Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

Reno 1868 FC

2019 US Open Cup Round 2: Sam Werner’s late goal gives Sacramento Republic rain-soaked win vs. Reno 1868 FC

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Sam Werner (No. 11) celebrates his go-ahead goal for the Sacramento Republic in the club's Second Round match against Reno 1868 FC. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC
Sam Werner (No. 11) celebrates his go-ahead goal for the Sacramento Republic in the club’s Second Round match against Reno 1868 FC. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC

Sam Werner’s 86th minute heroics lifts Republic FC past Reno 1868 FC 1-0 and into Round 3 of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on a rainy, slippery night.

On a night dominated not by the players on the pitch, but rather the unrelenting downpour of rain falling continuously throughout the 90 minutes, Sam Werner proved the hero Sacramento Republic FC needed. In the 82nd minute a throw in led to a slight break away for the home side. Drew Skundrich redirected a pass into the box toward Werner who was perfectly placed and unmarked in the middle of the box. Werner calmly collected the ball and placed it in the back of the net, past the helpless Reno keeper JT Marcinkowski.

The first real chance of the match came early as Republic FC started with tons of pressure and a forceful high press. In the sixth minute midfielder Sam Werner sent a ball in from deep on the left side. His looping pass found a wide open, onside Tyler Blackwood in the middle of the box. The forward attempted to one-touch the cross toward the goal, but miss-hit it leaving the ball free in a dangerous area. Republic FC midfielder Drew Skundrich cleaned up the free ball, but could not get off a good shot as Reno keeper Marcinkowski was there for a sliding save keeping the match scoreless.

Reno 1868 FC’s best look came in the 33rd minute when a deflected ball found Aidan Apodaca who was sitting near the top of the box. The forward settled the ball, put it on his favored right foot before blasting a low shot toward the left corner of the goal, but the show was saved by the quick-thinking, quick-diving Republic FC keeper, Rafael Díaz as the match headed to half in a scoreless deadlock.

The second half looked much like the first, slippery and wet, making it tough for both offenses to create much of a rhythm. Despite the lack of rhythm, Reno seemed to be the aggressor, having the majority of possession and chances. In the 57th minute was again the active player, as he was played through in the middle of the park. The forward sped past the defender creating a 1v1 with Republic FC keeper Rafael Díaz. The forward beat the keeper, but in an unfortunate bit of luck, hit the right post as it deflected away harmlessly.

Republic FC broke the deadlock on Werner’s goal in the 82nd minute, reversing the trend of the second half. Werner was destined to be the hero, accounting for much of Republic FC’s offense, truly acting as a pest to the Reno defense.

Despite a valiant effort by Reno 1868 FC for the last eight minutes, they could not break through with an equalizer, allowing Republic FC to advance to the Third Round for the sixth straight year. They will face Fresno FC in the next round.

 

2018 US Open Cup Round 3: Kevin Aleman’s stunning free kick lifts Sacramento Republic past Reno 1868 FC

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USOC SAC-RNO FINALUSL sides Sacramento Republic and Reno 1868 FC tangled in a Third Round match in Nevada, with the Republic coming out victorious. The away side held control for most of the match, but couldn’t break through until about twenty minutes from time. Keven Alemán’s free kick just outside the box hit the back of the net, sending Sacramento through to the Fourth Round, earning the right to play an MLS side.

The first half was wide open, with the Republic creating the few major chances that occurred in the half. They started in the 8th minute, when Hayden Partain was played in by Jaime Villarreal, but missed the cross. Again in the 28th minute, the visitors had another chance, but Alemán saw his effort tackled away at the last possible second. Their best chance of the first half came in the 32nd minute, when an awful Reno back pass played in Cameron Iwasa, but 1868 keeper Kyle Ihn expertly saved Iwasa’s effort.

“We had the better chances in the first half. We didn’t take them. Ian’s teams are tough and well organized,” said Sacramento Head Coach Simon Elliott, as the game went into the half scoreless. “It is always a battle whenever we play them.” Elliott elaborated, “I think when you are on the front foot, we need to take advantage and be more clinical. You let good teams stick around like Reno and they will punish you. They punished us last time, but this time we got away with it.”

The second half played out much like the first half, as Sacramento controlled possession and pushed for the break through goal. The goal eventually came from Man of the Match Keven Alemán. He expertly curled in a free kick from the top of the box, giving the Republic the 1-0 advantage. “He was motivated,” said Elliott about his star player on the night. “He’s been out for a little while with an injury, so he was motivated to play. He got a little frustrated at times in the first half, but what was really pleasing is that he kept going and kept going and got his reward with a really nice goal. So we are delighted for him.”

Following the goal, Reno finally started to build their way into the match, with most of their best chances coming late in the game as they searched for an equalizer. They had a chance in the 83rd minute from Danny Musovski, but the visitors expertly blocked the effort. This began a spell of heavy pressure for the final 10 minutes of the match. 1868 got close to an equalizer three times in stoppage time. First, Christian Thierjung fired over the bar, then Danny Musovski’s diving header hit the post, and finally Connor Johnson fired wide from range as the match ended 1-0 in favor of the Republic.

The win puts Sacramento Republic back in the Fourth Round for the fourth time in their five year existence. They will attempt to improve on their 1-2-1 (0-1 in PKs) record and repeat a win over MLS from last year, when they beat Real Salt Lake 4-1 in the same round.

2018 US Open Cup Round 2: After early scare, Reno 1868 scores six second half goals to beat Portland Timbers U-23s

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USOC PDX-RNO FINALReno’s Greater Nevada Field saw two kinds of torrential downpours on May 16. The day started with one of the natural variety as clouds opened up and dumped a large amount of rain. After the match started, Reno 1868 FC rained down soccer balls on the Portland Under-23s net in a 7-3 victory in the Second Round of this year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Weather delayed the start of the match for 15 minutes. Once the match got started, both teams looked slow in the beginning, neither team able to dictate their will on the other. Things changed in the 30th minute when a Rey Ortiz free kick was deflected by Reno goalkeeper Kyle Ihn before Ryo Shimazaki finished it to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Ortiz continued his set piece mastery 10 minutes later when his corner kick found the head of Wouter Verstraaten, who doubled the Portland lead to 2-0.

First half stoppage time saw a key moment of the match. Reno’s Sam Gleadle put a cross into the box where Jerry Van Ewijk place a shot into a low corner to pull back a goal and cut the halftime deficit to 2-1.

Van Ewijk equalized with his second of the night just after the break to make the score 2-2. Portland would retake the lead briefly via an own goal from Dembakwi Yomba in the 58th minute. After that, however, it would be all Reno.

The home side kept finding space and exploited the Portland backline in the second half, allowing Reno to score seemingly at will. Danny Musovski picked up a brace, scoring in the 68th and 72nd minutes, while Van Ewijk completed his hat trick in the 81st. Lindo Mfeka (85’) and Christian Thierjung (90’) added late scores to complete the rout.

With the victory, Reno joins Las Vegas Lights FC (who won later on that evening) to become the first two Nevada-based clubs in the Modern Era (1995-present) to win a US Open Cup match. Reno, along with amateur side Anahuac FC, advanced last year via penalty kicks, but those are officially listed as draws.

Reno move on to the Third Round where they will host their rival, Sacramento Republic FC on May 23.

2017 US Open Cup Round 3: Sacramento Republic’s “complete performance” leads to win over Reno 1868

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Sacramento Republic logoSacramento Republic had their most complete performance of the year to top new rivals, Reno 1868, 2-0 in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The Republic were led by a goal and an assist from forward Trevin Caesar to earn the right to host their first ever MLS side in their home stadium in the Fourth Round against Real Salt Lake.

“I thought it was a complete performance from our boys tonight and now we face an MLS team,” said Republic head coach Paul Buckle.

The Republic took control of the game straight from the first whistle and were all over Reno from the start. Their best effort came in the 11th minute when Trevin Caesar dribbled the ball to the center of the box before firing it just wide.

They created more chances in the 18th minute when Reno goalie Russ Klabough was forced to parry the shot from Danny Barrera wide before a follow up shot from Agustin Cazarez forced a second save out of the Reno keeper.

Sacramento continued its relentless pressure for most of the first half. They were eventually rewarded with a goal when Caesar slipped the ball into Harry Williams who buried his chance to give the Republic the lead just before the break, 1-0.

“I was thrilled to see Trevin Caesar build on Saturday. That’s the Trevin Caesar the fans want to see, and I want to see running in behind teams, using his pace,” Buckle said.

The second half played out very similar to the first as the Republic were clicking on every level.

“It was a wonderful performance tonight. I thought the players were magnificent tonight,” Buckle said. “You saw fight, you saw energy, you saw goals, you saw chances created and a clean sheet, against a good side.”

Caesar went on to cap his performance when he found the back of the net in 59th minute.

“Trevin’s finish was excellent. I was wanting him to pass it into Sammy and he just drove it bottom corner,” Buckle said.

Reno would push for a goal, which left them exposed at the back, allowing Sacramento a few more chances to kill the match off, but they were unable to capitalize. For the expansion side, they are the first professional team from Nevada to ever qualify for the tournament.

“I desperately wanted to win the game, you know, so we can get an MLS side,” Buckle said. “It’s what we want to see. It’s what ownership wanted. We all wanted it, and we got it and I’m proud of the boys, I’m very proud of the team tonight.”

2017 US Open Cup Round 2: Reno 1868 FC needs PKs to become first pro team from Nevada to advance

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Reno 1868 FC logo

Reno 1868 FC were able to make their first Open Cup match a successful one – but they had to battle through 120 minutes of soccer and a penalty shootout to do it.

The first-year USL club traveled to Seattle to take on OSA FC, winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout after playing to a 1-1 draw in the second round of the 2017 US Open Cup. Reno goalkeeper Russ Klabough saved two penalties in the shootout, and Junior Burgos converted his to send Reno into the third round of the tournament.

OSA, an amateur team from the fourth-division NPSL, came out hot playing at home. They pressed Reno from the opening whistle and were rewarded 15 minutes into the match, when Eli Gordley collected the ball bouncing around in the six-yard box stabbing it home into the net.
Buoyed by the goal, OSA kept up the pressure, hitting the crossbar twice in ten minutes, but Reno turned the game around and equalized in the 30th minute. Cameron Vickers laid a pass toward goal to Dembakwi Yomba, who used his strength to hold off the OSA defense and his finesse to slot the ball into the net.

Reno controlled most of the rest of regulation, and Mackenzie Pridham hit the crossbar himself. The road team had three glorious chances in quick succession to score the winning goal in second-half stoppage time. The best of those chances required a game-saving tackle from behind from OSA defender Beau Blanchard to stop a sure Reno goal.

Neither team could find the same level of inspiration in the 30 minutes of extra time – although OSA goalkeeper Joshua Adachi was forced into making several fine saves – so on it went to penalties.

Blanchard shot first for OSA and had his effort saved. The teams traded marks before Reno’s Antoine Hoppenot, a former Philadelphia Union player, blazed his effort over the bar to level the shootout. But Klabough gave Reno the advantage back by making a dramatic kick-save on OSA substitute Hamza Haddadi.

Neither team missed from the mark again. It came down to Reno’s final shooter, Junior Burgos, who coolly tucked his penalty into the net before racing into the corner to celebrate the hard-fought victory with his teammates.

OSA had also gone to penalties in their first round match against the Seattle Sounders U-23s. In that game, they played 120 minutes of scoreless soccer before making all 5 of their penalty kicks to advance – making an appearance in the second round of the tournament for the first time in their history. They’ll now turn their focus back to NPSL league play.

Reno entered the tournament as the first pro club from Nevada to qualify for the US Open Cup, and now they are the first to advance. The club’s reward for the victory is a Third Round US Open Cup match on May 31 at fellow USL club Sacramento Republic. The winner of that game will get the chance to face an MLS opponent in the fourth round of the tournament.

Reno Lineup: Klabough, Griffiths, Ward, Richards, Felipe, Casiple, Pridham, Ward, Silva, Burgos, Yomba
OSA Lineup: Adachi, Blanchard, Jackson, S. Rogers, Ocampo, Anderson, Bwana, Russell, Shaxton, Roldan, Gordley

SUBS
62′ Reno Hoppenot on, Yomba off
67′ OSA Ayala on, Shaxton off
79′ Reno Lagrassa on, Pridham off
105′ Reno Mfeka on, Vickers off
109′ OSA Haddadi on, Gordley off
119′ OSA Wright on, Russell off

GOALS
16’ OSA – Gordley
30’ Reno – Yomba (assisted by Vickers)

PENALTIES
OSA Blanchard- saved
Reno Casiple – make
OSA Roldan– make
Reno Richards – make
OSA Jackson– make
Reno Hoppenot – miss
OSA Haddadi– saved
Reno LaGrassa – make
OSA Wright – make
Reno Burgos – make

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