Harrison Huntley

Harrison Huntley is the Assistant Director of Athletic Communications at Charleston Southern University. He writes stories and designs graphics for TheCup.us

2016 US Open Cup Round 3 review: The NASL strikes back

June 2, 2016 by Harrison Huntley

Patrick Otte of the Jacksonville Armada celebrates his goal against the Charleston Battery in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Gary Lloyd McCullough | Jacksonville Armada

The United Soccer League (USL) certainly had the upper hand in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup last year, holding the North American Soccer League (NASL) winless in all seven matchups (0-6-1, 0-1 PKs) between the rival leagues. This year, the NASL rebounded as seven of the nine entries advanced to the Fourth Round, including six of them that eliminated USL teams.

As impressive as the NASL was on Wednesday night, they weren’t the only headliners. Sharing the spotlight was a pair of amateur teams that won to punch their ticket to the Fourth Round, a place that very few fourth division teams have ever reached. Both came late in the evening as Southern California side La Maquina won an all-United Premier Soccer League matchup with the Los Angeles Wolves while the Kitsap Pumas closed out the round with a stunning 3-1 upset of the Sacramento Republic. La Maquina will face the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Pumas will take on the Seattle Sounders and if either one of them are able to pull off the massive upset in Round 4, they will be the first amateur team since 1995 to reach the Round of 16.

The round also featured the long-awaited Oklahoma City derby, the Carolina RailHawks breaking a goalscoring record and more. Check out a brief recap of each Third Round game with links to the full match report (Check back as more will be added):

Strikers’ goalkeeper Diego Restrepo was looking for redemption. Twice during the regular season, the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers faced a penalty kick and both times he failed to stop a shot. Restrepo saved three of four penalties and made three saves in the game to lead Fort Lauderdale into the Fourth Round. FULL MATCH REPORT »

Both teams scored in the first half, but neither could break the tie in the second. A 107th minute goal for Jacksonville’s Keita gave his club the advantage they would need to win its first Open Cup game in the team’s brief history. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]

A free kick broke the scoreless tie in the second half, and Rochester added another to seal the win. The two goals in an 11-minute span helped the Rhinos end the cup run of the amateur Lansdowne Bhoys from New York City. With the win, Rochester improves to 16-0-0 all-time against amateur clubs and earns a date with the New York Red Bulls of MLS. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]

Harrisburg needed a second half rally to get past the hometown Chattanooga FC. The City Islanders trailed 1-0 entering the 71st minute, but two goals in 11 minutes helped Harrisburg survive and advance. FULL MATCH REPORT

A near-perfect free kick gave New York the lead early, and a late header did all but put this game away. With the win, the Cosmos earn a date with New York City FC of MLS for the second year in a row. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]

As hard as it is to believe, this was a scoreless draw at the end of regulation. The RailHawks scored a record five extra time goals to change a close result to a lopsided one against the Charlotte Independence, who played the majority of the match with 10 men due to an early red card.
An early goal had Tampa Bay Rowdies fans on edge all night, but it turned out to be the only goal they would need. The Rowdies will take on the Columbus Crew in the next round. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]

Louisville held the 1-0 advantage at the half, but Indy came all the way back, netting two goals in 10 minutes to emerge with the win to set up an intriguing Fourth Round matchup with the Chicago Fire of MLS. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]

Wilmington scored two goals in the first five minutes of the match and held off Miami FC for the remainder of the match. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]
Minnesota United avenged last year’s loss to Saint Louis FC by scoring a counter attack goal in the 69th minute and then adding a late clincher to put the game out of reach. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]

In the first meeting between two Oklahoma City clubs, the USL’s Energy FC took down the NASL’s Rayo OKC 2-1 in extra time in a true city derby. A 107th minute goal by Kyle Hyland was the game-winner and any comeback hopes were dashed when Rayo OKC received a pair of late red cards. FULL MATCH REPORT »

Des Moines shut out San Antonio through 72 minutes, but Sam McBride came through with his first professional goal to tie the game and Jacques Francois scored the game-winner nine minutes later and the visitors held on for the win to avoid the upset. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]
The Switchbacks, who had already defeated Arizona United twice in league play this year, made it three wins in a row as they cruised to a 3-0 victory to set up an all-Colorado matchup with the Rapids in Round 4. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]
Former Chivas de Guadalajara player Edwin Borboa scored both goals in a rare all-amateur Third Round match as La Maquina defeated fellow United Premier Soccer League team Los Angeles Wolves FC, 2-0. The Southern California club earns a date with the Los Angeles Galaxy. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]
Arguably the biggest surprise of the round came when the PDL’s Kitsap Pumas traveled south and upset the USL’s Sacramento Republic, 3-1. All four goals in this match came in a frantic five-minute span starting in the 60th minute. For the Pumas, it was their first-ever win over a pro team, and their reward is a Round 4 road match with four-time US Open Cup champion Seattle Sounders. FULL MATCH REPORT [+]

2016 US Open Cup Round 2: Wilmington Hammerheads deliver rare blowout in 6-0 thrashing of Miami Fusion FC

May 19, 2016 by Harrison Huntley

After two straight USOC losses to Chattanooga FC, Wilmington Hammerheads FC obviously had no intention of losing to a third NPSL team. After two goals in the first 10 minutes, it became clear they were in control and Wilmington cruised to a 6-0 win over Miami Fusion FC.

The goals came early and often for Wilmington as they struck first with a breakaway goal in the sixth minute. The smoke hadn’t even floated away from the supporter’s section when Wilmington’s attack led to another goal. Before 10 minutes had elapsed, the Hammerheads already held a 2-0 lead. Wilmington coach Mark Briggs later said the quick scores were exactly what the team had been working on.

“The focus for us has been doing a lot of finishing lately, a lot of repetition in front of goal,” said Briggs. “If I could have gone to sleep last night and dreamt of the perfect game tonight, this was it. It gave us an opportunity to score goals. It gave us an opportunity to get people on the field who need minutes, especially leading up to Saturday against Charleston which is a massive game. It was good all around for everyone.”

The first goal came from Austin Martz, who got free on a breakaway, and appeared to have glanced a shot off the keeper, but it was later ruled that Justin Moose had the last touch. That would become important because Martz later scored two more goals, but could not complete the hat trick without that first goal.

After adding two more goals, Wilmington went into the half with a 4-0 lead. Coming out of the break, Miami Fusion FC used their last two subs, leaving them with none for the second half. This would prove costly for Miami, as they would later play the final 20 minutes of the game with nine players after two went down with injuries. Wilmington used this advantage to add two more goals, pushing the final to 6-0. Coach Briggs added that he was happy his team took care of business in what the Cup setting.

“These games can go one of two ways like any game,” said Briggs. “These games, when you take them easy, they can easily become a banana skin and you can fall flat on your face. That was the focus in the locker room and it was all about making sure that they were focused like they would be playing any other team in our league.”

With the biggest shutout win in the club’s Open Cup history, the Hammerheads will travel south to play the first-ever tournament game in the state of Florida when they face Miami FC (NASL) on June 1.

2016 Meet the Underdogs: CD Motagua brings New Orleans flavor back to US Open Cup

May 10, 2016 by Harrison Huntley

Over the last few years, CD Motagua of New Orleans has established themselves as one of the top soccer clubs in the state of Louisiana. Yet, an amateur team from Louisiana has never qualified for Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present).

Team representative Jonathan Rednour said that the team has had qualifying for the US Open Cup as their goal for the last few years.

“For the last five years, one of the main goals for our manager, and the boys, is to be more than just a local team. They want to push themselves,” said Rednour.

And push themselves they did. CD Motagua has won the International Soccer League Association of New Orleans (ISLANO) the last three years and the Louisiana Premier League the last two years. Unfortunately for the team, they’ve had a tough time trying to qualify for the Cup.

CD Motagua reached the USASA Region III tournament three times, which was one of the few paths open division teams had to qualify for the Open Cup prior to this year. Motagua fell short of the final twice, and in 2015, when they finally did win the regional tournament, the format had changed and last lost in the USASA national tournament. Finally, when the US Soccer Federation introduced its new open division qualifying tournament this year, they signed up and punched their ticket to the 103-year-old tournament.

“It’s been a journey for us, but one of our main goals is to get our guys out there and play on a national scale and put New Orleans and Louisiana on the map,” said Rednour. “We want to let people know that we got some great players down here.”

The club is the first amateur team from Louisiana to qualify in the Modern Era, but the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers of the A-League (Division 2) made a brief two-game appearance in 1997. That team was led by a young Trinidad & Tobago striker named Stern John.

For those unfamiliar with New Orleans, the area is home to a large Honduran population. Since its founding in 1984, the squad has featured several Hondurans from the area. The Honduran players continue to fill much of the roster, and with the Honduran influence, CD Motagua has hosted friendlies with several professional teams from the country.

At CD Motagua’s founding, it was owned by a group of brothers: the Serrano brothers, the Martinez brothers and the Diaz brothers. Today, the Martinez brothers mostly run the show, but Dr. John Hamide purchased part of the team in 2010. Since then, Rednour says the team has been able to do much more.

“When Dr. John Hamide came aboard, he was able to help fund the team, and push us to the next level where we could start traveling and be a part of .”

CD Motagua has seen several of its players go on to play for professional and international teams. Anthony Peters is the most recent one, who is now with Tulsa Roughnecks. Carlos Palacios is just one of a handful of the club’s former players that have gone on to play for the Honduran National team.

The club’s current roster is largely composed of former college or former professional players. Rednour said that when the Baton Rouge Capitals folded, many of the players began playing with Motagua. Add in some former players from New Orleans’ NPSL team, the Jesters, and the roster becomes quite competitive.

Speaking of the Baton Rouge Capitals, one of their old counterparts in the PDL will face CD Motagua in their opening match. Mississippi Brilla will be Motagua’s first opponent with the winner advancing to face OKC Energy FC.