Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Flower City Union

2026 US Open Cup Round 1: Lexington SC open floodgates in club record 9-goal win vs. Flower City Union

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Nick Firmino of Lexington SC celebrates after scoring a goal against Flower City Union in the First Round of the 2026 US Open CUp. Photo: Tommy Quarles

Lexington Sporting Club made history by setting a franchise record for the most goals in a single match in their 9-0 win over Flower City Union on Thursday night in Round 1 of the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. 

Flower City held LSC for 30 minutes, but once the ball hit the back of the net, the floodgates opened. A dominating night for the Greens, which saw eight different players etch their names onto the scoresheet. 

“We told ourselves before this game we wanted to dominate this game, and obviously with nine goals, I think we did that,” said right back Xavier Zengue. “I think it’s a good shut-out that we got two shutouts in a row. So, I think we’re building on something really important here,” he added. 

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At kickoff, you had the makings of a compelling match. The Greens revealed their intent by rolling out a similar lineup to the one in their match from this past weekend against Sacramento Republic, making only three changes. Flower City pressured early on, getting an interception in their opponent’s half, then taking a shot in the 2nd. Just a few minutes later, in the 6th minute, Flower City received a free kick that ultimately led to Rodrigo Almeida, FC’s top goalscorer the past two years, heading the ball just at the post. 

But it wasn’t long for Lexington to gain some momentum. Chance after chance, you could feel the game boiling over. In the 14th minute, LSC’s Aaron Molloy played a through ball to Marcus Epps, leaving him one-on-one with the keeper, but Michael Mija quickly cleared the ball. 

Shortly afterwards, Alfredo Midence ripped a shot that hit the far post, leaving it recoiling. Again in the 20th minute, Midence lasered the ball, this time hitting the near post. Lexington could not buy a goal at this point.

Ultimately, it was Xavier Zengue who, in the 30th minute, crossed an inviting pass into the box. Nick Firmino smashed the ball into the side netting, breaking the stalemate and putting the Greens up 1-0. 

From this point forward, it was all Lexington. Off a defensive clearance, Molloy collected a Flower City clearance and unleashed a shot just outside of the box, giving Lexington another goal in the 36th minute. 

The first half was capped off with an additional goal for Lexington from Marcus Epps in the 41st minute. The right midfielder managed to score off his own rebound. 

In the second half, Lexington took control early with a goal from Firmino, securing his brace in the 48th minute. 

“It feels good to see the ball go in the back of the net,” Firmino said.

Flower City never managed to grab a true foothold in this match. Any attempt to gain some ground was quickly met with pressure from Lexington, which ultimately led to them regaining possession. The Greens, on the other hand, went on to score five more goals, which came in all different fashions. In the 68th minute, Blaine Ferri scored a goal directly from a free kick. The last goal of the night came in the form of a penalty taken by Tarik Scott. 

“It feels great, we’ve been waiting for a win for a while. Just really proud of the group to put together a professional performance,” said LSC head coach Masaki (Mac) Hemmi. “We want to win every trophy there is, so looking at the locker room, you know we have a chance to win it (US Open Cup).”

2023 US Open Cup Round 3: Loudoun United dominates Flower City to continue inaugural Cup run

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Photo: Loudoun United
Kalil ElMedkhar of Loudoun United | Photo: Loudoun United

Start to finish it was all Loudoun United as the USL Championship side made quick work of Flower City Union in a 5-0 win for the home side. The star of the show was no other than Tommy Williamson who scored a first half brace.

It didn’t take long for Williamson or Loudoun United to get started as he opened the scoring in the 6th minute. It’d be Panos Armenakas who’s darting run into the box would lead him to find his striker who from inside the box was able to slot it home.

The second goal for both Williamson and Loudoun would come from a giveaway in the Flower City midfield and this time it’d be ElMedkhar who’d find the No. 9 who made no mistake and doubled their lead in the 35th minute.


A bright spot for Flower City though was the performance of midfielder Oscar Sanchez who all night was able to beat the first wave of press and carry the ball deep for NISA side. Sanchez would force multiple saves and created a lot of chances in the opening 45 minutes.

It’d be a back breaking third goal though as Loudoun would triple their lead this time through the man in form Zach Ryan. The former Stanford standout has been simply unplayable this season as the goal against Flower City would mark his 9th goal contribution in Loudoun’s opening six games. the ninth being assisted by Samake in the 40th minute. 

A bench had a big part to play in the win for Loudon and nothing encapsulates that more than Abdoul Zanne’s goal in just the 49th minute. He had just replaced Armenakas at halftime and he wasted no time as he would pounce on a deflection from the Flower City keeper and make it 4-0.

The final goal of the match would come from the man who helped create one in the first half. It’d be Kalil ElMedkhar to be the final man on the scoresheet, scoring the same way as his teammate Zanne. It came from a good save from Flower City keeper Michael Mejia who did well to parry away the shot but an unmarked Elmedkhar would have a simple finish in the end and would make it 5-0 in the 62nd minute.

Loudoun United are embarking on what is now a good run of form and they’ll need it as they will host an MLS side for the first time at Segra Field. 

2023 US Open Cup Round 2: Stephen Elias’ first half brace was difference as Flower City Union beats Manhattan SC

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Flower City Union huddle up during the club's 2023 US Open Cup match against Manhattan SC. Photo: Flower City Union
Flower City Union huddle up during the club’s 2023 US Open Cup match against Manhattan SC. Photo: Flower City Union

A first half brace by Stephen Elias helped Flower City Union advance to the Third Round of the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after beating Manhattan SC 3-1 at Rochester Community Sports Complex on Tuesday night. 

After a feisty start to the match with both sides receiving a caution within the first 15 minutes, Manhattan’s Harold Fuller failed to convert an opportunity on the counter in the 22nd minute.

Flower City Union held the fair share of the possession in the first half creating a few chances. Luke Ferreira had a shot from just outside the box fly just over the crossbar in the 30th minute and just five minutes later had a free kick on the left side of the goal parried behind the net by goalkeeper Marco Graci. The breakthrough came on the ensuing corner kick as the ball popped out to Elias and he caressed a volley into the net. 


Elias would double the Flower City lead just six minutes later when a Fredrick Yamoah Opoku’s cross found the head of Alioune Diakhate who guided it down into the outstretched hand of Graci falling to Elias’ foot as he stroked home his second of the match. The first half would end with Flower City Union leading 2-0. 

Elias spoke about his first goal after the match.

“Originally I was thinking about lacing through it and at the last second I decided to go inside of the foot, it’s a little easier to place it. As soon as I hit it I was just praying it went over the defenders head and luckily it dropped,” said Elias. “It felt amazing being in front of the home fans for the first time, the energy was great and hopefully we can continue to build off this.”

Manhattan SC came out in the second half looking to get back into the match and would find the back of the net in the 65th minute. A free kick crossed by Amara Sesay pinballed off a few legs eventually finding the foot of Bibi Hakim Karamoko who would fire it into the back of the net to put Manhattan SC back in the match. 

Both sides would battle for the remainder of the match until Flower City striker Diakhate received a pinched slide tackle from Angelo Calfo on the top of the box. Diakhate shifted the ball to his right and powered it past Manhattan goalkeeper Graci. 


Flower City Union controlled the rest of the match advancing into the next round by a score of 3-1. It was their second straight opening round win in the club’s second Open Cup appearance.

Flower City Union coach Jordan Sullivan is in his first season as the Flower City coach and spoke about how it feels to advance.

“Relieved. It was good, the guys had our back today. We went out there and we worked hard,” said Sullivan. “We got the win so the feeling right now is fantastic, but we set ourselves collective goals in the locker room and it wasn’t to give up and go out at this stage. So we want to go out and continue to press on and continue to go through.” 

The 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup third round draw will take place later this week.

2022 US Open Cup Round 3: Ola Kamara helps DC United pull away late from Flower City Union

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Nigel Robertha DC United Flower City Union 2022 US Open Cup
Nigel Robertha of D.C. United dribbles in on goal against Flower City Union in the Third Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Mathieu Starke

UPDATE: D.C. United has fired head coach Hernán Losada

Third-tier side Flower City Union of the NISA held MLS’ D.C. United for much of the Third Round match in the U.S. Open Cup, but a 73rd-minute goal by forward Ola Kamara opened up the floodgates as the top-tier squad advanced to the next round of the domestic cup competition with a 3-0 win in Rochester, NY.

“The only goal tonight was to win, to go to the next round,” said D.C. United head coach Hernan Losada. “And at the same time, give a lot of minutes and opportunities to players who didn’t play much the last couple of weeks. So both goals were achieved.

“That’s the only thing that matters tonight. We go back to DC without injuries. Players can get match rhythm and we went through to the next stage.”

The emphatic 3-0 score sends three-time Cup winners D.C. into the Fourth Round while Flower City’s first experience in the Open Cup ends after two matches.

“We knew they would have more possession, it’s pretty typical for this type of matchup. We still wanted to go in and play our style, play forward when we can,” said Flower City Union head coach Zach Agliata.

“For the first half, I thought we played with them, up until 70-75 minutes in. I couldn’t be more proud of the guys. They battled for it and I told them they would have to. They rose to the occasion. When you get a big club coming in, the guys raise their standards.”

4-19-22 US Open Cup DC United @ Flower City Union

Both D.C. United and Flower City Union have struggled in their respective leagues and were looking for a strong performances in the Cup to jump-start its seasons.

Flower City Union has not won a match in three attempts so far in the third-tier NISA, with just a slender Open Cup win over Western Mass Pioneers in the last round as the team’s only success of the campaign. In similarly dire straits heading into Tuesday’s match, D.C. United has lost four straight MLS games after starting the season with two consecutive wins.

“It’s just that these kind of games are never easy,” Losada said. “I’ve been in a lot of those games where you might believe it’s going to be an easy game just because of the level of the opponent but when you play against a good structure, a good organization with 11 players on their own half, the most difficult thing is the first goal.”

The stand-out performer for the home team was goalkeeper Maykell Ortega. He produced a kick save on Michael Estrada from point-blank range in the 12th minute and had the wherewithal to pressure Edson Flores into sending his shot over the bar.

Estrada had another chance for D.C. in the 22nd minute after Ted Ku-DiPietro played a slicing diagonal pass into the area. As Ortega came off his line, Estrada attempted to place his shot back the way his pass came but missed wide of the post.

In the 33rd minute, Griffin Yow received a long ball over the top from midfield and gently guided the ball into the back of the net but the referee had already whistled for offside.


As the visitors piled on pressure with possession in the attacking half, they left themselves vulnerable to potential counter attacks. Flower City tried to feed Jay Lee several times as the first half wound down but the lone striker was called offside in the 37th, 39th and 40th minutes.

Ku-DiPietro did well to beat Flower City’s Lukas Fernandes and Auston Kranick in the right channel before cutting inside to take a shot. The home side’s 24-year-old goalkeeper smothered the attempt in the 43rd minute.

Flower City had a meaningful goal-scoring opportunity just before the half-time whistle. Right-back Benjamin Watson hit a long ball upfield that Lee controlled in the channel before cutting in on Tony Alfaro and unleashing a shot from a tight angle. D.C. goalkeeper Jon Kempin blocked the shot but gave up a rebound that agonized through the goal mouth with no attacking players pushed forward to crash the loose ball.

The second half carried on with D.C. controlling the run of play and Flower City looking for chances on the break. One such chance came on a rare venture forward from midfielder Jordan Saling who battled several visiting players to maintain possession before dishing the ball out wide to an overlapping Watson. With multiple targets to aim for, the full-back’s 66th minute cross was too close to Kempin.

Second-half substitute Nigel Robertha was active in the Flower City penalty area, including the play prior to the break-through goal. The Dutch forward drew defenders to him before dropping the ball to Kamara, whose shot rang off the frame of the goal. Flower City’s defense half-cleared the rebound before substitute Tyler Freeman and Drew Skundrich combined to move the ball wide to Ku-DiPietro. The 20-year-old midfielder sent a cross into the box from the right wing and Ortega bobbled the ball at his near post, allowing Kamara to crash the net and head in the game’ first goal in the 73rd minute.

In the 81st minute, Robertha doubled D.C.’s lead with a simple finish from close range. Yow did well to knock down an attempted clearance and play a pass forward to Kamara, whose square ball eluded several Flower City defenders. Robertha received his pass, took a touch outside with his right foot to create separation from center back Andriy Demydiv, and coolly slotted his shot past an on-rushing Ortega.

Despite his first-half heroics, Ortega earned a yellow card in the 85th minute for making contact with Kamara after the Norwegian forward dribbled past him. Kamara dispatched the ensuing penalty for his second goal of the night the following minute.

Agliata was full of praise for his goalkeeper and noted the work that Ortega has put in since joining the team.

“He was just incredible. We’ve got a fantastic goalkeeper coach and Maykell has picked up a lot. He came up big in this match,” he said. “I just feel bad for him that the ones that got past him, did get past him. He played really well.

“I just feel really proud of all the boys. I told them they would have to fight and they rose to it and they did fight. They earned this type of feeling, this moment. They’re all positive, which is good. They’re looking forward to Maryland .”


 

2022 US Open Cup Round 2: 10-man Flower City Union hold off Western Mass in OT

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Flower City Union Western Mass Pioneers 2022 US Open Cup
Gabriel Ganzer of the Western Mass Pioneers (red) is tackled by a Flower City Union player in their Second Round match in the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: David Henry

Flower City Union made history in a number of ways on Wednesday in a 1-0 extra time victory over the Western Mass Pioneers at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, Mass.

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Not only was this Flower City’s first ever win in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup — it was also the first ever victory in the young franchise’s history. The team — based out of Rochester, New York —was founded in 2021 and began play just this spring in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA).

The game remained goalless until a left-footed strike by Captain Lukas Fernandes in the first half of extra time propelled Flower City into the lead. They would hold onto their one goal lead until the final whistle, despite going a man down in the 110th minute of the game when defender Marcus Micheletti received a red card.

Head coach Zach Agliata — one of the youngest coaches in professional soccer at age 29 — was thrilled with his team’s performance, despite the caginess of the game.

“It was beautiful. It was ugly, but we got it done,” Agliata said following the game, “They fought. That’s what matters. It was awesome.”

The Pioneers came out strong in the first half, and had a number of chances early. In the 9th minute, a cross into the box by Gabriel Ganzer fell perfectly for Anthony Basile, but he lost his footing and slipped without making contact with the ball. Pioneers head coach Federico Molinari appeared frustrated with his squad as they failed to finish a number of early chances.

In the second half, the Pioneers again missed an opportunity to take the lead in the 55th minute when a corner kick was crossed into the box by Tyler Carlos — Benjamin Brewster headed the ball to Federico Gurierrez Losada, whose own header sent the ball just wide of the left post.

Flower City had just three shots on target heading into the 70th minute, with Western Mass continuing to press forward. Flower City goalkeeper Maykell Ortega Campos was tested a number of times, including by a header by Justin Frietas in the 79th minute that nearly found the back of the net.

Flower City quickly found their footing following the start of extra time. In the 94th minute, a short looping pass from Alex Ainscough found the captain Lukas Fernandes, who curled the ball into the top corner with his left foot, netting the franchise’s first goal in US Open Cup history, and only the second goal in the history of the club.

“It feels awesome. I’m just happy we got the win,” said Fernandes, who grew up in Rochester. “We’ve been through a lot in the past couple months being a brand new organization. To get the first win in franchise history is amazing.”

It appeared that the win may be in jeopardy in the 110th minute, when Flower City Union defender Marcus Micheletti appeared to deliberately step on a prone Western Mass Pioneer player in the aftermath of a corner kick. The head official spotted the infraction and showed Micheletti a red card, leaving Flower City down a man for the final ten minutes of extra time. However, Western Mass failed to capitalize on the advantage despite a wild attacking sequence in the final minute and Flower City hung on for their first ever win.

Agliata was quick to praise the Pioneers for their determination following the match.

“They fought so much harder than we thought,” Agliata said. “Full credit to them, it was a much tougher game than we expected.”

Fernandes had similar praise for their opponents regarding Western Mass.

“They’re an opponent with a lot of history. They’ve done well for a number of years now,” said Fernandes. “This is my first time in the stadium, the atmosphere is great.”

Fernandes also felt the pressure to step up for his new hometown club.

“I felt the need with the armband and being a Rochester guy to put my stamp on the game.”

Flower City United will now move on to the Third Round of the US Open Cup, where it’s possible they will be drawn against a Major League Soccer side. Agilata relishes such an opportunity.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Agalita of the chance to play against a top division team, “That’s what you want, to compete against the very best in the country.”

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