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2022 US Open Cup

2022 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Sacramento Republic’s Luis Felipe voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

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Luis Felipe of Sacramento Republic FC was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC
Luis Felipe of Sacramento Republic FC was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC

Sacramento Republic’s Luis Felipe scored one of the goals of the tournament to send his club into the Semifinals of the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Felipe’s 70th minute strike was good enough to eliminate LA Galaxy from the competition and earned Felipe the title of TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Quarterfinals. 

The Player of the Round award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters and select backers (those that pledge $10 or more) of TheCup.us’ Patreon team.

The match was Sacramento’s for the taking, as they went ahead 1-0 in the fourth minute on a Rodrigo Lopez goal. The MLS side got a goal back in the 18th minute when Sacremento’s Conor Donovan scored an own-goal, which kept the match level until the 70th minute.

It was then that Luis Felipe became the man of the round. The ball had been played around and eventually found Felipe on the left flank. Sacramento’s number 96 took a few dribbles and unleashed a left-footed strike from 30 yards that bounced twice while crossing the face of goal and beat Los Angeles’ keeper Jonathan Klinsmann into the far corner, securing his side’s quarterfinal victory. 

“It was huge. We needed that goal at the moment, with it being 1-1,” said Felipe. “I felt really happy, not for just me but for the team. Especially how we came together at the end. It was huge for the team.”

Born in Mineola, New York, Felipe has been playing in the professional ranks since joining Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 2016. He is no stranger to playing the role of the underdog in the US Open Cup. With the Strikers in 2016, he played every minute of the NASL (Div. 2 pro) side’s cup run that saw them upset two MLS teams (D.C. United, Orlando City SC) en route to the Quarterfinals. The following year, he joined the USL’s Reno 1868, and reached the Third Round where they were eliminated by his future club, the Sacramento Republic. He faced Sacramento again in 2019 when he was in his second season with the San Jose Earthquakes. In the Fourth Round, he played all 90 minutes in the Quakes’ 4-3 home win over the Republic. He would play three more seasons with San Jose before signing with Sacramento in 2021. Before turning pro, Felipe was a member of Cruziero’s youth academy from 2007-2015. Felipe was also called up to the United States’ Under-20 National Team in 2014 under Tab Ramos.

Felipe’s Sacramento Republic will host Sporting Kansas City on July 27 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semi-final, with the match kicking off at 10:30 Eastern.  

2022 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Who should be voted TheCup.us Player of the Round?

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Who should be voted TheCup.us Player of the Round trophy
Photo: Atlanta United FC

The final eight teams took to the field in hopes of advancing to the Semifinals of the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and continuing their quest to add a trophy to their cabinets. Five MLS and two USL (one Championship and one League One) teams competed in this dramatic quarterfinal round. This round had it all: a blowout, a lopsided Hudson River Derby, a USL upset, and a penalty shootout that came down to the wire.

At the end of the round, three MLS teams and one intrepid USL team emerged victorious to advance to the final four of the 107th edition of the tournament, which will take place July 27.

The Player of the Round award is voted on by TheCup.us staff and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters but if YOU had a vote, which player do you think should win?

Here are the finalists (in alphabetical order):

Luis Felipe
Sacramento Republic FC (USL Championship)

Felipe took a shot from way outside the 18-yard box to beat the keeper to the lower corner in the 70th minute. The goal ended up to be the game-winner, giving Sacramento the huge upset on the road against the LA Galaxy (MLS) and cemented their spot as the only USL team remaining in the Open Cup tournament.

Pedro Gallese

Orlando City SC (MLS)

Gallese made five saves in Orlando’s narrowly-decided clash at home against Nashville SC (MLS).  After finishing 1-1 after 90 minutes, the game went scoreless through extra-time into a penalty shootout. There, Gallese saved the seventh Nashville penalty kick in sudden death, winning the game for the players in purple in front of their home crowd.

Felipe Hernandez

Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

Herenandez provided the corner kick assist for the second goal and scored the final brace as Sporting KC emphatically crushed any hopes of a road upset from Union Omaha (USL League One) with a 6-0 home win. He beat two defenders to a ball in the box in the 66th minute to score his first of the game and 15 minutes later slammed in his second from the top of the box, putting the final nail in the coffin for Omaha.

Lewis Morgan

New York Red Bulls (MLS)

Morgan scored the opening goal, which turned out to be the game-winner, in an Open Cup edition of the Hudson River Derby. He made a near-post run in the box to sneak a ball headed from a free kick past the New York City FC (MLS) keeper, giving the Red Bulls a 3-1 home win in the rivalry.

Rodrigo Schlegel

Orlando City SC (MLS)

Schlegel scored a dramatic game-tying goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time to propel the game against Nashville SC (MLS) into extra-time. The defender pounced on a ball that had been headed down by his teammate off a free kick after the Nashville keeper missed the clearance in traffic, knocking the ball in with a little hop and his right foot. Orlando would go on to win the game in a penalty kick shootout to advance to the semifinals.0

Khiry Shelton

Sporting Kansas City (MLS)

Shelton provided the assists for Sporting KC’s first and third goals (both to Daniel Salloi) and scored the fourth in the MLS side’s dismantling of Union Omaha (USL League One) in a 6-0 win at Children’s Mercy Park.  Shelton received a long ball and shot from the top of the box as he slid to the ground, kissing the ball off the inside of the far post to add to the goal tally of the home team.

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2022 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Orlando City equalize late, oust Nashville SC in PKs to return to Semis

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Orlando City SC players celebrate after winning a PK shootout against Nashville SC in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Orlando City SC
Orlando City SC players celebrate after winning a PK shootout against Nashville SC in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Orlando City SC

Rodrigo Schlegel scored in stoppage-time of regulation to send the Lions to extra time, and Pedro Gallese produced a game-winning save to lift Orlando City past Nashville SC 6-5 in penalties Wednesday night in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup at Exploria Stadium. 

For Orlando, it will be their second straight Semifinal appearance as the club improves to 5-0 all-time in Open Cup matches decided by PK shootouts.

“Very happy with the victory and going to the semifinals with this group of players against a very good rival with the possibility of advancing,” said Orlando coach Oscar Pareja after the game.  

“Regarding the game, I thought we didn’t play well in the first half, at least 35 minutes, Nashville was much better than us, created more options. But after the goal, I thought we reacted well and the players showed the personality to go through it.” 

Hany Mukhtar opened the scoring in the 52nd minute after poking a ball sent in by Alex Muyl, but Schlegel’s goal four minutes into stoppage off a setpiece tied the game for the Lions to send the game to extra time. 

Nashville went down a player in the 92nd minute of extra time after Sean Davis was issued a second yellow card for holding back Facundo Torres from a counter attack. 

Despite the player advantage, the Lions weren’t able to make much of it. 

Orlando did, however, turn it up a bit in the second half, finishing with 23 shots after the 120 minutes after a lackluster fist half. 

Nashville dominated the first half, outshooting Orlando 6-1 which also included several saves from goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, who finished with fives saves. 

In the 16th minute, the Peruvian keeper stopped Hany Mukhtar from striking from close. Moments later in the 26th minute, Gallese made back-to-back saves to stop chances from CJ Sapong and Mukhtar. 

Orlando had an opportunity to find the opening goal in the 33rd minute when Facundo Torres connected with Mauricio Pereyra, who then crossed the ball to Tesho Akindele but the forward didn’t get there enough to finish the play. 

Nashville again managed to find another chance in the 35th minute when Sapong beat Rodrigo Schlegel before taking a strike at goal but a diving Gallese was able to fend the ball away. 

Up next, Orlando City hosts the New York Red Bulls on July 27 in the Semifinals of the Open Cup at Exploria Stadium. 

2022 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Red Bulls make New York red once again with 3-0 win over NYCFC

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Luquinhas of New York Red Bulls celebrates his 70th minute goal against NYCFC in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: New York Red Bulls
Luquinhas of New York Red Bulls celebrates his 70th minute goal against NYCFC in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: New York Red Bulls

The first Hudson River Derby of the season delivered on what people tend to expect to see from a derby between the New York Red Bulls and their counterparts from across the river, New York City FC. Fans at Red Bull Arena witnessed goals, rash challenges, three red cards and plenty of emotion from both sets of players on the pitch and both sets of fans off of it.

Expectations were raised to a new level for this derby as the winner would earn a birth in the Semifinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. 

This was the third meeting between the two rivals in US Open Cup play with the Red Bulls winning both previous meetings — also both played at Red Bull Arena — by shutout in 2017 and 2018.

This year, followed a similar script with the Red Bulls blanking NYCFC 3-0. With goals from Lewis Morgan, Luquinhas, and Omir Fernandez, the Red Bulls advanced to the Semifinals for the sixth time, and the first since 2017. With the win, the men in red took another step toward lifting their first Open Cup trophy and being the first New Jersey-based club to win the tournament since 1972 (Elizabeth SC).

They will face the winner of Nashville SC and Orlando City SC who will play on June 29. The host of that Semifinal game will be announced on June 23.

This year’s matchup was by far the most competitive with both teams entering the match first (NYCFC) and second (NYRB) in the Eastern Conference standings with just one point between them. The game was set to be a slugfest between two of the giants in MLS and that’s what the fans got from the moment the two teams stepped onto the pitch.

Here’s how both Gerhard Struber & Nick Cushing lined up their boys in the rivalry that crosses the Hudson River.

This match was tense from the jump, with both sets of fans singing back and forth at each other and that bad blood translated onto the pitch early and often.

The Red Bulls from both wings created some scary moments in the box for Luis Barraza, but the back NYC goalkeeper was up to the task, clearing the danger on both occasions in the opening 10 minutes.

In the 15th minute, things got a bit testy when NYC’s Keaton Parks went into a challenge very recklessly against Luquinhas, gathering a big commotion at midfield as the players from both sides were going at the referee.

The Red Bull players were demanding a red card to be shown, while in NYC’s eyes, there should not have been a foul called. In the end, a yellow card was shown to Parks.

Just minutes later, Malte Amundsen tackled Luquinhas very recklessly to stop a counterattack. He also received a yellow card in the 19th minute for his actions.

From that point on in the match, things turned into a fouling match in midfield which limited each team from creating anything offensively.

That was until Red Bull was awarded a free kick in the 40th minute, just on the edge of the box after Luquinhas was brought down by Gabriel Pereira.

It would be Lewis Morgan to take the free kick and with everyone holding their breath, the Scotsman blasted one just past the NYC post.

Just two minutes later, chaos broke out in the NYCFC box which produced the Red Bulls’ best chance of the half.

After Luquinhas and Morgan beat the defense and then with the tip of his toe, Morgan rolled the ball to Christian Casseres Jr.

Casseres Jr. surely thought he would put Red Bull up 1-0 with the outside-of-his-foot attempt on goal, but once again Barraza was up to the task, making a huge save to keep it scoreless going into halftime.

In the second half, NYCFC came out on the front foot, getting their first shot on target of the game in the 47th minute from Castellanos, as the Argentine beat both Sean Nealis and Tom Edwards for the shot, but Carlos Coronel easily made the save.

But Red Bull would quickly take all the momentum back as they would find the first goal of the game in the 52nd minute.

On a free kick, Tom Edwards crossed one straight onto the head of Aaron Long, who proceeded to head the ball into the path of Lewis Morgan, who poked the ball past a helpless Barraza to set the roof on fire at Red Bull Arena.

Things would start to really get ugly in the 61st minute when NYCFC’s Thiago Andrade threw a headbutt at Red Bull’s John Tolkin during a skirmish, drawing a straight red card from referee Matthew Thompson.

Tolkin described the who situation post-game saying, “All I said was ‘what’s up bro?’ and then he came at me, dug his head into mine and pushed off,” said Tolkin after the match. “I guess I egged him on too much.”

With Thiago being sent off, New York City would have to play the last 30 minutes with 10 men.

After things calmed down, both managers turned to some familiar faces off the bench. Gerhard Struber brought on Polish striker Patryk Klimala while Nick Cushing looked to South American’s Talles Magno and Maxi Moralez for a spark in the attacking third.

Struber would be the one who got his substitution right as Klimala made an instant impact leading to the Red Bulls’ second goal.

Just coming onto the field, Morgan fed Klimala with a beautiful cross as the Polish striker timed his run perfectly and was all alone in the box, 1-v-1 with Barraza.

The keeper would make the initial save on Klimala, but the rebound fell to a lurking Luquinhas, who rounded the keeper and fired the ball past the two defenders on the line to double the home team’s lead in the 70th minute.

The only thing the NYC supporters could do up in the upper balcony was chant “Campeones”, referring to their 2021 MLS Cup title and the empty trophy case at Red Bull Arena.

Red Bull would continue their attacking ways with Tom Edwards crossing the ball straight by everyone to find a wide-open Omir Fernandez after Barraza completely misjudged the ball.

Unfortunately for the Bronx native, he did not anticipate the ball landing at his feet as it just bounced off his shin with the closest defender just booting the ball out of bounds.

Red Bull continued to be on the front foot of play, attacking NYCFC and racking up corner kicks. They even came close to grabbing a third in the 86th minute when Omir Fernandez beat his defender down the left wing, finding Klimala open in the box, and with his first touch off his left foot, just narrowly hit the outside of the post.

The Red Bulls continued to put on the pressure into stoppage time, adding a third goal to seal the game.

Steven Sserwadda, just promoted from Red Bull II, played a ball down the right wing and with his pure pace, Cameron Harper won the race to the ball, crossing a ball to a wide-open Fernandez in the box as he beat the NYC keeper.

Sean Nealis gave a good ole wave to the traveling NYC supporters as he returned to his position after the goal. Most of the NYC fans started to head for the exits so they could catch the PATH back down into the City.

Tolkin when recollecting that walk back to midfield, he described it as a “ha-ha, in your face moment,” and then added “you need a little banter in these moments.”

But Tolkin did say that the NYC fans will remember that and will bring the noise when they see each other in the Bronx next time.

The referee Matthew Thompson blew the final whistles after five added minutes and Red Bull Arena erupted done last time.

Omir Fernandez of the New York Red Bulls celebrates after scoring a goal against NYCFC in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: New York Red Bulls
Omir Fernandez of the New York Red Bulls celebrates after scoring a goal against NYCFC in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: New York Red Bulls

But the game was not over for some, as the bad blood spilled over past the final whistle.

Tom Edwards, Taty Castellanos and Maxi Moralez got into a scum at midfield that drew the attention of everyone as players and coaches sprinted to intervene. Both Tom Edwards and Maxi Moralez received red cards for their actions in the melee.

“We are right now of course very happy to go onto the next round,” said Red Bulls head coach Gerhard Struber, who expressed his disappointment to lose Edwards for the next match. “The Open Cup, for us, is a big point for our season and my boys, especially in this game, wanted the victory more than New York City. Now we are in the semifinal, and yeah, this was the big goal today.”

When asked about what it meant to beat NYC, being a Red Bull “through & through”, Red Bull’s defender John Tolkin said, “being from around here, it’s pretty cool”.

“Being from around here , it’s pretty cool,” said Tolkin about beating NYCFC. “Especially in the Open Cup, this is my first year in the tournament. It’s massive obviously, the atmosphere and the emotions that go into it, it’s an amazing feeling”

For Omir Fernandez, the emotions of this derby are a bit more special to him based on where he grew up.

“For all of us, this is a big game, but for me it’s a bit different because of where I’m from and I have a special connection with the Red Bulls,” said Fernandez. “So for somebody to come in and try to claim that they’re better than us, for me it always hits different to play against this team.”

When Fernandez entered the game as a sub, he really wanted to make an impact.

“We were killing them 2-0, and I came in and I knew I wanted to score,” said Fernandez. “I knew that opportunity was going to present itself and for me to score in front of my family and to run to that corner to see them, a lot of emotions”.

Fernandez, also a homegrown Red Bulls player, was asked what it meant to see all those NYCFC fans heading for the exits after he made it 3-0 in the 91st minute.

“I have a different emotion to this matchup just because of so many things. Old Red Bull fans turned into NYC fans, so when I see these people in our stadium trying to make noise and at the end of the day it’s 3-0 and I look up and they’re all gone.”

Fernandez added: “Get them out of our stadium and out of this conversation that they are better than us and for me it was satisfying to see them leave and that whole team … get out.”

2022 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Sporting KC routs Union Omaha to end Cinderella run, reach Semis

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Daniel Salloi of Sporting KC celebrates after scoring a goal against Union Omaha in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC
Daniel Salloi of Sporting KC celebrates after scoring a goal against Union Omaha in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City stole the show on Wednesday night, riding four second-half goals en route to a 6-0 victory over Union Omaha in the Quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.  The victory allowed Sporting to advance to their sixth Semifinals in club history, where they will face another USL club: USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC.

The margin of victory is the highest in a Quarterfinal match since 1991, when the USISL’s Richardson Rockets (TX) defeated Galveston Norte America, 8-1.  The last time six goals were scored in a Quarterfinal was when Minnesota United FC beat New Mexico United (USL Championship), 6-1, in 2019.

Even during the initial moments of the match, Sporting was able to maintain their composure, set up their formation, and execute their game plan. 

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

“If you come with the effort and you have respect for your opponent, you understand that they want to win as well,” said Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes, who improved his advance percentage to .800, second-highest of the Modern Era. “If you go out and play your game, then you give yourself a chance.  The guys today were hungry. They were organized. I also believe they gave the effort that they needed to, but they were also disciplined.”

Union Omaha was able to hold Sporting Kansas City at bay for the first few minutes, but the flood gates opened in the 10th minute when Sporting midfielder Dániel Salloí was fed a pass from Khiry Shelton and took a shot from the center of the box into the lower left corner. The two would connect for a second goal later in the match. The action happened so fast that Union Omaha goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu had little time to react. Despite giving up six goals, one of the bright spots in Union Omaha’s defense was Nuhu, who had several high-quality reflex saves throughout the match.

That organization allowed them to exploit Union Omaha’s defense time and time again.  One major reason for that was Salloí, whose two goals on the night surpassed Dom Dwyer for club’s leading scorer in the US Open Cup.  His threatening runs along the left sideline routinely pulled players out of position, opened up passing lanes, extended the field, and exposed threats that the Owls weren’t prepared to defend. 

“I thought was a handful on the left hand side, for them,” said Vermes. “Dániel, he has excellent movement off the ball, but I also think part of the reason why he was so effective was that when Cam was playing in between the lines and he was pretty disciplined to it as what we wanted him to do.  He was so good at turning and running at the back line and feeding Dániel in the run, as opposed to giving it to him and then he has to start from a stopped position.”

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "Champions" shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit THECUP.US SHOP
Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “Champions” shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

When asked about going after Union Omaha’s outside backs, Vermes said:

“Yeah, it was part of the game plan. I thought that because of our movement of the ball, if it was going to be good, we could move from side to side and find 2-versus-1 or 3-versus-2 situations, that was going to be big, but the other is that Khiry was very good with coming off the back line and pulling guys out with him and if they didn’t come, then we had 4-versus-2 in the midfield, which we overpowered them just with numbers and that was a big part of the game.”

Case in point was the second goal, coming in the 37th minute, when Sporting midfielder Felipe Hernández was able to get a cross off and defender Kortne Ford was able to head the ball past Nuhu.  Hernández would finish the match with two goals and one assist.  When the teams went into the locker rooms for halftime, Sporting was leading 2-0, but they weren’t even close to being finished.

In the second half, Sporting would go on to score four more goals.

Aside from assisting on the first goal of the match, Sporting striker Khiry Shelton contributed to the scoreline by assisting on Salloi’s record-breaking goal in the 53rd minute. Shelton fed the ball out to Salloi on the left wing and the Hungarian winger entered the box, shook two defenders before slotting it past the goalkeeper from a tight angle.  

Shelton would add one of his own three minutes later. Nocolas Isimat-Mirin delivered a long ball out of the back up to Shelton would brought it down between two defenders. His touch nearly got away from him but he was able to pull off a sliding shot on goal before the second defender could close on him. The shot got behind the keeper and pinged off the post and into the back of the net for his second career Open Cup goal (the first coming against FC Dallas in the Fourth Round back on May 10)

Felipe Hernandez would round out the scoring with a pair of goals.

In the 66th minute, a low cross took a deflection off an Omaha defender and slowly dribbled its way in front of goal where Hernandez got to it first and punched home his first career Open Cup goal.

He would add a second on a similar play as Logan Ndenbe sent a much more crisp centering pass from the right wing and found Hernandez at the top of the box for a thumping goal that put the game to bed.

By the final whistle, Sporting Kansas City has 78% of the possession.  Vermes recognized this and said:

“It was part of our game plan, but it was also part of our identity and I think the fact that we’ve had some consistency in the group out on the field and we’re getting guys back, maybe they’re not all 100 percent fit, but getting those guys back that understand their identity, having them out on the field, that consistency, it lends itself to playing who we are.  We kept the ball really well.”

https://twitter.com/SportingKC/status/1539798876990935046

While the action on the field was noteworthy, so was the environment.  Children’s Mercy Park, which is home to the second-highest average attendance for US Open Cup matches in the Modern Era, was loud and boisterous from the beginning. Sporting Kansas City midfielder Felipe Hernández commented on the environment:

“It was good. The first five minutes, I could hear that corner. They were loud and rowdy,” said Hernandez. “I could hear them all game, so it was good to see that from them, but our fans were awesome as well, like they always are.”

Even Union Omaha head coach Jay Mims took a moment to comment on the environment after the match:

“It was proper environment tonight. It was wonderful. I think the only bad thing was the score line, but everything else was first class. I mean the fans, the stadium, our fans, the environment, the wave was going on, the chanting, the singing, it was just the banter. I just thought it was great. The field played perfect.  It was just, obviously, not the result we were looking for.”

2022 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Long-range winner helps Sacramento Republic score rare road upset of LA Galaxy

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Sacramento Republic players celebrate after defeating the LA Galaxy 2-1 in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC

A goal in the fourth minute of the quarterfinal match of the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup foreshadowed Sacramento’ Republic FC’s 2-1 upset victory over the LA Galaxy on Tuesday night.

“​​I think shows that we’re a football club that can be that can compete with the elite clubs in this country … so proud of the group we have here and the result that we’ve achieved tonight,” said Sacramento Republic FC head coach Mark Briggs, who will lead his club into the Semifinals for the first time in team history.

This marks just the 14th time that a lower division team has advance to the US Open Cup Semifinals, and they are the ninth different club to do it. It is the fourth time that Sacramento has upset a MLS team

Sacramento also becomes just the second club (and the first lower division club) in the last 21 years to win a US Open Cup game on the Galaxy’s home field. 

A battle of possession looked to be in the favor of the LA Galaxy, however, that was short-lived when Sacramento FC created its first opportunity of the night.

Just four minutes into the match, a play from the backfield to its strikers, Sacramento Republic’s Douglas Martinez took possession of the ball and quickly released it to fellow teammate Rodrigo Lopez.

Lopez completed the pass from Martinez and put up Sacramento Republic FC on the board early on.

.It was Rodrigo Lopez’s seventh career US Open Cup goal, which pulled him ahead of Tommy Stewart on the Republic’s all-time tournament scoring list. It also gave him four goals for the 2022 US Open Cup which puts him alone atop the competition’s leaderboard.

His seven career goals and seven career assists in the US Open Cup give him 21 points which put the 35-year-old tied for 12th on the Modern Era’s scoring chart. 

A bit distraught by the early defect, the Galaxy began to increase their pressure on Sacramento. A few close shots were attempted from the added offensive push, but all would just barely skim outside the goal posts or were blocked by Sacramento’s goalie.

 

However, in front of Sacramento’s goal post, a small huddle appeared where both teams attempted to remove the ball and score at the same time. Unknowingly to both, the ball would be played by a Sacramento player and fall into their own goal.

The match would turn into a 1-1 score in the 18th minute.

With that unforeseen own goal, both teams were now eager to surpass the other. The momentum increased, but so did the aggressive play on the pitch. Two yellow cards were awarded to LA Galaxy, one in the 25th minute (Kevin Cabral) and the 42nd minute (Derrick Williams). Sacramento Republic FC did not just scrape the first half without a caution, as Jack Gurr received a yellow in the 37th minute.

However, the pace of the game would continue the same, and even with three minutes added to the half; neither team would take the lead.

Returning to the pitch for the second half, the aggressiveness from the first half continued to be prominent with both teams.

Though just like most of the match, opportunities were created but were just inches away from the goal.

It wasn’t until the 70th minute that Sacramento Republic FC would find itself finally taking back the lead. Luis Felipe Rodrigues would be just feet outside of the goalie box for a straight shot to the right side of the goal post and just inches out of the reach of LA Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann’s reach.

“It’s great for Luis, obviously, he was with San Jose for three years, and didn’t get the minutes that he would have liked. And he’s come to us and last year he was fantastic for us, playing defensive midfield and was one of our top goal scorers. And then this year, he’s carried on that form,” Briggs said.

The score was now 2-1 and with less than 20 minutes remaining in the match, LA Galaxy looked to create a comeback before the end of regulation time.

With no other close opportunities created by LA Galaxy, Sacramento Republic FC held on for the win to become the first lower division team to reach the Semifinals since FC Cincinnati of the USL (2nd div. pro) cracked the final four in 2017.

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

It was a rare home loss for the Galaxy in the tournament. It was just the fourth time that the MLS side had lost a US Open Cup game at home, dropping their all-time record to to 25-4-0. Entering tonight, they had won their last six home games and 23 of their last 24 in the competition, a run that dates back to 2001, and includes a 2-0 win over the Sacramento Repubulic in the Round of 16 in 2017. 

“I think winning football games gives confidence or were focused on we want tonight we’re through to the semi-final, which is the next round. That’s all we can focus on. Take each game as it comes. Taking each opponent as it comes, makes you make sure the players are tactically set up correctly. Make sure the players understand our strengths, their weaknesses, and how we can win games and then ask the players to execute like they did tonight,” Briggs said.

The Republic will play the winner of Sporting Kansas City (MLS) and Union Omaha (USL League One) in the Semifinals. The host for that game, and the hosting priority for the US Open Cup Final will take place on Wednesday, June 23.

2022 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Previewing three intriguing matchups this week

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The Sacramento Republic celebrate after the club's 2-0 home win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16 of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC
The Sacramento Republic celebrate after the club’s 2-0 home win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16 of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC

UPDATE: Sacramento Republic upset the LA Galaxy on Tuesday night

Three of the four matches for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Quarterfinals will take place this week and feature some intriguing drama. 

#USOC2022 Essentials

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2022 USOC Statistical Leaders
2022 USOC Qualifying Results
USOC rule changes since 2019

TheCup.us Player of the Round winners
Round 5: Joseph Brito (Union Omaha)

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Tuesday night will see a Northern California vs. Southern California matchup with the LA Galaxy hosting the Sacramento Republic of the USL Championshup. 

Wednesday’s doubleheader will kick off with a Hudson River Derby at Red Bull Arena as the New York Red Bulls will host their rival New York City FC. After that, the lone USL League One (Div. 3 pro) team left, Union Omaha, will travel to Kansas to take on four-time champion Sporting Kansas City. 

The hosting scenarios for the Semifinals and the Final are scheduled to take place on June 23, then the final Quarterfinal match will be played on Wednesday, June 29 when Nashville SC heads south to face Orlando City SC.

All games this round, and the rest of the tournament, will be streamed on ESPN+.

As always, TheCup.us will have reporters at every game and will be providing in-game updates on Twitter (@USOpenCup) and as we have done for more than a decade, the hashtag we recommend is #USOC2022

Below you will find a brief preview of this week’s three Quarterfinals with links to each broadcast:

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez of LA Galaxy celebrates during the club's 2022 US Open Cup Fifth Round match against LAFC. Photo: LA Galaxy
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez of LA Galaxy celebrates during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup Fifth Round match against LAFC. Photo: LA Galaxy

Tuesday, June 21
Sacramento Republic (USL-C) at LA Galaxy (MLS)
Dignity Health Sports Park; Carson, CA
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN+

UPDATE: Sacramento Republic upset the LA Galaxy on Tuesday night to reach the Semifinals

The two-time US Open Cup champion LA Galaxy, one of the most decorated MLS clubs of all time, will host the Sacramento Republic FC, the last remaining USL Championship (Div. 2 pro) club. 

After a bit of an up-and-down start to the season, Sacramento has a 4-3-1 record in their last eight games. After their upset of the San Jose Earthquakes on May 25, Sacramento are unbeaten in their last four, including winning three straight. That momentum has carried them into a four-way tie for third place in the competitive Western Conference. 

Meanwhile, the Galaxy are also in the top half of their league’s Western Conference table with a 7-5-3 record. Since their last Open Cup game (a 3-1 home win over LAFC), the Galaxy have picked up a pair of results in league play, a 4-1 win over Austin FC and a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers this past Saturday.  

How they got to the Round of 16

Sacramento had no trouble beating the Portland Timbers U-23s 6-0 in the Second Round. Sacramento held a 6-0 lead at halftime and eased up in the second half so as not to run up the score on the youngsters. 

In the Fourth Round Sacramento hosted a battle of USL Championship Western Conference rivals, facing off with Phoenix Rising. Republic added to their outstanding home Open Cup record with a 2-0 win, Luis Felipe scoring in the first half and Douglas Martinez adding the second in the 88th minute.

In the Round of 16, Sacramento broke through the San Jose blockade, beating the Earthquakes for the first time in Open Cup play in four tries. Over 11,000 packed Heart Health Park in Sacramento on a sweltering night. Luis Felipe opened the scoring in the 28th minute on a Rodrigo Lopez assist, and then Lopez closed out the game with a fantastic shot in the 84th minute to propel Sacramento to the Quarterfinals for the first time.

The Galaxy began their Open Cup run by welcoming former club legend and San Diego Loyal manager Landon Donovan to Dignity Health Sports Park in the Third Round. Los Angeles came away with a 1-0 win as Kevin Cabral scored the lone goal.

In the Fourth Round, the Galaxy got by the stubborn California United Strikers of NISA, 3-2. Cal United grabbed a shocking 1-0 lead in the 19th minute on a goal by Shinya Kadono, but Dejan Joveljic evened things up with the first of his two penalties for the Galaxy. The game stayed level until the 80th minute when Owen Lambe put the Galaxy ahead, and three minutes later Joveljic converted his second penalty to seal the win. Cal United created some late drama with an 88th minute goal from Kevin Garcia-Lopez.

In the Round of 16 the Galaxy faced off with cross town rivals Los Angeles FC in the first ever Open Cup version of “El Traffico” in front of 24,174 fans at the Galaxy’s Dignity Health Sports Park. After a scoreless first half, Kevin Cabral put the Galaxy ahead in the 51st minute, and Chicharito doubled the lead seven minutes later. Dejan Joveljic made it 3-0 in the 81st minute, and LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead scored the visitors lone goal four minutes later.

The lone Open Cup meeting between the two clubs came in the 2017 Round of 16. Sacramento began in the Second Round that year, and in the prior round they rolled over Real Salt Lake 4-1 in front of 11,569 in Sacramento. In front of a sparse crowd of 2,672 at the StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium, LA’s Ariel Lassiter and Bradford Jamieson scored early in the second half to give the MLS club a 2-0 win. At the time, it was the furthest Sacramento had gone in the Open Cup.

The Galaxy will look to avenge their reserve club LA Galaxy II after Sacramento beadt them in USL Championship play 2-0 on June 18. Luther Archimede and Rafael Jauregui scored midway through the second half for the winners.

Sacramento Republic FC (USL Championship)
7th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 17-5-1 (0-1 PKs)
Away: 1-4-1 (0-1 PKs)
vs. MLS: 3-4-1 (0-1 PKs)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2022)

Current Season
7-3-4 25 Pts., 17 GF 11 GA, 5th in USL Championship Western Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Douglas Martinez, 3
Assists Leader: Douglas Martinez, Luther Archimede, 2
Goalkeeping Leader: Daniel Vitiello, 10 games, 0.80 GAA / 3 clean sheets

Last Three Games
6/4 – USL-C – 1-0 win vs. San Antonio FC
6/11 – USL-C – 2-0 vs. at Detroit City FC
6/18 – USL-C 0 2-0 win vs. LA Galaxy II

LA Galaxy (MLS)
17th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 35-17-1 (1-0 PKs)
Home: 25-3-0
vs. Div. 2: 11-4-0
Best finish: U.S. Open Cup Champions (2001, 2005)

Current Season
7-5-3 24 Pts., 18 GF 16 GA, 5th in MLS Western Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Chicharito, 6
Assists Leader: Raheem Edwards, 5
Goalkeeping Leader: Jonathan Bond, 15 games, 1.07 GAA / 5 clean sheets

Last Three Games
5/22 – MLS – 3-0 loss vs. Houston Dynamo
5/29 – MLS – 4-1 win vs. Austin FC
6/18 – MLS – 1-1 draw vs. Portland Timbers

Union Omaha celebrate in the locker room after a 2-1 upset win over Minnesota United FC in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Union Omaha
Union Omaha celebrate in the locker room after a 2-1 upset win over Minnesota United FC in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Union Omaha

June 22

Union Omaha (USL-1) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Children’s Mercy Park; Kansas City, KS
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN+

Union Omaha are the last remaining third division club in the tournament, representing USL League One. They are trying to become just the third team from a third division league to reach the Semifinals. The other two are the San Francisco Bay Seals (D3 Pro League) in 1997 and the Richmond Kickers (USL) in 2011.

Much like their opponents on Wednesday, Union Omaha are struggling in league play with a 3-2-4 record. However, there is still plenty of time for the defending USL League One champions to get back on track. It looked like they were headed that way with a six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, until this past weekend when they fell 2-0 at home to the Greenville Triumph, the team they defeated in the league championship game last year.

Sporting Kansas City are attempting to join some elite company in 2022. The MLS side has four US Open Cup trophies and adding a fifth would tie the tournament’s all-time record (Bethlehem Steel, Maccabee AC, Fall River Marksmen/New Bedford Whalers). Sporting might have extra motivation because they have struggled in league play. They enter Wednesday’s match one point from the bottom of the Western Conference with a 4-9-4 record. Last weekend, they snapped a three-game winless streak (0-2-1) with a 2-1 road win over Nashville SC. Teams using the Open Cup to get their league season back on track, or to save a season would not be unheard of.

How they got to the Round of 16

Union Omaha began their inaugural Open Cup run in the Second Round when they edged USL League Two powerhouse Des Moines Menace 2-1 in Omaha, Neb. The game was decided on an 81st minute own goal by Des Moines.

With no Open Cup experience, Omaha received a major test with their first professional opponent: Chicago Fire of MLS. Noe Meza scored the tying goal midway through the second half, and in extra time Alex Touche sent the game to penalties with a 120th minute stoppage time goal. Rashid Nuhu saved Chicago’s final penalty to give Omaha the upset.

Omaha’s found USL League One rivals Northern Colorado Hailstorm (who pulled off an MLS upset of their own in the previous round) waiting in the Fourth Round, and came away with a 2-0 victory. Goals from Noe Meza and Conor Doyle in the second half powered the Union to the win and the tournament’s $25,000 prize money as the last remaining third division club.

In the Round of 16, Omaha claimed another MLS upset on the road as they traveled north and knocked off Minnesota United FC, 2-1. The Sportscenter-worthy winning goal was scored by Joseph Brito in the 51st minute. That goal was enough to earn him a narrow win in TheCup.us Player of the Round voting. The win also made history for the state of the Nebraska as Omaha became the first club from the Cornhusker State to reach the Quarterfinals.

Sporting KC began their Open Cup journey in dramatic fashion. The four-time champs overcame a 2-0 halftime deficit to FC Dallas, scored an equalizer deep into second half stoppage time, and then tacked on two more goals in extra time to prevail 4-2. Marinos Tzionis scored the late equalizer for his first goal for Sporting KC. Four minutes into extra time an own goal from Edwin Cerrillo put KC up for good, and Khiry Shelton made it 4-2 in the 113th minute.

SKC would reach the Quarterfinals for the 12th time with a 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo. Their 12 Quarterfinal appearances are tied for fifth-most in the tournament’s 107-year history. Johnny Russell scored both goals for Sporting, who was playing Houston for the fifth time in the last six tournaments.

Johnny Russell of Sporting KC talks to his teammates in the huddle before the club's 2022 US Open Cup Fifth Round match against the Houston Dynamo. Photo: Sporting KC
Johnny Russell of Sporting KC talks to his teammates in the huddle before the club’s 2022 US Open Cup Fifth Round match against the Houston Dynamo. Photo: Sporting KC

Union Omaha (USL League One)
1st US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 4-0-0
Away: 2-0-0
vs. MLS: 1-0-1 (1-0 PKs)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2002)

Current Season
3-4-2 13 Pts., 10 GF 8 GA, 7th in USL League One
Goal Scoring Leader: Noe Meza, 3
Assists Leader: Noe Meza, 3
Goalkeeping Leader: Rashid Nuhu, 8 games, 0.80 GAA / 4 clean sheets

Last Three Games
6/4 – USL1 – 1-0 win at Chattanooga Red Wolves
6/11 – USL1 – 2-1 win at FC Tucson
6/18 – USL1 – 0-2 loss vs. Greenville Triumph

Sporting Kansas City (Major League Soccer)
22nd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 30-15-6 (4-2 PKs)
Home: 22-7-2 (2-0 PKs)
vs. Division 3: 3-3-0
Best finish: U.S. Open Cup Champions (2004, 2012, 2015, 2017)

Current Season
4-9-4 16 Pts., 16 GF 29 GA, 12th in MLS Western Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Johnny Russell, 5
Assists Leader: Cameron Duke, Felipe Hernandez, 3
Goalkeeping Leader: Tim Melia, 17games, 1.71 GAA / 4 clean sheets

Last Three Games
5/28 – MLS – 0-1 loss vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
6/12 – MLS – 1-2 loss vs. New England Revolution
6/19 – MLS – 2-1 win at Nashville SC

Luquinhas of the New York Red Bulls battles for the ball against Charlotte FC in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: New York Red Bulls
Luquinhas of the New York Red Bulls battles for the ball against Charlotte FC in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: New York Red Bulls

Wednesday, June 22

New York City FC (MLS) at New York Red Bulls (MLS)
Red Bull Arena; Harrison, NJ
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
Broadcast: ESPN+

It doesn’t get much better when two league rivals square off in the US Open Cup. It makes it even more meaningful because the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC have both never won the US Open Cup. But adding a little more spice to the matchup at Red Bull Arena is the fact that these two rivals neck-and-neck in the Eastern Conference standings with NYCFC on top of the Eastern Conference with Red Bulls one point behind them.

The Red Bulls are a two-time finalist (2003, 2017) but have never been able to get to the top of the mountain. After four consecutive opening round defeats in their first four tournament entries, NYCFC won a couple games in 2019 before falling in PKs to Orlando City in the Quarterfinals. This year, NYCFC needed home wins over Rochester NY FC (formerly Rochester Rhinos) and the New England Revolution to punch their ticket to the Quarterfinals.

NYCFC haven’t lost a game in any competition since early April, going 12 games without a loss. Their last outing on Sunday saw them finish with a 1-1 draw the Colorado Rapids. Similarly, the Red Bulls have only lost one game since mid-April in all competitions.

How they got to the Round of 16

The Red Bulls reached the Fourth Round with a 2-1 win over Hartford Athletic of the USL Championship. Early goals from Lewis Morgan and Aaron Long was all NYRB needed while out-shooting Hartford, 30-4.

The Red Bulls had no trouble with their Fifth Round encounter with rivals D.C. United, leaving D.C’s Audi Field with a 3-0 win. Luquinhas opened the scoring in first half stoppage time, and John Tolkin added another just after halftime. Zach Ryan put the game to bed with his 68th-minute goal.

NYCFC had a bit of a tougher task with Rochester New York FC, beating the MLS Next Pro club 3-1 in the Fourth Round. Thiago Andrade started the scoring for NYCFC in the 23rd minute, and eight minutes later Heber took advantage of a goalkeeping mistake to double the lead. Jesus Baitz got Rochester back into the game in first half stoppage time, but Maxime Chanot’s goal midway through the second half gave the MLSers a comfortable lead.

Then, in the Round of 16, it was a battle between two major trophy winners from last season with NYCFC lifting MLS Cup and the New England Revolution winning the Supporters’ Shield. Santiago Rodriguez scored the lone goal of the game in the 94th minute of extra time as New York City advanced.

New York City FC (Major League Soccer)
6th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 4-3-2 (0-2 PKs)
Away: 1-2-2 (0-2 PKs)
vs. MLS: 1-2-1 (0-1 PKs)

Best finish: Quarterfinals (2019)

Current Season

8-3-3 27 Pts., 26 GF 11 GA 1st in MLS Eastern Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Valentin Castellanos, 7
Assists Leader: Santiago Rodriguez, 7
Goalkeeping Leader: Sean Johnson, 14 games, 0.79 GAA / 8 clean sheets

Last Three Games
5/22 – MLS – 1-0 win vs. Chicago Fire
5/28 – MLS – 1-0 win at Minnesota United
6/19 – MLS – 1-1 draw vs. Colorado Rapids

New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
22nd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 25-20-3 (2-1 PKs)
Home: 11-6-2 (1-1 PKs)
vs. MLS: 10-12-3 (2-1 PKs)
Best finish: Final (2003, 2017)

Current Season
7-4-5 26 Pts., 26 GF 17 GA, 2nd in MLS Eastern Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Lewis Morgan, 7
Assists Leader: Omir Fernandez, 6
Goalkeeping Leader: Carlos Coronel, 15 games, 1.00 GAA, 4 clean sheets

Last Three Games
5/28 – MLS – 4-1 win vs. D.C. United
6/11 – MLS – 0-2 loss at Charlotte FC
6/18 – MLS – 2-0 win vs. Toronto FC

Santiago Rodriguez of NYCFC celebrates after scoring a goal against the New England Revolution in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: NYCFC
Santiago Rodriguez of NYCFC celebrates after scoring a goal against the New England Revolution in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: NYCFC

June 29, 2022
Nashville SC (MLS) at Orlando City SC (MLS)
Exploria Stadium; Orlando, FL
Kickoff – 7 PM
Broadcast: ESPN+

Preview coming soon …

2022 US Open Cup Round 5: Joe Brito of Union Omaha voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

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Joseph Brito of Union Omaha was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Union Omaha
Joseph Brito of Union Omaha was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Union Omaha

“We can start to taste it at this point.  We’re a couple of games away from making history.” 

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "Champions" shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit THECUP.US SHOP
Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “Champions” shirt, honoring the five clubs from the pre-Modern Era (1914-1994) to win four or more US Open Cup titles. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

Soccer fans in America, meet Joe Brito.  That quote came from a recent interview with US Soccer, where he also shared, “I think we can do it.”

This man has inspired hope for Union Omaha fans, especially with his recent performance against MLS side Minnesota United in the Fifth Round (Round of 16) of the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

His goal in the 51st minute edged the Owls past the Loons and into the Quarterfinals, a first for a third-division club since Orlando City in 2013.  That same goal earned him Player of the Round honors from TheCup.us.

The Player of the Round award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters, and select supporters who have pledged $10 or more to TheCup.us’s Patreon team.

The voting was essentially a two-man race with Brito barely edging Sacramento Republic’s Rodrigo Lopez, who had a goal and an assist as the USL Championship side’s upset of the San Jose Earthquakes.

This has been Joe Brito’s first experience with the US Open Cup — and what a maiden voyage it has been.

It began in the Second Round against the Des Moines Menace of USL League Two.

“I remember being really nervous for our first game against Des Moines Menace because it was my first official game for Union Omaha and I knew the pressure was on us since we’re the pro team,” Brito told TheCup.us.

Never one to look back too long, he immediately shifted his gaze to the future.

“Now it’s nice because the pressure has been on the MLS teams and we’ve been able to take advantage of that,” Brito said.

That same confidence was needed to make his second-half goal in Minnesota.



In the 51st minute of the match, with the score tied 1-1, Union Omaha advanced up the field, along the right sideline, and into the attacking third.  The ball was crossed into the box and a poor headed clearance brought the ball right to Brito’s chest, where he used every millisecond to wait for the ball to fall into place for a volley. What followed was a thunderous right-footed shot that sent the ball into the roof of the net. That confidence, that ability to play uninhibited, came from the belief that he, and his Union Omaha teammates, were playing without any pressure on them.

Next up is the Quarterfinals, where Union Omaha takes on Sporting Kansas City — the club that has billboards in Omaha, plenty of fans, and even a youth affiliate in their own backyard.

Brito doesn’t seem bothered. 

“I’m also equally excited to get the opportunity to play another MLS team,” he said. “That’s the level I want to play at one day, so I enjoy trying to prove that I belong and can be successful at that level.”

He echoed these same sentiments in a recent interview with USL League One, saying: “I think the gap is a lot smaller than people think.  Here in America, especially with no promotion and relegation, it’s a lot tighter.  Now that there are more leagues, more teams, the talent is very spread out.  Our mentality stays the same because it’s gotten us this far.  There’s no point in changing it.  I think that that mentality is an advantage to us that most teams don’t have because they are expected to win.  I think that’s a big advantage for us.”

So what is Joe Brito most excited about leading up to the Quarterfinals?  The fans. 

“I’m most excited to see all of our fans out in Kansas City. I know our supporters’ section is already sold out, so it’s going to be an incredible atmosphere and I love playing in those kinds of games. When I first came to Omaha, I heard good things about the fan base, but didn’t know what to expect. The fans have certainly blown me away with their support and passion towards the club and hopefully we can give them a show in Kansas City.”















He’s having a lot of fun right now and he’s living in the moment, making an impact in meaningful competition in his first season as a pro. 

“I’d definitely be happy to hear that I’m having a big impact in my first professional season,” Brito said. “I’ve worked hard for these moments, so it’s nice to see all the sacrifice and dedication pay off.”

With 259 minutes under his belt, one goal, and two assists, Brito is seeing the payoff.

As the team prepares for the Wednesday’s Quarterfinal against Sporting Kansas City, Brito is focused on winning the match, but smiling every step of the way. 

“Some of my favorite memories, and moments from my soccer career, has come from this cup run, so I’m extremely grateful for it,” he said.

Union Omaha travels to Children’s Mercy Park on Wednesday, June 22, to take on Sporting Kansas City.  Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM (CST) and will be broadcast on ESPN+.







2022 US Open Cup Round of 16: Who should be TheCup.us Player of the Round?


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Sixteen teams, including three USL sides, entered the Fifth Round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup still hoping for the chance to bring glory to their fans.  Eight teams will continue their journey, advancing to the Quarterfinals in search of the championship.  The Quarterfinals will take place June 21-22, and another on June 29.

There was plenty of action, a few upsets and some stunning goals and assists in the thrilling Round of 16 of the 107th edition of the tournament.


The Player of the Round award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters and select backers (those that pledge $10 or more) of TheCup.us’ Patreon team.


Here are the finalists (in alphabetical order):


Joseph Brito
Union Omaha (USL League One)

After being down a goal in the sixth minute, Brito scored the comeback game-winner early in the second half for Omaha’s huge 2-1 road upset over Minnesota United FC (MLS).  After catching a poorly headed clearance with his chest, he volleyed the ball right past the keeper to silence the home crowd in Saint Paul. The goal ranked No. 4 on Sportscenter’s Top 10 list that evening. 

Samuel Grandsir
Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)

Grandsir provided two pin-point assists to two different players in just six minutes in the second half to put give the LA Galaxy a 3-1 home win over fierce local rivals Los Angeles FC (MLS).  His second assist to a wide-open and sprinting Chicharito after he beat Latif Blessing in a footrace to the ball, proved to be one that secured the win in a US Open Cup edition of El Trafico.

Patryk Klimala
New York Red Bulls (MLS)

Klimala got the Red Bulls off to a fast start with the fastest goal in Red Bulls history, scored 63 seconds into the match following some scrambling in the box off a corner kick.  He then assisted what proved to be the game-winner against Charlotte FC (MLS), sprinting up the field and slaloming a defender to find a teammate in front of the goal at their home away from home stadium in Montclair, NJ. The Red Bulls would add a third goal in second half stoppage time to beat Charlotte FC, 3-1. 


Rodrigo Lopez
Sacramento Republic (USL Championship)


Lopez contributed to both goals, assisting on the first and scoring the second, as Sacramento Republic upset MLS side San Jose Earthquakes, 2-0.  After providing service on a corner for Luis Felipe to score a header in the first half, he scored a spectacular rocket of a goal late in the second half to preserve the upset win in front of a sold-out home crowd in California’s capital city.


Hany Mukhtar
Nashville SC (MLS)


Just twelve minutes after coming on as a second half sub, Mukhtar curled a low shot around the keeper from the edge of the six-yard box to crush the upset dreams of Louisville City FC (USL Championship) and their home crowd in the 89th minute.  With the dramatic game-winning goal, Nashville won 2-1, snapping LouCity’s nine-game home unbeaten streak in the US Open Cup and sent Nashville to the Quarterfinals for the first time in club history.


Johnny Russell
Sporting Kansas City (MLS)


Russell scored both goals in Sporting KC’s 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo (MLS) at Children’s Mercy Park.  A few minutes after halftime, the captain bounced back off the ground from a foul, played the advantage, and shot a rocket into the net from the top of the box. Twenty minutes later, Russell sent a laser of a penalty kick past the outstretched hands of the keeper into the right side of the goal.




2022 US Open Cup Round 5: Rodrigo Lopez delivers Sacramento Republic long-awaited upset of San Jose Earthquakes


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The Sacramento Republic celebrate after the club's 2-0 home win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16 of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC
The Sacramento Republic celebrate after the club’s 2-0 home win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16 of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC





Heart Health Park witnessed one of the most thrilling matches in Sacramento Republic FC’s history. For the first time in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the “Indomitable club” defeated MLS side San Jose Earthquakes after three narrow defeats in 2014, 2015 and 2019. 





The San Jose Earthquakes controlled most of the possession in the initial minutes of the game. Breaking the Sacramento backline, firing shots and creating opportunities mainly in the left flank. However, after settling down, Republic FC matched San Jose’s intensity and turned out to be a historic night for the Indomitable Club, beating the MLS side 2-0 on the strength of a goal and an assist by long-time captain Rodrigo Lopez. 













“I thought especially in the last 20 minutes of the first half, we started to take control of the game and looked threatening when we got in their attacking half,” said Sacramento Republic FC head coach Mark Briggs. “I thought we could’ve had one more , forward defending excellently, could’ve been better with the ball, but who cares! It’s a cup game, it’s a one-off game, we won and that’s all I really care about to be quite frankly.” 





The win tonight improves Sacramento Republic FC’s all-time home record to 16-1 in Open Cup play with 11 straight wins, the fourth longest home winning streak of the Modern Era (1995-present).













“The fight that the guys put up tonight was incredible. The crowd was supporting us throughout the whole night, having our back. For me it was a special night,” said Luis Felipe, responsible for scoring the first goal of the night against his former club. Felipe played for San Jose three seasons before being released in 2020. 

Luis Felipe, the former Earthquake, scored the opening goal in the 28th minute off a corner kick. Surrounded by San Jose players right in front goal, he used every inch of his 6’1 frame to head the ball past San Jose goalkeeper Matt Bersano. 





“One thing that we put in our head was that we couldn’t be afraid of them, they are MLS but we have a great team and we showed it tonight. We stepped out and showed that we are capable of achieving big things,” he added.





Rodrigo Lopez, who delivered that corner kick to Luis Felipe, was another player that had a stellar performance. And he had a good feeling about the game all along.













“Coming into the stadium I told our trainers today that I felt vibes from 2014/2015,” said Lopez. The 35-year-old captain wrote yet another chapter in the history books for Sacramento Republic by leading them to their first-ever quarterfinal appearance in the US Open Cup with a rocket shot from just outside the box in the 84th minute.

Lopez received a pass on the right wing and saw his defender giving him plenty of space. He timed his run well because as soon as the defender starrted to close in on him, he turned on the jets and blew past him. The Sacramento captain dribbled about 20 yards in and launched his shot as he approached the corner of the penalty area and sent it into the upper 90 at the far post. Bersano got a hand to it but it was hit with such force that it ended up in the back of the net to give the home side a 2-0 lead that they would hold onto until the final whistle.  

Reaching the Quarterfinals for the first time is an achievement that is hard to believe hasn’t happened already since Sacramento has been a model of lower division consistency in the tournament. In the club’s seven Open Cup appearances, the Republic have advanced at least twice in each competition every year with the exception of one: their only loss to a non-MLS team, a 3-1 home loss to the Kitsap Pumas (USL League Two) in 2016. Aside from that game, the other five times Sacramento has been eliminated, it was at the hands of a MLS team (3 vs. San Jose, 1 vs. LA Galaxy, 1 vs. LAFC). 





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





Sacramento has now defeated three Major League Soccer teams with tonight’s win over San Jose. Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders being the other two franchises. 





“I’m really happy. I’m enjoying playing more than any year to be honest, I know it’s toward the end of my career but I’m just trying to enjoy it everyday,” said Lopez. 





The 84th-minute rocket by Rodrigo Lopez’s marks his sixth career US Open Cup goal, which is tied with Tommy Stewart for the most in Sacramento Republic FC history. It was his third goal of the 2022 US Open Cup, which ties him for the tournament lead.

Only nine Modern Era players have scored more goals than Lopez while playing for a second division pro team. None of them are still actively playing. 





The Indomitable Club will look to keep their Open Cup run alive on June 21 as they travel to Los Angeles to take on the two-time champion Galaxy and face Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez and company in the Quarterfinals. 










	
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