Nate Sachs

Spokane Velocity ground out a 2-1 victory over Ventura County Fusion in their U.S. Open Cup First Round affair on Wednesday night.

Playing at home in Ventura, the Fusion, an amateur side from USL League Two who qualified through the direct spots from league play, challenged their professional visitors deep into the second half before Spokane secured the win with a late penalty.

The Velocity found themselves travelling in the First Round for a 3rd consecutive year due to the unusual situation of their home stadium hosting MLS side Seattle Sounders’ CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 16 second leg matchup. It was the Fusion’s 9th, and 2nd consecutive, Open Cup appearance, while Spokane were making their 3rd appearance. 

Spokane controlled the game from the start, but it was Ventura County who had the first big chance of the game in the 15th minute as Ryan Guerra, a Fusion academy product making his first-team debut, made a phenomenal run in behind the Velocity defense before sending the ball just wide. 

Gagi Margvelashvili nearly headed the Velocity into the lead off a corner in the19th minute before his teammate Anuar Peláez Paba headed home his second career Open Cup goal just a minute later to open the scoring in the 20th minute. The Fusion defense were caught ball watching as the Velocity’s Shavon John-Brown headed former United States men’s national soccer team player and Open Cup goal-scorer Luis Gil’s cross back across goal to Peláez, who put the ball in the back of the net to give the away side the lead. Peláez’s goal was the culmination of a beautiful buildup series that began with John-Brown near midfield. 

Despite going down a goal, Ventura County continued to apply strong pressure throughout the rest of the first half and nearly got a goal back in the 26th as a Jorge Lopez free kick curled just outside the far post of the Spokane goal. Nonetheless, Peláez’s goal remained the difference at the halftime whistle.

The Fusion brought on Abubakar Fofanah at the start of the second half as they searched for an equaliser, and their strong pressure was rewarded with a point to the spot with just twelve minutes to go as Moses Mensah brought down Jackson D’Alessandro. The penalty call was not without controversy as the replay appeared to show that Mensah’s foul took place over a yard outside the penalty box, but regardless Fofanah, who played his college ball at nearby UC-Santa Barbara, stepped up and sent Velocity goalkeeper Sean Lewis the wrong way to level at 1-1.

Spokane were awarded a penalty of their own in the waning moments of regulation after Fusion goalkeeper Nicholas McCune got caught out on an in-swinging set piece and brought down Velocity defender Camron Miller. Joe Gallardo Jr. cleanly rolled his penalty into the bottom right corner to give Spokane the lead for a second time in the 89th minute.

Jorge Lopez had a golden opportunity to pull Ventura County level for a second time in stoppage time but his shot narrowly missed the mark.

Despite not registering a shot from open play through the entirety of the second half, Spokane did just enough to survive and clinch their place in the Second Round for a third consecutive year.

For Ventura County Fusion, the loss made some unfortunate history as their US Open Cup home winless streak reached six games, which breaks the Modern Era (1995-present) record. Their last home victory (PK wins officially count as draws) came in the First Round of the 2014 US Open Cup.