Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

North Carolina FC

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: D.C. United survive North Carolina FC in PK shootout

by

David Ousted of D.C. United celebrates during the penalty kick shootout against the Richmond Kickers in the Fourth Round of the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: D.C. United
David Ousted of D.C. United celebrates during the penalty kick shootout against the Richmond Kickers in the Fourth Round of the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: D.C. United

D.C. United supporters got their third chance to watch their local side at home this season. And then some. After a very long road trip United returned ‘home’ to the Maryland SoccerPlex on Tuesday night, were held to a 1-1 draw before defeating North Carolina FC of the USL 4-3 in penalties in their first match in the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

With a match on the road against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday and another road test against Toronto FC on Wednesday, United coach Ben Olsen opted to go with a mix of starters and reserves to start the contest. Holdover midfielders Chris Durkin and Paul Arriola gave the side some shape along the spine, allowing them to move the ball some through the midfield. They made gradual progressions against a North Carolina defense that was bullish on ceding any territory.

Eventually D.C. did get an attacking chance off with Arriola ripping a shot from just inside the eighteen yard box in the 11th minute. But goalkeeper Alex Tambakis was there to make the stop, diving right to keep things level.

North Carolina were not so lucky in the 25th minute, when United midfielder Ian Harkes picked up his own rebound and slotted it into the back of the net to give D.C. the 1-0 advantage. It was his second career US Open Cup goal, two more than his dad, Hall of Famer John Harkes.

In the second half, North Carolina’s attack came alive. Using their speed on the outside, NCFC started to force United’s compact defense to break ranks. That allowed for additional space inside for NCFC to exploit. In the 70th minute, substitute Marcel Kandziora took a header off of a cross into United’s box. Although his chance initially looked to be on target it would go wide. While they were unsuccessful, North Carolina would equalize. In the 83rd minute, after a corner kick into the box was headed away by a D.C. defender, NCFC forward Marios Lomis snared the rebound. After a clever controlled touch he delivered an impressive volley past United goalkeeper David Ousted to tie things up at one. The goal was Lomis’ third of the tournament.

After extra time did not produce a winner, the two sides went into penalty kicks. The two sides traded goals in the first round with both Daniel Rios and Yamil Asad scoring for NCFC and D.C. respectively. The second round was a different story as Kyle Bekker of North Carolina saw his chance parried away by Ousted. United forward Darren Mattocks seized the opportunity for his side’s next chance, scoring the go-ahead goal. While Harkes missed his chance in round number four, the blow was lessened as NCFC’s Peabo Doue saw his own shot go wide of the mark. In the fifth and final round, United sealed the win with Bruno Miranda doing the honors.

“I only walked through but I try to read the player when he comes up,” said Ousted. “I try to read what he wants to do, what kind of player he is, what kind of foot he has on him. You see that in the strikes in the game. It’s just about trusting that gut feeling and getting a little bit of luck.”

For United, it was their first time eliminating a professional team since their improbable US Open Cup championship in 2013.

“First of all, means a lot for the club. Secondly, it means a lot for me to be able to win a  and win a trophy,” said Ousted. “I think it’s five games, then you’re with a trophy. That’s a short way to get a trophy so we definitely want to win it. I want to win it so we’re going to go full out.”

2018 US Open Cup Round 3: Who should be the TheCup.us Player of the Round?

by

thecup-us-social-logoNow that the Third Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is finished, it’s time to look back at some of the standout performances of the 12 matches.

From dominant displays to rocket shots to vital moments, there are plenty of great performances to choose from for TheCup.us Player of the Round.
The staff of TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters vote for the award, but if you had a vote, who would you choose?

Reyno Bustamante (Fresno FC, USL)
With Fresno FC locked in a tough extra-time period on the road against Sporting AZ FC (USASA), Bustamante worked some magic to score the game-winner in the 99th minute.

Austin da Luz (North Carolina FC, USL)
The veteran NCFC midfielder da Luz put on quite a performance, scoring the game-winning goal at home in a 4-1 victory against the Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL). He also assisted twice, on the game’s opening goal, as well as NCFC’s first insurance goal.

Allisson Faramillio (FC Golden State Force, PDL)
Going up against USL side Las Vegas Lights at home, Faramillio provided all of the offense Golden State needed. He scored the opener in the 75th minute, breaking a scoreless tie. After Vegas had tied the game a short time later, the Force earned a penalty kick in stoppage time, and Allisson was able to find the net to send his side home 2-1 winners.

Luiz Fernando (Richmond Kickers, USL)
With Richmond hosting fellow USL side Penn FC, Fernando started the game off on fire. He notched his first goal just 11 minutes in, and repeated the feat again in the 22nd minute. The Kickers would end up moving on to the Fourth Round, winning 3-2.

Christian Okeke (NTX Rayados, USASA)
After coughing up a 2-0 home lead within a span of five minutes against FC Wichita of the NPSL, the Rayados were on the ropes when they subbed in Okeke in the 82nd minute. Their faith in the forward was repaid just four minutes later, as he notched the game-winner in a 3-2 victory.

Jorge Rivera (Penn FC, USL)
Playing on the road against fellow USL team Richmond Kickers, Penn FC was on their heels after Luiz Fernando had a hot start (see above). However, Rivera helped dig the visitors out of the hole, getting them on the board at 36th minute, then tying the game with a half hour left. While his team would ultimately lose, Rivera’s effort was nothing short of heroic to prevent a possible blowout and rally his team.

Sean Totsch (Louisville City FC, USL)
King’s Cup rival Saint Louis FC (USL) came to town, in a match that largely came down to defense, and Totsch helped City’s backline limit chances and helped keeper Tim Dobrowolski keep a clean sheet. However, it was on the other end where Totsch was vital, running on the ball and launching an absolute screamer from five yards outside the box into the top left corner of the net, giving the home team a 1-0 win.

2018 US Open Cup Round 3: North Carolina FC prepared for storm, defeated Ocean City Nor’easters, 4-1

by

North Carolina FC defeats Ocean City Nor'eastersTwo months ago, a gusty nor’easter uncovered the skeletal remains of a humpback whale long buried on the Jersey shore, about 15 miles north of Ocean City, New Jersey. Tuesday evening, the Ocean City Nor’easters drifted down to WakeMed Soccer Park and encountered another variety of Dead Whales, these representing North Carolina FC in the third round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

North Carolina FC scored two goals in the first half, then replicated that in the second stanza on their way to a 4-1 victory over Ocean City to advance to the fourth round of the US Open Cup.

“We weren’t at our best, but I think it was a professional, workmanlike performance, a lot like last week ,” said NCFC midfielder Austin da Luz. “We finished some chances, we defended well, and onto the next round.”

While Tuesday’s opponent was an amateur squad, it came with a long Open Cup pedigree for results over professional opponents, most recently a 3-1 win over the Charlotte Independence last week. It was their sixth win over a professional team in club history. North Carolina FC manager Colin Clarke said he knew what to expect from the visitors from Jersey.

“Counterattacks and transition,” Clarke said. “ scored two goals in the first seven minutes against Charlotte in the last round, and that was the game, pretty much. We nearly fell for it a couple of times , but overall I thought we deserved the game. It’s the third game in seven or eight days , with another one in three days. So, it’s a tough stretch, but we’re moving on to the next round, which the main thing.”

North Carolina FC jumped out to an early lead in the 8th minute. Da Luz delivered a cross that found an onrushing Marios Lomis, who put the outside of his right boot to ball. The sphere squibbed between the legs of Ocean City goalkeeper Alec Smir and across the goal line to give NCFC a 1-0 advantage.

The Nor’easters equalized in the 17th minute, after North Carolina failed to clear a seemingly benign ball in the box that ended up at the feet of Uros Ilic. The OC defender’s shot glanced off NCFC’s Michael Harrington along its path into the net, making the score 1-1.

However, North Carolina FC retook the lead for good in the 26th minute. Midfielder Bernhard Luxbacher sent a cross off the right wing that found da Luz, who poked his head around a Nor’easter defender and nodded the ball into the bottom corner of the goal, making the score 2-1 at intermission.

The home side extended its lead to 3-1 in the 66th minute off a nifty build-up that started when da Luz sent a skimmer into the area that Dre Fortune dummied to Lomis. Lomis one-touched back to Fortune, who took a touch around an OC defender before depositing his left-footed shot past Smir.

Carolina made it a final four in the 84th minute when second-half sub D.J. Taylor turned and fired from distance. His shot pinged off the right shoulder of forward Donovan Ewolo and into the net, giving the Cameroonian import his first NCFC goal, even if he knew nothing about it.

After the match, Clarke credited the “outstanding” play of da Luz, starting his third game in less than a week. Tuesday against the Nor’easters, da Luz scored a goal, assisted another, and set-up a third.

North Carolina FC returns to Open Cup play on June 6, with the site and (likely) Major League Soccer opponent to be determined this Thursday. In the meantime, NCFC resumes USL competition this Friday, May 25 against Atlanta United 2, the reserve side for their MLS parent. It’s the first of four USL home games for NCFC, a pivotal stretch for a club currently mired near the bottom of the Eastern Conference table.

“It’s an important —it’s the first one of four at home,” Clarke added. “It’s a team that has some young kids coming in and one or two veterans, but a team that’s scoring goals, conceding goals, and is exciting to watch. But we’re at home, and we need to start putting another run together. And that needs to start Friday night.”

“We’re not anywhere close to where we want to be in the league right now,” da Luz, said. “So Friday is a massive game for us, and we have to turn our attention to that pretty quick.”

Courtesy of WRALSportsFan.com

2018 US Open Cup Round 2: North Carolina FC blank Lansdowne Bhoys to remain perfect vs. amateurs

by

Players from North Carolina FC and Lansdowne Bhoys FC battle for the ball in their 2018 US Open Cup match. Photo: Rob Kinnan, NCFC
Players from North Carolina FC and Lansdowne Bhoys FC battle for the ball in their 2018 US Open Cup match. Photo: Rob Kinnan, NCFC

In their relatively storied Open Cup history, North Carolina FC (nee the RailHawks) had never lost to an amateur team. That run continued as they routed Lansdowne Bhoys 3-0 on Wednesday night behind goals from Connor Tobin, Marios Lomis, and Bernhard Luxbacher.

The rout started early at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary as NCFC pushed forward right from the kickoff, earning themselves a corner kick in the first minute. Kyle Bekker’s ball glanced off the head of Austin da Luz and snuck through to Connor Tobin, who smashed home a rare goal for the centerback.

Lansdowne didn’t generate much work for NCFC goalkeeper Austin Guerrero in the first half–their best chance was a scuffed touch behind the backline. Lansdowne goalkeeper Abdoukarim Danso (brother of NCFC centerback Futty Danso) had to work to avoid a 2-0 deficit, on the other hand. He got fingertip to a Andre Fortune shot that hit the post in the 26th minute, fought off a near own goal in the 30th minute, and pushed another shot off the post in the 42nd.

In the 44th minute, however, the hosts broke through after a smart throw-in down the line played Fortune behind the Lansdowne line. Lomis easily powered his cross home to double the advantage before the halftime whistle.

Abdoukarim Danso’s heroics once again went unrewarded in the second half, as just a minute after an amazing one-on-one save on Lomis, Luxbacher put home the third. In the 74th minute, Kyle Bekker found Luxbacher with a looping ball behind the backline. One touch put Luxbacher behind Abdoukarim Danso and, having struggled with his shot all game, the Swiss midfielder decided to simply escort the ball into the net.

With the win, North Carolina FC improves to 7-0-0 all-time against amateur teams in this tournament. They advance to the Third Round where they will host the Ocean City Nor’easters of the PDL on Tuesday, May 22.

2017 US Open Cup Round 4: Houston Dynamo uses reserves to beat North Carolina FC in OT

by

Houston Dynamo logoIn nearly every aspect of the Dynamo’s road match at North Carolina FC, the two sides were even. But every game in the US Open Cup needs a winner, and Jose “Memo” Rodriguez controlled a rebound in the 109th minute and slotted a shot just out of the reach of NCFC’s keeper to give Houston a 3-2 win Wednesday night in Cary, North Carolina.

Though Houston was the better team on paper, the club withheld many of their stars in preparation for a league match on Saturday. This created a very even playing field between the two teams. North Carolina FC got out to an early lead when Steven Miller found himself wide open just outside the box. He finished it with a drive to the top corner to give NCFC a 1-0 lead.

That lead was short lived, though. In the 25th minute, Vicante Sanchez delivered a beautiful cross to Andrew Wenger, who finished the easy goal to tie the game. Coming out of the break, Houston looked determined to apply more pressure and create more chances. Manager Wilmer Cabrera later said his strategy paid off.

“Despite having seven players from our affiliated USL team, we needed to come over here and pressure the ball, and it was good,” Cabrera said.

The second half ended up a mirror image of the first, with Houston scoring first in the 62nd minute. Dylan Remick stole a pass deep in NCFC’s territory and found the bottom corner for a 2-1 lead. Just seven minutes later, Lance Laing found the equalizer off a set piece.

With just two minutes left in regulation, play was suspended due to lightning in the area. After taking a break for nearly 90 minutes, the players retuned to the field. After several good chances in extra time, Rodriguez finally broke though to put his team through to the next round.

Houston advances to the Fifth Round (Round of 16) in the Central region, and will face either Colorado Rapids, FC Dallas, or Sporting KC as determined by U.S. Soccer’s draw Thursday morning.

2017 US Open Cup Round 3: North Carolina FC claim state supremacy with 4-1 win over Charlotte Independence

by

North Carolina FC logoNorth Carolina FC raced past interstate rival Charlotte Independence, 4-1, on Wednesday night and into the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The NASL side took the lead in the 17th minute when James Marcelin headed in a cross from Lance Laing.

North Carolina FC coach Colin Clarke said getting on the scoreboard first was vital for his team.

“We talked before the game, saying the first goal was going to be important,” said Clarke. “We started our regular season scoring the first goal in the first five games. We haven’t done that in the last couple so it settles us down.”

Charlotte’s defense limited North Carolina to only two shots in the first half, but the team formerly known as the Carolina Railhawks managed to double its lead just seven minutes after halftime.

North Carolina captain Nazmi Albadawi slipped his shot into the Charlotte net after taking a pass from Saeed Robinson.

Albadawi scored again in the 82nd minute, when he chipped the ball over the Charlotte goalkeeper after a long pass from Austin Da Luz found him alone in the box.

Clarke said that goal clinched the win for North Carolina FC.

“That third one goes in and it’s game over,” the North Carolina coach said. “You know, 2-0 and you’re always worried about the momentum shift a goal can bring for them and then anything can happen from there.”

North Carolina extended its lead to 4-0 when defender Connor Tobin drilled a shot into the upper corner of the Charlotte net.

Charlotte tacked on its goal with a stoppage time penalty kick.

North Carolina will host MLS’ Houston Dynamo on June 14 in the next round of the USOC.

2017 US Open Cup Round 2: North Carolina FC dominate Carolina Dynamo in first trip to Greensboro

by

North Carolina FC logo

The last time these two teams met in 2013, former UNC-Greensboro standout and Montreal Impact draftee Hakan Ilhan put a scare into the then-RailHawks before the NASL team pulled away at the end. This game between the Carolina Dynamo and North Carolina FC was not that close, as NCFC hammered the Dynamo 6-1 in North Carolina’s first-ever trip to MacPherson Stadium in Brown’s Summit, North Carolina.

Though the final scoreline wasn’t kind to a Dynamo team made up mostly of college players from the Triangle and Triad, the amateur side could feel relatively good about the opening quarter of the game. Danny Elliott was the one true menace to the NCFC backline, making his presence known early when his 4th minute endline cross merited a quick reaction from NCFC CB Andre Fortune. Elliott ran at the backline again in the 22nd minute but his cutback was cut out by Fortune.

That said, the experienced frontline of Matt Fondy, Tiyi Shipalane, and Brian Shriver generated most of the first half’s chances. They broke through in the 27th minute, as Shriver finished a deft sequence in the Dynamo box that included a Fondy lay-off and a Shipalane dummy.

With weekend NASL league games sandwiching the Open Cup game, North Carolina would have been forgiven for playing a reserve squad in Greensboro. Indeed, some reserves and prospects, like Fortune and goalkeeper Macklin Robinson, started. But the inclusion of Shipalane, Shriver, Fondy, and CB Connor Tobin signaled the seriousness with which NCFC takes the Open Cup.

Dynamo centerback Rashid Tetteh delayed the second goal for six minutes when he cleared a Kareem Moses shot off the line. But Fondy doubled the lead in the 37th minute with a calmly slotted ball past Dynamo keeper Ryan Cretens after a nearly 40-yard wide-open run.

Fondy did his best Shipalane impression in the 40th minute by making a darting run to the endline before laying it off to Shipalane himself for the easy blast to put NCFC up 3-0.

Even up 3-0, NCFC were relentless. The rare Dynamo opportunity came in the form of an Elliott counter. Sometimes it was a solo effort, like in the 43rd minute where Elliott had Fortune dead to rights, only to cut the wrong direction and into Tobin. Sometimes he had help, like in the 45th minute when Nicholas Adamczyk’s cross had to be dealt with by Tobin. Either way, the Dynamo likely didn’t complete more than ten passes in the NCFC half during the first 45 minutes.

It was at halftime that the sizable Raleigh contingent finally got to Macpherson Stadium. Already up comfortably, NCFC treated the loud Oak City Supporters to a fine second all the same. Halftime substitute Billy Schuller collected a Cretens miscue in the 47th minute to put North Carolina up 4-0. Ten minutes later, Jonathan Orlando made it five after a skillful feed from Shipalane.

“You’re still better than Charlotte,” chanted the visiting supporters, referencing the extra-time smackdown North Carolina laid on the Charlotte Independence in last year’s Open Cup third round. Elliott, presumably taking those words in stride, set up Dynamo’s only moment of joy in the 74th minute. But what a joy it was, as first-half substitute Justin Shear thundered home a volley from Elliott’s curling cross that made its way around NCFC defender James Marcelin. It was a goal worthy of goal-of-the-tournament recognition.

Schuller capped off the scoring in the 85th minute, slotting home Shriver’s pass to make it 6-1. North Carolina FC moves on to host the Independence for the third consecutive year on May 31.

Copyright © 2026 • Built by Jacob Martella Web Development