US Open Cup Central

2026 US Open Cup Round 3: Denis Krioutchenkov of One Knoxville voted TheCup.us Player of Round

April 26, 2026 by Sam Brummitt

Graphic: Frank Lanham | Photo: Yohan Maitland - Maitland Photography @yohandotjpeg — Graphic: Frank Lanham | Photo: Yohan Maitland – Maitland Photography @yohandotjpeg

The Round of 32 in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup produced three memorable “Cupsets” and a number of close matches. On April 14, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks of the USL Championship dominated the four-time Open Cup winners, Sporting Kansas City of MLS, with a commanding 3-0 win. That same night, another USL Championship side, Louisville City FC, defeated last year’s Open Cup runners-up, Austin FC, 2-1.

The most thrilling of the Round of 32 Cupsets took place the following evening, when the USL League One side, One Knoxville SC, came from behind twice on the road against the three-time Open Cup winners, DC United, and won in a penalty shootout.

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The star of that match was the super sub, One Knox’s Denis Krioutchenkov, who scored within two minutes after coming into the game in the 77th minute to put his team ahead. He would later score a second goal deep into the second half of extra time to even the scoreline at 3-3 and send the game into penalties.

By scoring a brace, and converting the first of his team’s six penalty kicks after extra time, Denis Krioutchenkov was selected as TheCup.us Player of the Round. The Player of the Round award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters and select backers (those that pledge $10 or more) from TheCup.us’ Patreon team.

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Krioutchenkov took home the lion’s share of the voting, far outspacing second place Talles Magno of New York City FC (MLS) who scored the tournament’s first hat trick of the year in a 5-2 road win over Westchester SC (USL-1). Closely behind him in third place was Sadam Masereka of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL-C) who had a goal and an assist in the team’s aforementioned upset of Sporting KC.

One Knox defeated Vistula Garfield and Asheville City SC earlier this spring to advance to the Third Round of the tournament for the first time in the club’s five-year history. After eliminating two lower division sides, One Knox found themselves in unknown territory, playing against an MLS team for the first time in the Round of 32.

One Knoxville had drawn even with DC United late in the 75th minute after Braudilio Rodrigues’ shot was parried by Alex Bono only for Babacar Diene to blast the rebound into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Two minutes later, Krioutchenkov, the One Knox SC forward, subbed into the game just when his team needed a jolt of energy. One Knox was playing their fourth straight road game over a 15-day span, a stretch that started with their second round Open Cup game against Asheville City SC, which went into extra time and penalties.

In the 78th minute, Krioutchenkov made a run between two defenders at the top of DC United’s box. The One Knox fullback, Jaheim Brown, sent a cross into the box, which deflected off a teammate and towards Krioutchenkov.

Krioutchenkov got a high foot on the ball to direct it into the lower right corner. Within two minutes of stepping on to the field, Krioutchenkov carried his team further into unknown territory – the upstart USL-1 club now had a one goal advantage over a top division team.

United would level the game with a goal by Nikola Marković in the 83rd minute and go ahead 3-2 with another goal by João Peglow in the first half of extra time (97th min.).

One Knoxville SC players and coaches celebrate after beating D.C. United 6-5 in penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Ethan Garnier - One Knoxville SC — One Knoxville SC players and coaches celebrate after beating D.C. United 6-5 in penalty kicks after a 3-3 draw in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Ethan Garnier – One Knoxville SC

Krioutchenkov silenced the home crowd late in extra time when Will Perkins found him with a cross in the 113th minute.

Speaking after the game, Krioutchenkov credited his teammates for the pinpoint crosses that led both of his two goals that night.

“It’s not a game where it’s an individual. My first goal came from Jaheim crossing a wonderful ball. And then the second , Will was just playing me so I could finish it one time, which are extremely difficult balls to play but we make it look easy. So we just had belief in our players who are going to, you know, put us in the best possible position.”

Denis Krioutchnekov of One Knoxville SC celebrates after scoring a goal against D.C. United in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Yohan Maitland - Maitland Photography @yohandotjpeg — Denis Krioutchnekov of One Knoxville SC celebrates after scoring a goal against D.C. United in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Yohan Maitland – Maitland Photography @yohandotjpeg

Extra time ended with the score tied at 3-3. One Knoxville were no strangers to penalty kicks, however. Two weeks earlier they bested Asheville City SC by 3-2 in a penalty shootout behind three saves by goalkeeper, Jonathan Burke.

Krioutchenkov topped off this performance by converting the first of One Knox’s six straight penalty kicks. He punched a hard shot from the spot into the lower left corner. After each side converted their first five penalty kicks, One Knox’s Jonathan Burke finally got his hands on DC United’s sixth penalty kick to keep it out of the net, setting up his team’s decisive sixth penalty kick, which Kyle Linhares converted to secure $50,000 in prize money as the last remaining third division club and send One Knoxville SC into the Round of 16.

Denis Krioutchnekov of One Knoxville SC celebrates after scoring a goal against D.C. United in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Ethan Garnier - One Knoxville SC — Denis Krioutchnekov of One Knoxville SC celebrates after scoring a goal against D.C. United in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Ethan Garnier – One Knoxville SC

Krioutchenkov reflected on his team’s third round win after the game.

“It was the first time history we’re playing an MLS team, so you never know how that’s going to go. After Kyle penalty went in, you just feel that burst of excitement… and you forget how tired you are and you just start running everywhere. That was a really cool way to end it.”

One Knoxville’s head coach, Ian Fuller, did not doubt that Krioutchenkov would find the net in critical moments late in the game.

“Both center forwards scored tonight so I’m thrilled… That’s their job and if they’re not doing it, you know, it’s hard to find , so I’m thrilled for them. Denny getting two , I mean, the kid loves a goal, right? He worked his socks off.”

Both of Krioutchenkov’s goals against D.C. United came on well-timed runs to meet crosses in dangerous areas in front of the goal. His coach Ian Fuller talked after the game about how Krioutchenkov has focused on waiting for these type of scoring opportunities to materialize.

‘One thing about is we’ve been talking about how important it is to hold the ball up because he doesn’t get his chances if he doesn’t hold the ball up and he was world class at that. It’s the little pieces that ended with the results of the goal that I’m really excited for him.”

After leading the University of Charlotte men’s soccer team in goals in the 2025 season, Krioutchenkov joined the USL League One champions over the winter. In his first season as a professional, the 6 foot 3 inch forward has made a splash in USL League One. Krioutchenkov has appeared in all ten of One Knox’s matches in all competitions so far this year, tallying five goals, one assist, and a league-leading 19 shots. The One Knox forward was selected for the Team of the Week in week one of the USL League One season after scoring two goals in the season opener against Westchester SC. He ended the first month of the season with a game winning goal against the Richmond Kickers to earn the league’s March Player of the Month honor.

One Knoxville SC will hit the road for the fourth straight time in the Open Cup when they take on the Columbus Crew on April 29 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, OH.

2026 National Amateur Cup: Chicago House appeal upheld, will play Minnesota Blizzard next

April 22, 2026 by Michael Battista

Chicago House players celebrate after scoring a goal in the 2026 National Amateur Cup. Photo: Alex iDiscoverer | IG: @idiscoverer.sport

Well nevermind then.

On Monday, the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) announced that Chicago House AC has successfully appealed its disqualification from the 2026 USASA Region II (Midwest) Amateur Cup tournament. The team had been disqualified last week for fielding an ineligble player.

House will now play Minnestota Blizzard FC in Round 2 of the tournament. Game information has not been announced yet, however sources have told TheCup.us that the game is expected to be played in the next two weeks.

USASA Executive Director Bruce Bode provided TheCup.us with a statement on the association’s committee ruling.

“The Appeals Committee panel considered all the evidence and concluded the team should not be disqualified. Once we have the full written decision we will determine if modifications to the rules are needed. The Appeals Committee also recommended that the event rules be revised to remove any existing ambiguity in this area….Where needed, the rules will be modified.”

While not explicitly cited in the ruling, House player Nico Williams appears to be the player at the heart of the controversy. Williams was playing professional indoor soccer at the time of the Amateur Cup match. The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is professional, however it is not registered with the United States Soccer Federation. Only the MASL’s lower divisions are associated as amateur under the USASA umbrella.

Chicago House provided the following statement to media after the announcement.

The USASA Appeals Committee has upheld the appeal by Chicago House AC and the team remains eligible in the USASA Amateur Cup Tournament. Last week, USASA’s Region 2 claimed Chicago House used an ineligible player and the team was disqualified from the Amateur Cup.

House appealed the decision insisting that the player in question is in fact eligible, citing US
Soccer policy and the appeals committee agreed.

“We are pleased that the committee took a sincere review of our appeal, asked relevant questions and came to the same conclusion that we had,” said House Managing Partner and CEO Peter Wilt.

“We look forward to hosting the Minnesota Blizzard in the 2nd round match as soon as possible,” Wilt said.

Chicago House is attempting to qualify for the US Open Cup for the third time in club history and the first time since 2024. The 2026 Natioal Amateur Cup champion qualifies for the 2027 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

2026 National Amateur Cup: Chicago House disqualified for fielding ineligible player

April 18, 2026 by Tim Abbott

Chicago House AC players and coaches huddle up before the club's 2026 Amateur Cup match against RKC Third Coast SC. Photo: Justin Limon | IG: @jsl.vvisuals — Chicago House AC players and coaches huddle up before the club’s 2026 Amateur Cup match against RKC Third Coast SC. Photo: Justin Limon | IG: @jsl.vvisuals

The 2026 National Amateur Cup has had another bump in the road. Following their 4-1 win over RKC Third Coast in Round 1 of the USASA Region II (Midwest) Amateur Cup, Chicago House AC (IL) has been disqualified from the tournament. The team fielded an ineligible player in their match.

A statement was provided to TheCup.us by the United States Adult Soccer Association.

“A decision was made to disqualify Chicago House for using an ineligible player in their last game against RKC Third Coast. Chicago House has appealed that decision. The USASA Appeals Committee will rule on the appeal as soon as practicable,” USASA Executive Director Bruce Bode told TheCup.us. “We will work to disrupt the game schedule as little as possible.”

The rule in question, 202.2 in the USASA National Cups policy reads “Players competing in the Amateur Cups must have amateur status as defined by the Federation.”

The ineligible player was not named by USASA. However, Chicago House forward Nico Williams, who scored a brace in Round 1, is likely the player involved. At the time of Round 1, Williams was playing professional indoor soccer in the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) with the Baltimore Blast. A few days after the Amateur Cup game, Williams appeared for the Blast in an MASL playoff match against the Milwaukee Wave.

House has appealed the disqualification.

The club’s Managing Partner, President and CEO Peter Wilt responded: “We have followed all the US Soccer Federation policies assuring we have used no ineligible players. We are confident that the appeal process will validate this. According to US Soccer, a player is only classified as a professional when a professional registration is submitted to and approved by U.S. Soccer. MASL does not submit professional registrations to USSF, so they do not consider the player a professional in their records.”

House, which competes in the Midwest Premier League, was scheduled to host Minnesota Blizzard FC of the National Premier Soccer League. That game was scheduled to be played on Sunday, April 19.

The Round 2 “competition window” is supposed to run until this Sunday, April 19. The Blizzard, who await either House or RKC, have been advised that their next match will happen in the next two weeks. The Quarterfinals are scheduled for the first week in May.

Since leaving professional soccer in the National Independent Soccer Association, House have become regulars in both the Amateur Cup and US Open Cup. Founded by soccer executive Peter Wilt, House have appeared in last four Region II Amateur Cup tournaments, reaching the quarterfinals in 2024 and 2025. The team appeared in two Open Cup tournaments in 2023 and 2024, reaching the Third Round in 2023 after beating USL League One side Forward Madison FC before facing off against Major League Soccer side Chicago Fire FC.

The winner of the Region II Amateur Cup qualifies for the national finals alongside the three other USASA regional champions. The 2026 National Amateur Cup champion will automatically qualify for the 2027 US Open Cup.

2026 US Open Cup Round 3: Julian Hall’s brace leads Red Bull New York past Pittsburgh Riverhounds

April 17, 2026 by Michael Battista

Players from the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (right) and Red Bull New York battle for the ball in a Third Round match in the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Mallory Neil/Riverhounds SC

Red Bull New York (the artist formerly known as the New York Red Bulls) defeated the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 3-1, on Saturday night in Round 3 of the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. A brace from one of Major League Soccer’s top goal scorers this season Julian Zakrzewski Hall and team captain Emil Forsberg sent the MLS side into the next round. The light crowd in Harrison, NJ, reportedly under 1,000 fans, were loud the entire night.

They will face Hudson River Derby rivals New York City FC in Round 4 between April 28-29. RBNY will host that match, in a series where NYCFC has yet to beat the Red Bull in any knockout competition (USOC, Leagues Cup, or MLS Cup Playoffs).

Saturday marks RBNY head coach Michael Bradley’s first USOC win from the sideline. He elected to use a starter heavy XI against the Riverhounds, something he explained after the match came down to respect for the opponent as his team’s ethos.

“We’ve said over and over again… that we are going to go for it every single game. And if you say that, that means you don’t get to pick and choose. We value the Open Cup in a big way,” Bradley said. “(We are going to try) and put a team on the field every single game that is ready to go after things.”

New York’s offense included Julian Hall and the team’s USOC headline maker Mohammed Sofo on offense alongside Rafael Mosquera. Team captain Emil Forsberg led the midfield alongside teenagers Adri Mehmeti and Nehuén Benedetti. Finally a near regular backline stood in front of backup goalkeeper John McCarthy.

The first half was all New York, demonstrating how effectively the home side could control the game. Controlling the ball for nearly 3/4ths of the half it took until the 25th minute for the breakthrough. A foul outside the penalty area set-up Red Bull captain Emil Forsberg for a free kick which he sent into the top right corner. Riverhounds’ keeper Nico Campuzano had little chance to stop it.

The goal was not unsimilar to the one Forsberg scored against FC Dallas last year in the Round of 16.

New York added another a few minutes later in the 28th minute. A cross from the left side from Mohammed Sofo found Forsberg, who passed back to Nehuén Benedetti. The Argentina native one touched the ball forward to an on the run Julian Hall slotting a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner.

Hall doubled his goal count right after the halftime break when Forsberg found him in the box in the 47th minute. His low right footed shot got past Campuzano and made any realistic chance of a Hounds comeback very low.

“Of course I want to score goals, but my main objective is to make as much of an impact as I can,” Hall said about his impact on the field. “Thankfully, I got two tonight, and now I’m just ready for the game on Saturday.”

The goals mark Hall’s first two-ever USOC cup goals. The 18-year-old Manhattan native has seven goals across all competitions for New York in 2026, and has been one of MLS’s biggest stars so far in the season.

New York nearly made it 4-0 in the 51st minute when Rafael Mosquera’s curving shot attempt from outside the right area of the box just barely went wide left of the goal.

The Hounds controlled the ball even less in the second half, only keeping it for about 20% of the 45 minutes. The team only had three shots in the half but did claw back a goal in the 79th minute. Eliot Goldthorp sent in a cross to the box that Trevor Amann headed into the bottom left corner to make it 3-1. Former Ocean City (N.J.) Nor’easters keeper John McCarthy would lose out on his clean sheet. But with the win he extended his Lamar Hunt US Open Cup unbeaten streak to 11 matches, going 7-0-4 in that span.

One of the only other unfortunately notable moments of the half came in the 67th minute, when Hounds’ Lasse Kelp was replaced by Victor Souza with a concussion substitute after a collision. The other party, New York’s Roald Mitchell, was subbed off a few minutes later for Jorge Ruvalcaba.

The Hounds exit the tournament with a disappointing result, unable to make it a conquering of Big Apple MLS teams after being New York City FC last year.

Speaking of the blue side, when asked about playing NYCFC next in the Open Cup, coach Bradley said he and his team were incredibly excited.

“We are really excited. Obviously, I’ve watched the (Hudson River Derby) from afar. I was at the game here last season and so I think it speaks for itself in terms of the two clubs and everything that it means when two teams in the same city now play and are ready to go after each other,” said the former US Men’s National Team captain. “Obviously, there’s important games and there’s work to do between now and then. But for sure, when that game comes around, we will be ready, and we’re going to be really excited.”

2026 US Open Cup Round 3: Orlando City narrowly beats FC Naples amid controversial goal denial

April 16, 2026 by Damian Prone

Tahir Reid-Brown of Orlando City SC (right) shields the ball away from a FC Naples player in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: FC Naples

Orlando City SC held on to win 1-0 over FC Naples in the US Open Cup Round of 32 after a controversial no-goal call in the second half kept them in the lead and FC Naples off the board at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex on Wednesday night.

“It was a tough game,” said interim head coach Martín Perelman. “We knew they were going to fight, they were going to try to do their best. Congratulations to them because they did an amazing game, and as well, congratulations to our players because I think they did a huge effort.”

“This cup is not easy and we competed. We got what we came looking for. Our young players were able to get minutes to help us and I’m happy for the victory.”

The controversial moment came in the 70th minute. Following a corner kick from FC Naples’ Kevin O’Connor, substitute Dominick Bachstein pushed the ball toward goal. Orlando defender Nolan Miller attempted to clear it off the line, but FC Naples players and coach Matt Poland argued the ball had fully crossed.

“I feel bad for our guys,” Polland said. “They fought to earn the goal. And for that goal not to be counted is obviously really disappointing because I thought we were playing well enough, and we scored the goal. It clearly crossed the line, but it isn’t called.”

Without VAR available at this stage of the tournament, the no-goal call stood.

Despite the loss, FC Naples delivered an impressive performance in its first time facing an MLS team. In a hard-fought match that showcased defensive discipline and missed opportunities, the club played in front of a sold-out crowd of 4,782 fans. It is the largest attendance since the home opener.

“I’m proud of the guys, the fight, the amount they created, the way they played,” Polland said. “The community came out, supported, and was energetic the whole time.”

FC Naples lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, while Orlando City shifted between a 5-2-3 and 3-4-3 setup during the first half. The match quickly developed into a competitive battle, with both teams creating early chances.

In the 14th minute, left back Julian Cisners delivered a well-placed pass to forward Andres Ferrin, whose shot was denied by Orlando goalkeeper Javier Otero. Just four minutes later, Orlando City capitalized.

Midfielder Braian Ojeda assisted forward Tyrese Spicer, who fired a powerful shot from outside the box past FC Naples goalkeeper Edward Delgado in the 18th minute, scoring what would ultimately be the game’s only goal.

“It’s a new thing playing on the right side. I think Coach Martín told me just to be yourself on the right,” Spicer said. “I think when I saw the play started from us having the second balls, I came inside on my left foot. I was like, ‘okay, let me get a chance to set myself,’ when Ojeda played it to me and I saw the back of the net and I was like, ‘let me have a go at the goal’ and it went in.”

A screen shot of a fan video shows the ball nearly crossing the line in Orlando City's goal. The referee ruled that the ball did not cross the line and did not award a goal for FC Naples. — A screen shot of a fan video shows the ball nearly crossing the line in Orlando City’s goal. The referee ruled that the ball did not cross the line and did not award a goal for FC Naples.

Otero proved to be the difference maker for Orlando City, finishing the night with seven saves to secure the clean sheet. He made key stops throughout the match, including a strong save against forward Christohper Garcia in the 26th minute and another crucial denial of O’Connor in the 62nd minute.

“I’m happy for the performance of the team, and Javi is growing amazingly within the club, and Cesar Baena is doing an amazing job with him and Max and Tristan and all the goalkeepers,” Perelman said. “I think they are performing really well and we’re happy for them and for the club.”

FC Naples had multiple opportunities to equalize, but struggled to convert. Ferrin missed a key chance in the 38th minute as the first half ended with high pressure and quick ball movement of both teams.

Orlando came out aggressive after halftime, nearly doubling its lead in the 48th minute with Spicer’s shot, but Delgado made a strong save to keep FC Naples within reach. Five minutes later, he delivered another stop after a turnover led to a shot from forward Yutaro Tsukada.

In the 63th minute, substitute midfielder Martin Ojeda nearly added a second goal for Orlando, but his shot sailed just over the crossbar.

As the match progressed, FC Naples increased its attacking pressure. In the 69th minute, Ferrin set up Garcia, whose header struck the crossbar.

After the no-goal call, FC Naples continued to push forward in the final minutes. O’Connor, Garcia, and Ferrin remained active, generating several chances, while Otero continued his standout performance. In the 86th minute, Taylor Gray nearly found the equalizer with a header off a corner, but Otero came up with another save.

“Just immensely proud of the boys,” O’Connor said. “They scored a great goal, and we reacted so well. After 98 minutes, I think we couldn’t have asked for more, and the crowd pushed us on.”

FC Naples held 53% of ball possession and outshot Orlando City 20-17, underscoring how evenly matched the contest was. Despite the final result, Polland said the performance should give his team confidence moving forward.

“We created more opportunities than them,” Poland said. “A lot of confidence for the league club. They competed for 90 minutes against an MLS team, and should have been tied 1-1 after that 90th minute. So as a team, hopefully we take this with confidence to move forward and lead play.”

With the victory, Orlando City SC advances to the Round of 16 of the U.S. Open Cup. The Lions will play against New England Revolution, who defeated Rhode Island in a penalty shootout.

2026 US Open Cup Round 3: 10-man San Jose Earthquakes blank Phoenix Rising

April 16, 2026 by Abram Heredia

Jack Jasinski (17) and Noel Buck (21) of the San Jose Earthquakes celebrate after scoring a goal against Phoenix Rising FC in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: San Jose Earthquakes

A game that initially looked to have all the signs of a blowout had its trajectory altered greatly by a sending off in the first half as an in-form San Jose Earthquakes took a 2-0 victory over visiting Phoenix Rising in the US Open Cup despite having to play the second half a man short.

The win earned San Jose the right to next host Minnesota United in the Round of 16.

Phoenix Rising lined up with almost identical personnel from its previous win from this past weekend, barring two changes as Daniel Flores and Eziah Ramirez replaced Luke Biasi and Collin Smith, respectively.

San Jose however, rotated much more heavily with only Dave Romney returning to the starting 11 from its previous match. A notable feature of San Jose’s lineup was the return of Timo Werner who hadn’t seen the pitch since March. Unexpectedly, Werner started as an attacking midfielder whereas, in previous games, he had been featured as a winger or a striker.

The Earthquakes started off strong by scoring in the first three minutes of the match. Werner played a corner short to Nick Fernandez at the edge of the box. Fernandez shrugged off the oncoming pressure and drove a shot with power to the near post to beat the keeper from just outside the box, netting him his first senior-team goal as well as breaking the deadlock in this match for a 1-0 lead.

In the 13th minute, Jonathan Gonzalez went into a 50/50 challenge with a reckless slide tackle and caught the ankle of Phoenix midfielder, Diego Gomez. The tackle was initially ignored in favor of a Phoenix advantage but was called back and given a yellow card.

San Jose nearly doubled its lead in the 18th minute after a through ball from Nonso Adimabua put Werner through on goal. Despite being in on goal, Werner struggled to get his footing after cutting back past the defender and ultimately put the ball into the arms of Patrick Rakovsky.

San Jose was determined to get their second which came in the 23rd minute. Fernandez showed tremendous vision to pick out a pass no one else could see and set up Jack Jasinski in acres of space. With no one to beat but the keeper, Jasinski was able to drill it home, earning his first career goal.

In the 33rd minute, Noel Buck almost granted Fernandez another assist but his left-footed shot ricocheted off the inside of the post.

A few minutes before halftime, Jonathan Gonzalez attempted to stop a breakaway by launching himself into a Phoenix attacker. An unnecessary foul that was rightly met with a second yellow forced San Jose to play out the rest of the match with 10 men.

Phoenix almost immediately capitalized on the advantage as Darius Johnson headed in a cross off the free kick. For a brief second, Phoenix smelled blood but the would-be momentum was quickly extinguished when the goal had been disallowed due to a Phoenix foul.

To start the second half, Phoenix Rising substituted both full backs and brought on Biasi to replace Flores and Charlie Dennis to replace Ramirez. To account for the player sent off San Jose substituted in Beau Leroux for Werner to provide more stability in the midfield.

Early on in the second half, Phoenix looked to kickstart the comeback and get dangerously close. Trickery from Ihsan Sacko in the box created space for a low driven cross to Hope Avayevu who got the shot off but was denied by Earl Edwards.

In the 58th minute, a ball over the top to Sacko presented another dangerous opportunity but the shot, while struck with venom, was only able to find the gloves of Edwards once again.

As expected, the sending off affected the game greatly as San Jose was forced to defend more, thus inviting pressure. The pressure however, was not more than Edwards could handle as he came up with four big saves throughout the match. Edwards’s performance was a huge factor for why San Jose was able to hold on to their advantageous position.

Although Phoenix ultimately were not able to get back into the match, the performance of Johnson was dazzling. On multiple occasions he was able to beat his opponent with a step over or a nutmeg but unfortunately nothing manifested from his creativity.

Despite winning by a two-goal margin and earning a clean sheet, coach Bruce Arena believed his team should have done better.

“We didn’t play particularly well tonight,” he said. “We shot ourselves in the foot by having a player sent off.”

With a goal and an assist, Fernandez had a stellar performance that garnered the title of man of the match as well as the plaudits of his coach.

“He’s a good player. He’s been a good player for us,” Arena said. “He’s played a lot of second-team games, he’s gotten in a little bit this year now… he’s very versatile. He could play a number of positions in the midfield. So, he’s been good.”

2026 US Open Cup Round 3: Houston Dynamo cruises as early red card dooms El Paso Locomotive

April 16, 2026 by Louis Roesch

Ondřej Lingr of the Houston Dynamo celebrates after scoring a goal against the El Paso Locomotive in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Houston Dynamo FC

The Houston Dynamo advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup defeating the El Paso Locomotive 4-1 at Shell Energy Stadium on Wednesday night.

Houston’s scoring surge began in the second minute of play, Defender Nicholas Markanich delivered a ball to the edge where Odrej Lingr delivered soccer’s most beautiful play; the bicycle. Lingr finished the night with a goal and two assists in just his first start of the season and first goal since July 29, 2025.

El Paso would go down a man off a straight red shown to Kofi Twumasi after he pushed Lingr to ground just outside the eighteen in the 25^th minute.

Despite the man advantage, Houston was unable to mount any sustainable offense against El Paso causing head coach Ben Olsen to spur his team in the halftime locker room.

Houston Dynamo We Want The Cup shirt US Open Cup — Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

“I thought the first half was really sloppy. I wasn’t happy at halftime. And the way we went about being up a man, I thought we were rushing the game. It wasn’t collective enough,” said Olsen.

Right out of the locker room, Dynamo halftime substitute Mateusz Bogusz doubled the Houston advantage in the 46^th minute, Bogusz’ right footed strike caromed off an El Paso defender before rippling the back of the net.

The lead would grow to a 3-0 advantage behind Markanich’s first goal of the season before El Paso pulled one back. Former Houston Dynamo forward Beto Avila slotted one home inside the bottom right corner in the 75^th minute to put El Paso on the board.

The scoring would close in the 80^th minute on an Ezequiel Ponce header off a perfect service to the near post from Lingr.

Houston’s win followed their worst loss of the season in a 6-2 debacle at Colorado. Olsen told his team prior to the match to “leave that behind.” The Dynamo now advance to the Round of 16 hosting USL Championship side Louisville City FC on April 28 or 29, 2026.

2026 US Open Cup Round 3: St. Louis CITY falls short of tacos in shutout of FC Tulsa

April 16, 2026 by Tim Thomas

Tomas Ostrak of St. Louis CITY SC celebrates after scoring a goal against FC Tulsa in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: St. Louis CITY SC

St. Louis CITY SC scored 20 minutes in, then added three more goals to take down USL Championship side FC Tulsa 4-0 in Wednesday’s Round of 32 matchup in the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup at Energizer Park.

After beating San Antonio FC and Little Rock Rangers in the first two rounds of the Open Cup; FC Tulsa made its first trip to St. Louis since defeating now-defunct Saint Louis FC in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Attempting to keep the dream alive in their third consecutive road match in Open Cup play, Tulsa did not shy away from CITY, playing aggressively and getting a handful of set pieces in the first half.

“We played a very good team in Tulsa that came out with a plan, that went all in, that was brave,” said CITY coach Yoann Damet. “So, credit to them in the way they approached that game and the way they made it difficult for us.”

St. Louis took advantage of the hard-charging Tulsa players by applying pressure early and often whenever Tulsa touched the ball. Eventually the game would break in CITY’s favor.

“I think that comes with just our core of our team,” Mykhi Joyner said. “We always want to be aggressive, and we want to be on the front foot of the defense. Just trying to be more aggressive than them and then take the ball in their final third and punish them.”

Sang-Bin Jeong used fancy footwork to dribble through the Tulsa defense in the 20th minute. Getting near the touch line and leaving more than a few Tulsa defenders wondering if their shoes were untied. Sang-Bin put the ball into the box where it went from Tomas Totland to the feet of a wide-open Marcel Hartel.

Hartel drove it into the upper 90 to give CITY a lead that would never be challenged.

As the first half rolled on, St. Louis would score one of the more unique goals in its young history. St. Louis CITY keeper Roman Bürki played a deep long ball forward. It looped across the field clearing the Tulsa line, the ball then took a large bounce and found the head of Sang-Bin who put it over FC Tulsa keeper Dane Jacomen.

It was the soccer equivalent of a “Hail Mary” pass in football.

“This was actually planned,” Hartel said. “We knew that they play man-to-man and when we saw in the buildup that they are coming man-to-man, that we attract them with eight guys a bit deeper and then Roman shoots it behind the line. It worked perfectly.”

Oddly enough this marked the second time in two days a St. Louis netminder assisted on a goal. St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington had an assist in a 7-5 victory the night before in the NHL.

St. Louis didn’t let off the gas heading into the half. In the first minute of first half stoppage time Hartel put a shot off the post.

Coming out of the break, CITY picked up where they left off. Forcing FC Tulsa goalkeeper Jacomen to make a diving save, the momentum from which almost carried him with the ball into the back of the net. An embarrassing goal was avoided when Jacomen kept the ball in front of the line and pushed it out to a friendly player.

St. Louis would not be denied additional goals. In the 61st minute, Joyner and Hartel lined up over a free kick for CITY. Joyner stepped up and drove a clean strike around the wall for the third goal of the game. It would have been a safe bet to assume that veteran player Hartel would take the shot, but a last second decision meant that the young Joyner got a chance.

“I was very confident to shoot from this position,” said Hartel. “Then I laid the ball on the ground, and I saw the goalkeeper was cheating a bit too much in my opinion. And then Mykhi (Joyner) asked me to shoot.”

“I saw the wall kind of tucked over a little too far and the goalie’s placement as well. I kinda saw his feet to the left more, the goalie’s left, so I asked ,” added Joyner.

A game that started off quite physical got even more so as the CITY lead grew and Tulsa felt the walls closing in on them. In the 65th minute, Lucas Stauffer dug the Tulsa hole deeper when he was shown a straight red after he pulled a CITY player down by the jersey in a denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity.

The final nail in the coffin would come from Tomáš Ostrák, who struck an absolute rocket from well outside the penalty area to give St. Louis their fourth and final goal. It was Ostrák’s first game back with CITY after suffering an injury in the preseason.

“It was awesome. I was very happy that I received a chance from the coach. It was big privilege to jump in this game. I am very happy that I scored my first goal and that I helped my team advance to the next round,” said Ostrák.

As the end of the game drew near and the result was not in doubt the fans could smell blood in the water. In the 85th minute, a chant of “We want tacos” rang out from the supporter section. The chant is a reference to a partnership the St. Louis Blues have with local bar Hotshots, wherein if the Blues score five goals tacos cost only one dollar the next day. This marked the second soccer/hockey crossover of the evening.

While the fans didn’t get a fifth goal and the subsequent discount tacos, they did get a shout out from coach Damet after the game. Because of an incoming severe weather alert, CITY was not able to do their tradition of walking around the stadium and clapping for the fans.

“I just wanted to mention the fans tonight, thank the fans that came out tonight for the game. It was great to see a lot of them out and supporting the team. We didn’t get a chance to do a round on the pitch because of the weather,” Damet said.

In what could be seen as a statement of intent, St. Louis CITY SC sent out a lineup consisting of primarily regular players. They also notably started their primary keeper Burki as opposed to backup Ben Lundt, who has served as an Open Cup keeper for CITY in years past. With a resounding win and lineup that showed their resolve CITY looks to make a deep run in the Open Cup this year.

“We want to show that we take it serious, that we want to go to the next round. It’s five games to win, to get a trophy and today was the first step,” said Hartel.

St. Louis will get a chance to prove their seriousness in two weeks when they travel north on I-55 to the “Windy City” and take on the Chicago Fire in the Round of 16.

2026 US Open Cup Round 3: Charlotte FC dominate in Queen City derby vs. Independence

April 16, 2026 by Becca Mitchum

Archie Goodwin of Charlotte FC celebrates with his teammates after scoring the opening goal against Charlotte Independence in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Forrest Wimberly - TheCup.us — Archie Goodwin of Charlotte FC celebrates with his teammates after scoring the opening goal against Charlotte Independence in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Forrest Wimberly – TheCup.us

MLS side Charlotte FC registered its largest win in club history with a 6-0 win over crosstown rival Charlotte Independence of USL League One in the first meeting between the two professional sides from the Queen City in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The Independence went down to 10 men in the 23rd minute, and held on defensively until Australian forward Archie Goodwin opened the scoring for Charlotte FC in the 45th minute.Then the floodgates open, with goals by Henry Kessler in the 60th minute, Nimfasha Berchimas in the 68th, David Schnegg in the 73rd, Kerwin Vargas in the 86th, and Baye Coulibaly wrapped up the scoring in the 88th minute to send the MLS side to the Round of 16 for the fourth time in four tries.

Supporters were buzzing with excitement as this much anticipated intracity rivalry finally came to fruition. And as the whistle started play, each team proved they were ready to give the fans a show.

But an early injury for the Independence forced coach Mike Jeffries to make a formation change, substituting midfielder Enzo Martinez for center back Kevin Riascos in the 16th minute. Seven minutes later, another hit to the Jacks as goalkeeper Giorgios Tasouris was sent off with a red card for denial of a goal-scoring opportunity against Charlotte FC’s Archie Goodwin.

That brought another quick pivot as young winger Viggo Ortiz (who had scored the match-winner in the previous round) was substituted out for goalkeeper Matt Levy. Both teams started to press, hoping that the other would break. As stoppage time was announced, Charlotte FC’s Goodwin scored on a quick header off a perfect shot from Rodolfo Aloko, who has just recently been signed to Charlotte FC from MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Crown Legacy FC.

It had been like a dam broken open by the time Charlotte FC hit their stride in the second half. Up a goal and a man, the team was ready for a statement win. Five more players contributed goals, including United States youth standout and homegrown player Nimfasha Berchimas.

This game marks his first significant minutes with Charlotte FC this season, typically playing for Crown Legacy, where he currently has six goals and an assist. When asked about his training, Berchimas mentions he seeks advice from more established Charlotte FC players, such as Wilfried Zaha.

“He gives me advice of how to play with first-team players,” he said. “He’s an attacker as well, so how to dribble, when to dribble, when to crossover. I’m just gonna keep listening to him and doing what he says.”

He is also a player with a plan.

“Every routine is the same for me,” he said. “I’m not going to change anything it’s a cup or a league game.”

Charlotte FC coach Dean Smith knows that all games can’t be like this.

“You won’t go and win every cup game 6-nil or 5-nil,” he said. “It’ll be 11 versus 11, which is something that was the main advantage we had today. But we’ve got a squad, and we’ve got depth.”

Even with the man-up advantage, Smith expected the most from his players.

“You’ve still got to work hard, still got to run,” he said. “You’ve still got to call out the opposition, run them out of positions, and you’ve still got to do that when you’re against 10 or 11 men.”

And coming into the game, he knew better than to take his opponent lightly.

Players from Charlotte FC and Charlotte Independence battle for the ball in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Forrest Wimberly - TheCup.us — Players from Charlotte FC and Charlotte Independence battle for the ball in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Forrest Wimberly – TheCup.us

“I said to the players before, there’s an expectation tonight that you’re going to win,” he added. “If you don’t treat it with respect and the opposition with the respect they deserve, you can sometimes get egg on your face.”

Based on the draw held prior to this round, Charlotte FC has top hosting priority for the next round of the Open Cup, and will be up against Atlanta United the week of April 28-29. The club will return to MLS player Saturday, April 18th in traveling to NYCFC.

Charlotte Independence also resumes league play on the road Saturday at One Knoxville SC.

2026 US Open Cup Round 3: Atlanta United take step toward “big reward”, oust Chattanooga FC

April 16, 2026 by Jed Henderson

Atlanta United FC players celebrate after scoring a goal against Chattanooga FC in the Third Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United took care of business with a 3-1 win over MLS NEXT Pro neighbors Chattanooga FC on Wednesday night. Goals from Cayman Togashi, Fabrice Picault, and Pedro Santos Amador overcame Yves Tcheuyap’s early Chattanooga opener to help the Five Stripes advance to the Round of 16.

The two teams had met once before in the Open Cup, with Atlanta winning 6-0 at home in the 2022 edition of the tournament. Atlanta had visited Chattanooga three times before for preseason friendlies, including their first ever match, but history was in the making as Chattanooga FC hosted an MLS side competitively for the first time in the club’s history.

With nothing to lose, Richard Dixon sent out his Chattanooga squad in his now infamous 4-2-4 formation, fearlessly attacking the top tier visitors early on.

“In the first few minutes, we knew they were going to be opportunities for us to get in behind their back line, so we wanted to exploit that as early and as often as possible.”

Ambition paid dividends early on for Chattanooga. In the sixth minute, Tate Robertson’s long ball from the back found the run of Yves Tcheuyap. With the Atlanta defenders beat for pace, Tcheuyap gave the goalkeeper no chance with a deft finish into the top right of the goal. The hosts were up 1-0, scoring their first competitive goal against an MLS side.

Visiting Atlanta United was seemingly unphased from conceding so early. The first division side took control of the game, slowly finding and exposing the gaps in the Chattanooga defense. Early warning signs began in the 16^th minute when Cayman Togashi’s open header fortuitously fell straight to Chattanooga keeper Eldin Jakupovic, but the chances for Atlanta continued to pile on.

Atlanta finally found their breakthrough in the 21^st minute. After creating chance after chance swinging in crosses behind Chattanooga’s defense, Ajani Fortune’s cross found the sliding figure of Cayman Togashi for a back post tap in. The visitors were deservingly level.

Chattanooga’s Barker John forced a save at the other end just a minute later, but soon it was Atlanta once again controlling proceedings, now probing for the go-ahead goal. Ronald Hernandez’s stoppage time shot rattled the Chattanooga post, but the two teams entered the break on level terms.

Atlanta made two important halftime substitutions, bringing on Miguel Almiron and Cooper Sanchez. Almiron particularly brought an extra spark that gave the Chattanooga defense trouble.

It was Almiron’s run in behind that unlocked the home defense for Atlanta’s second goal in the 64^th minute. After finding space on the right, Almiron cut back and passed to Togashi. Togashi’s shot was blocked, but the deflection fell kindly to Fabrice Picault, who had little work to do at the back post to put Atlanta ahead.

“I saw Miggy making the run and I didn’t know if he was going to play it one-time right foot, but he did a good job cutting it back,” Picault recalled after the game. “I found myself there , like a lot of times it happens.”

The visitors doubled their lead in the 75^th minute. Once again finding success on the cutback, Luke Brennan’s cross found Pedro Santos Amador, whose deflected shot wrong-footed Jakupovic in goal and nestled into the bottom left corner.

With a few moments of tension and yellow cards issued, Atlanta largely controlled the remainder of the match, reaching the full-time whistle with a 3-1 scoreline.

“This tournament has a big reward,” Atlanta head coach Tata Martino said after the game. “We know that whether it’s teams from the same level or different levels, every game is important. Every game is a good opportunity for us and a good experience.”

Atlanta United’s next experience in the Open Cup will be a trip to Charlotte FC, who ran riot in their simultaneous match with a 6-0 win over 10-man Charlotte Independence.