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2025 US Open Cup Round 2: South Georgia Tormenta need 3 go-ahead goals to fight off FORO SC

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Players from FORO SC (Orange) and South Georgia Tormenta FC battle for the ball in a Second Round match in the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly | TheCup.us
Players from FORO SC (Orange) and South Georgia Tormenta FC battle for the ball in a Second Round match in the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Wade Wimberly | TheCup.us

It was a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup instant classic Tuesday night in Statesboro, Georgia as South Georgia Tormenta defeated visiting FORO SC 3-2.  The UPSL side from Texas just refused to go away and twice leveled the game in the final 20 minutes before Tormenta found the late, late winner to advance.

The match started with both teams looking to control the midfield spaces with Tormenta studying their opponent as they read and reacted to the visitors from Texas.  This was all part of the plan for Tormenta Head Coach Ian Cameron.

“It was a quick turnaround (from the USL One game last Saturday) and the mentality of the group was to see what they bring and then test ourselves as a staff and players to see if we can adapt to their tactics within the game”.  

In the 38th minute, Tormenta adapted their attacking pattern and found space down the right flank to drive the ball deep and FORO SC in their penalty box.  The ball was then dropped to the 18 where defender JP Perez floated a ball into the center of the box as midfielder Aaron Walker rose first and rose highest to head the ball down into the left corner of the net for the 1-0 advantage.  

The score line stayed in the hosts favor all the way into the 65th minute when Tormenta thought they had scored a second goal only to see the offside flag wipe it away.  From this moment on the match went bonkers.

FORO SC found their first goal in the 67th minute as Gibran Rayo pressed forward from his right back position and hit a curling shot into the back post upper 90 to level the match at 1-1.  FORO SC had dribbled into the attacking third of the field followed by some quick passes from the center to the right flank which opened up the Tormenta defense. This allowed the ball to be cut back to Rayo for the first-time shot at the edge of the penalty box.  The scrambling Tormenta keeper Austin Pack had no chance of even getting a touch to the bending shot up over his outstretched arms.

The match picked up tempo as both teams pressed for the game-winner and Tormenta substitute Yaniv Bazini was slipped a ball at the top of the box in the 85th minute and he perfectly timed his run and calmly converted the chance versus the onrushing FORO SC keeper low to the left post for the 2-1 Tormenta lead.

FORO SC threw everything forward after the Tormenta goal and a scrambling save by Austin Pack in the 90th minute looked to preserve the result.  

The following run of play saw FORO SC deliver the ball into a dangerous area of the Tormenta box where a penalty kick was won by FORO SC to send US Open Cup first round hero Brayan Padilla to the spot.  Padilla converted the penalty at 90+2 minutes and again FORO SC had leveled the match and looked to be sending the match to extra time.

Tormenta forward Sebastian Vivas had other ideas and scored the decisive goal for the hosts at the 90+4 minute mark taking all the wind out of the Cupset minded FORO SC attack.  Tormenta pushed the ball down the right flank and won a very physical duel 1v1 to serve the ball into Vivas at the goal box where he nodded the ball down to the right past the frozen FORO SC goalkeeper.  The hosts finished out the final minutes of the match and claimed the win to advance to Round Three.

“I thought they (FORO SC) were terrific,” said Tormenta Head Coach Ian Cameron.  “Their touch, their movement, their togetherness…they are all on the same page.  They made it really difficult.  It wasn’t just spirit, or their World Cup Final with them playing up; it was proper football they played.  It was really cool to see.”

The win keeps South Georgia Tormenta’s home US Open Cup undefeated streak alive at 5-0-0 in home matches played inside Tormenta Stadium which opened in the fall of 2022

Tormenta now awaits the third round draw to see who their next opponent will be.

 

2025 US Open Cup Qualifying: FORO SC returns to USOC on strength of three go-ahead goals

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FORO SC celebrates after defeating Houston Regals SCA 4-2 to qualify for the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: FORO SC
FORO SC celebrates after defeating Houston Regals SCA 4-2 to qualify for the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: FORO SC

A cool, rainy night in Carrollton, Texas, saw hosts FORO SC defeat Houston Regals SCA by a 4-2 score in a “Win & You’re In” match. FORO SC took the lead twice only to see Houston equalize each time. But after taking the lead for a third time, they would hold on for the victory. With the win, FORO SC qualifies for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the second year in a row.

FORO SC have become perennial UPSL Championship contenders (three times in the UPSL semifinals), while Houston Regals are establishing themselves as a powerhouse in the Texas conference of the United States Soccer League (winning it all in 2022 and claiming the most recent Spring Texas title). Neither side considered themselves the underdog and neither played like it. Outside of the first and last five minutes, the game was end to end.

The kickoff was delayed slightly due to the weather holding up the arrival of the Houston side. The late arrival did cut into Houston’s warm-up time, and it showed for the first (and last) few minutes. After about a 25-minute delay, the game finally got underway. FORO took the proverbial bull by the horns and bossed the game early; their first look at goal, though called back for a foul, was after just 35 seconds. The hosts wasted no further time in opening their accounts. Manuel Lopez stabbed in a cross at the back post from Eric Gomez Silva in the 4th minute, setting the pace for the evening.

#USOC2025 Qualifying ("Win & You're In"): FINAL! #FOROSC defeat 10-man @HoustonRegals, 4-2, to qualify for their 2nd consecutive Open Cup. Goals by Manuel Lopez, Nigel Katara, Matt Allbury & Eric Silva seal the win.

— US Open Cup News (@thecup.us) 2024-12-08T03:18:24.222Z

The trio of Edward Garcia, Victor Soria and Carlos Campos were a collective pest for the FORO defense. On the other side, Kyle Bennett, FORO’s talisman in last year’s tournament, was involved often in the attack and he had one assist tonight.

Houston’s first goal came from the head of Carlos Campos. A poor FORO defensive clearance led to a quick, free-flowing counterattack for Houston. Campos found himself with a free header from about a yard out after a beautifully floated-in cross from Edward Garcia in the 15th minute to level the score.

FORO re-took the lead for the second time from a corner kick. Kyle Bennett found himself in front of goal with a header opportunity, but his attempt lacked timing and power and ended up straight at the ground. The bouncing ball found Nigel Katawa who laced the rebound in for the second go-ahead goal in the 42nd minute.

The half would end a bit chippy, but nothing too serious, and the scoreboard would read 2-1 in favor of the home side.

Houston came flying out of the chute to start the second half. After just 67 seconds, Edward Garcia leveled the score from inside the penalty area. With the FORO defense in a bit of disarray, Carlos Campos settled a 15-yard pass, tapped the ball back to Victor Soria who hit a perfect leading ball through five FORO players for Garcia to run on to. Goalkeeper Gonzalo Martinez came well out to intercept but missed, and the ball rolled in from about 15 yards out. Houston had their second equalizer of the night in the 47th minute.

Houston looked like they might equalize a third time. Victor Soria had a trio of chances blocked all three times by Gonzalo Martinez in the 61st minute. Soria would have yet another terrific opportunity a couple minutes later but could not connect with the ball right in front of goal after splitting the center backs.

Despite the scoreline, both keepers had particularly good games.

FORO’s third goal was a masterpiece from Matt Albury. A sublime glancing header from just outside the near post to the back post in the 71st minute to put the hosts in front for the third time. A Houston player also got his head to the ball, but it was not going to be stopped. This goal would end up being the game winner.

In the 75th minute, Houston’s Pablo Hernandez had his arm extended from his body which deflected the ball inside the penalty area. The ball was heading goalward, and the arm came out away from the body. This was judged to be “DOGSO”, and he was sent off. 

The resulting PK gave FORO a two-goal advantage for the first time on the night. Eric Gomez Silva stepped up and easily converted the penalty kick. FORO ramped up the pressure after the PK. Houston did not give up even when down to ten, and FORO did not park the bus. The final 14 minutes saw FORO ask all the questions and Houston give all the right answers, but the visitors were on the back foot for good after the penalty.

Eric Gomez Silva had a goal and an assist in the winning effort and Edward Garcia had the same tally in the losing effort for Houston.

The victory books FORO SC’s trip to the First Round proper in back-to-back years (2024, 2025). Saturday night’s win, extended FORO’s qualifying win streak to six games dating back to last year. In each of the last four qualifying games, FORO has scored four goals in each game.

Scoring Summary

FORO SC
4′ – Manuel Lopez (Eric Gomez Silva)
42′ – Nigel Katara (Kyle Bennett)
71’ – Matt Albury
77’ – Eric Gomez Silva (PK)

HOUSTON REGALS SCA
15’ – Carlos Campos (Edward Garcia)
47’ – Edward Garcia (Victor Soria)

RED CARD
76′ – Pablo Hernandez (Houston)

2024 US Open Cup Round 2: Lubbock Matadors blank FORO SC in all-amateur matchup

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Players, coaches and fans of the Lubbock Matadors celebrate after a 2-0 win over FORO SC in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Lubbock Matadors
Players, coaches and fans of the Lubbock Matadors celebrate after a 2-0 win over FORO SC in the Second Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Lubbock Matadors

In the lone all-amateur battle of the Second Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the Lubbock Matadors defeated FORO SC, 2-0 at home.

An announced crowd of more than 2,000 fans showed up on a Tuesday night to cheer on the Matadors, at Lubbock Christian University.

The match appeared to be headed to the halftime break scoreless, but the home team was awarded a penalty kick after Luke Jones was taken down in the box. Jones stepped up to take the PK, but he missed it high over the bar and the half did, in fact, end up tied after 45 minutes.

The Matadors struck first with a right-footed tap-in goal from midfielder Salvador Martinez in the 71st minute. A free kick from the left wing was driven low into the box and it took a deflection and found its way to Martinez at the back post who put it in from close range. It was his second goal of the competition after scoring the 83rd minute equalizer in the Matadors’ upset win over the Arizona Monsoon (NISA).

Five minutes after the opening goal, Nigel Katawa of FORO SC was shown a second yellow card to put the Dallas-area club down to 10 men. It was the second game in a row that FORO had a player get sent off late in the second half. In Round 1, FORO saw a red card in the 81st minute, but managed to force extra time and upset Austin FC II in penalty kicks.

Moments after Tristan Singh of the Matadors was shown a yellow card, Lubbock put the game away in second half stoppage time. Douglas Appiah-Kubi made a physical run down the left wing into the edge of the box, created space and found Shuma Sasaki toward in the top of the box. Sasaki cut to his left to allow him to get off a shot to beat the onrushing goalkeeper. Sasaki assisted on Martinez’s game-tying goal in Round 1, and now had a goal of his own.

Despite only possessing the ball 42% of the time, the Matadors became more aggressive, taking 12 total shots to FORO’s nine.

Matador head coach Paul Gilbert said he was very proud of his guys.

“They sacrificed and made history,” Gilbert said. “Now we get to go to round 3.”

With the win, the Matadors advance to the Third Round of the US Open Cup. They will find out their next opponent when the US Soccer Federation conducts the live draw on Thursday, April 4 at 1 p.m. ET. The draw will be streamed online.

2024 US Open Cup Round 1: 10-man FORO SC equalize late, oust MLS NEXT Pro champs Austin FC II in PKs

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FORO SC celebrates after winning a PK shootout against Austin FC II in the First Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photos: Leinbach Photography
FORO SC celebrates after winning a PK shootout against Austin FC II in the First Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photos: Leinbach Photography

Austin FC II, reigning champions of MLS NEXT Pro, embarked on their eagerly awaited journey in the esteemed soccer competition with a sold-out spectacle of 1,300 fans at their revered home ground, The Pitch at Parmer Lane. The vibrant atmosphere, fueled by a passionate fanbase filling the stands, set the stage for an enthralling clash as Austin FC II faced off against their rivals for the opening round, FORO SC.

However, it was the amateur side from the Dallas area who would play spoiler, with super sub Kyle Bennett scoring an equalizer in stoppage time of the second extra time period to force penalty kicks. Bennett would then score the deciding goal in the shootout as the UPSL side pulled off the upset, 4-3.

“We knew it would be a very tough game against a very strong opponent and we handled the pressure well,” said FORO SC head coach Michel Garbini. “They probably had a bit more of the possession and we tried to be very organized and minimize chances and for moments we felt we were the danger team on the field and players followed the plan and the result didn’t surprise us.”

FORO SC presented a formidable challenge for the defending champions.

The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the referee’s whistle heralded the commencement of the match. It didn’t take long for the action to ignite, with Micah Burton of Austin FC II showcasing his prowess and making an early impact, sending waves of excitement through the crowd just five minutes into the encounter. However, FORO SC’s No. 10, Moiad Ankir, swiftly retaliated with a menacing shot in the 21st minute, only to be denied by a spectacular save from Austin goalkeeper, Marcus Alstrup, much to the relief of the home supporters.

Despite FORO SC’s spirited resistance, Austin FC II continued to assert their dominance, with Jonathan Santillan spearheading relentless assaults on the visitor’s defense, keeping them on their toes between the 2nd and 22nd minute mark. However, despite their relentless pressure, the breakthrough remained elusive, with both sides locked in a tense battle for supremacy.

As the first half progressed, the pendulum of momentum swung back and forth, with Micah Burton coming agonizingly close to breaking the deadlock for Austin in the 37th minute, only to be thwarted by the resilient defense of FORO SC. However, just when it seemed like the halftime whistle would sound with the deadlock intact, FORO SC seized a golden opportunity in the 38th minute, with Johnathan Rey Sauceda capitalizing on an aerial delivery from Daniel Escorcia to put the visitors ahead, sending shockwaves through the home crowd.

Undeterred by the setback, Austin FC II launched a spirited counteroffensive, with Bryant Farkalarfun coming close to leveling the score in the dying embers of the first half. As the halftime whistle blew, the home team found themselves trailing by a solitary goal, prompting Coach Brett Uttley to rally his troops for a spirited fightback in the second half.

The resumption of play saw Austin FC II emerge with renewed determination, as CJ Fodrey orchestrated a scintillating attacking move that nearly resulted in an equalizer for the hosts in the 48th minute. Despite their relentless onslaught, Austin found themselves frustrated by FORO SC’s resolute defense, with the second half witnessing a flurry of attempts from the home side within the opening minutes.

Austin FC II v Foro SC

However, the breakthrough finally arrived in the 52nd minute, as Bryan Arellano’s precision free-kick caused chaos in the FORO SC defense, ultimately leading to a confusing goal credited to Santillan, much to the jubilation of the home faithful, as Austin FC II restored parity.

With the scoreline level, both teams threw caution to the wind in pursuit of a decisive goal, with Austin FC II dictating proceedings and carving out numerous opportunities. Yet, despite their valiant efforts, neither side could find the elusive winner within regular time, setting the stage for a captivating extra-time spectacle.

As the game entered the additional period, fatigue began to set in, but both teams exhibited remarkable resilience, refusing to wilt under pressure. With tensions reaching fever pitch and the prospect of penalties looming large, every moment became fraught with significance.

“We made a change to take a risk and change the formation which put us a little bit more aggressive forward and taking risks in the back but the players responded really well to the pressure and kept each other accountable,” said Garbini. “On the last play of the game we got what we deserved and after all the fight and persistence, we felt very proud of each other.”

In the nerve-wracking penalty shootout that ensued, Austin’s Fodrey and Alonso Ramirez displayed nerves of steel, converting their spot-kicks with aplomb. However, a miss from Sal Mazaferro provided FORO SC with a lifeline, which they duly capitalized on to emerge victorious, stunning the home crowd and punching their ticket to the next round of the competition.

“We are excited and looking forward for the next game and we all know that the preparation will need to be better than we did because we probably will play a tougher opponent,” said Garbini. “But no matter what happens, I’m very proud of those boys and we want to expose them to these professional teams. I think there’s a lot of talent on this team and they have the tools to play at the pro level.”

Despite the heartbreak of defeat, Austin FC II and their loyal supporters showcased commendable sportsmanship, acknowledging the valiant efforts of their team. Coach Brett Uttley graciously praised the performance of FORO SC and expressed his best wishes for their future endeavors in the tournament, “they competed incredible and you know wish them all the best in the next round” said Uttley.

2024 US Open Cup Qualifying Final Round: UPSL champs FORO SC shuts out Alamo City to qualify

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Photo: FORO SC

The 2022 UPSL National Champions FORO SC rounded out its first US Open Cup qualifying campaign with a 4-0 win over Alamo City SC.

The San Antonio outfit travelled north to the DFW Metroplex looking to avenge a defeat to FORO’s near-neighbors D’Feeters Kicks SC a year prior, but ran into a late flurry of goals after losing goalkeeper Vincent Florio to a red card.

Opportunities were few and far between in the first half, with Alamo City’s compact defense keeping FORO SC at bay. The South Texas side had the best chance to break the deadlock after a long ball upfield found its way through to Kai Louviere on a clear run at goal. Ivan Bengono produced a world-class tackle from behind in the area to knock the ball away as Louviere looked to shoot.

The night turned for the visitors after a moment of madness by Vincent Florio in the early stages of the second half. The Alamo City goalkeeper came out of his area to challenge for the ball, but lost possession. Rather than making a beeline for goal, Florio chased the FORO players in possession, scything down Juan Ramirez with a late challenge as the shot from Ramirez was comfortably cleared away. With only three outfield players on the bench, defender Cameron Cortez took over the gloves for the final 37 minutes.

The opening goal came in cruel fashion as Cortez spilled a save off a Juan Ramirez shot through a crowd of players. A couple of players in orange attempted to guide the ball in before Nigel Katawa stabbed the ball home in the 67th minute.

Katawa then doubled the lead seven minutes later with a header off a throw-in from Rio Ramirez.

FORO SC saved another pair of goals for the closing stages, as Alex Molano saw a low drive from outside the box keep inside Cortez’s near post with three minutes to play. In stoppage time, Molano had another shot from outside the box. This time Cortez got to the ball, but could only watch Hector Romero poke the rebound home from just beyond his fingertips to end the night and see FORO SC through to the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

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