Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2017 US Open Cup

2017 US Open Cup Round 5: New England Revolution eliminate D.C. United for first time in 16 years

by

The New England Revolution celebrate one of the team's two goals against D.C. United in the Round of 16 of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: David Silverman | New England Revolution
The New England Revolution celebrate one of the team’s two goals against D.C. United in the Round of 16 of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: David Silverman | New England Revolution

The New England Revolution used a strong mid-game surge to beat the visiting D.C. United on Wednesday night in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The 2-1 victory sets up a quarterfinal match up against the New York Red Bulls in the Cup quarterfinals.

The visitors opened the scoring early on a seventh-minute strike from José Guillermo Ortiz. Following the goal, D.C. kept sustained pressure and frustrated the short-handed New England squad, which only dressed 17 players on the evening.

With a mere amount of time remaining in the first half, midfielder Diego Fagundez equalized the score, with a beautiful free kick in the 44th minute.

“I practiced it today and yesterday,” said Fagundez of his goal. “I told Chris (Tierney) and Farrell that I would score today. I had my chance and i’m glad I could take it.”

Fagundez took his free kick from 20 yards out and curled it right past D.C. keeper Travis Worra.
With the two teams deadlocked at 1-1 at halftime, it didn’t take long for the Revs to take full advantage of the shift in momentum. Rookie forward Brian Wright scored his first professional goal for the go-ahead score in the 48th minute.

“It was a great effort from everybody, from start to finish.” New England coach Jay Heaps said. “We knew what we needed to do and we didn’t have a full bench because of injuries and callups.”

For New England, it was the first Open Cup win over United since the 2001 Semifinals when the Revs advanced and eventually finished as the tournament’s runner-up. This puts the Revolution into the Quarters for the fourth time in the last five years.

2017 US Open Cup Round 5: Sporting KC avenges last year’s loss to Houston Dynamo (video)

by

Gerso Fernandes of Sporting KC put the game away with a goal in second half stoppage time in a 2-0 Round of 16 win over Houston Dynamo. Photo: Sporting KC
Gerso Fernandes of Sporting KC put the game away with a goal in second half stoppage time in a 2-0 Round of 16 win over Houston Dynamo. Photo: Sporting KC

Scoring chances were hard to come by, but Sporting Kansas City’s Ike Opara scored off a second-half corner kick to provide all of the scoring his side needed in a 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo in the US Open Cup Round of 16 on a muggy early evening Wednesday in south Texas.

Kansas City added a second goal in stoppage time to knock Houston out of the Cup for the second time in three years. Sporting also avenged last year’s 3-1 loss to Houston in the same stage of the competition.

Kansas City, a three-time Open Cup champion, will host defending champion FC Dallas in the Quarterfinals on July 11.

Sporting fielded the more experienced side, with many of its regular starters, while Houston coach Wilmer Cabrera opted to start two players from USL affiliate Rio Grande Valley FC. A third came off the bench in the second half after Kansas City took the lead.

The young Dynamo side held its own, as both teams struggled to create chances.

The heat likely was a factor. The game kicked off at 5:30 p.m. local time, when the temperature was 88 degrees, because of a previously scheduled NWSL game.

Houston’s Alex managed two dangerous shots from distance after about 15 minutes of play, but both sailed high over Kansas City goalkeeper Tim Melia’s net.

The Dynamo missed out on another chance in the 19th minute when winger Andrew Wenger played a teasing ball across the 6-yard box, but none of his teammates could direct it toward goal. Kansas City’s best first-half chance came in the 38th minute when midfielder Jimmy Medranda powered a shot on goal after forward Cameron Porter failed to connect on an acrobatic attempt. Medranda’s attempt was blocked and Porter was unable to put the rebound on frame. Melia kept the game scoreless in the 48th minute after a turnover from a poor pass created a quick 3-on-1 break for Houston. He denied Dynamo forward Vincente Sanchez’s shot at taking the lead.

Kansas City broke through in the 61st minute when Opara headed home the ball off a corner kick. The ball was played long, allowing defender Kevin Ellis to head the ball back toward Opara. For Opara, it was his second Open Cup goal in as many games.

The Dynamo appeared to draw a penalty kick about two minutes later when Memo Rodriguez went down after a challenge by Kansas City defender Saad Abdul-Salaam, but the Houston attacker instead was shown a yellow card for diving.

Kansas City managed to hold the Dynamo at bay for the remainder of the match, springing Latif Blessing for a late counterattack.

Blessing carried the ball down the left side, then cut inside past a defender and passed to a streaking Gerso in the box. Gerso calmly slotted the ball past Willis to secure the win for Sporting KC.

It was Gerso’s team-leading eighth goal of the season and second in the Open Cup.

2017 US Open Cup Round 5: Poku’s last second winner gives Miami FC dramatic upset of Atlanta United

by

Miami FC upset a second straight MLS opponent with a 3-2 win over Atlanta United. Photo: Miami FC
Miami FC upset a second straight MLS opponent with a 3-2 win over Atlanta United. Photo: Miami FC

A storybook breakaway goal from Kwado Poku in stoppage time helped Miami FC defeat Atlanta United 3-2 Wednesday night at Riccardo Silva Stadium in Miami.

The thrilling victory marks the second-consecutive year an NASL side based in south Florida has reached the quarterfinals of the Open Cup, after the now-defunct Fort Lauderdale Strikers accomplished the feat in 2016.

It was a deserved result for the hosts, who created the better chances throughout the second half. Miami captain Michael Lahoud credited the side’s character.

“I think Atlanta was shell-shocked. Usually how it works is the MLS side scores the first goal and the lower division side gives up,” Lahoud said. “We didn’t. We kept going, and it says everything about who we are.”

Manager Alessandro Nesta agreed with his captain’s assessment.

“For us it’s important, for the coaching staff and the players,” Nesta said. “This is a dream for us — but a dream costs nothing. You have to believe and you have to have the character to work to get it right.”

Nesta added his side needed character on a night they made plenty of mistakes.

“We didn’t play our best football; the possession was sloppy and we made mistakes,” he said. “But we fought through it, and we beat a team managed by Tata Martino. Managing him is an honor. Beating him is … wow,” the Italian legend said with a smile. “But now — we go back to work.”

Early on, however, Martino’s Atlanta took the initiative, a high line and withering pressure pinning Miami FC back. The pressure earned Atlanta two bright early chances to take the lead. First, an uncharacteristic turnover from Lahoud sent Julian Gressel and Kevin Kratz crashing towards the goal, only to see Kratz’s blast parried away by Miami goalkeeper Danie Vega. Minutes later, it was Atlanta’s 17-year-old hometown star Andrew Carleton slaloming through the orange and blue defense and again forcing Vega to punch-save away.

Eventually, Miami adjusted to the frenetic tempo of the match, however, and were able to settle the game, and even earn chances on the break, exploiting number advantages through the middle thanks to Atlanta’s high defensive line. Miami nearly took the lead in minute 28, a blast from Dylan Mares with a defender on the shoulder saved bravely by Atlanta’s Alec Kann.

In the 34th minute, however, it was Atlanta who made the breakthrough, with another talented Atlanta youngster, Brandon Vazquez heading home on a set piece. The goal was the first set piece goal in Atlanta United’s young club history, and also marked the first time in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup that Miami FC trailed.

The lead for the MLS visitors was short-lived.

Only three minutes later, Chris McCann gave the ball away near midfield and Kwadwo Poku deftly played a pass to Stefano Pinho. The Brazilian forward, who was TheCup.us’ Player of the Round for Round 4, turned his defender with a slick stepover and finished far post, tying the game.

Both teams had splendid chances to enter the halftime dressing rooms with a lead. First, Stefano Pinho collected a Richie Ryan pass on the left wing and darted past Tyrone Mears, only to see his hard and high shot blocked away by Kann. Then it was Atlanta’s turn to nearly score on a dynamic run, with Carleton attacking a pocket of space between the Miami FC CB’s and volleying just over Vega’s net. All told, it was fair the sides were level at the half, with chances created and possession nearly level.

The second half began with more Atlanta pressure, but this time, Miami made the adjustment, cycling the ball quickly through Lahoud to the wings and attacking the young Atlanta flanks. One such sequence helped Miami earn a free kick in the 51st minute. Moments later, Rhett Bernstein’s head met Hunter Freeman’s parabola service, beating Alec Kann and giving Miami FC a 2-1 lead.

Lahoud credited Miami’s fitness for withstanding Atlanta’s high pressure, and ultimately, helping the side gain a bit of control in the match.

“I don’t think Atlanta took us lightly,” Lahoud said. “They are fighting for their playoff lives and they are managing their schedule. They rested some players, but they played their game. With the high pressure they play, if you come down to Miami, good luck in this heat and humidity. They just couldn’t sustain it.”

For a good spell after the hosts took the lead, it looked like they’d add to it.
Another McCann giveaway sent Miami off to the races, Poku playing a soft ball to Enzo Renella, who chipped across Pinho, who beat a defender to the ball but clipped his volley just high far post.

The near-miss seemed to revive Atlanta, who ratcheted up the pressure until Andrew Carleton changed the game again in the 74th minute, dribbling past a pursuing Blake Smith and putting a shimmy on Poku, who chopped him down in the area. Referee Jose Carlos Rivero pointed to the spot, and Julian Gressel, one of the stars of Atlanta’s inaugural MLS campaign, calmly scored to level the proceedings.

Once again, as befitting the rollicking back and forth nature of this match, both sides had tremendous chances to score the vital third goal.

A series of fast, physical counterattacking runs by Pinho and Poku gave Miami two fine chances, only to see Rennella miss cutback passes to Poku in space on each occasion. Meanwhile, Atlanta would pressure Miami centrally, with substitution Lagos Kunga, a veteran of the U.S. U-20 World Cup quarterfinalists, doing well to peel away Miami defenders and create space for Kratz and Vazquez to run on centrally.

With extra time — and lightning — looming on the near horizon, Miami had one final chance to win in regulation. Rennella and Poku won a midfield fifty-fifty, with the latter emerging with the ball and making a final barrel towards the Atlanta net. With Atlanta’s Carlos Carmona closing, Poku managed to stay upright and hit a soft shot past an onrushing Kann, sending the crowd of 9,404 into raptures and the hosts into the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup quarterfinals. For Poku, it was his 9th career US Open Cup goal.

Miami will host the quarterfinal against FC Cincinnati (USL) on July 12.

2017 US Open Cup Round 5: FC Cincinnati blanks Chicago Fire, advances on PKs in front of another record crowd

by

Mitch Hildebrandt of FC Cincinnati made faced 26 shots from the Chicago FIre and made 10 saves, include 3 stops in the penalty kick shootout. Photo: Erik Schelkun | FC Cincinnati
Mitch Hildebrandt of FC Cincinnati made faced 26 shots from the Chicago FIre and made 10 saves, include 3 stops in the penalty kick shootout. Photo: Erik Schelkun | FC Cincinnati

Mitch Hildebrandt made 10 saves, then stopped three of four Chicago Fire penalty kicks after extra time to help FC Cincinnati advance in the Round of 16 of the 2017 US Open Cup Wednesday night. After 120 minutes of scoreless soccer, Cincinnati won the shootout 3-1 sending one of the biggest crowds in tournament history into a frenzy at Nippert Stadium.

“The team was absolutely unbelievable. The amount of work they put in for 120 minutes…I can’t even fathom how they feel right now,” Hildebrandt said. “You dream of moment. Bottom of the ninth hitting a home run in the World Series, that’s the American version of this. You just want to be there for your team. You try not to think about any of the pressure. A World Cup winner stands up to take a penalty against you and you try to forget who he is and try to stop the ball. It’s exciting.”

MORE: Cincinnati’s forgotten US Open Cup history

Cincinnati will travel for their next match, a meeting with Miami FC of the NASL. The two second tier clubs matching up ensures there will be at least one lower division representative in the semifinals this year. The game will be played July 12.

“That’s a very good team packed with a lot of big time stars,” said FC Cincinnati manager Alan Koch, “I’m very proud of the team. I’m equally as proud of the club and the job they do to promote…it’s absolutely first class. I’m also proud of the city of Cincinnati. Their passion, you don’t get that in many places. There is a lot of passion in our sport across the world, but that was pretty unique tonight.”

FC Cincinnati continues to break records on their way through the Cup. For the second time in a row, the club broke the non-final attendance record, this time bringing in 32,287 fans for the Round of 16 matchup against Chicago.

Cincinnati’s lineup was vastly different from previous Open Cup matches. Noticeably absent was forward Djiby Fall, who had scored all three game winning goals in the tournament so far. Also absent was defender Tyler Polak who came up with multiple blocks in the prior game against Columbus Crew SC.

Wednesday night's US Open Cup action, headlined by FC Cincinnati's upset on ESPN was trending nationally on Twitter.
Wednesday night’s US Open Cup action, headlined by FC Cincinnati’s upset on ESPN was trending nationally on Twitter.

On the other side of the ball, the Fire didn’t pull any punches. Leading MLS goalscorer Nemanja Nikolic started, as did Bastian Schweinsteiger, Juninho, and Michael de Leeuw. But the vaunted Fire attack, which had won nine consecutive games in all competitions, launched 26 shots at the Cincinnati goal but ultimately fell in penalty kicks.

Despite having 70 percent possession and outshooting Cincinnati 26-20, Chicago could never find the back of the net. This was due in large part to the outstanding net minding by Hildebrandt. The only kick he didn’t save was in the shootout on a goal by World Cup and UEFA Champions League veteran in Schweinsteiger.

Josu, Harrison Delbridge, and Jimmy McLaughlin scored on their kicks in the victory.

The passion was on full display when Cincinnati thought they found the game winner in extra time when Andrew Wiedeman slotted the ball past a diving Matt Lampson, but the assistant referee called it offside. Replay shows Wiedeman was onside, and to add insult to injury he picked up a yellow card for taking off his jersey in celebration.

“This group was fantastic. Normally after a moment when you think you scored it’s pretty deflating,” Koch said, “give the guys a lot of credit for bouncing back and keep on pushing and keep on going.”

2017 US Open Cup Round 5: FC Dallas back in Quarterfinals after win over shorthanded Colorado Rapids

by

FC Dallas defeated the Colorado Rapids 3-1 in the Fifth Round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Jessica Tobias | FC Dallas
FC Dallas defeated the Colorado Rapids 3-1 in the Fifth Round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Jessica Tobias | FC Dallas

FC Dallas advanced to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Quarterfinal for the 16th time in the club’s history with a 3-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids.

“Obviously, we are very pleased and happy with the result and the performance,” FC Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja said. “That was one of the more consistent games we had in the year, in terms of the precision in the players.”

The game in Frisco opened up with Roland Lamah and Ryan Hollingshead terrorizing the wings, combining on some early opportunities. In the 13th minute, the duo combined and Hollingshead broke through on net, but struck the outside of the post.

Early injuries hurt Colorado, as Axel Skolberg went down after a Paxton Pomykal challenge and could not continue, forcing a sub in the 18th minute. Dylon Powers also went down with an injury and Colorado had to use their second substitution of the first half, bringing on Joshua Gatt in the 34th minute.

Dallas had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the first half as Reggie Cannon dribbled past a defender and found open space. Cannon then crossed the ball to a wide open Lamah in the box, but his header landed straight into the gloves of Zac MacMath.

The breakthrough happened in the 44th minute, as a quick free kick by Mauro Diaz came to Ryan Hollingshead. Hollingshead played it to Lamah, who found Diaz on the run, Diaz went into the box and was taken down by Colorado defender Bismack Boateng, drawing a penalty.

Diaz took the penalty and gave Dallas a 1-0 lead. It is his first goal since the 2016 US Open Cup Final against New England. Last year, Diaz was named TheCup.us Player of the Tournament.

The second half began quick, as newly subbed on Micheal Azira took a shot and with a Maynor Figueroa deflection, went past Chris Seitz to give Colorado the equalizer and tie the game at one in the 46th minute.

From then on, Dallas began to pile on the pressure. Bringing on Michael Barrios and Tesho Akindele, the team began to attack through the right wing, with Reggie Cannon and Barrios connecting multiple times and wrecking havoc on the Colorado defense.

Dallas would take the lead in the 57th minute, as Diaz found Cannon making a run behind the defense. Cannon would center the ball and Hollingshead tapped it in to make it 2-1.

Hollingshead had one of his more complete games of the season, going the full 90 minutes and scoring a goal. His performance was singled out by Pareja in the post-match press conference.

“I was hesitating a bit in the prior games because of the injury and his rhythm and not seeing him perform,” Pareja said. “Sometimes that creates doubt on a coach. But Ryan today showed that he’s in tact in well. He produced a lot of volume on that side, giving us a lot of players going forward.”

Hollingshead has only made five MLS appearances for the team, but the Cup game was important to help building back his fitness and confidence.

“Those games are sometimes hard to get up for,” Hollingshead said. “The way our team approaches it, we want to win the whole cup. These games are really important and I was trying to take it very seriously. For me, it’s also just a great chance to get 90 minutes and try to get some of my fitness back. It’s something I have been missing just being out for so long. I was happy with my performance.”

Dallas would continue to dominate the game, pushing for a third goal that would put the game out of reach. The Rapids looked as if they were on the back foot multiple times, having limited chances in the second half. Akindele would almost grab that third goal, going past defenders but striking the post and MacMath’s head in the 86th minute.

Colorado would go down to 10 men in the 88th minute, as Kortne Ford would take down Cristian Colman as a clear professional foul. Ford would receive his second yellow and set up a free kick outside the box.

Javier Morales, who had come on for Diaz in the 73rd minute, stood over the free kick and took a shot. Barrios, who was in an onside position due to Colorado having a man on the post, would try to knock it in unmarked but would miss. Fortunately, the ball snuck past MacMath adding a third for Dallas and sealing the game.

Dallas added to a number of streaks that date back to last year, including a six-game winning streak, and a seven-game unbeaten streak. Dallas has also accumulated a home unbeaten streak of eight games, which was started in the opening game of the 2014 US Open Cup.

For Colorado, it is their 14th tournament in a row that they have failed to win multiple games. The last time they had done that was in 1999, when they reached the final, falling to the Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) 2-0.

The win sends Dallas to the Quarterfinals for the 16th time, which ranks second in the 104-year history of the tournament. With 17 Quarterfinal appearances, Kutis Soccer Club from St. Louis are the only team that has more than them.

Dallas will await the winner of Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo in the next round.

2017 US Open Cup Round 5 preview: Who will join FC Dallas in Quarterfinals and what will FC Cincinnati do for an encore? (live video)

by

The 99 entries of the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Graphic by: Gilberto Hernandez (Twitter: @GilbertoHdz200)
The 99 entries of the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Graphic by: Gilberto Hernandez (Twitter: @GilbertoHdz200)

The 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup has reached the Round of 16 and now the bracket is set. The 16 remaining teams (13 from MLS, two from the USL and one from the NASL) all know their path to the 104th US Open Cup Final.

The Fifth Round kicks off with one game on Tuesday as the defending US Open Cup champion FC Dallas hosts the Colorado Rapids. The remaining seven matches will be played on Wednesday. Nine of the 16 teams in the Fifth Round have never won the tournament, so maybe the odds slightly favor a new champion this year?

All eight games are expected to be live streamed, including the game between FC Cincinnati (USL) and four-time US Open Cup champion Chicago Fire (MLS), which will air live on ESPN2 and the Watch ESPN app. Cincinnati’s record-breaking crowd for their upset win over the Columbus Crew last round caught the attention of the decision makers at ESPN as the network will air a US Open Cup game prior to the Semifinals for the first time.

Below, you will find links to our coverage on TheCup.us, as well as previews of all 8 Fifth Round games, including video and audio links as they become available. You can get all the latest updates from every game through Twitter, using the hashtag #USOC2017. Use that same hashtag on Instagram to share your US Open Cup-related photos.

#USOC2017 coverage:
* 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup schedule, results (video/audio links)
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 1 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 2 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 3 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 4 review
* 2017 TheCup.us Player of the Round winnners
* 2017 US Open Cup bracket (TheCup.us)
* 2017 US Open Cup statistical leaders
* A map of all 99 entries for the 2017 US Open Cup
* 2017 Meet the Underdogs series
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 2 review: 14 more teams advance as Round 3 moved to next year
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1: Scores and recaps from every game

MORE:
* Cincinnati’s forgotten US Open Cup history
* Who is the US Open Cup equivalent to Lincoln City FC and their magical FA Cup run?
* Eric Wynalda hired to lead LA Wolves for 2017 US Open Cup run
* Reading United qualifies for record 9th straight US Open Cup, seeking more than an opening round win
* Fourth Round fun facts: Notable upsets, things you should know about Round 4

* Support TheCup.us: New Del Rey City jerseys available for purchase
* Appreciate what we do at TheCup.us? Donate here
* TheCup.us is looking for writers/editors, graphics, WordPress gurus & people who can handle digital ad sales (paid position). Email us here

Twitter (#USOC2016) | Facebook | Instagram | Flickr | Reddit

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will play at Houston Dynamo/Sporting KC winner in Quarterfinals

UPDATE: FC Dallas back in Quarterfinals after win over Colorado Rapids

By Adam Uthe

The Colorado Rapids will travel to north Texas on Tuesday, hoping to jump start an Open Cup run that could distract from the poor season they’re having in league play. Dallas, on the other hand, will be looking to defend their Open Cup title and continue their pursuit of first place in the MLS Western Conference standings. The two sides have yet to face each other in league play this season.

Both teams were paired with a USL side in the Fourth Round and both won games that were probably closer than their fan bases would like. FC Dallas, playing on the campus of SMU, needed an own goal in second half stoppage time to beat the Tulsa Roughnecks 2-1 in a game where both teams were bogged down by the sweltering Texas summer heat. Coy Craft got things started for Dallas in the first half and it looked as though extra time would be needed until second half substitute Michael Barrios got into the box and caused enough havoc to create a Tulsa own goal that won the game for the Hoops.

Colorado, meanwhile, spotted OKC Energy two goals in the first half and stormed back with three second half goals from Dominique Badji, Eric Miller, and Dennis Castillo to advance to the Round of 16. It was the first time in club history that the Rapids rallied from a two-goal deficit in Open Cup play.

This will be the second year in a row that the two clubs have met in US Open Cup play and the fourth all-time meeting. Last year, Dallas eliminated the Rapids 2-1 in extra time at Toyota Stadium, the site of Wednesday’s game. Dallas has hosted and won all three previous meetings (2002, 2004, 2016)

NOTE: One of the great record-keeping mysteries for TheCup.us is the attendance for the game between Dallas and Colorado at the Cotton Bowl in the 2004 Fourth Round. The game took place on July 20, 2004. If you can help us track that attendance figure down, email us HERE)

2017 has been very unkind to the Rapids, but things have looked better of late. They currently have the worst record in the league and only D.C. United has fewer goals scored this season. Their winless record on the road this season also doesn’t bode well ahead of their trip to Frisco. What has gone well for Colorado has been their goalkeeping situation. The Rapids have only allowed 23 goals in 16 games and while veteran Tim Howard has led the way, backup Zac MacMath has a better save percentage and goals against average, as well as a better record for the team when he’s in goal.

This is an opportunity for the Rapids to end an unfortunate Open Cup record that they own. Entering the 2017 competition, Colorado has gone 13 consecutive tournaments without winning multiple games.

FC Dallas’ season continues to a mixed bag. They are currently tied for second place in the Western Conference, but they also have more draws (seven) than wins (six) and they continue to suffer from a case of not meeting expectations. The Hoops won the Open Cup and the MLS Supporters Shield (best league record) last year and the team has a well-constructed roster that has fans dreaming of success now and down the road. In the short term, veteran striker Max Urruti is leading the way with nine goals and three assists and new arrival Roland Lamah is right behind Urruti with four goals of his own. Colombian winger Michael Barrios is tied for second in the league with seven assists. Homegrown stars Kellyn Acosta (three goals, two assists) and Jesse Gonzalez (28 saves on 40 shots faced and five shutouts) are ascending into the prime of their careers on very team-friendly contracts. Dallas has all the pieces they need to win now and in the future. Unfortunately, results like their 1-1 draw with Texas rivals Houston Dynamo on Friday night continue to hold them back from bigger things. Another Open Cup title run this year could be just the spark they need to take the next step and win an MLS title as well.

DID YOU KNOW … The first appearance of a Texas club in the US Open Cup was in 1949, when Dallas’ Alpine Sportswear fell to Zenthoefer Furs of St. Louis 5-0 at Fair Park in Dallas in a Third Round contest. Texas would not see another team enter the Cup until the 1980s.

Just 11 years into their club’s existence, and five years after their Open cup debut, the Denver Kickers pulled off one of the bigger upsets in Open Cup history by defeating St. Louis’s Kutis SC 3-2 in the 1973 Second Round. The previous year, the Kickers pushed St. Louis’s Big Four Chevrolet to extra time before falling 3-2 in the same round.

The Rapids made their Open Cup debut in 1996 under bizarre circumstances. Originally not entered in the tournament, the Rapids were called upon as a substitute team when the A-League’s Colorado Foxes were forced with withdraw from their Quarterfinal match with the Kansas City Wiz when five of its players were called up to the Jamaican National Team for World Cup qualifying.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will host FC Dallas / Colorado Rapids winner in Quarterfinals

By Adam Uthe

The top two teams in the MLS Western Conference standings will face off on Wednesday when first place Sporting Kansas City travels to Texas to take on second place Houston Dynamo. The two sides have yet to face off in league play this year but this will be the third year in a row that they will have met in the US Open Cup. Kansas City won the 2015 Quarterfinals meeting at home en route to winning the tournament. It was a match highlighted by Roger Espinoza punching Houston’s Brad Davis and receiving a two-game suspension. The Dynamo got their revenge at BBVA Compass Stadium last year, eliminating KC, 3-1.

Having entered the tournament in the Fourth Round as members of MLS, each team has only played one Open Cup game so far but they are both off to good starts. Sporting KC cruised to a 4-0 win over MLS expansion (and former NASL) side Minnesota United behind first half goals from Ike Opara and Gerso Fernandes as well as second half goals from Dom Dwyer and Daniel Salloi. Dwyer’s goal was his sixth career Open Cup goal, which made him Sporting KC’s all-time leading scorer in tournament play and Salloi was making his first start since signing a homegrown deal.

Houston’s victory was much more taxing. The Dynamo had to outlast NASL side North Carolina FC in extra time and also survive an 88-minute weather delay for nearby lightning. In the end, academy product and former Rio Grande Valley FC standout Memo Rodriguez’s 109th minute goal saw the home side through to the next round. Prior to their victory, Houston had been 0-4-1 in Open Cup games that went beyond 90 minutes.

While several of their challengers have multiple games in hand due to the unbalanced MLS schedule, Sporting KC is currently enjoying life in the top spot in the MLS Western Conference. They helped solidify their spot with a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, courtesy of an Ike Opara bicycle kick goal. The aforementioned Gerso Fernandes has been the star so far in 2017. He joined Kansas City from Portguese side C.F.Os Belenenses in January on a designated player deal and has turned out to be money well spent for Peter Vermes and company. Fernandes leads the team in goals (six), shots (46), and shots on goal (22) this season. Kansas City will be hoping their new star can help them get back to their second Open Cup final in three years. They won the 2015 title after defeating Philadelphia Union in a penalty shootout.

Despite a 1-1 draw against Texas rivals FC Dallas on Friday night, Houston Dynamo are hot on Kansas City’s tail, currently sitting in second place and just five points off the top spot. They’re also making moves to stay in the hunt, having traded their top spot in the MLS allocation rankings (used for acquiring new players from outside MLS) to DC United in exchange for allocation money and an international roster spot; though they have yet to fill that space. Houston’s success has been spurred by resurgent Mexican international Erick “Cubo” Torres. His 11 goals in league play this season has been good enough for second among all MLS players and his 47 shots is 11 more than the next player on his team. Although he’s only 24 years old, it feels like Torres has been around long enough to consider his performance this season a “comeback”. He broke onto the scene as a teenager with Mexico’s Chivas de Guadalajara and impressed in his first MLS stint with the now defunct Chivas USA. Houston bought him outright in 2015, but loaned him out twice under previous head coach Owen Coyle. Now that Wilmer Cabrera, who coached Torres at Chivas USA, is in charge, things seem to be looking up for the former Guadalajara standout.

DID YOU KNOW … While no clubs from Houston played a major role in the Open Cup prior to the Modern Era, the city did host an Open Cup Final once. On July 3, 1983 at Delmar Stadium, the New York Pancyprian Freedoms outgunned Kutis SC, 4-3 to win its second straight title.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will host New York Red Bulls / D.C. United winner in Quarterfinals

By Riley Maleitzke

The New England Revolution will host D.C. United in the Round of 16 at Harvard University’s Jordan Field. Both MLS squads have a rich history in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The Revolution, who won the 2007 US Open Cup title, made it all the way to the Final last year but fell 4-2 to FC Dallas. United has won the Cup three times, most recently in 2013 despite finishing at the bottom of the MLS regular season table. This will be the fourth meeting between the two clubs with the home team winning each time and United leading the series 2-1-0.

D.C. put an end to this year’s Cinderella story, Christos FC, a Baltimore-based amateur team sponsored by a liquor store. Christos scored first off a Mamadou Kaysaye free kick, but United answered with four unanswered goals to avoid the upset, 4-1.

The Revolution handled the Rochester Rhinos (USL) easily in a 3-0 rout. An early red card issued to the Rhinos made the task much easier for a Revs squad which featured mostly reserve players. They controlled the pace of the game and dominated possession and cruised to victory. No two teams have played each other more in the Modern Era than the Rhinos and Revs and with the win, New England improved to 5-0-2 (1-1 PKs) all-time.

D.C comes into the US Open Cup match with a 5-9-3 record in league play, placing them 10th in the Eastern Conference. In their last league match, United was shutout 1-0 by the Philadelphia Union. The only score of the match was a long cross that was in the back of the net on a volley by Fafa Pacault. D.C had some good opportunities late by the Unions’ keeper had some tremendous saves to give the Unions a 1-0 win.

New England comes into the match Wednesday with a record of 5-7-5 in MLS play which places them in eighth place, two points ahead of D.C. The Revs were also shutout in their last league match. The Revolution lost 2-0 at the hands of Toronto FC. Toronto was playing without Michael Bradley but still managed to hold off The Revs they got an early goal by Drew Moor and then scored again in stoppage time to seal the game.

New England and D.C are both teams who take the Open Cup very seriously and both squads are struggling in MLS play this year. Sam Lloyd, United’s wing player will be the key for United he scored twice in the last Open Cup match after entering the game in the second half. New England who showcased their young talent in Round 4 will have to play some experience in their starting XI like midfielder Lee Nguyen who leads the team with 7 assists and is second with 6 goals.

DID YOU KNOW …The only D.C. club to win an Open Cup title outside the Modern Era (1995-present), Club Espana in 1987, wound up becoming the core of the ASL’s Washington Diplomats in 1988. The state of Massachusetts has won nine US Open Cup titles, but when New England won in 2007, it was the first time a team from Massachusetts had lifted the trophy since 1947 (Ponta Delgada).

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will host FC Cincinnati / Chicago Fire winner in Quarterfinals

By Josh Hakala

Every year, the question that is asked by many fans and members of the media is can this be the year that a lower division team breaks through and win the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup? Who will be the team that can recapture the magic of the 1999 Rochester Raging Rhinos, the last non-MLS team to lift the trophy. Miami FC of the NASL is making a strong case to be that team, but they have a tough task ahead of them for their Fourth Round match on Wednesday night when they host Atlanta United.

After a 2-1 win over the New York Cosmos last Saturday, Miami is on the verge of locking up the NASL’s Spring Season championship. They managed to pull off the win despite Kwadwo Poku getting sent off in the 59th minute. Stefano Pinho had equalized for Miami in the first half, but after they went down to 10 men, Vincenzo Rennella, the league’s leading scorer, added the game-winner in the 70th minute. With the win, they improve to 9-1-3 in league play and will enter Wednesday’s contest riding a 13-game unbeaten streak in all competitions. There have been very few lower division teams in this good of a position this late in the tournament. Only one NASL club (Carolina RailHawks in 2013) has reached the Quarterfinals and has gone on to win the league championship.

On the other side, they face Atlanta United who has made quite a splash in their inaugural season. Atlanta sits in sixth place in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with a 7-7-3 record and after a 1-0 home win over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, they have won two of their last three games in all competitions. The hero for Atlanta against the Rapids was Josef Martinez who scored the lone goal in his first league start since coming back from a three-month injury layoff. Atlanta will test the Miami backline as they are the highest-scoring team in MLS, averaging just under two goals per game.

Atlanta had plenty of drama in the club’s Open Cup debut last round. They fell behind in the first half to the visiting Charleston Battery (USL) and rallied in the second half with goals from Josef Martinez and Brandon Vasquez. Atlanta sent their fans home happy with a 3-2 win. Now, they must travel south to face a club that has only lost one home game all season.

Miami, who is making just its second appearance in the US Open Cup, had a tough challenge from the South Florida Surf (PDL) but they survived 3-2. Then, after a 2-0 road win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL), they traveled north and stunned Orlando City SC on their home turf with a 3-1 win. Stefano Pinho became just the third Brazilian to score a hat trick in the Modern Era and he was named TheCup.us Player of the Round for his efforts.

DID YOU KNOW … Although teams from Atlanta have never reached a Final in the Open Cup, Hotlanta has featured in the national stage at the Amateur level. Atlanta Datagraphic won the Amateur Cup in 1979, and finished as runners up in 1980 and 1987. Florida’s history in the tournament is also limited with just two clubs reaching the Final. The 2000 Miami Fusion (MLS) lost to the Chicago Fire (MLS), while the HRC Kickers won the tournament in 1989.

BROADCAST: ESPN/ESPN DEPORTES/WATCH ESPN
Winner will play at Miami FC / Atlanta United winner in Quarterfinals

By Ben Ferree

FC Cincinnati has scraped by against local teams and rivals on the field while impressing in the stands in the club’s second appearance in the US Open Cup. In their opening game, it took extra time to beat the defending NPSL champion AFC Cleveland, 1-0. After eliminating the amateur side, they faced a hotly anticipated match against another USL team, Louisville City. Djiby Fall, the lone goalscorer from the previous round was in the midst of a suspension from USL games due to biting a Louisville player a few weeks prior. However, since the suspension did not apply to the US Open Cup, he was able to play in the physical match and scored a second-straight game-winning goal in another 1-0 win. The most recent match was the high-profile first meeting with the Columbus Crew SC of MLS. Fall became the first lower division player of the Modern Era (and just the third of any division) to score three consecutive game-winning goals as FCC stuns the Crew in front of a record-breaking crowd. The announced attendance of 30,160 shattered the Modern Era record for a non-Final by nearly 10,000 fans.

MORE: Cincinnati’s forgotten US Open Cup history

Just entering in the Fourth Round, Chicago was able to play a mix of subs and starters in its 1-0 road win over Saint Louis FC (USL). Luis Solignac scored a wonder goal in the 27th minute, with the assist coming from Brandon Vincent, and the defense took it from there. Goalie Matt Lampson was only asked to make two saves, and St Louis put the nail in their own coffin in the 81st minute when Dragan Stojkov earned a second yellow. The win brought the Fire’s all time Open Cup record to an astounding 40-14-4, the most wins of any team in the Modern Era.

FC Cincinnati has been up and down in league play this year, sporting an even 5-5-5 record. However, their recent form has been better, having only suffered one loss in their last six USL games. Their last match was Saturday against St Louis FC, which they won 2-0. In all competitions at home, they’ve only lost one game.

The Chicago Fire are, pardon the pun, hot. After demolishing Orlando City 4-0 in their most recent MLS match, their unbeaten streak stands at nine games, with three consecutive wins. Their last defeat was a one goal loss in New York to the Red Bulls in April. In all competitions, the Fire are undefeated in their last five road games with three wins and two draws.

In Cincinnati’s Cup run so far, the team has lived through Djiby Fall. The first three games were all 1-0 wins with Fall tallying the strikes. A game-winner against the Fire would break the Modern Era single-tournament record. The only other players who have scored three straight game-winners is Fredy Montero (Seattle Sounders, 2011) and Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United, 2013).

While he has yet to make his tournament debut, all eyes will be on Nemanja Nikolic should he make his first ever Open Cup appearance. The Fire forward has an MLS-leading 14 goals. Should the Fire opt to rotate players and not play Nikolic, keep an eye on Brandon Vincent. The defender was able to get a clean sheet in the last round and throw in an assist while only committing two fouls. He hasn’t missed a single minute of any Fire game this year.

Chicago is pushing for a record-tying fifth Open Cup title. Should they achieve that, they would be the fourth team to do so and the first in the Modern Era. The other teams to do so were the original Bethlehem Steel, Maccabee AC, and the Fall River Marksmen (also under the name New Bedford Whalers). No team has won six.

DID YOU KNOW … The city of Cincinnati made its Cup debut on Oct. 26, 1930 when the Cincinnati Kickers defeated fellow Queen City club New Era 3-1 in the first round of Ohio qualifying for the 1930/31 tournament. The Kickers would forfeit in the next round when they were unable to make the trip to Youngstown to face Mahoning Valley.

The last Chicago club to win prior to the Fire was the AAC Eagles who lifted the trophy in 1990. When the Eagles won, that ended a lengthy drought for the Windy City, with the last title coming in 1953 by Falcons SC.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will play at New England Revolution / D.C. United winner in Quarterfinals

By Romulo Vieira

For the third straight year, the New York Red Bulls will meet the Philadelphia Union in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. In 2015, both teams went head-to-head in the Quarterfinals. The Union knocked out the Red Bulls 4-3 in a penalty shootout after 1-1 draw away from home. Last year, in the Fifth Round, the Union were successful once again, defeating the Red Bulls 2-1 at home. This year, the game will head back to Red Bull Arena.

The Red Bulls reached the Fifth Round of the cup after defeating their Hudson River rivals New York City FC 1-0 at Red Bull Arena. The Philadelphia Union earned their spot in the Round of 16 after picking up a comfortable 3-1 win against the Harrisburg City Islanders at home.

Both teams are going through hard times in MLS play. The Red Bulls are currently in seventh place, one spot below a playoff spot, while the Union are in ninth. So far this season both teams have faced each other twice, with each team getting a win. First the Union blew out the Red Bulls 3-0 at home, but in the second game the Red Bulls took home a 2-0 victory away from home.

The Red Bulls will definitely be counting on their star striker Bradley Wright-Philips to come up with goals to finally get past the Union. However, while Bradley has scored a number of goals for the Red Bulls in MLS, he has never scored in the US Open Cup. Union’s top scorer CJ Sapong has had success in the Cup, winning the tournament with Sporting Kansas City in 2012, and most recently, scoring one of Philly’s goals in their victory against the City Islanders.

DID YOU KNOW … Of all the cities represented by MLS teams, Philadelphia has the longest Open Cup championship drought, last claiming a title when the Ukrainian Nationals won their fourth championship in 1965. New York City is next, their last title coming in 1991 through the Brooklyn Italians. The last time a team based in New Jersey lifted the trophy was in 1972 when Elizabeth SC won the club’s second title in three years. Aside from Elizabeth SC, to find the only other New Jersey club to win the tournament, you have to go all the way back to Paterson SC in 1923.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will host the LA Galaxy / Sacramento Republic winner in Quarterfinals

By Thomas Hodul

The four-time US Open Cup champion Seattle Sounders will continue their march toward a record-tying fifth title when they travel south to face the San Jose Earthquakes at Avaya Stadium. This will be the fifth all-time meeting between the Sounders and Earthquakes, dating back to Seattle’s USL days. The Sounders have won the last three meetings (one as an A-League club, the two most recent ones as part of MLS), with the last win by the Quakes coming in 2002. The last time the two clubs met in the Cup was in 2014 when the Sounders won the game on penalties after the match ended 1-1 at Starfire Sports Complex, Seattle’s smaller home away from home in Tukwila, Wash.

Unlike their opponent, the San Jose Earthquakes have never won the US Open Cup or even reached the Final of the tournament. The Earthquakes best run in the Cup came in 2004 when they reached the Semifinals before falling to Kansas City 1-0. They won their opening match of the 2017 competition by a score of 2-0 over local NASL side San Francisco Deltas. Both Jackson Yueill and Cordell Cato scored within six minutes of the opening kickoff to send San Jose into the Round of 16.

The Earthquakes are led by US international and club captain, Chris Wondolowski. Although he is the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, Wondolowski has scored only two goals in the Open Cup for the Quakes (four in his career). San Jose picked up a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake over the weekend to climb to fifth place in the MLS Western Conference standings, putting them back into a playoff spot.

Their opponent, the Seattle Sounders, are one of the most successful clubs of the Modern Era. The Sounders won three Open Cups in a row in their first three seasons in MLS from 2009-11. They then added a fourth in 2014. The Sounders knocked off their biggest rivals the Portland Timbers in the last round of the Cup by a score of 2-1.

The Sounders are led by head coach Brian Schmetzer, who has brought the club two USL titles and a MLS Cup. He was part of the coaching staff as an assistant for all four US Open Cup championships.

Seattle also features one of the most dynamic American players of all time in Clint Dempsey. Dempsey has been an integral part of both the Sounders’ 2016 MLS Cup and the 2014 US Open Cup championship. Dempsey also scored a late equalizer against the Timbers this past weekend to salvage a draw for the Sounders after they went down to ten men. They currently find themselves in eighth place in the MLS Western Conference standings following the Cascadia Cup match.

The two clubs met once already in league action back on April 8 at Avaya. That match ended in a 1-1 draw. Both clubs consider each other secondary rivals from their main rivalries. The matches between the two clubs are known as the Heritage Cup as both clubs kept their old NASL names. The winner will earn the right to host the winner of the Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Sacramento Republic match in the Quarterfinals.

DID YOU KNOW … The first-ever Open Cup meeting between teams from San Jose and Washington was on Feb. 21, 1971 in the Second Round when Heidelberg Brewers defeated San Jose Grenadiers 4-2 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle.

Seattle was first represented in the Open Cup in 1965 by the Hungarian SC. Playing in the Northern California qualifiers, the HSC reached the Semifinals after a 3-2 win over AAC Teutonia and a walkover victory over Viking AC. The Hungarians run stopped with a 2-1 defeat to Greek American AC.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will play at San Jose Earthquakes / Seattle Sounders winner in Quarterfinals

By Dennis Pope

Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) advanced to the Fifth Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the fourth consecutive year with a 3-1 victory over Orange County SC (USL) on Wednesday, June 14.

A two-time US Open Cup champion (2001 & 2005) and a Semifinalist last season, the Galaxy recently had an eight-game league unbeaten streak snapped in a 2-1 loss at home to Real Salt Lake on Sunday, June 25.

When eligible, team captain Jelle Van Damme continues to define the club with his effort. The Belgian recently served a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation but controlled the tempo of Galaxy’s win over OCSC in the last round.

With or without the injury to Brian Rowe, goalkeeping has become a big question mark, and the team is still without Giovanni Dos Santos (international duty).

This is the first matchup between Galaxy and the Sacramento Republic, a USL club with Major League Soccer aspirations.

Sacramento is playing its fourth game in the 2017 tournament, advancing to Round 5 after an historic 4-1 victory at home over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, June 14. It was the club’s first win over a MLS opponent.

The 2014 USL champions kicked off the competition with a 4-0 win over Anahuac FC (UPSL), followed by a 2-0 win over fellow USL club Reno 1868 FC.

Currently 7-6-3 in the USL’s Western Conference, Sacramento has won three consecutive league matches after a slow start to the season.

California-born forward Samuel Ochoa’s five goals in 14 matches are tied for the team lead with Trevin Caesar, and Scottish forward Tyler Blackwood has added four goals.

Sacramento recently defeated LA Galaxy II (USL), 3-2, on Sunday, June 25 at the StubHub Track Stadium, the same setting for Wednesday night’s game against the senior team.

DID YOU KNOW … While the Galaxy must battle each year to represent Los Angeles in the Open Cup Quarterfinals, in the past, L.A. was guaranteed a quarterfinal spot each year. The way the tournament was set up going into the late 1970s, the surviving club from the Southern California qualifiers would face off with the winner from San Francisco (and later Washington state) in the western semifinals, with the winner facing the survivor amongst St. Louis, Chicago and Milwaukee in the Western Final.

While Los Angeles made its on-field Open Cup debut in the 1954 tournament, the city’s first entry came in 1952. That year the Los Angeles Scots entered, but later withdrew citing the high cost of traveling to St. Louis to play Simpkins Ford. The next year, McIlwaine Canvasbacks forfeited to Kutis SC citing the same high cost of travel. The Scots finally took the field in 1954 to become the first Southern California team to participate in the tournament

2017 US Open Cup Round 4: Stefano Pinho’s hat trick for Miami FC earns TheCup.us Player of the Round

by

Stefano Pinho of Miami FC celebrates one of this three goals against Orlando City SC (MLS) in the Fourth Round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Miami FC
Stefano Pinho of Miami FC celebrates one of this three goals against Orlando City SC (MLS) in the Fourth Round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Photo: Miami FC

Stefano Pinho finally feels at home in America.

The Miami FC forward, who was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Fifth Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, is feeling confident and settled in his third year playing professionally in the United States.

Pinho scored a hat trick in a 3-0 road upset of Orlando City SC (MLS) to become just the third Brazilian to win the award. The Player of the Round honor is voted on by the staff of TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.

Playing in a global city, for a global footballing icon, on a great team helps. But the secret to that happiness? Being a new Dad.

“I’m a father now, and it changes everything,” Pinho said on a classically humid but not unpleasant Miami June day last week. “My son watches me in the stands and I want to show him that effort and attention to detail and playing hard matter.”

His son must be pleased with what he’s seeing. The product of storied Brazilian side Fluminense has scored seven goals in all competitions and tallied two assists, and has Miami FC poised for even more in the Open Cup.

Stefano Pinho of Miami FC becomes the third Brazilian in the Modern Era to score a hat trick in the US Open Cup. The previous two are also Miami-based: Welton of the Miami Fusion (MLS) in 2000 and Paulo Jr. of Miami FC (USL) in 2010. Photo: Miami FC
Stefano Pinho of Miami FC becomes the third Brazilian in the Modern Era to score a hat trick in the US Open Cup. The previous two are also Miami-based: Welton of the Miami Fusion (MLS) in 2000 and Paulo Jr. of Miami FC (USL) in 2010. Photo: Miami FC

“There’s no question we have a chance to keep winning,” Pinho said. “We have the best players in NASL in Poku and Enzo (fellow forward Vincenzo Rennella). It’s easy to play with those guys. You’ve seen the results. We can rely on talent but we also can beat you with tactics. When you know and trust the tactics, it is easier to play aggressively with confidence.”

Stefano Pinho’s talent has been on display wherever he’s gone since arriving in America.

His spell with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers saw him lead the league in scoring in 2015, and while he didn’t score as prolifically as he would have liked last year with Minnesota United, his movements and presence helped Christian Ramirez score 18 goals for the MLS-bound Loons. This season, as a new Dad playing in a stable situation in Miami, Pinho has felt looser and more confident.

“It’s the happiest I’ve been,” Pinho said. “I’ve played for good teams before and I’ve played for great managers like Gunter (Kronsteiner, who managed him with the Strikers). But now I have both and I’m happy off the field.”

Pinho says it is different for a player to play for an icon like Miami FC manager Alessandro Nesta.

“With Nesta, he has such a big name in global soccer, if he says, ‘Do this,’ you race to ‘Do this,’” he said with a laugh. “You grow up and see him play for Italy, for Milan, and now he’s your coach. It makes me proud to play for him, but you also want to do well to show him you are a good footballer.”

Pinho also thinks he’s benefited from playing for a defender, as strange as that is for a forward to say. He credits Nesta’s tactical mind for the victory over Orlando City.

“(Nesta) saw how high and wide they’ll push their fullbacks and thought we would have space in the channels,” Pinho said. “We did. We saw the space and cycled the ball there and attacked it and I was able to finish.”

Pinho was able to finish, becoming the first player in the history of Orlando City’s stadium to tally a hat trick. Again, the Brazilian deflected credit.

“I’ve improved playing for Gunter, who has a clever tactical mind. I’ve improved playing for Nesta, who is teaching me how defenders think,” he said. “If you play for a defender as great as he was, you soak in what he knows about defender movement and you learn from it. Plus, he appreciates forwards because you need goals to win games.”

Fortunately for Miami FC and their manager, Stefano Pinho has delivered plenty of those.

Pinho was the runaway winner of the award for Round 4. The battle for second place was fairly wide open. Other players who received consideration included Djiby Fall (FC Cincinnati, USL), Julian Buescher (D.C. United, MLS), Dennis Castillo (Colorado Rapids, MLS), and Mitch Hildebrandt (FC Cincinnati, USL)

2017 TheCup.us Player of the Round winners

Round 1: Pete Caringi III (Christos FC, USASA)
Round 2: Phil Saunders (Christos FC, USASA)
Round 3: Fabian Cerda (Tulsa Roughnecks, USL)
Round 4: Stefano Pinho (Miami FC, NASL)

2017 US Open Cup Round 4 Review: Three lower division clubs punch ticket to MLS-heavy Round of 16

by

The crowd of 30,160 at Nippert Stadium to watch FC Cincinnati upset the Columbus Crew shattered the Modern Era attendance record for a non-Final. Photo: FC Cincinnati
The crowd of 30,160 at Nippert Stadium to watch FC Cincinnati upset the Columbus Crew shattered the Modern Era attendance record for a non-Final. Photo: FC Cincinnati

Three lower division sides’ hopes are still alive as Major League Soccer entered the fray in the Fourth Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The United Soccer League’s FC Cincinnati and Sacramento Republic, as well as the North American Soccer League’s Miami FC, disposed of their MLS opponents. This marks the first time since 2014 that at least three lower division teams will be represented in the Round of 16.

Christos FC, the Fourth Round’s sole amateur team still in contention, was eliminated thanks to a late surge by D.C. United. Another 12 clubs from US Soccer’s First Division also advanced to the Round of 16, including FC Dallas, the defending US Open Cup Champions.

Check below for a full list of results from the Fourth Round. Links to the full match reports will be added as they are published.

#USOC2017 coverage:
* 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup schedule, results (video/audio links)
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 1 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 2 review
* 2017 US Open Cup Round 3 review
* 2017 TheCup.us Player of the Round winnners
* 2017 US Open Cup bracket (TheCup.us)
* 2017 US Open Cup statistical leaders
* A map of all 99 entries for the 2017 US Open Cup
* 2017 Meet the Underdogs series
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 2 review: 14 more teams advance as Round 3 moved to next year
* 2017 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1: Scores and recaps from every game

MORE:
* Who is the US Open Cup equivalent to Lincoln City FC and their magical FA Cup run?
* Eric Wynalda hired to lead LA Wolves for 2017 US Open Cup run
* Reading United qualifies for record 9th straight US Open Cup, seeking more than an opening round win
* Fourth Round fun facts: Notable upsets, things you should know about Round 4

* Support TheCup.us: New Del Rey City jerseys available for purchase
* Appreciate what we do at TheCup.us? Donate here
* TheCup.us is looking for writers/editors, graphics, WordPress gurus & people who can handle digital ad sales (paid position). Email us here

Twitter (#USOC2016) | Facebook | Instagram | Flickr | Reddit

Despite taking an early 1-0 lead thanks to Mamadou Kansaye’s goal in the 23rd minute of action, the upstart amateurs eventually fell, 4-1, to D.C. United. Julian Buescher levelled the scoring in the 33rd minute before Lloyd Sam notched the winner with nine minutes to play. Buescher then bagged his brace in the 90th minute before Ian Harkes scored a goal deep into stoppage time. Scoring a goal in the US Open Cup is something his father, John, never did in his Hall of Fame career. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

A three-goal rally by the Colorado Rapids edged the MLS side just past the Oklahoma City Energy (USL), 3-2. The Energy carried a 2-0 lead into halftime thanks to goals by Daniel Gonzalez and Philip Rasmussen. Dominique Badji drew one back for the Rapids quickly after the restart before Eric Miller evened the score off a corner in the 66th minute. With just a minute left in the match, Dennis Castillo scored off the serve from Dillon Powers to secure the victory. It was the first time the Colorado club has overcome a two-goal deficit in the tournament. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

There was no gut-wrenching loss for the Seattle Sounders this year as they claimed a 2-1 triumph over their bitter Cascadia rivals, the Portland Timbers. The Timbers had beaten the Sounders the last time the two teams met in the US Open Cup back in 2015. Nouhuo Tolo connected with Aaron Kovar in just the third minute of action to to give the Sounders an early lead. Augustine Williams found the back of the net in the 38th minute for Portland, but a handball in the box by the Timbers early in the second half gave Seattle a penalty. Zack Mathers made no mistake from the spot, helping Seattle advance in the process. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Dijby Fall added to his legend with his third-straight game-winning goal in the US Open Cup to give FC Cincinnati with a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Crew. A little over 30,000 fans paid to watch the game at Nippert Stadium which shattered the Modern Era (1995-present) attendance record for a non-Final. Fall got his head to the pass from Justin Hoyte that just beat Brad Stuver. As a result of the win, FCC will advance to the US Open Cup Round of 16 for the first time in club history. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

MLS expansion side Atlanta United showed their grit, levelling the score twice before eventually overcoming the Charleston Battery (USL), 3-2. Forest Lasso and Dante Marini scored for the Battery on either side of Kevin Kratz’s tally for Atlanta in the first half. A missed penalty kick at the end of the first half proved costly as Josef Martinez knotted the match up at 2-2 three minutes into the second half. Brandon Vazquez completed Atlanta United’s comeback bid with 18 minutes left in the match to give the club a win in its Open Cup debut. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The New England Revolution scored a resounding result over the Rochester Rhinos, 3-0. After the Rhinos went down to 10 men, the three goals came within seven minutes of each other, with Teal Bunbury converting a penalty in the 44th minute for the matchwinner. On the other side of the break, Donnie Smith and Zachary Herivaux quickly scored in back-to-back minutes to close out the match. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

An 88-minute lightning delay and extra time added to the dramatics as the Houston Dynamo overcame North Carolina FC, 3-2. Steven Miller got NCFC off the mark quickly in the fourth minute, though an Andrew Wenger goal in the 25th minute tied the match up heading into the interval. Dylan Remick then gave Houston the lead with just under a half hour to play, only to see the lead suddenly evaporate thanks to a 69th minute strike by Lance Laing. With penalty kicks beckoning, Memo Rodriguez pushed the Dynamo ahead in the 109th minute to help Houston advance. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Miami FC gave the NASL their only winner of the Fourth Round after handing a decisive 3-1 defeat to Orlando City SC. Stefano Pinho tallied all three goals for Miami, including two first-half strikes. Giles Barnes found one late for Orlando, but it wasn’t enough as the MLS side was bounced from the competition. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Jay Simpson orchestrated two first-half goals for the Philadelphia Union inside the first 35 minutes and the Union pulled of a 3-1 victory over the City Islanders. Simpson first set up Derrick Jones in the 18th minute before unlocking CJ Sapong 15 minutes later. Harrisburg got on the board thanks to Jonathan Mendoza in the 37th minute, but Marcus Epps iced the game with a goal for the Union shortly after the start of the second half. For the Union, it was the club’s fourth straight win over the City Islanders in Open Cup play. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

One goal was all it took for the New York Red Bulls to dispatch New York City FC in the Fourth Round. Daniel Royer’s second-half strike was the lone tally of the evening. For NYCFC, it’s their third exit in the Cup without advancing in as many years. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The defending US Open Cup champions opened up 2017 in nervy fashion, needing a stoppage time own goal by Tulsa to carve out a 2-1 win over the Tulsa Roughnecks. Coy Craft earned Dallas a lead 31 minutes into play for a 1-0 lead heading into the break. Kosuke Kimura then leveled the score in the 59th minute before a heartbreaking mistake by Tulsa’s Modou Jadama gave FC Dallas the win two minutes into added time. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The Chicago Fire scraped out a 1-0 triumph over Saint Louis FC to advance to the next round. A lofted back heel shot by Luis Solignac in the 27th minute provided the match’s only goal. Saint Louis FC had to play with 10 men for the final 10 minutes of the match as the Fire held them to just two shots on goal throughout the course of the contest. For the Fire, it was the club’s 40th all-time win in the US Open Cup, which is the most of any team of the Modern Era. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Sporting Kansas City dominated Minnesota United FC, 4-0, on Wednesday night. Four different players scored for Kansas City as their defense held the Loons without a shot on goal for the match. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

A trio of players 23 or younger found the mark for the Los Angeles Galaxy in a 3-1 defeat of Orange County SC. Jose Villareal kicked off the scoring with just over a quarter of an hour gone before OCSC netted their sole goal of the contest through Roy Meeus. The lead was restored from the spot thanks to Jack McBean in the 36th minute, and Ariel Lassiter put the finishing touches on the match in the second half. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

San Jose struck fast, notching two goals in the first six minutes of the match to see off the challengers from San Francisco. Jackson Yueill made the most of his professional debut, scoring in just the fourth minute, and Cordell Cato followed that up with a strike of his own two minutes later. Despite a veritable siege by San Francisco on the Earthquakes’ goal, Andrew Tarbell recorded six saves and preserved the clean sheet. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

The Sacramento Republic scored a comprehensive knockout of Real Salt Lake, dropping the 2013 finalists, 4-1. Danny Barrera turned in one goal and two assists to push Republic past Real Salt Lake and into the Round of 16 for the first time in club history. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

2017 US Open Cup Round 4: Sacramento Republic conquer RSL to earn first win over MLS team

by

sacramento-republic-vs-real-salt-lake-2017-usoc-bigMaybe they just like to play in the U.S. Open Cup.

Starting the USL season in indifferent form, Sacramento Republic FC are having statistically their worst-ever season, scoring just 11 goals in 13 games, en route to a 4-6-3 start that has the club on the outside looking in of the playoff race.

But at the same time, the Republic’s cup form has been impeccable, especially Wednesday night at Papa Murphy’s Park when Sacramento picked up their first-ever victory against an MLS club in the competition, defeating Real Salt Lake 4-1 in a dominating performance.

In doing so, the Republic have now scored ten goals in just three Open Cup matches, a far cry from their league form.

“We’ve had so much disappointment this season with results, not performances,” said head coach Paul Buckle. “I was delighted with the performance in the end, the character, great fitness levels, we kept the ball very well, we scored some good goals and we looked very dangerous.”

The city of Sacramento was pretty excited on social media after the club's first-ever win over an MLS opponent.
The city of Sacramento was pretty excited on social media after the club’s first-ever win over an MLS opponent.

After dominating the possession and coming up short on four corner kicks in the first half, the Republic finally hit pay-dirt on the fifth, in the 29th minute of the game.

Though the initial chance was cleared out by the Real Salt Lake defense, the ball fell to Sacramento left back James Kiffe, who played a cross far post to Danny Barrera. Barrera made his name in the competition playing for the 2012 Cal FC side that reached the fifth round of the tournament.

Barrera laid out full stretch to head the ball back across the box to Trinidad and Tobago international Trevin Caesar, who rippled the back of the net on the half volley for a 1-0 lead.

It was a lead that would last just six minutes as Real Salt Lake equalized completely against the run of play on a slaloming run through the heart of the Republic defense that ended with Ricardo Velazco rifling a shot low and hard past Sacramento goalkeeper Evan Newton.

But a Republic side that had played poorly in the USL as of late wouldn’t stop fighting, and again took the lead two minutes before half time, again off of a service from Danny Barrera on a cleared corner kick.

With the ball on his cultured left foot, Barrera whipped a cross into the near post that defensive midfielder Augustin Cazarez flicked to the far post and into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead.

For Cazarez, a quiet-spoken defensive midfielder, it was his first competitive goal for the club in exactly two years and one day, dating back to a 2-1 USL victory over Arizona United in 2015.

Just two minutes later it went from bad to worse for Real Salt Lake, who fouled Caesar in the box, leading Jeremey Hall to step up and blast the ensuing penalty off the post and into the goal for a 3-1 halftime advantage.

Barrera sealed the game late, getting on the scoresheet himself with a diving header off of a Kiffe cross that sent the home crowd into pandemonium, and for the first time, the Republic into the last 16 of the Open Cup.

2017 US Open Cup Round 4: Early goals lift San Jose Earthquakes to Bay Area win over San Francisco Deltas

by

The San Jose Earthquakes won their first US Open Cup meeting with the San Francisco Deltas with a 2-0 win in the Fourth Round. Photo: San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes won their first US Open Cup meeting with the San Francisco Deltas with a 2-0 win in the Fourth Round. Photo: San Jose Earthquakes

The San Jose Earthquakes scored twice early to knock out local NASL rivals, the San Francisco Deltas, and advance to the Round of 16 in the US Open Cup. Jackson Yueill and Cordell Cato scored within six minutes of kick-off before San Francisco found any footing in the game.

Jackson Yueill found the back of the net in the fourth minute for the Earthquakes, scoring his first ever goal for the club since being drafted sixthoverall in 2017. “I thought had a good game. He moved the ball. He’s a smart player,” said Earthquakes Head Coach, Dominic Kinnear. “This is a good step for him. You can see the guys are happy for him. When he scored, they all ran over to him.”

The lead was doubled less than two minutes later when Cordell Cato cleaned up his own rebound to make the score 2-0. “We went with a 3-5-2. We just wanted to start out the game aggressive. We wanted this game to end in 90 minutes, so we wanted to come out and get an early goal,” Kinnear said following the match.

The Deltas did not let this get them down however, as they built their way back into the match. Their momentum began when defending NASL player of the week Kyle Bekker forced a big save out of Earthquakes keeper Andrew Tarbell in the 21st minute. “Their keeper was very good tonight. I think a defining moment is when Bekker has the chance to go 2-1, and the ball doesn’t go in,” said Deltas’ Head Coach, Marc Dos Santos.

The Deltas created a few more chances, as did the San Jose Earthquakes. Both sides looked very balanced after the initial six minutes of the game. “I remember some very good chances. We had free kicks. We had corners. We pushed, but unfortunately we couldn’t find the goal tonight,” said Dos Santos. “We didn’t come in with the intentions that we wanted to come in with, and then we were surprised by two goals that they took well. But I think that is the only part in the game that we actually felt inferior. All of the other 83 minutes of the game, we created as many opportunities as they did.”

The man of the match was San Jose goal keeper Andrew Tarbell, who came up with a couple of outstanding saves to maintain his clean sheet as the Deltas tried to claw their way back. Tarbell as well had several powerful punched clearances late to help clear his lines.

“I thought we relaxed at 2-0,” said Kinnear. “I think that at 2-0 we took our foot off the pedal. They stepped their game up because they are behind 2-0. They were creating chances. We were fouling close to goal, which wasn’t a great idea. But Andrew Tarbell, I thought, made some real good saves for us, and he commanded his box well too.”

The San Jose Earthquakes will now proceed into the Round of 16 final 16-team bracket portion of the tournament with the next round taking place in two weeks.

Copyright © 2026 • Built by Jacob Martella Web Development