Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2024 US Open Cup

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Dembor Benson of El Farolito voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

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2024 US Open Cup Round 2 Player of the Round
Photo by Central Valley Fuego || Graphic by Phil Naegely

El Farolito continued their marauding run in the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in no small part due to their striker in-form, Dembor Benson. The Honduran forward was able to clinch the equalizer just before halftime and also scored the winning goal for the second time in a row in an Open Cup match.

Benson’s inspired form in front of goal has catapulted El Farolito Soccer Club into US Open Cup headlines and earned himself TheCup.us Player of the Round award for the Second Round.

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) from TheCup.us’ Patreon team.

Benson received 72% of the first place votes, running away with the award by a wide margin over second place Jonathan Jimenez (NYCFC II) and third place finisher Mark Hernandez (Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC).

Benson comes from a strong soccer family headlined by his older brother Honduran international Jerry Bengston. (NOTE: According to Benson, the two have different surnames due to a registration error that has yet to be fixed.) Bengston made 69 appearances for the Honduran national team and is the nation’s seventh all-time leading goal scorer. Dembor has undoubtedly lived up to his family name recently, scoring five goals in his last five games. 

The in-form striker is not only scoring a high number of goals but scoring them in crucial moments, getting the winner against Timbers2 in Round 1, as well as a brace to knab the equalizer and the winner in the dying minutes against Central Valley Fuego.

After giving up an early goal, El Farolito came from behind to beat the Fuego thanks to Benson pouncing on a rebound from a long ball inside the box. Benson placed it on the right side.

Then, he was an 88th minute hero, scoring the equalizer at the far post following a pass from Sebastian Yabur inside the box.

Next up, El Farolito will face Oakland Roots SC who are not only local neighbors but were the team that knocked them out of the competition last year.

“To be honest that game, I take it as a ‘Clasico’ or something like that,” said Benson. “The truth is I’m feeling anxious, already visualizing what will happen (in the game) on Tuesday … It’s going to be a beautiful game as they are the favorites before the game but we have been showing that El Farolito isn’t just any team. El Farolito is a team that against whoever will fight, will give everything and that day will not be the exception.”

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Who should be TheCup.us Player of the Round?

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2024 thecup.us player of the round

The Second Round of the 2024 edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup brought 16 more games of exciting matchups. Games this round had an average of more than three goals per game, several red cards, and four games going to extra time, with one of those (a scoreless draw between Charlotte Independence and South Carolina United Heat) needing penalties for the final decision. Several cupsets have upstarts still in the mix, and many players stood out among their peers for their performances this round.

Since 2006, TheCup.us has set out to honor the best individual performance of each round.

The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters, and select backers from TheCup.us’ Patreon. If you’d like to vote in this, or upcoming rounds, consider pledging $10 or more and help us continue to cover the US Open Cup and research its long history. If you did have a vote, which player do YOU think should win?

Here are the finalists (in alphabetical order):

Dakota Barnathan, Richmond Kickers (USL League One)

Barnathan scored two goals, one in first-half stoppage time and another in the final moments of the game, in a dominating 5-2 home win over upstart Maryland Bobcats (NISA)

Dembor Benson, El Farolito SC (NPSL)

Benson scored both goals, including the game-winner in the dying moments of the second half, in El Farolito’s 2-1 dramatic upset of pro team Central Valley Fuego (USL-1).

Mark Hernandez, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (USL League One)

Hernandez scored the game-tying goal just one minute after being subbed on in the second half and then assisted on their second goal in the 80th minute. In a back-and-forth game, Northern Colorado beat Colorado Rapids 2 by the score of 3-2 in extra time.

Jonathan Jiménez, New York City FC II (MLS NEXT Pro)

Jimenez scored two goals in the first half and completed his hat trick to put the icing on the cake in the 87th minute in NYCFC II’s 4-2 win over Hudson River rivals NY Red Bulls II (MLS NEXT Pro).

Lyam MacKinnon, Greenville Triumph SC (USL League One)

MacKinnon started and played 74 minutes and gave Greenville the lead twice in the first half, scoring their first two goals in the 15th and 33rd minutes in their 3-2 extra time win at One Knoxville (USL-1).

Gunther Rakenburg, Greenville Triumph SC (USL League One)

Rakenburg faced 29 shots with nine on target, making seven saves to help Greenville eke out a 3-2 victory in extra time over fellow USL-1 team One Knoxville.

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Luis Gil’s late goal sends Spokane Velocity past LA Force

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Luis Gil of Spokane Velocity celebrates his goal against LA Force FC in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Gerald Barnhart - InlandSoccerNews.com
Luis Gil of Spokane Velocity celebrates his goal against LA Force FC in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Gerald Barnhart – InlandSoccerNews.com

Spokane Velocity FC remains undefeated in the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after the club’s second ever match in the tournament, as they took down the Los Angeles Force 1-0.

The lone score of the match was banged home by Velocity striker Luis Gil in the 85th minute of the contest. A wild first touch missile from midfielder Andre Lewis ricocheted off of LA Force goalkeeper Seth Torman and Gil quickly turned into Velocity’s “Johnny-on-the-spot”, sending the ball into the net. 

“It was a great start by Andre, forcing the keeper to make a save and I was right there,” said Gil. “I know that you’ve got to put the ball in the back of the net no matter how so, that’s what’s gonna make us move on.”

This is Gil’s second goal of the season and his first in this year’s Open Cup. It was his second career goal in the tournament. His first came back in 2012 when he was a teenager with Real Salt Lake, scoring a goal in a 3-1 upset loss to the Minnesota Stars FC (NASL). Gil’s play outside of the game-winning score helped his team in a major way, as his team took control of the game from the LA Force. 

The Force seemed as though their gameplan revolved around hunkering down in the middle of the field and obstructing any path onto their third of the field. This created a slow tempo to the game, and only a single off-target shot from outside the box was recorded in the first 20 minutes of the game. 

“I think they wanted to be a little bit more aggressive defensively than they were,” explained Velocity head coach Leigh Veidman. “I think that we did a fantastic job with the ball and maintaining the ball, especially in the second half.”

The crowd watching the spectacle witnessed the game get physical at times, and were quick to cheer on or cheer against the referee’s calls. All 2,423 attendees did their best to aid the city’s newest professional sports organization, doing a splendid job according to Veidman.

“I’ll tell you something, a Wednesday night midweek game, regardless if it’s Open Cup or not, to have that many people here tonight was absolutely phenomenal,” said Veidman. The city showed up tonight and they are a massive reason why we pulled through that game and found a way to win. The fans are the heartbeat of every single football club.”

It was the first US Open Cup game for the city of Spokane since 2004 when the Spokane Shadow of the PDL (now USL League Two) dropped a first round game to the Sacramento Knights (USASA/NPSL).

The LA Force struggled to get going offensively, but keeping the Velocity off of the scoreboard for 85 minutes was a difficult task. Their chippy defensive prowess led to a couple of chances with the ball reaching deep into Velocity territory, but the club was only able to register a single shot on target throughout the match. 

Velocity goalkeeper Peter Swinkels has yet to be scored on in his two starts during the Open Cup, and came away with one save. On the other side, Seth Torman of the Force recorded three saves.

Spokane Velocity return to league play on April 14 as they take on Lexington SC before their Third Round matchup when they travel to take on the Las Vegas Lights (USL Championship) on April 17.

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Irvine Zeta takes advantage of early red card in 3-0 win over Ventura County FC

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Players from Ventura County FC (left) and Irvine Zeta FC battle for the ball in a Second Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Mike Ortiz - mikeortizphotography.com
Players from Ventura County FC (left) and Irvine Zeta FC battle for the ball in a Second Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Mike Ortiz – mikeortizphotography.com

NISA side Irvine Zeta FC reaped the benefits of a 16th minute red card to Ventura County FC’s Nicolas Schelotto and held the MLS NEXT Pro outfit to one shot on goal in a 3-0 win at Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium on Wednesday.

The Orange County side’s dominant performance earned them their second straight shutout to begin its professional era, paired with a spot in Thursday’s 10 a.m. PST draw of Round 3 in the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

“Games like these,” Zeta goalkeeper MItchell North said. “Getting a shutout with three goals on the road against a number of guys who are on MLS contracts, it should give the young guys so much confidence.”

The Zeta triton of Rafael Espinoza, George Almeida, and Marcel Salceda found themselves on the scoresheet to each earn their first professional goal.

Ventura County began the game with a counter-attacking approach which resulted in the hosts earning the game’s first scoring opportunity.

The hosts absorbed pressure before goalkeeper Brady Scott pounced on a tame shot and punted the ball to center forward Aaron Bibout who bundled his way into the box after a slip from Zeta center back Alex Culwell in midfield.

The forward opened to his left side for a window of space that allowed him to send a shot that ripped wide and above the goal.

Three minutes later, VCFC was left with 10 players when Schelotto’s studs were stamped on Zeta midfielder Shinya Kadono’s leg from a dangerously needless tackle.

Zeta head coach Tyler Silva said his team put themselves “in a really good position,” before the red card but definitely grew in the game following Schelotto’s ejection.

“We conceded a couple chances on the counter,” Silva said about his side’s bright start to the game before the red card. “But overall I think if we weren’t the better team, we definitely weren’t worse.”

Things got better for the visitors right before the half when midfielder Oscar Cervantes’ cross skipped past numerous defenders and found Espinoza at the back post.

The winger made no mistake in roofing his shot inside the top of the net, putting the visitors in front after 45 minutes.

Players from Ventura County FC (right) and Irvine Zeta FC battle for the ball in a Second Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Mike Ortiz - mikeortizphotography.com
Players from Ventura County FC (right) and Irvine Zeta FC battle for the ball in a Second Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Mike Ortiz – mikeortizphotography.com

Just 16 minutes after the restart, Zeta doubled its lead.

This time Almeida stepped up with a vicious shot to the top of the goal of his own that pinged off the crossbar and beat Scott from atop the 18-yard box.

The former Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros standout was back in similar territory on the campus of CSUDH and celebrated with a scintillating finish.

VCFC’s first shot on goal came from winger Gino Vivi after 82 minutes of play — a straight-forward attempt that North safely pushed away for a corner kick.

That was as close as the hosts would get to North’s goal as Zeta tripled its initial lead with just two minutes left in regulation through a quick, counter-attacking phase.

Midfield substitutes Edgardo Artero and Salceda combined for a one-two punch that sealed Irvine’s ticket into the third round.

“We managed the game really really well,” Silva said about his team’s performance. “With the ball, without the ball.

“And we were able to find our moments to go and put the second and the third, and then control the game with the ball and just kill it out.”

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Stoppage time winner in OT gives Northern Colorado Hailstorm dramatic win over Colorado Rapids 2

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Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC players celebrate a goal against Colorado Rapids 2 in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Evan Munoz
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC players celebrate a goal against Colorado Rapids 2 in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Evan Munoz

It took all 120 minutes, but the Northern Colorado Hailstorm advanced to the Third Round of 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup beating the Colorado Rapids 2, 3-2 in extra time, at Dicks Sporting Goods Park.

Second half substitute defender David Garcia made up for missing an open header only moments before, tapping in a Lucky Opara cross at the 120-minute mark to break the deadlock.

“I was going to be thinking about that one if the game ended on a tie,” Garcia said. “I stayed up after that and we got another cross in. When the cross came in it was going to Jake . I said ‘Dummy!’ and he left it for me. It was just an easy tap in.”

After an uninspired first half from both teams, Wayne Frederick put the Rapids 2 in the lead two minutes after the start of the second half, running onto a chipped ball from Marlon Vargas. Frederick chested the ball in stride to set up a simple finish from seven yards out.

“We woke up after they got that first goal,” said Hailstorm coach Éamon Zayed. “We were off the pace in the first half. We have a lot of guys just coming back into the team who haven’t played a lot of minutes yet. The goal woke us up. We were much better after that goal.

Marky Hernández, whom Zayed was forced to bring off the bench due to a lack of fitness, drew the Hailstorm level in the 59th minute moments after entering the match, getting his own rebound after Rapids 2 defender, Michael Edwards denied his first opportunity off a driven cross from Noah Powder on the right side.

“Marky so good at putting himself in the box,” Zayed said. “He scored quite a few goals for us last year. He’s just getting his fitness back. He’s not ready to start yet.”

After 20 minutes of frantic, back-and-forth play, the Hailstorm took the lead with 10 minutes to play thanks to carelessness on the ball from a fatigued Vargas. Ethan Hoard dispossessed Vargas and was played over the top of the Rapids back line by Hernández. Hoard turned the corner and smashed the ball to the far post. The goal was Hoard’s second in Open Cup play. 

“We got punished for being half a second late,” said Rapids 2 head coach, Erik Bushey. “Key moments define big games. Unfortunately, we were on the wrong end of them tonight.”

With time winding down Zayed brought in Garcia to play as an extra defender to see out the game as the Rapids 2 threw players forward in search of an equalizer. They got it when 2024 draft pick, Kimani Stewart-Baynes, smashed a mis-hit clearance by Opara inside the penalty area in the 92nd minute. Stewart-Baynes’ goal came on the heels of a game-winning-assist in the Colorado Rapids’ win over LAFC last weekend.

With only seconds left in added time, Powder nearly ended things for the Rapids 2, smashing a ball off the base of the goalpost from 35 yards out, beating Rapids 2 goalkeeper Adam Beaudry but not the woodwork.

After neither team could generate any scoring chances in the first half of extra time, Garcia nearly put the game away in the 119th minute, putting his free header just over the crossbar.

“I brought him on to see out the game, play him as an extra defender,” Zayed said. “Then we ended up going to a back three and he was playing right back. I know he wants to get up on the end of things.”

Garcia atoned for his miss moments later, sliding Opara’s cross from the left flank just inside the far post for the win.

“This is a big win for us,” Zayed said. “On paper we’re both third division, but we’re two completely different clubs. They’re trying to bleed players through to the first team. That’s what they’re all about. Performance is the name of the game for them. We’re trying to win. We’re trying to get results and win.”

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Union Omaha ends Des Moines Menace’s star-studded cup run

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Steevan Fortes Dos Santos of Union Omaha dribbles against Des Moines Menace defenders in a Second Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Trevor Hellman - @trevhellman
Steevan Fortes Dos Santos of Union Omaha dribbles against Des Moines Menace defenders in a Second Round match of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Trevor Hellman – @trevhellman

Big names and bigger dreams weren’t enough for Des Moines Menace to overcome a stout Union Omaha as they fell to the USL League One side by a score of 3-1 on Wednesday night. Goals on each side of halftime from Pedro Dolabella and Marco Milanese plus a very late dagger from substitute Menace alum Lagos Kunga propelled Los Búhos into the Third Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

With the win, Union Omaha won their opening game in the tournament for the third year in a row and improved their home record in their brief three-year history to 4-0-0.

The visitors from Des Moines came in to Omaha with five former MLS players in their starting eleven, but couldn’t get much going in the first half. Both teams seemed content to feel each other out with Omaha getting the larger share of possession and the Menace staying mostly compact and ready to break on the counter. Every time the visitors broke, however, two or three Owls would track back and block off any danger in attack.  Similarly, Union Omaha would find themselves in dangerous positions on the wings, but just unable to connect on the final pass to expose Brian Rowe’s goal.

In the 22nd minute the first major chance of the night would go Omaha’s way as Pedro Dolabella found Dion Acoff in stride and running past his defender to unleash a rocket shot from just outside the box that rang heavily off the crossbar. Less than a minute later, Joe Gallardo would ring out a shot from the other side of the box that forced Rowe into a spectacular diving save to keep the game scoreless.

Sacha Kljestan and his Des Moines Menace teammates shake hands with Union Omaha players before their Second Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Trevor Hellman - @trevhellman
Sacha Kljestan and his Des Moines Menace teammates shake hands with Union Omaha players before their Second Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Trevor Hellman – @trevhellman

The pressure on the USL-2 side would continue until Union Omaha finally broke through in the 34 minute.  Playing from a free kick, Joe Gallardo took the ball up the left wing and found Aáron Gomez just outside the six-yard box.  Gomez was able to drop the ball back to Pedro Dolabella who calmly slotted home from about 15 yards out to open the scoring past a helpless Menace defense.  This was Dolabella’s second goal in US Open Cup competition, following his tally against MLS side St. Louis City in 2023.

Union Omaha continued on the front foot, asking a lot of questions of the Menace defense, but Des Moines answered all of them keeping the score at 1-0 heading into halftime.

That wouldn’t last long, however, as two minutes after the break, Marco Milanese would extend the Omaha lead following a scramble in the goal mouth off a well taken corner. Steevan Dos Santos out jumped his marker to put the ball in the path of Luca Mastrantonio who fired a point blank shot at Rowe. The Menace keeper did well to keep it out, but couldn’t stop the rebound shot, nor the 2-0 lead.

The two sides would continue to trade jabs (and yellow cards) for the majority of the second half, but with Union Omaha still seeming firmly in control.  That control would falter in the 87th minute as Leroy Enzugusi put his name on the scoresheet after finding a path through the Búho back line from a perfect pass from Braden Allen.  Rashid Nuhu was late to react and while he did get a small touch on the ball, Enzugusi was able to keep control, round the keeper, and give the Menace life going into injury time.

That life put a spark in the Menace who made the final minutes of the match rather nervy for the home crowd. There were several chances that could have gone Des Moines’ way until substitute Lagos Kunga put the match beyond doubt. 

In the ninth minute of stoppage time, the former Menace forward found himself alone in space just outside the box on a pinpoint pass from Nortei Nortey. Having just had a wonderful chance saved by Rowe a minute earlier, Kunga cut inside and let go with his left foot to put this match, and Des Moines’ Cup run, to bed.

When asked about the clinching goal, Kunga responded in high spirits. “This is what we live for,  moments like this, to come in, get a goal, to help the team win.”

And while it may have been a goal that knocked his former club from the Cup, it was obvious he enjoyed the moment, saying “They say when you play your old team, you get a little extra motivation, so it felt good.”

For Union Omaha, that feeling will continue into the next round as they take their 17-game unbeaten streak in all competitions (dating back to last season) to the test.  They take on USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive who enter the 2024 US Open Cup in Round 3. For Des Moines Menace, it’s another empty-handed trip back home to await the start of the USL-2 season, and another chance to dream of a trophy.

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Chicago Fire II bring heat on cold night in win over Forward Madison

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Jason Shokalook of the Chicago Fire II celebrates after scoring a 90th minute goal against Forward Madison in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Chicago Fire FC
Jason Shokalook of the Chicago Fire II celebrates after scoring a 90th minute goal against Forward Madison in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire FC II survived the cold and snow to move past Forward Madison FC to the Third Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in what ended up being a comfortable 2-0 victory.

The MLS NEXT Pro side pulled ahead via David Poreba’s goal in the 11th minute. The Fire II midfielder pounced on a ball served in by Omari Glasgow that was not well handled by Madison goalkeeper Martin Sanchez. The cross from the right-hand side ended up in the six-yard box where Sanchez deflected the ball right to Poreba, who just needed to tap the ball into the empty net. 

“We knew that with the weather that the keeper could spill some shots,” said Poreba of his goal. “Credit to Omari not even for that play but throughout the game he was putting in some really good  good crosses from the wing.”  

It wouldn’t get easier for the Mingos. They had to make an early substitution when forward Mauro Cichero went down shortly after the goal was scored and they had to burn a substitution early.

Fire II continued to pressure them as the first half pushed on. Harold Osorio hit one off the bottom of the crossbar in the 26th minute and continued to control possession in the first half ending up with 52% possession when the half-time whistle was blown.

Madison did have their chances in the first half but never really threatened to score. Their best attempt was a shot from Nazeem Bartman after a Fire II turnover in midfield led to a well-worked counterattack. His shot however curled past the far post.       

The first 15 minutes of the second half were largely the same. Fire II mostly controlled the game and Madison looked to get shots in when they could. But Midway through the second half, though things started looking up for the Mingos. Head coach Matt Glaeser turned to his firepower on the bench by bringing in Ferrety Sousa, Derek Gebhard, and Jimmie Villalobos to try and get a tying goal.

Those moves helped Madison go on the front foot. They started to have more possession and looked more likely to score the second goal of the game for a long time in the second half, but they couldn’t find that crucial final ball to put them on the board.

It all fell apart for them late. Fire II missed a few chances on the counterattack with substitute Jason Shokalook barely missing a couple of crosses. He didn’t miss his third opportunity, however. A ball played over the top by Lamonth Rochester found Shokalook’s foot, he won his 1v1 with the goalkeeper and Fire II were up 2-0 with just four added minutes left to play.

“It just happened instinctually]. I just got the ball moving as quick as I could did what I could and it worked out perfectly.” Shokalook said of his first goal in a Fire II shirt. “You’re put in different scenarios that are very game-like all week in practice so things like this become second nature.”

Madison had one last shot at a goal in garbage time. A free kick won in a dangerous place was struck just wide before the final whistle blew to end the game and Fire II into the Third Round of the Open Cup.

While this is Chicago Fire II’s first time playing in the Open Cup, this is not a first for the organization. The Fire have won this tournament four times, most recently in 2006. Fire II are looking to build on that legacy with a deep cup run. As for Madison, it’s back to the grind of USL League One where they look to once again make the playoffs and best their quarterfinal appearance from last season.    

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Chattanooga Red Wolves edge Apotheos FC to reach Third Round for first time

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Chattanooga Red Wolves players celebrate in the locker room after a 1-0 road win over Apotheos FC in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Chattanooga Red Wolves players celebrate in the locker room after a 1-0 road win over Apotheos FC in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Chattanooga Red Wolves SC

Metro-Atlanta based Apotheos FC – one of the few amateur teams remaining in the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup – played host to USL League one side Chattanooga Red Wolves on a cool, windy evening at Silverbacks Park on Wednesday. With their First Round match forfeited by NISA’s Georgia Lions, the match at Silverbacks Park in Atlanta would be the first Open Cup match for a young Apotheos NPSL club. The Open Cup run would be short-lived, however, as a stingy Chattanooga team kept the clean sheet and netted an early second half goal to win, 1-0.

With the win, Chattanooga wins multiple games in a single tournament for the first time. They will also advance to the Third Round for the first time. They will found out their next opponent on Thursday, April 4 at 1 p.m. ET.

The game began promptly at 7:45 p.m. and both teams found it difficult to establish a rhythm. Chattanooga’s Lucas Coutinho was shown a yellow in only the second minute for a stout challenge in midfield, but both teams seemed to struggle with understanding which infractions the officials would be calling and which they’d be letting slide. Chattanooga carried the bulk of possession in the first half and created a handful of decent chances, though it was Apotheos that almost struck first off a fortuitous rebound that goalkeeper Timothy Trilk was able to smother just as the shot was coming.

Halftime came and went, and Chattanooga continued to pressure Apotheos. The breakthrough arrived in the 50th minute after a series of rebounds in the box eventually led to the ball finding its way to the feet of Stefan Lukic, who wasted no time in slotting it somewhere a stubborn Abraham Mendieta couldn’t save.

Apotheos head coach Jonathan Mercado made a series of subs throughout the second half and switched from a 4-2-3-1 to more of a 3-5-2 in an attempt to net an equalizer. Apotheos created a couple of opportunities but struggled to connect many passes through the midfield, instead relying on their talented and quick wingers to progress the ball.

Player from Chattanooga Red Wolves SC and Apotheos FC prepare for their Second Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Tyler Pilgrim | TheCup.us
Player from Chattanooga Red Wolves SC and Apotheos FC prepare for their Second Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Tyler Pilgrim | TheCup.us

Two minutes of stoppage time were added, and well after the two minutes were over, Apotheos had a golden chance to tie the game in the dying seconds. A bit of chaos in the box led to a powerful shot by Apotheos, but a Chattanooga defender was barely able to get a leg in the lane for the block, and the referee subsequently blew the whistle for full time.

“This game was important to us, because we haven’t played as much as we planned on playing,” said Chattanooga head coach Scott Mackenzie about the postponements to their stadium. “I think what you saw from them was an identity, we knew we had to dominate possession and really dominate both sides of the ball. We just have to build on that going into the league.”

Chattanooga returns to USL League One play as they will take on Central Valley Fuego next weekend.

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Carolina Core’s comeback win over Vermont Green spoils night for sold out crowd

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Players from Carolina Core FC (left) and Vermont Green FC battle for the ball in a Second Round game in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Josh Wallace | Vermont Green FC
Players from Carolina Core FC (left) and Vermont Green FC battle for the ball in a Second Round game in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Josh Wallace | Vermont Green FC

Anyone who ventured to Virtue Field at the University of Vermont on Wednesday night to see Vermont Green FC host Carolina Core FC in the Second Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup they got their money’s worth. Despite seeing Vermont taste defeat in the US Open Cup for the first time, 2-1 to the visitors, fans were treated to penalties, plenty of cards, snow and most importantly- free ice cream from local favorite Ben and Jerry’s.

Vermont scored a first half penalty kick, only to see Carolina Core FC battle back in the second half. The independent MLS NEXT Pro side, led by their head coach, former MLS star Roy Lassiter, equalized in the 60th minute with a PK of their own and Josuha Rodriguez scored the go-ahead goal in the 70th minute to send the capacity crowd of more than 2,500 disappointed.

The scoring started in the 28th minute, shortly after a break in play to allow for Papa Ndoye of Carolina and Moussa Ndiaye of Vermont, both from Senegal, to break their fast at sundown in accordance with Ramadan. It would be the hosts who got on the board first courtesy of Yaniv Bazini after he was taken down in the box and calmly slotted his penalty home. This goal broke a deadlock between the two teams which saw chances for both sides.

The vast majority of Carolina Core’s productive play in the first half came down the right flank, trying to take advantage of the fact that Vermont’s left back, Nick Lockermann, pushed very high up the field trying to extend his hot form from the First Round game against Lexington SC where he recorded an assist in the victory. Despite these chances, Vermont goalkeeper Nathan Schnur stood his ground and made multiple quality saves- something he would also do in the second half, keeping his side ahead at the end of the first 45, 1-0.

This result at halftime emboldened fans even more who sold out the stadium, something Vermont head coach Adam Pfeifer was clearly happy about.

Carolina Core FC goalkeeper Andrew Pannenberg knocks the ball away from a Vermont Green FC player in a Second Round game in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Josh Wallace | Vermont Green FC
Carolina Core FC goalkeeper Andrew Pannenberg knocks the ball away from a Vermont Green FC player in a Second Round game in the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Josh Wallace | Vermont Green FC

“We’re incredibly fortunate and grateful for everybody that devotes their time and money to coming out and supporting the guys and the community,”  Pfiefer said. “It’s obviously incredibly special.”

The visitors eventually found their equalizer with their own penalty in the 60th minute after Papa Ndoye placed the ball past Schnur and finally broke the wall that was the Vermont goalkeeper.

The side from North Carolina eventually took the lead in the 70th minute thanks to halftime substitute Josuha Rodriguez who put his team up after an initial CCFC shot was saved but placed directly in the path of the Houndaran. It was his second game-winning goal in as many games in the competition. Rodriguez scored the winning goal in the 82nd minute to the team’s 3-2 comeback win at home over Northern Virginia FC (USL-2) in Round 1.

Despite the potential advantage with the sudden influx of snow late on in the game, Vermont could not find the equalizer it so desperately fought for.

Eventually, the Green ended the match with 10 men after striker Jacob Labovitz was handed a straight red card from referee Brendan Fanning in the 90th minute after an incident which preceded a corner for Vermont in the dying embers of the game. Video shows that Carolina’s Ibrahim Covi fouled Labovitz which led to the retaliation. As is common in the game of soccer, it was the retaliation that was spotted by the official and Labovitz was sent off and Covi received a yellow card.

“The opposition was very good tonight,” said Carolina head coach Roy Lassiter, who despite being one of the all-time great goalscorers in MLS history during his career, scored just one Open Cup goal in 11 career matches. “Their fans were engaged and supported them very well. However, I thought our discipline was better and our fight was good. We showed a lot of intelligence in the match, and we knew it was our moment. We outshot them, had more corner kicks, and had a better share of possession. I knew it was just a matter of time before we would score.”

 

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: South Georgia Tormenta dominates Savannah Clovers FC in rare Peach State battle

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South Georgia Tormenta FC players celebrate after scoring a goal against the Savannah Clovers in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Holt Wimberly | TheCup.us
South Georgia Tormenta FC players celebrate after scoring a goal against the Savannah Clovers in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Holt Wimberly | TheCup.us

The South Georgia Tormenta FC stormed past the visiting Savannah Clovers FC 4-0 Wednesday night in Statesboro to book their spot in the Third Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.  Tormenta scored early, added a late second-half goal, another one in stoppage-time and dominated the patterns of play in-between during this first-ever meeting of Coastal Georgia regional opponents.

With just seconds expired in the first half the Tormenta high pressure forced a Clovers’ turnover in the attacking third of the field that Pedro Fonseca whipped into the Clovers’ box where Niall Watson nodded the hosts into the lead in the 2nd minute.  From this opening moment, Tormenta never looked back.

More Tormenta pressure constantly turned the ball over in advantageous positions and kept the Clovers off-balance as they tried to find a way back into the match. Tormenta looked like a team playing in their sixth competitive match (four USL-1 and two US Open Cup) while the Clovers were more unsure of their patterns playing in just their second competitive match of the year due to the delayed start to the 2024 NISA regular season.

Tormenta added a second goal in the 35th minute as Jackson Khoury drove a low cross through the Clovers’ box eluding all the runners except Joshua Ramos who smashed the ball into the open net for the 2-0 halftime advantage.

In the 58th minute Tormenta’s Fonseca again provided a perfect service from the flank finding a streaking Sebastian Vivas inside the box with a low driven ball for a third goal on the night.  The nightcap to balance the scoring came with just seconds to play in the 90th minute as Austin Wehner was first to react to a loose ball in the box pouncing on the opportunity to push the final score to 4-0.

Goalkeeper Drew Romig posted another Open Cup clean sheet for Tormenta and was there to put out any dangerous moments the Clovers created.

“It’s always helpful to score early,” said Tormenta head coach Ian Cameron after the game. “But what I really liked about the group is how they responded to that goal, they went back on the front foot. It was a very solid performance. David Proctor (Clovers head coach) is a good coach with a good group of players. There’s lots of good footballers in this county and Savannah Clovers have a bunch of them but I thought our unity, our team culture, our organization showed tonight.”

Wednesday’s game marked just the third time in the Modern Era (1995-present) that an Open Cup game has featured an all-Georgia matchup. In 2012, the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks defeated the NPSL’s Georgia Revolution 1-0 in the Second Round. The two teams met again the following year in the same round, with the Silverbacks winning 3-2.

South Georgia Tormenta now waits for the third round draw to see which USL Championship side they will face in mid-April.

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