major difference is that the Atlanta fouls provided dangerous free kick opportunities in the Indy attacking third that helped the visitors control the tempo of the match and make opportunistic attacks probing at the Atlanta defense.

The breakthrough moment came in the 31st minute for Indy as Douglas Martinez made a surging run up the right flank driving a low ball across the penalty spot that Augustine Williams slotted under Josh Cohen in the Atlanta net for the 1-0 advantage. The team mobbed Williams at the corner flag just in front of the very vocal and very happy Indy supporters’ group.

Atlanta seemed to regroup at the half and came out very strong to open the second half but again the errant passes, mis-timed supporting runs, and movements off the ball just didn’t sync up for the hosts.  As Atlanta began to substitute players and become more urgent and direct against the run of play Indy whipped a ball in from the right flank into the Atlanta box where it was defected in for an own goal in the 83rd minute.

Atlanta missed a sitter just seconds after the own goal blasting the loose ball in the box into the side netting leaving the United fans to wonder what could have been.

Atlanta’s Nic Firmino did clean up a loose ball in the Indy box to score a goal in second-half stoppage time. It was the first goal allowed by Indy Eleven in the 2024 US Open Cup, snapping a shutout streak of just under 360 minutes. But in the end it was just too little, too late as the Five Stripes went crashing out of the Open Cup at Fifth Third Bank Stadium at the hands of a USL Championship team for the second year in a row. 

Indy Eleven Head Coach Sean McAuley praised his team after the match.

“We needed to come out and show a bit of confidence and if you come out in a negative mindset you can get drawn into just protecting,” said McAuley. “We wanted to come out with a really strong attitude towards getting to the goal. I wanted them to recognize we could hold our own in this environment and we knew Atlanta would come out strong in the second half.”

“I remember a lot of our players throwing their bodes in front of the ball, the goalkeeper coming an taking crosses at critical moments which clamed things down, and everybody, a lot of the players running so hard to keep what we had an us into the semifinal,” added McAuley.

With Indy Eleven’s win, it marks just the 15th time since MLS joined the tournament in 1996 that a lower division team has reached the Semifinals. They are the 10th different lower division club to reach the final four during that span.

2024 US Open Cup Round 5: Atlanta United remain unbeaten vs. Charleston Battery after PK shootout win

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Players from the Charleston Battery (Yellow) and Atlanta United FC battle for the ball in a Fourth Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly - TheCup.us
Players from the Charleston Battery (Yellow) and Atlanta United FC battle for the ball in a Fourth Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly – TheCup.us

The storylines were numerous entering Tuesday night’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Alonso Division Round of 16 match at Patriot’s Point in Mount Pleasant, SC.  

US Open Cup and Battery legend Ozzie Alonso along with several of his teammates from the 2008 Charleston Battery team that finished as the US Open Cup runner-up served as honorary captains in the packed-out park. The Battery were looking to finally advance past Atlanta United after dropping three previous USOC meetings in 2017, 2018, and 2019 to the Five Stripes.

Tuesday night’s match was their best chance to finally overcome the MLS side, taking the 2019 US Open Cup champs to penalty kicks after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer. In the end, Atlanta goalkeeper Josh Cohen saved the last two Battery attempts in the shootout to send United into the Quarterfinals by the score of 5-4.

Atlanta are looking for any jumpstart to return to their magical form sitting atop the US Soccer landscape. Two teams who could not have more contrasting early-season arcs stepping between the lines; the Battery undefeated and soaring in first place of their USL Championship campaign facing off against a United side struggling to find its form in MLS action mired in inconsistent play sitting in 20th place in the Supporter’s Shield standings.  

Against this backdrop, both teams entered the field through the north stand tunnel where the two goalkeepers would write this fourth chapter of USOC history between these southeastern rivals.  

Atlanta United employed a heavily rotated squad of reserve players and academy prospects while the Charleston Battery ran out a nearly full-strength, first-choice lineup. One major change to the Battery lineup was the inclusion of goalkeeper Daniel Kuzemka making his first start of 2024.

The first half saw both teams looking to control the midfield spaces with things being very evenly played between the penalty boxes.  Neither team was able to unlock the opponent’s defense with any regularity and both teams settled for half-chances and hopeful services into well organized and concentrated defensive penalty areas.  When there were sporadic breakdowns in defense the goalkeepers were there to put out the danger and keep things scoreless.

Charleston called on Atlanta keeper Josh Cohen in the 14th minute off a recycled corner kick where he was up to the task before Kuzemka got his turn to make a big stop in the 18th minute. Charleston again asked questions of Cohen just past the 20 minute mark and again he followed the script and provided the answers to preserve things at 0-0 entering the half.

The second half saw this same pattern of play until Atlanta began to substitute in more regular team selections like Rios, Slisz, Lennon, and Gregerson. These additions provided more Atlanta control of the midfield but never translated into that final decisive ball into the Battery penalty box. The second half ended scoreless and it was off to extra time to decide who would advance into the Quarterfinals.

FULL MATCH VIDEO: Charleston Battery vs. Atlanta United FC

Again, the goalkeepers did enough to keep their opponents off the scoreboard as shots from both teams sailed high over the bar, ran wide of the target, or sputtered into the waiting hands of the keepers.  Extra time saw the Battery with two superb chances in the 114th and 115th minute to grab a late winner but both chances were blocked or off target. Penalty kicks would have to decide who would advance as two exhausted teams stepped to the spot.

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "We Want The Cup" shirt in your team's colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP
Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

Daniel Kuzemka saved the first Atlanta kick and gave the hosts an early advantage. The teams then traded goals through four kickers to see the Battery up 4-3 after four rounds.

Nicolas Firmino converted the fifth Atlanta kick to make things level and all eyes turned to Josh Cohen to save what could have been the Charleston victory. Cohen hadn’t saved a penalty over the first four kicks but seemed to get closer and closer to turning the Battery away and then delivered with his team on the verge of elimination with a save in the fifth round to give Atlanta new life. Stian Gregerson then converted the sixth Atlanta kick to give the visitors the lead for the first time and then Cohen pushed the very next Battery shot over the bar with a strong left hand to seal the victory.

Cohen after the save immediately jumped to his feet and sprinted towards midfield jumping and fist pumping before being mobbed by his teammates. The back-to-back saves by Cohen totally flipped the script in the penalty shootout and closed this chapter of the Battery and United USOC rivalry.

Atlanta United now moves on to the Quarterfinals in early July and will learn their opponent and pathway to the final during the draw on Wednesday night.

2024 US Open Cup Round 4: MD Myers completes hat trick with late OT winner as Charleston Battery beats Tormenta FC

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MD Myers of the Charleston Battery celebrates after scoring a goal against the South Georgia Tormenta FC in the Fourth Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly - TheCup.us
MD Myers of the Charleston Battery celebrates after scoring a goal against the South Georgia Tormenta FC in the Fourth Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly – TheCup.us

Both teams knew the assignment entering Wednesday night’s 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Round of 32 match at Patriots Point just across the Cooper River from downtown Charleston: Win and host Atlanta United in the Round of 16.

The Charleston Battery would take care of business in front of their home fans with a 3-2 extra time win over the South Georgia Tormenta FC. All of the scoring would come from one man: MD Myers, the club’s offseason signing who came over from NYCFC II of MLS NEXT Pro.

With that extra motivation in mind, both teams stood toe-to-toe and traded jabs in the midfield over the first 15 minutes of the match looking for an advantage. The Battery used a high-press and suffocating midfield pressure to squeeze the ball away from Tormenta higher and higher up the field.  All this pressure paid off in the 22nd minute as MD Myers looked to deliver a knockout blow as he stole the ball from the Tormenta goalkeeper and went on a dribbling, slalom run around the penalty box evading both goalkeeper and defenders alike before he put the ball into the empty through a crowd for the 1-0 lead.

The goal, however, didn’t seem to impact either team’s pattern of play or urgency in the match. The visitors regained their shape after the goal allowed and counterpunched via the quick counterattack to climb their way back into the match. Tormenta’s Pedro Fonseca collected a through ball right up the middle of the field and then went on a solo run to the top of the box where he buried a shot to even the game at 1-1 in the 40th minute. Again, the goal didn’t seem to impact either team’s mindset or urgency as they seemed very committed to their game plan. 

Just when it looked like the match would go to the half knotted at 1-1, it was a quick Battery combination up the left flank in first-half stoppage time that quickly circulated the ball forward before it was floated into the box where Myers rose first and rose highest to nod the ball into the near post to give the hosts a 2-1 advantage at the break.

The second half opened just like the first half with both teams trading jabs in the midfield and then after several attack-minded substitutes were made by both teams, the game really opened up. The USL Championship and Battery leading score Nick Markanich was slotted in on a breakaway 1-v-1 versus Tormenta keeper Drew Romig in the 80th minute forcing a spectacular double save to preserve the score line. The Battery had been looking to put the game away with increased pressure on the Tormenta goal and then totally against the run play the visitors broke down the right flank as Niall Watson outpaced the Battery defense to slide ball across the goal mouth where Gabriel Rodriguez turned in the low cross to level things at 2-2.

As the game went to extra time, it was the Battery who came out the strongest throwing everything forward as they delivered ball after ball into the Tormenta box looking for the knockout blow. One last cross in the final seconds of the first extra time forced a point-blank reaction save out of Romig in the 105th minute to keep the score knotted 2 to 2.

As the second half of extra time was set to expire, the Battery made one final push dumping everything they had into the attack that created a scramble inside the Tormenta goalmouth that fell neatly to Myers who made no mistake as he rifled the ball through the crowded box for the knockout blow, a hat trick and the 3-2 Battery victory.

Myers becomes just the third Battery player to score a hat trick in Open Cup play. He joins Darren Spicer, who scored three against the ACS New Stars in the opening round of 2008, and Heviel Cordoves who scored his hat trick against the Panama City Pirates in the Second Round of the 2014 tournament. Cordoves’ trio of goals was scored nearly 10 years to the day.

Charleston will now host the Alonso Division final in the Round of 16 as Atlanta United visits the Point on Tuesday, May 22 or Wednesday, May 23. The last time the Battery hosted Atlanta in the USOC was the 2019 Tropical Storm match at MUSC Stadium on Daniel Island that was not played due to poor pitch conditions.  That fixture was flipped to a closed-door meeting in Kennesaw a few days later that Atlanta won before going on to win the 2019 US Open Cup title.

2024 US Open Cup Round 3: Charlotte Independence needs PKs to survive goalfest with Rhode Island FC

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Austin Pack of the Charlotte Independence makes a save in the PK shootout against Rhode Island FC in the Third Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly
Austin Pack of the Charlotte Independence makes a save in the PK shootout against Rhode Island FC in the Third Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly

It was a wildly entertaining 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Third Round match held Tuesday night in Charlotte. The host Charlotte Independence played to a 4-4 draw with the visiting Rhode Island FC over 120 minutes of soccer ebbs and flows before Independence goalkeeper Austin Pack provided the decisive moment to separate the sides and push the hosts into the Round of 32. 

Just when it seemed like one team would create an advantage and begin to pull away something spectacular would happen and the game would be level again and right back where we started.

In the end, it was Charlotte who prevailed in the PK shootout by a score of 5-4. It was the Jacks’ second straight shootout win in the tournament and earned the club its first trip to the Fourth Round since their inaugural season in 2015.

The game started very brightly for the visitors from Rhode Island, a USL Championship expansion team making their first Open Cup appearance. They were trying to become the first Rhode Island team to win an Open Cup game since 1969. Rhode Island jumped out on the front foot and into the lead in the 11th minute as Conor McGlynn collected his own deflected shot and made little mistake on the second effort scorching the ball into the net for the early advantage. It was a cat-and-mouse game of the high Rhode Island FC backline tempting the Independence service to go up and over the top. The Independence then seemed to grow into the match looking to go over the Rhode Island FC backline and they earned a penalty kick off a trip in the box that JC Obregon Jr. slotted home in the 26th minute to level the score. 

The game settled into a midfield duel at that point and then in the 35th minute the Independence again burnt the very high Rhode Island FC backline with a ball over the top that Tresor Mbuyu wove around the onrushing keeper and into the net for the 2-1 lead. The announced crowd of 3,865 erupted in approval and it looked like the hosts would carry this advantage into the half. 

However, Nathan Messer of Rhode Island FC had other ideas as he found a loose ball and in an individual moment of brilliance tied the game squeezing in a long-range rocket from a tight angle in first-half stoppage time.

Exiting the halftime break knotted at 2-2 it was the visitors who came out the more aggressive and Clay Holstad ripped a swerving ball through the crowded Independence penalty box that had eyes for the far post and the Rhode Island FC 3-2 advantage.

After Rhode Island FC took most of the air out of the game with some slow deliberate possession, Charlotte’s Luis Alvarez, totally against the run of play, stole the ball off a Rhode Island FC defender before going on a surging run at the Rhode Island FC backline leveling the game 3-3 a low driven back-post shot.

Rhode Island FC almost won the game in the 90th minute with a quick burst of shots but Independence goalkeeper Austin Pack slammed the door shut with two point-blank saves to send the game to full time still deadlocked at 3-3.

Full time quickly turned into extra time and in the 95th minute the Independence looked to have won the match with another wild sequence in front of goal where Obregon Jr. found a way to put away his own rebound into a 4-3 lead.

Rhode Island FC’s Stephen Turnbull didn’t read the script and never quit on the match and in one of their final ventures forward in the 115th minute flipped the storyline one last time to tie the game at 4-4 and send the match to penalties.

Charlotte took an early advantage in the shootout but quickly gave that back with two shots skied high over the bar after four kickers. 

Rhode Island FC was on the verge of advancing with their fifth kick but Austin Pack made another clutch save to send the shoot out to sudden death. 

After two more rounds it was Charlotte clinging to a narrow 5-4 lead after Anton Sorenson buried his kick and Rhode Island FC needing to convert their seventh-round kick to stay alive in the Cup. As Rhode Island’s Gabriel Alves stepped up to the ball Austin Pack stayed big, stayed patient, and stayed focused parrying away the shot with a strong left hand to push the Independence into the Round of 32 in early May. After the kick, Pack just froze in his saving pose on the ground before being mobbed by his jubilant teammates.

“I am tremendously proud,” said Independence head coach Mike Jeffries. “It took a lot of character to go down twice in the game and find a way back. They showed the confidence to stay in the game and get it done. We talk a lot about the mentality needed to win, and the guys showed it tonight.  Certainly credit to Austin (Pack). Not just the penalties, but he kept us in the game when we needed it.”

The Ocean State had waited over 25 years to have a team back in the US Open Cup and have to go back over 80 years to 1941 to find the last time a Rhode Island squad posted a victory in an Open Cup match.  Despite the dramatic tie Tuesday night in Charlotte, ending this winless streak will have to wait another year for the Ocean State faithful.

Charlotte now looks ahead to the Round of 32 and must be dreaming of another deep run in the Cup like they posted in 2015 defeating MLS opponent New England Revolution en route to a Fifth-Round finish. Full highlights including each penalty kick are below.

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: South Georgia Tormenta dominates Savannah Clovers FC in rare Peach State battle

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South Georgia Tormenta FC players celebrate after scoring a goal against the Savannah Clovers in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Holt Wimberly | TheCup.us
South Georgia Tormenta FC players celebrate after scoring a goal against the Savannah Clovers in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Holt Wimberly | TheCup.us

The South Georgia Tormenta FC stormed past the visiting Savannah Clovers FC 4-0 Wednesday night in Statesboro to book their spot in the Third Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.  Tormenta scored early, added a late second-half goal, another one in stoppage-time and dominated the patterns of play in-between during this first-ever meeting of Coastal Georgia regional opponents.

With just seconds expired in the first half the Tormenta high pressure forced a Clovers’ turnover in the attacking third of the field that Pedro Fonseca whipped into the Clovers’ box where Niall Watson nodded the hosts into the lead in the 2nd minute.  From this opening moment, Tormenta never looked back.

More Tormenta pressure constantly turned the ball over in advantageous positions and kept the Clovers off-balance as they tried to find a way back into the match. Tormenta looked like a team playing in their sixth competitive match (four USL-1 and two US Open Cup) while the Clovers were more unsure of their patterns playing in just their second competitive match of the year due to the delayed start to the 2024 NISA regular season.

Tormenta added a second goal in the 35th minute as Jackson Khoury drove a low cross through the Clovers’ box eluding all the runners except Joshua Ramos who smashed the ball into the open net for the 2-0 halftime advantage.

In the 58th minute Tormenta’s Fonseca again provided a perfect service from the flank finding a streaking Sebastian Vivas inside the box with a low driven ball for a third goal on the night.  The nightcap to balance the scoring came with just seconds to play in the 90th minute as Austin Wehner was first to react to a loose ball in the box pouncing on the opportunity to push the final score to 4-0.

Goalkeeper Drew Romig posted another Open Cup clean sheet for Tormenta and was there to put out any dangerous moments the Clovers created.

“It’s always helpful to score early,” said Tormenta head coach Ian Cameron after the game. “But what I really liked about the group is how they responded to that goal, they went back on the front foot. It was a very solid performance. David Proctor (Clovers head coach) is a good coach with a good group of players. There’s lots of good footballers in this county and Savannah Clovers have a bunch of them but I thought our unity, our team culture, our organization showed tonight.”

Wednesday’s game marked just the third time in the Modern Era (1995-present) that an Open Cup game has featured an all-Georgia matchup. In 2012, the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks defeated the NPSL’s Georgia Revolution 1-0 in the Second Round. The two teams met again the following year in the same round, with the Silverbacks winning 3-2.

South Georgia Tormenta now waits for the third round draw to see which USL Championship side they will face in mid-April.

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Charlotte Independence survive PK shootout with upset-minded SCU Heat

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Charlotte Independence players celebrate after a penalty kick win over South Carolina United in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Photos by Laura Stroud
Charlotte Independence players celebrate after a penalty kick win over South Carolina United in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Photos by Laura Stroud

There was little to separate the two teams on the field Tuesday night in Charlotte in the Second Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The visiting South Carolina United Heat (UPSL) and the host Charlotte Independence (USL League One) played to a dramatic scoreless draw through 120 minutes that could only be broken by the strong right hand of Independence keeper Austin Pack in the fifth round of penalty kicks.

The South Carolina amateur side was looking for another road Cupset in North Carolina after they had knocked out Crown Legacy FC in the first round just two weeks ago.  The North Carolina pros were dealing with several injuries in their team selection and these changes disrupted the rhythm and circulation of the team.

“It was a hard night and they (SCU Heat) gave us a very good game,” said Independence head coach Mike Jefferies. “They were super organized. We were prepared in terms of what we expected from them, but I don’t think we were strong enough mentally going into the game. I thought we were casual with the first half, not sharp, let the game drift, and played at their tempo too much.”

The first half of the match saw both teams unable to find the final, quality ball in the attacking third resulting in mis-timed connections and errant shots from distance.  The Independence enjoyed a 2-to-1 edge in possession on the evening but this ball control wasn’t in the attacking half and never translated into dangerous chances inside the Heat penalty box.  The Heat were very organized defensively with large numbers behind the ball and the visitors were content to absorb the pressure and then break out on a quick counter when the moment arrived.

The second half saw the best chances in the run of play from both teams as the Heat in the 55th minute produced a wild scramble in a crowded Independence box that had Pack charging off his line blocking two Heat shots around the penalty spot.  The Independence in the 73rd minute after some quick combination play had a shot from the top of the box rattle off the bar to keep the score at 0-0.

During extra time both teams were searching for a long-range winner but none of these hopeful shots could find a way through the concentrated defensive blocks guarding their goals.  Both teams had emptied the tank over the 120 minutes played and two exhausted teams went to the spot to decide who advances into the third round.

SCU Heat kicked first and converted their penalty despite Austin Pack getting a touch to the ball in the Charlotte net. 

Zach Rowell then made a diving save for the Heat punching away the stutter-step Independence effort to give them the advantage.

Both players made the second penalty to make the score 2-1 Heat after two rounds.

The third Heat kicker slipped at the time of his penalty and Pack dove to the left and turned the stray ball away. Charlotte converted their third kick and it was knotted 2-2 after three kicks.

Both teams netted the fourth penalty to set up the final deciding moment of the match. 

Austin Pack waited for the left-footed Heat kicker to open his hips and then Pack dove confidently to his right to flip the advantage to Charlotte.  The final, penalty-winning kick was hammered high into the net by Charlotte defender Fabrice Ngah to send them through to the third round.

It was a very muted celebration as Ngah embraced Pack and his teammates after this exhausting match.  The Charlotte Independence now await Thursday’s Third Round draw to see which USL Championship side they face in couple of weeks.

In their Lamar Hunt US Open Cup debut the UPSL amateur side SCU Heat posted a 1-0-1 record recording two shutouts against professional opponents. The victory over MLS NEXT Pro Crown Legacy 1-0 and the draw versus USL One Charlotte Independence 0-0 are exactly the type results Heat head coach Asher Quave-Robinson prepares his side to deliver.  The Heat were on a mission to be “more than just a UPSL team” when they take the field. A solid debut and clever warmup shirt from the “drywall installers and substitute teachers” in the 2024 US Open Cup.

2024 US Open Cup Round 1: Greenville Triumph edge South Carolina United in foul-heavy Palmetto State battle

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Players from Greenville Triumph SC celebrate after scoring a goal against South Carolina United in the First Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Greenville Triumph SC
Players from Greenville Triumph SC celebrate after scoring a goal against South Carolina United in the First Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Greenville Triumph SC

The visiting Greenville Triumph SC converted a first-half, stoppage-time free kick to advance 1-0 over the South Carolina United Bantams in their 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup First Round clash in Columbia.

This all-South Carolina Cup match was very physical from the opening whistle and saw seven yellow cards, one mass confrontation just before the half, and plenty of banter between the two sides.  For two teams without any history of playing matches … they sure didn’t seem to like each other (36 total fouls).

The Triumph controlled most of the possession throughout the match (68% overall) and the Bantams were content to absorb the pressure and then look to spring forward on the counter. The match was mostly contested box-to-box with both teams unable to find a way to break down their opponent’s backline to threaten the goal inside the box.  The Bantams played with five across the back dropping their wingbacks deep to force the Triumph into long-range shots and hopeful services into the box that the Bantams’ keeper Andreas Kokoska collected on every occasion.

Just when it looked like the match was headed to the break scoreless, the Triumph converted a free kick from the left flank to push ahead 1-0 in first-half stoppage time. Lyam MacKinnon whipped in a driven, bending service that Leo Castro nodded down at the far post to bounce the ball past the diving Bantams’ keeper.



The second half returned to the midfield stalemate with both teams again unable to find a clear pathway into their opponent’s penalty box.  The game almost took a major turn in the 84th minute as a Bantams’ forward collected a stray ball the Triumph defense and charged in 1-v-1 on the Triumph keeper.  Gunther Rankenburg stayed big, stayed on his feet as long as possible, and out-dueled the charging Bantams’ forward to make a spectacular kick save to preserve the score line at 1-0.

“The guys put in a really, really solid professional effort tonight,” said Triumph head coach Rick Wright. “It was a very difficult surface to play on, but we adapted and played really well. I’m real proud of the guys, they rose to the occasion.”

All credit should go to the Bantams’ coaching staff and front office for putting together such a strong team with such little time to prepare.  The team had just assembled a few days prior to the match and this collection of players were expertly cobbled together into a very cohesive and effective group by head coach Lee Morris and staff.  The Bantams knew who they are, understood the assignment, and were just one free kick away from extra time, possibly penalties, and who knows what’s next. But in the end, the Bantams remain without an Open Cup win in three attempts.

The Triumph closed out the match and advance 1-0 into the second round in two weeks.

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