For the first time in eight years, the Flint City Bucks accepted the invite to compete for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. They faced a team in Forward Madison FC that wasn’t even announced into existence until eight days after Flint’s last Open Cup match in 2018. Despite the long absence, they picked up right where they left off. Living up to their reputation as perennial giant killers, defeating the visitors from Wisconsin 2-0 in Grand Blanc, Mich.
WIth the win, the Bucks eliminate a professional team for the 11th time in team history, the most of any Open DIvision team in the Modern Era (1995-present). Much of that success has come at the expense of clubs from the Third Division, as Flint City improves to 5-4-0 all-time against clubs from that level.
Both teams got off on a strong foot, but Flint City proved to be a bit more aggressive at the start. Giving up three free kicks in their own defensive end in the first seven minutes. They created their own attacking effort in the 9th minute as a multiple passing effort led to Ollie Moller-Jensen taking a shot from 12 yards out, only for Madison defender and captain Turner Humphrey to block the attempt.
The Bucks would continue to press for the next few minutes and would find a lucky break in the 13th minute. Moller-Jensen carried the ball in from midfield and sent a through ball to a streaking Jack Roman along the left sideline. Roman would then cut in and take a tough angled shot that was parried away by Forward Madison keeper Tenzing Manske. However, the ball was pushed straight into teammate Stephen Annor Gyamfi. Unfortunately for the Madison defender, he was unable to control the incoming ball as it deflected off his knee into the net, giving the home side a 1-0 lead via an own goal.
The Bucks would continue to press for a second, as just a few minutes later in the 16th, Jack Roman would take the ball down the left wing toward the box, cut in past a couple defenders, and take a shot at the far post. The shot would sail wide of the right post, but it showed that Flint wasn’t willing to stop at one.
Forward Madison would pick up on this effort and start pressing for an equalizer. This came to a crescendo starting around the 37th minute. Madison kept consistent possession for almost the entirety of the next four minutes, creating chance after chance. But each time, Flint City’s defense was there to clear the ball away once it entered the box.
Their best chance in the first half came in the 44th minute as a cross from Mbongeni Kanyane found the head of Annor Gyamfi, who was desperate to right his wrong from earlier in the match. He directed it toward the crossbar hoping it would dip underneath, but Bucks goalkeeper Isaiah Goldson was equal to the task, tipping the shot over the bar.
AMATEUR TEAMS WITH MOST PRO TEAM UPSETS (MODERN ERA)
Flint City Bucks – 11
Des Moines Menace – 9
Ocean City Nor’easters – 6
The second half would see additional chances from both sides, with Madison coming through with their own opportunity in the 51st minute as Kanyane found himself with a bouncing ball near the left sideline from 25 yards out. That didn’t stop him from taking a swing at the net from distance, as his ball was directed over the bar by Goldson to keep the lead for Flint.
The 67th minute was the Bucks’ chance to extend their lead, and they capitalized. A long ball from Tweneboa Kodua in the back found Roman near the left 18-yard corner, where he settled it, cut back, and sent a flat cross into the middle to find Jordy Lopez. He took just enough of a touch to stop the ball and then fired it from the top of the box into the upper left corner of the net to give Flint City a 2-0 lead.
Seeing their hopes dwindle, Madison had a couple more chances to try and get back into the match, but each time they failed. A corner kick led to a spilled save attempt in the 81st which was subsequently cleared, and in the 83rd Tyler Trimnal redirected a cross from Keith Romanshyn via a header, but that was calmly grabbed by Goldson.
Stoppage time would see a little feistiness emerge as the Bucks’ Luke Spadafora held back Trimnal on a run, earning a yellow card. As players jostled for position near Flint’s 18-yard box waiting for the subsequent Madison free kick, a Bucks player appeared to fall to the turf, and a subsequent red card was issued to Forward Madison’s Turner Humphrey.
The whistle would sound a few minutes later, securing the Bucks’ 11th win over a professional side, their first since 2017 when they defeated Indy Eleven (then a member of NASL). Even though there were plenty of chances on the attack, head coach Paul Doroh wanted to highlight the team effort to keep the clean sheet.
“We talked a lot about keeping them off the scoreboard and giving us a chance to win a game, and everybody bought into that effort to defend first.”
