Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Zach Smith

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: Chicago Fire continue quest for five with win over Austin FC

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Austin FC vs. Chicago Fire FC - Photo: Scott W. Coleman
Photo: Scott W. Coleman

Frank Klopas wants to help the Chicago Fire become the winningest MLS team in US Open Cup history.

The Fire continued their journey towards an all-time record-tying fifth Open Cup trophy on Wednesday night, going on the road to beat Austin FC 2-0 at Q2 Stadium.

“If you’re in a tournament then you want to win,” Klopas said. “Every time we play we want to win. That’s the way we approach it. We’re always going to put our best team forward that is going to give us opportunities to win the game.”

Chicago will travel to face the Houston Dynamo in the Quarterfinals the week of June 6-7.

Despite losing the possession battle, the Fire were able to frustrate Austin FC and held a 12-9 advantage in shots, including an 8-2 lead in shots on goal. 



Rafael Czichos opened the scoring with a header in the first half before Kacper Przybylko scored for the fifth time in all competitions off an assists from Xherdan Shaqiri in the second half.

“It was a great win,” Klopas said. “Any time you’re on the road, especially when you’re playing against a really good team in a great atmosphere, it’s always difficult. We had a really good gameplan. We were good with the ball and made them chase.”

Austin FC was on a bit of a high entering the Open Cup match after winning back-to-back MLS games for the first time this season to vault back up into a playoff spot.

“It’s disappointing to get knocked out,” Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff said. “This is a competition we wanted to progress in. Physically, we looked fatigued. When the team isn’t performing well, you’ve got to stay resolute.”

Both teams had their chances for the first 20 minutes of the game, but then Austin started getting sloppy with its passes, and Chicago started to have their way a bit more.

Kei Kamara took advantage of an Austin FC turnover with a shot from inside the penalty area in the 25th minute. Less than a minute later, Xherdan Shaqiri picked out Maren Haile-Selassie behind the back line for an open look, forcing Austin keeper Brad Stuver into a diving save.

The Fire took advantage of the ensuing corner as Rafael Czichos headed home a corner form Brian Gutierrez into the top corner to give Chicago the lead in the 27th minute.

“After 20 minutes, it looked leggy with a lot of sloppiness,” Wolff said. “It almost becomes contagious. It’s an elimination game, and dueling is important. It was concerning that we looked a little labored and physically slow.”

The Verde & Black started the second half strong, with headed chances on goal with headed caches for Gyasi Zardes and Aleksandar Radovanovic.

Shaqiri had his initial shot saved in the 77th minute, but he passed the rebound to a wide-open Kacper Przybylko in front of net for an easy tap-in goal to seal the win.

“We were very disciplined, organized and we had really good moments with the ball where we created lot of opportunities,” Klopas said. “We had some great individual performances, but from a collective standpoint, that was a the difference.” 

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Austin FC has “dominant” win over New Mexico United in tournament debut at home

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Austin FC forward Maximiliano Urruti celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2023 US Open Cup match against New Mexico United. Photo: JJ Moothart | Austin FC
Austin FC forward Maximiliano Urruti celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2023 US Open Cup match against New Mexico United. Photo: JJ Moothart | Austin FC

For a club a little over two years old, Austin FC still experiencing plenty of new things.

Rodney Redes, the first signing in club history, scored his first career goal to help the Verde & Black beat USL Championship side New Mexico United 2-0 Wednesday night in the first-ever Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game at Q2 Stadium. 

“I thought it was a good example of what we have been building on the last couple of games,” Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff said. “We created a lot of chances and got some goals. I thought it was a pretty dominant performance.”

Redes scored the opening goal in the 24th minute, heading home a corner kick from designated player Emiliano Rigoni. 

Austin FC doubled its lead with a beautiful team goal in the 36th minute.

Rigoni took one touch to get past a new Mexico defender and picked out Adam Lundqvist near the left sideline. Lundqvist needed just one pass to find a wide-open striker Maxi Urruti for an easy goal. 

“A play like that almost looks like a play from an NFL game,” Lundqvist said. “It’s exactly what we practiced, it’s exactly the moves and it just played out. It really gives you that confidence going forward. It was good to see.” 

For Urruti, it was his fifth career US Open Cup goal. He scored three of those goals in 2016 with FC Dallas en route to winning the US Open Cup title.

Austin FC dominated nearly every statistical category against New Mexico, including shots (13-9), shots on goal (8-2), corners (5-1) and crosses (18-6). 

It all happened without superstar midfielder and MLS MVP finalist Sebastian Driussi, who will be out until at least the end of the month with a groin injury.

“We can win games without Seba, we can score goals without Seba,” Wolff said. “It’s important that our guys see that and feel that and now truly believe that.”

Wolff said earlier in the was going to take this tournament seriously, especially after last year’s embarrassing loss to San Antonio FC in the team’s’ first-ever game in Round 3. Wednesday was the first of seven games over the next three weeks for the Verde & Black, but that didn’t stop him from running out a largely first-choice starting XI. 

“Elimination games are never easy,” said Wolff, who won three Open Cup titles as a player with the Chicago Fire (1998, 2000) and Sporting Kansas City (2004) “You’ve got one team in a different league and they’ve got a chip on their shoulder for a variety of reasons. You’ve got to come in ready to play. You take nothing for granted. You’ve got to be hungry and ruthless.”

Perhaps nobody was more hungry and ruthless on Wednesday than Redes. 

The Paraguayan midfielder appeared in 25 games with five starts for Austin FC during the inaugural 2021 season, contributing one assist. He struggled to get consistent minutes in 2022, making just 12 MLS appearances with no starts.

He’s had somewhat over a redemption arc over the last three games in Verde & Black, picking up his first assist in more than two years two weeks ago against San Jose before scoring his first goal on Wednesday.

The fans at Q2 recognized his commitment, chanting his name late in the second half.

“Of course I heard it and of course it made me happy,” Redes said. “I thank the fans for the support that they always give me. I’ve always worked hard, and I knew there would come a point that I was going get those minutes, and I’m thankful that now I am.”

2019 US Open Cup Round 3: Sonny Guadarrama carries Austin Bold FC to dominant win over San Antonio FC

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Sonny Guadarrama of Austin Bold FC was involved in three of the team's four goals (1 goals, 2 assists) in a 4-2 win over San Antonio FC. Photo: Austin Bold FC
Sonny Guadarrama of Austin Bold FC was involved in three of the team’s four goals (1 goals, 2 assists) in a 4-2 win over San Antonio FC. Photo: Austin Bold FC

Sonny Guadarrama lofted the ball into the box, where Klèber headed it up and smashed it off the volley past a diving San Antonio FC keeper to give Austin Bold FC an early lead on Wednesday night.

It was a stunning start to a dominant game for the Bold, which beat their Texas rivals 4-2 in the Third Round of the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and will travel to face off with the Houston Dynamo in the Round 4 next month.

“He did more of the work, mine was the easy part,” Guadarrama said.

San Antonio FC scored in the waning moments of both halves. Wálter Restrepo scored with a close-range shot in the 44th minute to cut the Austin lead to a pair of goals at the break, and Jack Barmby scored four minutes into extra time.

Guadarrama finished with one goal and two assists in the game, while forward Andre Lima finished with a brace and Klèber started things off with the game’s opening goal.

“Sonny is becoming the Sonny from the past after two years off,” Bold head coach Marcelo Serrano said. “He’s playing for the community that he loves. That’s the reason we brought him back. Every game, he’s increasing his level and he’s getting the fitness back again. He’s a baller.”

After losing two straight games for the first time all season, Austin experimented with a 4-3-3 formation for the first time, with Guadarrama in the middle and Lima, Klèber and Isaac Promise up top.

It worked, as the Bold outshot San Antonio 26-16 — including a 9-6 advantage in shots on target — and had 52 percent of the possession.

“We’re disappointed with the outcome of the game,” San Antonio FC head coach Darren Powell said. “We were able to play some young players who earned valuable experience and now know what it’s like to play at this level. It was a very open game with plenty of chances both ways, but the bottom line is we need to regroup and prepare for our league game on Saturday.”

The Bold locker room is filled with former MLS players and players with Open Cup experience.

Defenders Amobi Okugo and Jermaine Taylor each spent a few seasons in the top professional league, and Okugo was a member of Sporting Kansas City when they won the Open Cup in 2015.

Diego Restrepo was the starting goalkeeper for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers that reached the Quarterfinals of the tournament in 2016, upsetting MLS teams D.C. United and Orlando City SC along the way. That year, Restrepo was voted TheCup.us Lower Division Player of the Tournament.

The Open Cup is something that Austin has made a high priority in its first-ever season.

“We knew what was at stake,” Guadarrama said. “When we started back in February, one of our bigger goals was to be on a bigger (stage) and we knew for that to happen we have to play against an MLS team.”

2019 US Open Cup Round 2: Sean McFarlane orchestrates Austin Bold’s 2-0 win over Tulsa Roughnecks

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Andre Lima and Sean McFarlane of Austin Bold FC celebrate a goal against Tulsa Roughnecks FC in the Second Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Austin Bold FC
Andre Lima and Sean McFarlane of Austin Bold FC celebrate a goal against Tulsa Roughnecks FC in the Second Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Austin Bold FC

Austin Bold FC head coach Marcelo Serrano knew the risks of putting two aggressive forwards out for the first Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup game in Austin in four years. His decision paid off big time.

Sonny Guadarrama opened the scoring in the first half and his attacking partner, Andre Lima, doubled the lead late in the second half to help the Bold down the Tulsa Roughnecks 2-0 on Tuesday night.

“It was a great performance, we had so many chances,” Serrano said. “We had a clean sheet and we’re moving forward as a team.”

Austin will get a rematch when it hosts San Antonio FC — a team they beat 1-0 earlier in the USL season — in the Third Round of the US Open Cup on May 29.

Tuesday was a dominant performance by the Austin offense, which was largely the same lineup that beat the OKC Energy FC in league play the previous Friday. The Bold outshot the Roughnecks 25-10 and had seven shots on target.

Pulling the strings was right back Sean McFarlane, who assisted on both goals.

His first assist saw his pass get dummied by Kléber and allowed Guadarrama to take one touch and find the bottom corner of the net in the 34th minute. He then sent in a low cross in front of the net for Lima to tap in the 74th minute.

Players from Austin Bold FC celebrate a goal against Tulsa Roughnecks FC in the Second Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Austin Bold FC
Players from Austin Bold FC celebrate a goal against Tulsa Roughnecks FC in the Second Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Austin Bold FC

“Every game, he’s becoming more and more dangerous, and it can be hard to find players like that,” Guadarrama said. “He’s obviously got talent, and coach is helping him get even more out of what he can give.”

Bold academy singing Beto Avila, an 18-year-old Austin native, made his professional debut in the match, subbing in for Guadarrama in the second half and picking up the second assist on the goal by Lima.

Despite signing less than a month ago, former Lonestar SC and Houston Dynamo Academy player has proven he can make an impact.

“I’m glad that coach is strong enough to give the kids a chance,” Guadarrama said. “A lot of coaches don’t because they’re worried about the result. he’s keeping his word on playing local talent. I think they deserve it.”

Austin has yet to lose a game at Bold Stadium at Circuit of the Americas. The winner of the next round could see an MLS team come to the brand-new soccer stadium.

“It’s always fun to play against San Antonio, and it’s a big game because we know that if we win, we take that big step that I think every team in the USL wants to go out and play an MLS team,” Guadarrama said.

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 1: Celtic Cowboys’ big second half eliminates San Antonio Runners

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Players from the Celtic Cowboys and the San Antonio Runners challenge for the ball in a 2019 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Zach Smith
Players from the Celtic Cowboys and the San Antonio Runners challenge for the ball in a 2019 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Zach Smith

MORE: 2019 US Open Cup qualifying results/schedule

All Martin Togher and the Celtic Cowboys Premier team felt when the final whistle blew on Saturday was a sense of relief.

The Austin-based amateur team overcame a one-goal deficit with three second-half goals to beat the San Antonio Runner Soccer Club in Round 1 qualifying for the 2019 U.S. Open Cup Saturday afternoon at Onion Creek Soccer Complex.

“They had the better start, but our physicality kept us in the game,” Togher said. “Chris up top allowed us to transition quite well. We weren’t technically getting the ball on the ground in the first half and we were happy to be in it.”

The Cowboys’ Round 2 opponent is yet to be determined after the match between Bay Area Oilers FC and Leon FC was postponed twice due to flooded fields.

Rob Pratt scored the first goal of the game for San Antonio 15 minutes into the second half. But the Cowboys came back with two quick goals by Taylor Peoples and a PK by Chris Wright.

Samuel Jackson added a goal for good measure late in stoppage time.

“(The Celtic Cowboys) have a reputation for extremely physical and I prepared our team for that,” San Antonio Runners SC head coach Mason Rankin said. “Both teams scored off a PK, they score a lot off of corners and we’ve been working all week on getting ready.”

Players from the Celtic Cowboys and the San Antonio Runners challenge for a ball in the air in their 2019 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Zach Smith
Players from the Celtic Cowboys and the San Antonio Runners challenge for a ball in the air in their 2019 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Zach Smith

Rankin said his team was riding high on confidence coming in, having a few good performances in scrimmages against Celtic. This game was rescheduled from the week earlier and there were some of the Runners’ starters that missed out on the Open Cup tilt.

The UPSL version of the San Antonio Runners is a new team, made up of Sunday League players, players from the club and college teams in the San Antonio area and players that had their eligibility run out at school.

Now, their focus shifts to winning nationals. The Runners are undefeated at 4-0-0 and sits on top of the UPSL Central Conference Heart Division.

The first two Celtic goals in the second half came with five minutes of each other. San Antonio put on the pressure and had more chances from long range, but could never get closer than just inside the 18-yard box.

“In the second half, we showed a resolve that was excellent,” Togher said. “We battled. We kept on competing and things just went right for us. We were forcing mistakes on their part. (San Antonio) had had great possession in the second half, but they didn’t get behind our back line.”

2017 US Open Cup Quarterfinals Review: FC Cincinnati joins three MLS teams in Semifinals

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The New York Red Bulls celebrate their 1-0 win over the New England Revolution in the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson
The New York Red Bulls celebrate their 1-0 win over the New England Revolution in the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson

For the first time since 2011, the quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup will feature a non-MLS team. FC Cincinnati continued its Cinderella run in the tournament, beating Miami FC 1-0 on Wednesday.

Weeks ago, in a battle of Open Cup purebreds, three-time winners Sporting Kansas City beat the holders FC Dallas thanks to three extra time goals in a match that ended with just 19 players on the field.

SKC will meet up with Western Conference rivals San Jose Earthquakes, who beat LA Galaxy in the Open Cup version of the California Clasico, in the semifinals. FC Cincinnati and its massive crowds will play host to New York Red Bulls, who edged the New England Revolution, as they advanced toward their goal of winning their first Open Cup trophy.

Here is a brief recap of each quarterfinal game with links to the full match report:

Chris Wondolowski’s brace was enough to push San Jose into the Semifinals for the second time in club history. L.A. opened the scoring early when Jelle Van Damme headed home a corner kick. Wondolowski netted his first goal with a left-footed shot from the top of the box in the 16th minute and scored his second just after halftime on a soft header. San Jose put the game on ice with 30 minutes left when Danny Hoesen got in behind the Galaxy back line. Even a San Jose own goal in the 84th minute did little to damper the first victory by the Earthquakes over the Galaxy in six Open Cup meetings. FULL MATCH REPORT »
In a battle of the past two champions of the Open Cup, Sporting Kansas City overcame an early red card and scored three goals in extra time to beat FC Dallas. Seth Sinovich was sent off in the 15th minute for denying a goal scoring opportunity. Maxi Urruti was given a second yellow due to a high boot early in extra time and Latif Blessing slotted home the game’s first goal after a pass from Benny Feilhaber minutes later. FC Dallas went down to nine men after a second yellow was shown to Javier Morales which opened the floodgates as Blessing scored his second goal of the game in the stoppage time and Daniel Salloi made it 3-0 in the 118th minute. FULL MATCH REPORT »
The Red Bulls beat the Revolution for the second time in a span of just over a week when Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his first-ever Open Cup goal on the campus of Harvard University. Neither team broke through until the 85th minute when Felipe’s low pass found Wright-Phillips at the penalty spot. The two-time MLS Golden Boot winner’s shot lazily rolled past New England keeper Brad Knighton. New York, who has scored just three goals in three games in the tournament, advances to the semifinals for the first time since 2003. FULL MATCH REPORT »
Almost a month after a dangerous storm postponed the original match, Djiby Fall scored his fourth game-winning goal of the tournament and FC Cincinnati continued its impressive Open Cup run with a 1-0 win over NASL spring season champion Miami FC. Fall, who has scored the game-winner in every Open Cup match he’s appeared in this year, redirected a shot in the 68th minute to give Cincinnati the only goal they would need. FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt earned his fourth straight shutout (and the fifth straight by the team) as the second-year USL club reached the Semifinals. FULL MATCH REPORT »

2017 US Open Cup Round 3: Own goal is the only goal in Charleston Battery’s road win over Jacksonville Armada

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Charleston Battery logo

An own goal by Jacksonville Armada defender Drew Beckie midway through the first half provided the only goal of the game. Consequently, the Charleston Battery advanced to the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup with a 1-0 win against the Armada Wednesday night due to the singular mishap.
Jacksonville dominated the game in terms of possession, having control for more than two-thirds of the match at Jacksonville University’s Southern Oak Stadium.

Beckie’s own goal came after a Battery attack. When both teams failed to control a cross, the veteran defender jumped on it looking to clear, but mistakenly blasted it into his own net.

“It just wasn’t our night,” Jacksonville coach Mark Lowry told the team’s official website.

Charleston applied the pressure early on. In the 10th minute, the Battery appeared to take the lead, but the goal was ruled offside.

Jacksonville enjoyed a chance of its own in the 20th minute, but Bryam Rebellón’s shot sailed just wide.

The Armada continued to press after the goal, most notably when Derek Gebhard launched a ball into the box where Rebellón attempted a bicycle kick.

After halftime, the Battery went on the attack and created a couple chances in the first ten minutes.

Jacksonville seized control for the last 25 minutes of the match. However, the Battery defense held firm for their fifth clean sheet of the season in all competitions, despite multiple crosses and an ever-present attack.

From a statistical standpoint, each team created just two shots on goal. The Armada earned 13 fouls and one yellow card, while the Battery produced 10 fouls and three cards.

Charleston will face their MLS affiliate Atlanta United in the next round. The match will be played at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Atlanta on June 14. The Battery started the tournament out in Atlanta as they defeated the NPSL’s Atlanta Silverbacks 2-1 in the Second Round on May 17.

2017 Meet the Underdogs: LA Wolves hoping investment pays off with addition of head coach Eric Wynalda

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LA WolvesThe LA Wolves wanted to get on the map when they participated in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time last season. Fast forward to now, the young club is hoping to turn some heads in this year’s tournament and has a new leader with some experience of doing just that.

The Wolves, under the new direction of head coach Eric Wynalda, are in the Open Cup for the second straight year and take on the San Diego Zest in the first round Wednesday night at Azusa Pacific University.

“I can comfortably tell you that we are better than we were last year because we’ve invested more into the program,” said Wolves president and GM Yan Skwara. “Eric was handed a pretty good team already, but as a coach who’s gunning for more, he saw holes that needed to be patched up. Now the guys just have to do it. I know they’re up to the challenge.”

To say Wynalda is experienced is a gross understatement. The US Soccer Hall of Famer played in the Bundesliga and scored 106 goals at the international level. His name has been floated around for an MLS coaching job for years, but his most recent coaching stop was in 2014 with the Atlanta Silverbacks when they were a part of the NASL.

His most famous run as a head coach came in the Open Cup with Cal FC, who beat the Portland Timbers in the third round, becoming the first amateur team to score against and advance via a victory in 2012.

“That’s what he’s here to do again and the players understand that,” Skwara said. “He’s brought a lot to the table with his experience. He’s very professional and he has come in here and he’s put some good focus into what we’re about to face.”

The Wolves have been dominant in the regular season the last two years, finishing atop the table in each of the seasons, but falling short in the playoffs. This season, they sit in fourth place in the Western Conference with 21 points, six points behind first place with two games in hand and have allowed a conference-best eight goals this season.

Much of the roster from last year has returned, including former LA Galaxy and Chivas USA winger Paolo Cardozo, who wasn’t eligible to play last year’s Open Cup because he was cup-tied.

Miguel Sanchez and Chuck Pitts have another year of playing together up to and Skwara said the team shored up the midfield compared to last season. They also added a veteran MLS defender as Chris Klute joined this season.

“We’re playing a lot more rounded than last year,” Skwara said. “We’ve got a good core group of existing players along with the new players that have really bonded over the last few months. The screws have been tightened. We have some high expectations, but we don’t them to be too high.”

LA qualified for this year’s Open Cup thanks to a 4-1 win against the Real Sociedad Royals in September and then dominated Inland Empire FC 9-2 in October to earn a spot in the tournament for the second year in a row.

They had a successful run the Open Cup last year. After moving through the first round against the Ventura County Fusion via forfeit, they beat USL Pro side OC Blues on PKs in Round 2 before falling to fellow UPSL squad La Maquina in Round 3.

“We’re playing a lot more rounded than last year,” Skwara said. “We’re here for the long haul and we’re here for the future. The screws have been tightened. We have some high expectations, but we don’t them to be too high.”

2016 US Open Cup Round 5: Houston Dynamo get revenge, eliminate defending champion Sporting KC, 3-1

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The Houston Dynamo celebrate a goal against Sporting KC in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Nigel Brooks | Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo celebrate a goal against Sporting KC in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Nigel Brooks | Houston Dynamo

Mauro Manotas netted a brace and the Houston Dynamo downed defending Open Cup champions Sporting Kansas City 3-1 at home Wednesday night to advance to the Quarterfinals of the tournament for the second straight year.

Manotas got on the end of Abdoulie Mansally’s cross in the 7th minute. Alex doubled the lead in the second half when he headed home a cross from Andrew Wenger. Former Dynamo captain Brad Davis pulled one back for Sporting six minutes later just after coming on as a sub. Mantis put the game away by finishing off a through ball from Boniek Garcia with less than 10 minutes left.

Kansas City dominated possession, but Houston outshot Kansas City 17-13 and had a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal.

The two teams met last year in the Quarterfinals when Sporting overcame an early one-goal deficit to beat the Dynamo 3-1 en route to their third Open Cup title.

The Dynamo will face in-state rivals FC Dallas in the Quarterfinals on June 20 at BBVA Compass Stadium. Houston won the first meeting 5-0 and the teams played to a 1-1 draw during the MLS regular season.

Houston left back Mansally crossed the ball from the left side and picked out the 20-year-old Colombian. It was the first assist for Mansally in a Houston uniform after he was acquired from Real Salt Lake in February.

Cristian Maidana nearly doubled the Houston lead soon after the opening goal, but his chipped shot sailed wide to the right. Kevin Ellis had the best chance of the half for Sporting just before the break, but his shot to the upper corner was pushed away by Houston keeper Joe Willis.

Wenger kept the ball alive with a header back across the net ten minutes after halftime and Alex was at the right place at the right time to head it home and double the lead.

Davis, the Dynamo all-time leader in games, starts, minutes and assists after nine years, came on for Kansas City in the 58th minute and immediately made an impact. Diego Rubio’s attempted cross was blocked but the ball fell right in front of the Houston goal where Davis tapped it in.

Sporting continued to press for an equalizer but Houston finally broke through in the 84th minutes. Garcia and Leon Miranda played a little give-and-go at the top of the box and Garcia slipped a perfectly weighted ball right on the foot of Manotas, who calmly slotted it away to complete his brace.

The two goals by Manotas are the third and fourth of his Open Cup career. He scored the lone goal in the 1-0 win against the Colorado Rapids in the fifth round last year and opened up the scoring in this year’s tournament in Houston’s 4-0 against San Antonio FC on June 15.

FULL MATCH REPLAY

2016 US Open Cup Round 3: Diego Restrepo’s PK heroics for Fort Lauderdale Strikers earns TheCup.us Player of the Round

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Diego Restrepo of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers is in position against the Richmond Kickers in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Kelsey Hinds
Diego Restrepo of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers is in position against the Richmond Kickers in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Kelsey Hinds

Ft. Lauderdale goalkeeper Diego Restrepo made three saves over 120 minutes then saved three of four penalties to lead the Strikers past the Richmond Kickers (USL) 2-0 on penalties after drawing 1-1 in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

His performance has earned him TheCup.us Player of the Round award. It’s the first time that goalkeepers have won the award in three straight rounds.

Restrepo is the second Striker to win the award after Paulo Araujo Jr. earned the honor in the First Round in 2010 when the team was known as Miami FC. While an American who has represented the United States at the youth international level, he is the first Venezuela-born player and just the second NASL player to win the award, following Scott Goodwin of the Carolina RailHawks in 2014.

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

With 90-plus degree temperatures, high humidity and a 30-minute lightning delay midway through the second half, he said the more than 120 minutes on artificial turf was one of the toughest atmospheres he’s played in throughout his career.

The game was the first game of the Modern Era to finish with a 2-0 scoreline in a PK shootout, and is just the second game where a team failed to score in the shootout. (2010 Third Round: Charleston Battery vs. Chicago Fire)

Restrepo made his Open Cup debut in 2013 with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, when he ended the Seattle Sounders’ all-time record 22-game unbeaten streak with a 1-0 win in the Third Round. He helped the Rowdies beat VSI Tampa Bay in 2014 and won a pair of Open Cup games with the Charlotte Independence last season.

The Strikers finished the NASL spring season with a 2-1 loss on the road against the Edmonton FC on June 12 and were sixth in the standings, three points behind first place Indy Eleven. Ft. Lauderdale travels to face DC United in the fourth round on June 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Maryland Soccerplex.

HIGHLIGHTS: STRIKERS vs. KICKERS

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