Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2023 US Open Cup

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: Real Salt Lake capitalizes on Rapids’ mistake to reach Quarterfinals

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Photo: Real Salt Lake
Photo: Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake topped the Colorado Rapids, 1-0, on Wednesday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to advance to the US Open Cup Quarterfinals for the first time since 2015. Jefferson Savarino dribbled uncontested from midfield after a sloppy Rapids turnover for the game’s only goal at the half hour mark. This was Savarino’s first Open Cup appearance for RSL in 2023. Wednesday was the second meeting between the two clubs in four days. Last Saturday, in league play, RSL beat the Rapids 3-2. On Wednesday night, both teams fielded a mixture of last weekend’s starters and reserves for tonight’s Open Cup match. It was the first meeting between the two rivals in the US Open Cup proper since their first one back in 2006 (a game Colorado won 1-0 on a Jacob Peterson goal assisted by Clint Mathis) “After our tough start to the campaign we wanted to prioritize the Open Cup,” said RSL head coach, Pablo Mastroeni. “We found that giving some of the guys who weren’t getting a lot of minutes has inspired them to become better teammates and better players. It feels so good to have so many people contribute.” With the win, RSL will host LA Galaxy the week of June 6 or 7. “We drew a tough LA Galaxy team that I’m sure is going to bring a fantastic group to AFF. It will be a great challenge for us,” Mastroeni said. The Rapids nearly gave the game away in the third minute when a poorly weighted back pass from Moise Bombito forced Marko Ilić to scramble to clear the ball away with his feet from inside the six-yard box, just beating Carlos Gomez to the ball. The Rapids best chance of the first half came in the 23rd minute off a prolonged possession when Michael Barrios found Sam Nicholson streaking down the middle of the park. Nicholson smashed the ball from outside of the penalty area. RSL’s 18-year-old goalkeeper Gavin Beavers got just enough on the shot to push the ball off the crossbar. Beavers finished with four saves to earn his first clean sheet in his four professional appearances. He started in all three of RSL’s previous 2023 Open Cup matches. “The Open Cup is a big opportunity for young players,” Mastroeni said. “Starting off with Las Vegas gave him a lot of confidence and belief in himself. He’s a young man with a very high ceiling. Goalkeeping is such a nuanced position with positioning, seeing the plays. You can see these plays at a lower level and your positioning isn’t going to kill you. At this level, with the players he is up against, everything has to be spot on. Tonight, he had a fantastic performance.” RSL made the Rapids pay for more sloppy play at the half-hour mark when Anderson Julio forced a Rapids turnover at midfield. Savarino collected the ball and sauntered unchallenged down the field, slotting the ball past Ilić, who was slow to come off his line. It was his first career US Open Cup goal. “The first goal came from a great defensive effort, Mastroeni said. “Ando blocked it in the midfield, created the turnover, and Sava did the rest. We need Sava performing at the top level, with intensity, with the quality that he displayed tonight. His quality speaks for itself.” Moments before the halftime Barrios nearly ceased a half-opportunity, just missing from a tight angle. Five minutes into the second half RSL nearly doubled the lead. Maikel Chang’s header back to the far post off a Savarino cross glanced off the crossbar and back into play. After a flurry of substitutions by both teams in the final 20 minutes the Rapids threw everything forward. With eight minutes to play in regulation Jonathan Lewis earned a free kick just outside the penalty area. The Rapids could not make anything of the opportunity, or any of the half-chances that followed. “At the moment, it feels good to be where we are, but we haven’t won anything yet,” Mastroeni said. “The onus is on us to play together, work hard, and continue to get results.”

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: Birmingham Legion upsets 10-man Charlotte FC in front of record crowd

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Prosper Kasim of Birmingham Legion controls the ball against Charlotte FC in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Birmingham Legion FC
Prosper Kasim of Birmingham Legion controls the ball against Charlotte FC in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Birmingham Legion FC

On a historic night in their club’s history, Birmingham Legion FC defeated Major League Soccer club Charlotte FC to advance to the Quarterfinals of the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. A solo goal from Prosper Kasim was the difference as Birmingham became the first Alabama club to reach the Quarterfinals after 107 tournaments in the competition’s history.

Along with their first appearance in the Round of 16, Protective Stadium in downtown Birmingham hosted an announced crowd of 12,722. This was the largest crowd to witness a Legion game in the club’s relatively brief history (est. 2019).


“We’ve been here five short years and I feel like the game continues to grow and then the city continues to back us up and it was hard not to enjoy that,” said Legion head coach Tom Soehn, who won three US Open Cup titles as a player (1997 Dallas Burn, 1998, 2000 Chicago Fire) and one as a head coach (2008 D.C. United). “I think understood what the game meant. We talked a lot about what it took to come out with the results tonight and then I think they executed quite well.”

The match began with Charlotte FC controlling the majority of the possession, leaving Birmingham unable to retain any of the ball and create any chances. 15 minutes into the game Charlotte controlled 67% of the ball and looked the stronger side. It nearly paid off after Brandon Cambridge scored for Charlotte but it was ruled offside.

The first half continued to go in Charlotte’s favor as they were relentless in their chances. Birmingham were saved however by their goalkeeper, Trevor Spangenberg, who made many crucial stops to keep the score at 0-0.

The second half saw Birmingham Legion come out on the front foot with quick passes that repeatedly caught out the Charlotte players. The Legion made the visitors uncomfortable and the momentum that they had in the first half dissipated even more after Adilson Malanda was sent off after picking up a second yellow card in the 51st minute.

With Charlotte playing with ten men, Birmingham completely took the match over. Their give-and-go’s caught out the Charlotte back line, along with their quick feet and darting runs this made Charlotte sloppy in their defending.

In the 60th minute of the match, Kasim received a ball from Juan Agudelo and darted at the back line of Charlotte before cutting onto his left foot and unleashing a shot that nestled into the bottom left corner. The 12,000 plus fans erupted as a “cupset” was brewing in Birmingham.

The match continued with no response from any of the Charlotte players and Birmingham kept knocking for a second to secure their path into the next round. Charlotte failed to spring any true attacks together in order to get back into the match. With Birmingham’s strong possession and their constant attacking threat, this made it near impossible for a comeback for the away side.

In added time, Charlotte had one last opportunity from a free kick to equalize. It was headed away by Birmingham and the full time whistle was blown. The crowd erupted as it capped off a magical night in the Magic City.

 

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16 Review: Two USL teams join MLS clubs in Quarterfinals

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Photo: Rachael Kriger | @RachaelKriger (Twitter) @RachaelKrigerPhotos (IG)
Photo: Rachael Kriger | @RachaelKriger (Twitter) @RachaelKrigerPhotos (IG)

Led by back-to-back “cupsets” by a pair of USL Championship sides, it was a stunning and exciting Round of 16 in the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on May 23 and 24.

Round of 16 matches on Wednesday, May 24 included a pair of 1-0 home victories for two lower-level squads over MLS competition as the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Birmingham Legion FC advanced; while in matches pitting MLS sides, the Chicago Fire kept their quest for a record-tying fifth Open Cup title alive while Real Salt Lake continues to impress in cup ties this season.

On Tuesday, May 23, there was a little bit of everything in the first of two nights as there were two home teams and two road teams able to move on to the Quarterfinals. There were a pair of shutouts, a close one-goal game, a penalty kick shootout, and a tense derby in Los Angeles.

In the end, two former champions (LA Galaxy, Houston Dynamo FC) and two teams who have yet to lift the trophy (Inter Miami CF, FC Cincinnati) punched their tickets to the Quarterfinals. 

Scroll down for a brief summary of each game, along with a link to a full recap.

TUESDAY, MAY 23

Inter Miami CF (MLS)
2:1
Nashville SC (MLS)

By Josh Hakala

Inter Miami CF is heading to the Quarterfinals for the first time with a 2-1 win over visiting Nashville SC. Inter Miami, fielded a stronger lineup than Nashville, who were missing several key players. All of the scoring took place in the second half beginning with Franco Negri in the 57th minute who received a pass in the penalty area and quickly chipped a shot over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net. About 10 minutes later, the visitors from Nashville would answer with Alex Muyl scoring on a diving header. A cross from Laurence Wyke delivered a cross from the wing and Muyl was there to head it past goalkeeper Drake Callender at close range.

Shortly after, a lightning strike brought the game to a halt for 33 minutes. But once the game resumed, Inter Miami was able to recapture the lead. Nicolas Stefanelli was subbed on after the break and was able to capitalize on another counter attacking chance for Inter Miami. A ball was volleyed over the top from midfield by Corentin Jean. Stefanelli ran onto it and dribbled to the right side of the penalty area. Once he hit the edge of the box he fired a shot that beat the goalkeeper to the near post.  

[+] FULL MATCH REPORT

New York Red Bulls (MLS)
1:1
FC Cincinnati (MLS)
FC Cincinnati advances, 5-3 on PKs

By Dave Einhorn

The first half featured plenty of attacking chances from the New York Red Bulls. Many were sent wide of the target, but it was clear momentum was in their favor. That changed just four minutes from halftime when quick one touch passing from the left gave Cincinnati an opportunity. Marco Angulo laid the ball off for forward Yuya Kubo, who slotted it home past Ryan Meara for the first half’s only goal.

The second half featured a lot of possession for Red Bulls, but they were unable to create meaningful opportunities in the Cincinnati half. After several substitutions featuring players that had long occupied the injury list, Red Bulls found an equalizer through Dante Vanzeir. In the second minute of stoppage time he vollied home from close range to send the match to extra time.

Both teams traded excellent shots on target in extra time. Meara had to go full stretch to deny Luciano Acosta while Cristian Casseras just missed a goal from a free kick. Penalties were needed to separate the two teams. 

In the first round Dante Vanzeir had his shot saved for the Red Bulls. Cincinnati were a perfect 5-for-5 on penalties and went on to win 5-3. They will play the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at home at TQL Stadium in the quarterfinals.

[+] FULL MATCH REPORT 

Houston Dynamo FC (MLS)
4:0
Minnesota United FC (MLS)

By Bridget McDowell

Houston Dynamo and Minnesota United FC spent the first half hour of the game trading counter attacking runs. Possession was fairly even through the first half and both Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Quinońes had some early chances on goal, with Hlongwane nearly beating Tarbell to his line on one occasion. At the other end, Hlongwane was called for a handball in Minnesota’s box in the 33rd minute. Corey Baird cleanly put away the penalty kick to put the hosts up 1-0. It was Baird’s second career USOC goal, his first scored in the Round of 16 against Sporting Kansas City in 2022. 

Momentum shifted more heavily in Houston’s favor when Minnesota midfielder Kervin Arriaga earned his second yellow in the 38th minute, followed by a red, leaving the Loons with 10 men for the rest of the match. It was the club’s first first-half ejection since moving to MLS. As the Dynamo began to break down the Loons’ thinly spread backline, Baird chipped Clint Irwin in the 68th and tallied the assist on Ibrahim Aliyu’s goal in the 79th, putting Houston up 3-0 with ten minutes to play.

Baird, who until Tuesday night had two goals for Houston since joining in 2021, added a hat trick to his goal log in the 89th minute, putting Houston up 4-0 with two minutes to spare. Houston (and Baird) outshot and out-possessed Minnesota on the night to move on to the next round of the Open Cup.

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Los Angeles Football Club (MLS)
0:2
LA Galaxy (MLS)

By Andrew Mosier

A nearly full-strength LA Galaxy side powered past a mostly reserve LAFC side 2-0 Tuesday night in a muted Open Cup version of El Trafico at BMO Stadium. Tyler Boyd and Riqui Puig scored second-half goals three minutes apart to put the Galaxy through to the quarterfinals.

In the first half it was the LAFC reserves who looked to be the better of the two sides, forcing Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann into action repeatedly, creating 11 shots with five on target. But it was the Galaxy who threatened first when Chicharito nearly got on the end of a quick counter at the half-hour mark. Moments later the Galaxy’s Gastón Brugman was brought down in the 33rd minute by 18-year-old Erik Dueñas, one of two teenagers playing in the back line of LAFC. Puig’s weak attempt was stopped by LAFC’s 38-year-old reserve goalkeeper, Eldin Jakupovic.

LAFC seemed to pick up in the second half where they left off. After two close chances at the start of the second half at the other end, Boyd, a halftime substitute, put the Galaxy in the lead with a spectacular blast from just inside the penalty area off a feed from Mark Delgado in the 49th minute. Three minutes later, Puig spectacularly doubled the visitor’s advantage off a solo run which began inside the center circle, slaloming through the entire LAFC defense to poke the ball past a charging Jakupovic.

[+] FULL MATCH REPORT

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USL-C)
1:0
Columbus Crew (MLS)

By Jason Herbert

Columbus traveled to Pittsburgh for a Round of 16 tie in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, pitting them against a USL side for the third consecutive match. Pittsburgh put the pressure on the MLS side from the start as Bob Lilly’s side used the energy from a record home crowd to press the Crew very high up the pitch for much of the first half. Columbus, amidst a tough stretch in their schedule, put out a very young side with many changes as it was their fifth match in two weeks not including their upcoming weekend match against Nashville.

While Columbus coach Wilfried Nancy made many changes to the lineup, Lilly also inserted six changes to his team, however he did include USL leading scorer Albert Dikwa which proved beneficial early on. Dikwa, who leads USL with nine goals in 11 games, found the back of the net in the 22nd minute as the Riverhound attack split Columbus right down the middle and Dikwa calmly slotted his chance past Evan Bush to give the Riverhounds a 1-0 lead at halftime. Despite having 74% possession throughout the first half, Columbus looked disjointed through much of the play as they could only create two first-half chances for Jaycen Russell-Rowe, both being volley attempts in tight spaces.

The second half saw much of the same early on from Pittsburgh as high pressure was a predominant factor to their success, however Dikwa would be forced off in the 54th minute with an apparent muscle injury. Columbus started to find their way into the game in the 65th minute as they forced two quick chances on goal but could not capitalize. In the 73rd minute Showunmi missed a glorious chance to double the lead off a deflected ball inside the Columbus six-yard box but could not keep his effort under the crossbar.

Aidan Morris and Mohamed Farsi came on for Columbus in the 77th minute as Nancy was forced to push numbers forward but Evan Bush still needed to make a great save after the Crew lost the ball at the edge of their own box in the 85th minute. In the end, Pittsburgh were able to make their 1-0 lead stand even though Edward Kizza was sent off with a straight red card in added time. This marks the second MLS side the Riverhounds have knocked out of the competition as they now face FC Cincinnati in the quarterfinals.

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Birmingham Legion FC (USL-C)
1:0
Charlotte FC (MLS)

By Dave Hodges

Charlotte FC brought pressure in the first half, nearly finding the back of the net in the 24th and 26th minutes. Charlotte’s Adilson Malanda found his way into the referees book in the 28th minute with a yellow card, however, neither side would score in the first half.

Momentum swung the way of hosts Birmingham in the 50th minute. Malanda picked up his second yellow, resulting in a red card and reducing the visitors to a 10-man squad. The opening goal came in the 60th minute off the foot of Prosper Kasim.

Birmingham thought they had a second tally in the 78th minute from Juan Agudelo, but it was called offside. A handful of substitutes came on in the 81st minute for Charlotte FC as they looked to get some fresh legs and an equalizer.

It was not to happen, as Birmingham hung on to join fellow USL Championship side Pittsburgh Riverhounds in advancing to the US Open Cup Quarterfinals with the 1-0 victory.

[+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Austin FC (MLS)
0:2
Chicago Fire FC (MLS)

By Chuck Carlson 

There will be no Texas showdown in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Open Cup. Chicago Fire used a workman-like away performance to beat Austin FC 2-0 in the first ever competitive match between these MLS teams.

The Fire and Austin FC benches were loaded with Open Cup champions, as head coaches Frank Klopas and Josh Wolff, as well as Fire assistants C.J. Brown and Zack Thornton, plus Austin assistant Davy Arnaud, had all lifted the Cup during their playing careers. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was the fact that so many coaches were Cup winners, or maybe it was because these teams had played six games in 18 days, but it was generally a pretty lackluster performance, particularly from the home side.

It looked to be a game for fans of goals as the match opened with a number of dangerous set piece opportunities. Austin went close in the second minute when Emiliano Rigoni’s 22-yard free kick went over the wall but curled just wide of Fire keeper Spencer Richey’s right post. The Fire countered with a couple of teasing dead balls from DP Xherdan Shaqiri which ultimately went begging.

In the 26th minute Shaqiri found a streaking Maren Haile-Selassie on the right wing, and Haile-Selassie’s well struck right-footed drive brought out a good save from Austin keeper Brad Stuver. On the ensuing corner, Brian Gutierrez’s high corner found Rafael Czichos, whose looping header back across goal left Stuver no chance, and the Fire had the opening goal. Though Austin began to pressure offensively after the goal, the Fire were never really in any danger of losing their lead as they went into halftime up 1-0.

The second half started with the Fire looking shaky at the back, as Miguel Navarro, while attempting to play the ball to keeper Richey, sent it directly to Austin forward Gyasi Zardes. Zardes immediately passed to defender Aleksandar Radovanovic, but the Serbian looked uncomfortable in the offensive box, and he was quickly dispossessed before he could take advantage of the Fire’s error.

The game settled into a back and forth with both teams attempting to put pressure on the other’s backline, but nothing threatening really developed. Shaqiri was the most dangerous provider for the Fire, and his 75th minute feed to second half sub Jairo Torres resulted in a Torres shot off the outside of the right post. A couple minutes later, Fire player of the match, Shaqiri, then proved his worth, as he broke in on goal from the left side. His left footed blast from two yards out was saved by Stuver, but the ball caromed directly back to Shaqiri. Showing the calm of the seasoned international he is, Shaqiri settled the ball, looked up and found Kacper Przybylko at the top of the six-yard box and the Polish striker made no mistake in putting the ball into the back of the net.

After going down two goals, the Verde and Black tried to find offensive opportunities, but they could not break down the Fire’s backline. An 84th minute corner resulted in a play indicative of the night for Austin: Ethan Finlay’s driven head-ball came off the head of Fire keeper Richey before falling harmlessly to a Fire defender who cleared the ball out of the box. That was the last real chance for the home side as the Fire held on comfortably to book their first Open Cup Quarterfinal since 2018, where they will meet Houston Dynamo in Chicago.

[+] FULL MATCH REPORT COMING SOON

Colorado Rapids (MLS)
0:1
Real Salt Lake (MLS)

By Sean Walker 

Jefferson Savarino made his 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup debut and needed just 30 minutes to make an impact as Real Salt Lake advanced to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2015 with a 1-0 win over rival Colorado at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.

Salt Lake was facing the Rapids for the second time in five days, but for the first time with Savarino. It took the Venezuelan international just 30 minutes into his Open Cup debut to make his mark, taking a pass after Anderson Julio recovered a turnover in midfield to drill a golazo inside the far post that gave RSL a 1-0 advantage.

It was the first goal for Savarino across all competitions since April 22, a span of eight matches across all competitions though he did not travel with the team to Open Cup dates in Las Vegas and Portland.

Julio’s high press also earned him an assist, his first point since scoring in a 3-1 win over Charlotte FC on April 8.

Maikel Chang nearly doubled the advantage to open the second half, but the winger’s header smacked off the right post in the 50th minute for what would’ve been his third goal in as many Open Cup matches.

Instead, goalkeeper Gavin Beavers made three saves to earn his first shutout in Open Cup play and send Salt Lake back home for the quarterfinal round against the LA Galaxy June 6 or 7 at 8 p.m. MT at America First Field in Sandy, Utah.

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2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: Pittsburgh Riverhounds make history with shutout of Columbus Crew

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Photo: Rachael Kriger | @RachaelKriger (Twitter) @RachaelKrigerPhotos (IG)
Photo: Rachael Kriger | @RachaelKriger (Twitter) @RachaelKrigerPhotos (IG)

There was a record breaking crowd and one magical goal. For the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, that’s all they needed.

Bob Lilley and company are heading to the next round, the Quarterfinals, of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The USL Championship club — who currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference — upset the Columbus Crew SC at their home, Highmark Stadium, on Wednesday night. It will be the Hounds’ first trip to the Quarterfinals since 2001. 

Albert Dikwa supplied the game-winning goal, assisted by hometown kid Robbie Mertz. Dikwa slotted the ball low to the corner of the net, past Crew goalkeeper Evan Bush, after Mertz found him between two Crew defenders.

Mertz said he was a bit worried about a potential offside call, but the goal was ruled fair.

“I kind of hesitated, because I was looking for … Then I saw the secondary run from Dikwa,” Mertz said. “I was concerned about offsides when I initially left my foot, but he wasn’t offside. In those situations, it happens very quickly. Thankfully, there was enough to it.”

Pittsburgh didn’t park the bus, or let off the gas at all. Columbus did out-posses the Riverhounds, but that was to be expected, according to Mertz.

“I think we knew coming into the game that they’re a possession-oriented team,” he explained. “They out-posses teams in MLS 60, 65 percent of the time. We weren’t under any illusion that we would be an exception to that. But we did say that we wanted to give pressure when it made sense. I think we did that.

“In the second half, we started to tire a little bit,” Mertz continued. “It was natural for us to come under a little bit of pressure during that point of the game. That’s something we talked about, in this competition and the league, that we want to avoid being under a ton of pressure at the end of games … At the end of the day, you need to do what you’ve got to do. Everyone was sacrificing a lot to win.”

This is the second-straight shutout win against an MLS side in Lamar Hunt US Open Cup action. The Riverhounds are the first lower division club in the Modern Era (1995-present) to accomplish that. In fact, only two lower division clubs have ever shutout multiple MLS teams in a single tournament (1999 Rochester Raging Rhinos, 2022 Sacramento Republic FC), but the Riverhounds are the first to do it in consecutive games.

Pittsburgh got to the Round of 16 after a road win against the New England Revolution. However, before coming out to face Columbus, the Riverhounds didn’t put too much pressure on themselves — or think too much about facing “an MLS team.”

Riverhounds vs. Columbus | U.S. Open Cup '23

“You can’t think too much about the opponent,” goalkeeper Jahmali Waite said. “At the end of the day, they have 11 guys against our 11 guys. You go out there and stick to the game plan, play as a team and compete, and then good things will happen.”

Waite — who earned his fourth clean sheet of the season — made three saves against Jacen Russell-Rowe, Thomas Roberts and substitute Gibran Rayo. The goalkeeper had to be alert, with Columbus recording a whopping 75 percent of possession.

“It’s difficult, but that’s part of the job as a goalkeeper. You have to be focused, switched on all the time,” Waite, who represents the Jamaican national team, said. “So, being able to follow the ball and not let it out of your sight, see their players and communicate to the guys where they need to be, it’s a lot of focus, but we work on it in practice. We do that all the time in practice.”

Mertz gave credit to his goalkeeper, calling him a steady presence.

“He’s been steady all year. Not just performance wise, but emotionally in the locker room,” Mertz said. “He’s a steady guy. That’s what we needed coming into tonight. He came up when he needed to tonight. There are scary moments, when the ball goes into the box, during set pieces. Tonight, he was always in the right position. That’s a testament to the work he puts in during training … He’s stellar.”

Pittsburgh recorded nine shots, with two on target. In addition to Dikwa’s goal, Danny Griffin — who re-joined the Riverhounds just this month — added another attempt on Bush.

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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

Meanwhile, for the Crew, manager Wilfred Nancy said that his side was trying to “catch up” to Pittsburgh after the goal. He did state that it was intention to rest regular starters, due to the busy congestion of the Open Cup and MLS season.

“We’ve done this since the beginning. The idea was to give time to everyone,” Nancy said. “We have a lot of games. For me, it was a no brainer that we had to rotate … The plan was the same thing as the last game when we played in the Cup. We have a lot of games and we had to rotate.”

Home support brings Pittsburgh players needed energy

The Riverhounds had a record-breaking crowd at Highmark Stadium of 6,107 fans. Attendance has been up significantly this season. Even on Saturday against the Las Vegas Lights, Pittsburgh saw their fourth-highest attended game.

Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said that propelled his team to a win. 

“It’s important for the club. We’ve been building this and growing certainly these nights, these opportunities to pack the house and have an MLS team here,” Lilley said. “We want to introduce the game to more people. The fans played a big part tonight. We were tired in the second half, and the game got stretched and wide open. We need to get ahold of the ball a little more. The fans pulled us through… It wasn’t pretty at the end. There was energy in the building, and our guys had something to hold on to.

Lilley said that pulling a crowd like Wednesday night’s wasn’t easy in such a crowded sports town.

“Soccer in Pittsburgh has always been a fringe sport. It’s deserving to be more than that. It’s global, and it’s so conscious in the world,” Lilley explained. “In Pittsburgh, we have support for the league, the exposure. There are huge sports teams in this town. It’s hard to work your way into the market. Nights like tonight show the growth of soccer here and what we’re trying to do to give this community the vision for the kids, who aspire to play at a professional level.”

Mertz said that, before the game, his brother was comparing the club’s theme of a “White Out” to that of the Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup attendance in 2009.

“I remember those days. There was a comparison to that,” Mertz said. “The atmosphere was incredible from the get go. I can’t say enough about what it was like to have that type of atmosphere.”

Waite said he felt the energy from the crowd before the first kick.

“Even coming into the stadium before we went out for warmups, the energy was there,” the Jamaican said. “It’s good for us. At home, we feed off that energy. As long as we keep performing, then they feed off that. Then, you see what happens.”

No fear heading to Cincinnati

Next up for Pittsburgh is FC Cincinnati, a side they know well from their former USL days.

However, Cincinnati isn’t the same team. They’ve vastly improved from their horrendous start in MLS and are MLS Cup title contenders. Their home stadium is a fortress, but the Riverhounds players are not backing down.

“It’s two teams playing. Even though we’re on the road, we’re not going to back down and sit back and let them work us all game,” Waite said confidently. “We’re going to go in and, whatever game plan the coach gives us, we’re going to stick to that. We’re going to try to keep playing our style of play the best as we can, creating chances and limiting their chances.”

Mertz said that the Riverhounds have quality to beat a third MLS side in this tournament.

“It can go either way. It was one of these nights where you have to think of the opportunity to be out there,” he said. “To get to partake in a night like that… I’m just really thankful. We thought things were aligning for us.”

“It’s a special moment for the club, for sure.”

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: LA Galaxy blank reserve-heavy LAFC in El Trafico rematch

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LA Galaxy players celebrate after scoring a goal against LAFC in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: LA Galaxy
LA Galaxy players celebrate after scoring a goal against LAFC in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: LA Galaxy

A nearly full-strength LA Galaxy side powered past a reserve-laden LAFC 2-0 Tuesday night, in a muted Open Cup version of El Tráfico at BMO Stadium.

Tyler Boyd and Riqui Puig scored second half goals three minutes apart to put the Galaxy into the Quarterfinals. The Galaxy will travel to face the winner of the Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake match on June 6 or 7.

In much of the first half, it was the young LAFC who looked to be the better of the two sides, forcing Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsman into action repeatedly, creating 11 shots with five on target. After a shaky start, Klinsman was credited with six saves en route to the clean sheet.

But it was the Galaxy who threatened seriously first, just past the half hour mark, when Chicharito nearly got on the end of a quick counter attack. Chicharito was forced wide by LAFC’s 38-year-old reserve goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic for a harmless goal kick. But LAFC was not fully able to recover from the Galaxy’s quick counter, surrendering possession almost immediately.

The loss of possession forced LAFC’s Erik Dueñas—one of two teenagers playing in LAFC’s back line on the night—to clumsily bring down the Galaxy’s Gastón Brugman in the penalty area. Riqui Puig’s weak penalty kick attempt that followed was easily stopped by Jakupovic and cleared to safety keeping the score 0-0 going into halftime.

LAFC seemed to pick up where they left of at the halftime whistle, forcing Klinsman to turn away two quick chances immediately following the start of the second half. Then Boyd, a halftime substitute, put the Galaxy in the lead in the 49th minute with a spectacular blast from just inside the penalty area off a clever feed from Mark Delgado. It was Boyd’s second goal since joining the Galaxy at the start of the season. His first MLS goal was also against LAFC in the Galaxy’s 3-2 loss on May 16.

“Yeah, it was nice,” said Galaxy head coach and sporting director Greg Vanney. “Again, that’s one of the objectives of this group is to get the first goal. It was nice to get it so early, as you said, I think that frees up the group a little bit as well. And Julián , when the ball popped out, he took a great first touch and he had a good look and a good angle, and he got a hold of it. Very happy for him. Obviously since arriving, he’s done a great job and so for him to get a goal I know felt good for him so, but it also felt good for the team to get on the right side of the game early on and play from a good position.”

Three minutes later, Riqui Puig doubled the visitor’s advantage with a Maradona-like run that started with the ball from inside the center circle. The Barcelona product sliced through the LAFC defense to poke the ball past a charging Jakupovic.

As LAFC opted to leave most of the club’s high-impact players off the gameday roster, LAFC was not able to mount any credible comeback attempts in the final half hour of the match.

“Well, you know if we would have had two days between now and the next one, then I would have done something a little bit different as they did,” said Vanney, when asked about if playing more of his starters would impact this weekend’s league game. “You know, in talking to Brian before the game, he was like ‘I wish I had an extra day like you, I would have done something a little bit different’ but whenever you have the full three-day rest or whatever, four days between games, then most guys recover, their normal, it’s a normal routine they’ve recovered and they’re ready to go to the next one. I think guys would love to do that all year long, because they wouldn’t have to train and they would just play and they would recover and play. When you get the three day, which we have next week, it becomes a little bit trickier. And so, for us, it was important that we get some rhythm.”

With the win, the Galaxy earn their 37th all-time Open Cup win, which ties them with the Seattle Sounders for third-most in the Modern Era (1995-present). The Galaxy also improve to 11-0-0 all-time against Southern California teams in the US Open Cup, including beating rival LAFC for a second year in a row. 

 

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: FC Cincinnati flips script with PK win in rematch with New York Red Bulls

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Alvaro Barreal of FC Cincinnati celebrates with goalkeeper Alec Kann after beating the New York Red Bulls 5-3 in a PK shootout (after a 1-1 draw) in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: FC Cincinnati
Alvaro Barreal of FC Cincinnati celebrates with goalkeeper Alec Kann after beating the New York Red Bulls 5-3 in a PK shootout (after a 1-1 draw) in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: FC Cincinnati

The story of Tuesday’s Round of 16 match between the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati was redemption. Six years removed from their historic Lamar Hunt US Open Cup run being ended by RBNY, the now first-division FC Cincinnati felt like it was following the same track. A late equalizing goal saw New York force extra time just like it had in the 2017 Semifinals. But on Tuesday, Cincinnati rewrote its story. The 1-1 tie held and a 5-3 penalty kick shootout saw the visitors advance to the Quarterfinals at Red Bull Arena.

“The game was certainly a test of character and all I can say is I’m beyond proud of this group to come out on top under the circumstances,” Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan said in his postgame press conference. “On a night where you could tell the legs weren’t there and we were up against it. (We) just found a way. It was really impressive and the credit is solely with them.”

SEE: Forged in the Open Cup: Meet NYRB’s New Hope Troy Lesesne

This is the second straight knockout tournament Cincy has eliminated the Red Bulls from. In last year’s MLS Cup Playoffs the No. 4 seed was beaten, 2-1, by FC Cincinnati in Harrison. RBNY head coach Troy Lesesne, who’s only been in the role for about two weeks, was assistant coach during that playoff loss. He still thinks his team’s identity is growing.

“While some of the makeup of the team has changed from last year’s playoff match to tonight’s match I think the identity is becoming clearer and clearer about what we’re trying to do moving forward,” Lesesne said post match. “A team like FC Cincinnati has a very clear identity as well and I think that’s why they’re at the top of the table. So we just want to keep improving and I think we’re doing that and we have to say tonight was a success in a lot of ways – outside of the obvious of not progressing.”

Tuesday’s game started hot for multiple reasons. First, with the packed schedule and New York’s injury situation, the Open Cup was Dante Vanzeir’s first start since his return from suspension. Seeking his own redemption, following a incident in April where he used a racial term on the field, the Belgian got the game’s first shot. Playing around a Cincy defender, he struck a shot that flew wide right.

The other reason was match official Fotis Bazakos. In the 10th minute he showed RBNY defender Hassan Ndam yellow for taking down FCC’s Yuya Kubo. It was the first of 10 that he would hand out. In one moment in the 28th minute, a header found the ball at Red Bull forward Tom Barlow’s feet in FCC’s box. He was seemingly taken down from behind but no penalty kick was awarded. Cincinnati charged back with the ball ending with Marco Angulo getting checked hard by Sean Nealis, who got a card.

To be fair it’s on brand for Bazakos. The official dueled out eight yellow cards in last round’s Minnesota United FC vs Philadelphia Union match.

The first half continued with New York outshooting Cincinnati. In fact the visitors first shot didn’t come until the 40th minute when Santiago Arias put one over the crossbar. Two minutes later their second shot found the back of the net. With a run up the left side Luciano Acosta passed to Marco Angulo who quickly back footed the ball to Yuya Kubo. The forward moved between two RBNY defenders and shot to the left post. Ryan Meara got a diving hand on the ball but it trickled into the net to give FC Cincinnati the lead.

Following halftime, New York pushed hard to find the equalizer early. FC Cincinnati could not escape their own half of the field for close to 15 minutes. One moment in the 61st saw substitute forward Elias Manoel get played the ball in the goal area. However a mix of two things stopped a chance on goal; the chip up had too much power and Manoel not being ready for it. Instead Alec Kann jumped on the ball to stop the play.

Over time Cincy started to return to New York’s end and even threatened a few times. One Acosta shot in the 64th minute curved to hit off the right post, passed a diving Meara, before the offside flag nullified the attempt. However by this point the visitors looked content to slow the game down and try to escape with the win. That meant getting chippy with the home side and taking their time with free kicks.

That boiled over with John Tolkin and Ryan Meara both seeing yellow late in the game.

Still seeking his own redemption, Vanzeir was called upon to do his part. In the second minute of stoppage time (roughly five minutes remaining), Cristian Cásseres Jr. sent a long ball into the box. Captain Sean Nealis headed it towards the center where an FCC player tried to head it out. It fell to Vanzeir, who scissor kicked a shot to the left side of the net past a non-moving Alec Kann to tie the game.

Alec Kann of FC Cincinnati celebrates during the penalty kick shootout against the New York Red Bulls in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: FC Cincinnati
Alec Kann of FC Cincinnati celebrates during the penalty kick shootout against the New York Red Bulls in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: FC Cincinnati

It was Vanzeir’s second late goal this year after scoring an 86th minute game winner against Columbus back in March.

Extra time came and went with neither team finding a go-ahead goal. That being said, the Red Bulls felt like the only team looking. New York continued to dominate play including multiple looks on net. A header attempt off a corner kick went wide in first half stoppage time. John Tolkin slammed a shot attempt in the 110th that went wide right and elected a reaction from Kann.

A chance in the 94th minute saw Luquinhas, who returned from injury as a sub in the second half, taken down in the box by Joey Akpunonu. Official Bazakos allowed play to proceed and VAR was not available to check. Match broadcasters commented that it looked as though Akpunonu made contact with the Brazilian prior to getting the ball.

Red Bull defender and Ric Flair impersonator John Tolkin was heard screaming at the fourth official, saying “What the fuck are we doing?” before his vocal bench was shown a yellow card a minute later.

After the game, Lesesne was asked a question about referee Bazakos. Included in the lead up were mentions of the missed penalties and the number of yellow cards, which included a point where six RBNY players on the field were on a caution. The coach responded by saying “I think you’ve just said it all my friend and I’m not gonna comment on that. Thank you for the question, though.”

The lone Cincinnati chance was a shot in the 108th minute, early in the second half. Luciano Acosta’s low shot from the left side forced Ryan Meara to make a diving save towards the far post. He grazed it with his fingers to force it out of play.

With an extra time sub remaining and time winding down, Coach Lesesne pulled his final card. Carlos Coronel, the Red Bulls normal starting goalkeeper, entered the match in second half stoppage time. Not replacing Meara … but defender Matt Nocita.

Red Bulls staff later noted team kit man Sean Ruiz pressed the unusual field player jersey for Coronel while the game was being played. It was done at the arena’s shop, which had to be unlocked by staff just for this.

“Carlos is actually quite good at taking penalties, so that was the thought process,” Lesesne explained. “He was going to be number six in the order and he wanted one. We want to let (Ryan Meara) play the 120 minutes. I think it’s a tactic that could have been used, to put Carlos in goal. But you know, Ryan is maybe a hand more to one of those penalties and he’s got us back in the game. So yeah, we wanted him to see that whole match out.”

Coronel never got his chance. Acosta made his first round attempt and the soccer gods proved redemption isn’t simply earned. After playing hero, in his second game post suspension, Vanzeir’s low shot was saved by Kann.

Cincy was perfect for four more rounds, including a heart stopping near save by Meara on Yerson Mosquera’s fourth round attempt.

“I’m not surprised that (Kann) was a big part of us winning the game,” Noonan said. “I think just his composure, positioning, shot stopping. He made plenty of good saves. There was a lot that either were missed off target or blocked, but when he needed to, he made plays for us.”

The match ended with RBNY outshooting Cincinnati 35 to 6. On target shots were 8 to 3.

Cincinnati will host the winner of Wednesday’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs Columbus Crew SC match. That sets up either a match with USL Championship history or another edition of the “Hell is Real” rivalry.

Scoring Summary
42’ – FC Cincinnati – Yuya Kubo (Marco Angulo)
90+2’ – New York Red Bulls – Dante Vanzeir

Penalty Kick shootout:

CIN:
Luciano Acosta – Good
Junior Moreno – Good
Dominique Badji – Good
Yerson Mosquera – Good
Álvaro Barreal – Good

RBNY:
Dante Vanzeir – Saved
Elias Manoel – Good
Wikelman Carmona – Good
Cristian Cásseres Jr.- Good

Lineups

New York Red Bulls: Ryan Meara (GK), John Tolkin, Sean Nealis (C), Hassan Ndam, Dylan Nealis (O’Vonte Mullings 80′), Cristian Cásseres Jr., Peter Stroud (Luquinhas 80′), Dante Vanzeir, Dru Yearwood (Cory Burke 69′, Matthew Nocita 90+10′, Carlos Coronel 120+2′), Cameron Harper (Wikelman Carmona 58′), Tom Barlow (Elias Manoel 58′)

Manager: Troy Lesesne

FC Cincinnati: Alec Kann (GK), Santiago Arias (Álvaro Barreal 73′), Ian Murphy, Yerson Mosquera, Nick Hagglund (Joey Akpunonu 90+10′), Alvas Powell, Malik Pinto (Ray Gaddis 73′), Obinna Nwobodo, Marco Angulo (Junior Moreno 84′), Luciano Acosta (C), Yuya Kubo (Dominique Badji 64′)

Manager: Pat Noonan

Yellow Cards
Hassan Ndam, RBNY 10′
Cristian Cásseres Jr., RBNY 22′
Sean Nealis, RBNY 28′
Santiago Arias, FCC 69′
Dominique Badji, FCC 89′
John Tolkin, RBNY 89′
Ryan Meara, RBNY 89′
Álvaro Barreal, FCC 90+2′
New York Red Bulls bench, 95’
Wikelman Carmona, RBNY 99′

Referee: Fotis Bazakos
Ast. Referees: Ian McKay, Max Smith
Fourth Official: Ernie Constantine

Venue: Red Bull Arena – Harrison, New Jersey
Attendance: 4,131

Match Broadcast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7kEiXXTieI

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: Corey Baird’s big night helps Houston Dynamo cruise past 10-man Minnesota United

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Corey Baird of the Houston Dynamo celebrates after scoring his third goal against Minnesota United in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Houston Dynamo
Corey Baird of the Houston Dynamo celebrates after scoring his third goal against Minnesota United in the Round of 16 of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Houston Dynamo

Houston Dynamo FC forward Corey Baird scored a hat trick as the home side eliminated the Minnesota United FC from the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Round of 16. By the time regulation had ended, not only had Houston avenged its 1-0 loss to Minnesota six days ago but they recorded their third consecutive Open Cup clean sheet with a 4-0 win.


The Houston Dynamo’s Brooklyn Raines shot on frame six minutes in set the tone for the home team. Houston got on the board just past the half hour mark on a penalty conversion by Baird. A handball inside the 18 yard box marked the beginning of a monumental moment for the 27 year old.

Houston went up a man as halftime neared when Minnesota midfielder Kevin Arriega was sent to an early shower on card accumulation. With the man advantage, the Dynamo displayed patience and pise picking their moments to be the most opportune.

Amine Bassi, who had not been expected to play, threaded the needle to Baird who chipped home his second goal in the 62nd minute. Eleven minutes later, Ibrahim Aliyu received a ball from Baird in the 79th minute and put away the third marker of the night for Houston.

 As the game came to a close, Aliyu returned the favor as he found the forward in front of the net with seconds to play in regulation. Baird finished off the hat trick matching his entire output as a member of the Houston Dynamo over the past 22 months.

The hat trick was the first ever scored by a Houston Dynamo player in the US Open Cup 

Houston will play on the road in the next round as they await the winner of the Austin FC/Chicago Fire match to determine whom they will play in the Quarterfinals.

 

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16: Stefanelli’s winner sends Inter Miami past Nashville SC, into Quarterfinals

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Franco Negri of Inter Miami CF celebrates after scoring a goal against Nashville SC in the Fifth Round of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Inter Miami CF
Franco Negri of Inter Miami CF celebrates after scoring a goal against Nashville SC in the Fifth Round of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Inter Miami CF

 

After getting through a lightning delay, Inter Miami CF came back with a pair of second half goals to defeat fellow MLS side Nashville SC. Nicolas Stefanelli scored what would prove to be the game-winner in the 73rd minute to send Miami into the Quarterfinals for the first time in the club’s short history.

With the win, Inter Miami will travel for their next match. They will play at the winner of Birmingham Legion FC (USL Championship) and Charlotte FC (MLS). 

The weather couldn’t have fit the occasion any better. A rainy night at DRV PNK Stadium was the perfect backdrop for a match which has been marred by controversy before the game. Embattled Inter Miami manager Phil Neville had more than a cup tie in mind, as supporters have voiced their displeasure with the season so far after a bitter defeat against in-state rival Orlando City on Saturday. Nashville looked to continue their eight-game unbeaten streak on the road.

Inter Miami fielded an “A” squad with most regular starters on the pitch. Ian Fray makes his first start since his unfortunate injury during last year’s preseason. Nashville started what would be considered a “B” squad. U.S. international center back Walker Zimmerman didn’t make the trip while star player Hany Mukthar was on the bench.

 

The first half saw both teams have fair chances to take the lead. Nashville had multiple counter-attacking chances but couldn’t capitalize. Taylor Washington received the first yellow card of the night in the twenty-ninth minute. They also had a goal called offside in the thirty fourth minute, which was to the relief of Inter Miami who looked disjointed until the end of the half. The front pairing of Josef Martinez and Leonardo Campana kept working on their chemistry as they created a few one-two chances. The lack of a “#10” is quite evident as there is a disconnect between the midfield and the forwards.

The second half started  with two yellow cards for Nashville; Jack Maher and Jan Gregus. Then, what seemed out of nowhere, Inter Miami had a counter attack opportunity which saw Robert Taylor assist Franco Negri to open the scoring in the 57th minute. Taylor sent a well-timed through ball into the penalty area on the left side where Negri beat the onrushing goalkeeper to the ball and chipped it over him and into the back of the net. 

Up to this point, the metrics favored Nashville and they were thunderstruck. In response, they brought on their usual starters from the bench which included Hany Mukhtar and Alex Muyl.

Not even a minute in, and Muyl was able to equalize for Nashville. Laurence Wyke delivered a cross from the right wing and Alex Muyl scored on a diving header less than a minute after entering the game.

Nashville were able to pick up momentum and started to pressure Inter Miami. The siege was stopped by a lightning strike within three miles of the stadium, which caused a 33 minute delay.

Once play restarted, any sense of urgency from Nashville was gone and Inter Miami were able to catch them off guard again with another goal.


Nicolas Stefanelli was subbed on after the break and was able to capitalize on another counter attacking chance for Inter Miami. A ball was volleyed over the top from midfield by Corentin Jean. Stefanelli ran onto it and dribbled to the right side of the penalty area. Once he hit the edge of the box he fired a shot that beat the goalkeeper to the near post.

From here on, Inter Miami parked the bus and Nashville had multiple close calls to equalize.

In the end however, Inter Miami weathered the storm and eliminated Nashville SC from this year’s edition of the Open Cup. They now await to see if they have to face Birmingham Legion or Charlotte FC in the Quarterfinals. The roller coaster season continues for Phil Neville.

At the post-game press conference, it seemed like a huge weight was lifted off of everyone’s shoulders. The now viral video of Phil Neville sparring with a reporter was joked about and it seems that bridges have been mended. In regards to the fans not turning up, “I honestly love our fans. I understand their frustration.” He added on that he wants to perform and bring results for them.

It is worth keeping in mind that Inter Miami are still dealing with the roster sanctions brought upon them and injuries to key midfielders Gregore and Jean Mota. Additionally, the club are in a holding pattern with future acquisitions until a certain someone of Argentine descent decides on what they’re going to do next. For the moment however, Inter’s cup run stays alive and Neville has a lifeline as long as it keeps going.

2023 US Open Cup Round of 16 Preview: Bracket is set as 16 teams battle to reach Quarterfinals

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2023 US Open Cup Round 4 Austin FC
Photo: Austin FC


The Round of 16 for the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup begins tonight.

Four games are on the schedule for Tuesday night, followed by the remaining four on Wednesday. The bracket is set for the remainder of the tournament, so everyone knows their path to the 108th Final. 

Out of the remaining 16 teams, there are two lower division teams left. Both of them are from the USL Championship (2nd Division) and both of them are hosting their Fifth Round match against MLS sides on Wednesday night. Birmingham Legion FC, who are the first Alabama team in the history of the tournament to reach the Round of 16, will host Charlotte FC. While the Pittsburgh Riverhounds will try to reach the Quarterfinals for the first time in more than two decades when they host the Columbus Crew SC.

Only four teams left in the tournament have won the competition before (Chicago Fire FC, Columbus Crew SC, Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy), which leaves 12 teams vying for their first Open Cup trophy. Chicago is attempting to win an all-time record-tying fifth Open Cup title, while Columbus and Los Angeles are both trying to end lengthy Open Cup title droughts (2002 and 2005, respectively). Houston became the first South Texas team to ever win the tournament when they lifted the trophy in 2018.

All eight games this week will be streamed online through CBS Sports Golazo and on the Bleacher Report’s YouTube channel.

Scroll down to find a preview of every game and live stream links.

TUESDAY, MAY 23

Nashville SC (MLS) at Inter Miami CF (MLS)
DRV PNK Stadium – Fort Lauderdale, FL
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: CBS Sports Golazo
Winner will play at Birmingham Legion FC or Charlotte FC

By Tim Sullivan

Who takes the game more seriously? Which team can win with depth? How important is home-field advantage? The combination of those answers may well tell the story of a game in which these teams played a lopsided league match, with Nashville winning 2-1 but Miami finding only consolation with a goal on the final touch of the match, just six days before their meeting in the US Open Cup. It was just the second league meeting since the 2020 season – first in Major League Soccer – for both of these clubs.

En route to this Round of 16 matchup, Nashville dispatched USL Championship side San Antonio FC 1-0  and fellow MLS club FC Dallas 2-0, while Inter Miami beat local side The Miami FC and Charleston Battery, both of the USL Championship, in penalties and by a 1-0 scoreline, respectively.

The Boys in Gold boast reigning MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar, who has yet to play in the 2023 US Open Cup. MLS journeyman Fafa Picault, along with former MLS homegrowns Ethan Zubak (LA Galaxy) and Alex Muyl (New York Red Bulls) have scored the goals that brought Nashville to this point. Shanyder Borgelin and Ryan Sailor scored for Miami against local competition, while the Herons benefitted from an own goal to provide the difference in their matchup with Charleston.

Now, the Herons get to continue playing in sunny South Florida, while Nashville must leave Music City for the first time in the competition.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Nashville SC (MLS)
4th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 8-1-2 (0-2 PK) | 4-0-1 (0-1 PK) as MLS
Away: 1-1-1 (0-1 PK) | 1-0-1 (0-1 PK) as MLS
vs. MLS: 3-0-1 (0-1 PK) | 2-0-1 (0-1 PK) as MLS
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2022)

Inter Miami CF (MLS)
2nd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 3-0-2 (1-1 PK)
Home: 2-0-0
vs. MLS: 0-0-1 (0-1 PK)
Best finish: Round of 16 (2022)

FC Cincinnati (MLS) at New York Red Bulls (MLS)
Red Bull Arena – Harrison, NJ
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: Bleacher Report
Winner will host Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC or Columbus Crew SC

By George Diamond

A hungry Cincinnati team travels to Harrison, N.J. to contest a potentially revitalized Red Bulls team in an Eastern Conference clash in the Round of 16.

FC Cincinnati is on the rise after their first three seasons yielded consecutive last place finishes in MLS. Since the hiring of former Union assistant Pat Noonan as manager, and former Union technical director Chris Albright as general manager, Cincy have improved their results dramatically. They are now fighting for their first real chance at a trophy since joining the league in 2019. They are currently first in the Supporters Shield race on 30 points and are unbeaten in their last seven matches through all competitions. Big name signings such as Lucho Acosta and Obinna Nwobodo combined with the breakouts of striker duo Brenner and Vazquez have heralded their rise.

New York Red Bulls players celebrate with fans during the 2017 US Open Cup Semifinals at Nippert Stadium. New York won 3-2 in extra time over FC Cincinnati (USL)

Pre MLS expansion, Cincy went on a famous run to the Semifinals of the 2017 edition of the Cup as a USL side. They knocked out Columbus Crew and Chicago Fire before being eliminated by NYRB 3-2 after extra time. That run, and the impressive home support shown by the Cincy faithful, are a large part of the reason why Commissioner Don Garber chose to award FC Cincinnati with expansion into MLS. This history in the Cup could give both teams an extra edge in their mentality for this game. Any Cincy fans traveling to Red Bull Arena will be pushing their team to avenge that loss.

Red Bulls are on a quest to right the ship after a slow, and at times, controversial start to league play. Their designated player, striker Dante Vanezir, was suspended six games due to violating league policy on racist language. This and a torrid start which resulted in an ugly winless streak of seven games got their head coach fired. As it stands, they have the second fewest goals scored in MLS with 10. Despite this, they also have the third best defense, only allowing 12 goals. Since assistant Troy Lesesne’s appointment as Head Coach on May 8, the Red Bulls haven’t lost across all competitions going 3-0-1.

Despite being a founding member of Major League Soccer, the Red Bulls are yet to win an MLS or an Open Cup so there is every reason to believe Lesesne will field his strongest eleven. Lesesne hasn’t started the same eleven in back-to-back games and has utilized a few different formations. An interesting decision will be who starts at striker. Cory Burke just scored in last weekend’s win against CF Montréal and could start. Alternatively, now that Vanezir has served his suspension and has internally been decided by his teammates to return to the team in a unanimous vote, he may draw the start if he is fit. One thing is for sure and that is that US international John Tolkin will retain his role as Right Back. Despite playing in defense, Tolkin is instrumental to the Red Bulls attack and build up play as evidenced by his team leading four assists.

The Red Bulls entered the competition in the Round of 32 and beat DC United 1-0 thanks to an Omir Fernandez goal.

Meanwhile, Cincy eliminated Louisville City 1-0 in the Third Round and dispatched NYCFC 1-0 in the round of 32 on the back of a Brandon Vazquez goal.

On paper this is an intriguing match as both teams have a lot to prove. FC Cincinnati want to further their case as the next big thing in MLS and a Lamar Hunt Trophy in the silverware cabinet would be a great step in their development. However, an away win is no small task. They only have one road win in the league and have not traveled in USOC play this year until now. New York Red Bulls are looking to redeem their rocky first few months of the season. A win against the hottest team in MLS could steady the ship and send a message to the rest of the Eastern Conference that they are back and mean business.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

FC Cincinnati (MLS)
6th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 11-4-2 (1-1 PK) | 4-2-0 as MLS
Away: 2-3-0 | 0-2-0 as MLS
vs. MLS: 2-2-2 (1-1 PK) | 1-1-0 as MLS
Best finish: Semifinals (2017)

New York Red Bulls (MLS)
23rd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 27-21-3 (2-1 PK)
Home: 13-6-2 (1-1 PK)
vs. MLS: 12-13-3 (2-1 PK)
Best finish: Runner-Up (2003, 2017)

Minnesota United FC (MLS) at Houston Dynamo (MLS)
Shell Energy Stadium – Houston, TX
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: Bleacher Report
Winner will play at Austin FC or Chicago Fire FC

By Bridget McDowell

Five years after winning their first and only US Open Cup title, Houston Dynamo returns home to host Minnesota United FC in the Round of 16. The two clubs just faced each other in league play one week ago, with the Loons getting their first home win of the MLS season on a 1-0 result. While Minnesota enters the round on a positive surge of results, Houston is struggling in league play and their Round 4 win displayed the squad’s frustration.

Bongokuhle Hlongwane has been Minnesota’s breakout star in May, registering four goals and one assist in 393 minutes. Two of those goals and the assist came in the Round 4 win over Philadelphia Union, earning him TheCup.us Player of the Round honors. Hlongwane has scored twice in three appearances since, both game-winning goals in two consecutive 1-0 wins (5/17 vs Houston, 5/20 at Portland).

Things have changed a bit for the Loons since the midweek game against Houston: MNUFC announced Friday that midfielder/winger Robin Lod suffered a torn meniscus in that match and will undergo surgery on Monday. Hlongwane paid tribute to his midfield partner after his stoppage time goal in Portland with Lod’s trademark bow-and-arrow celly. With Emanuel Reynoso not yet reintegrated, Adrian Heath now has two midfield gaps to fill, but the squad’s performance in Portland showed that they can and will adapt. The Portland result bumped MNUFC up to fifth in the West, tied with San Jose on points but behind by just one goal behind in goal differential.

Minnesota defeated the Houston Dynamo in the Round of 16 in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Minnesota United FC

Houston will also have to adapt. While they secured one big point in their Rivalry Week matchup at FC Dallas on Saturday, May has not been a productive month for the Dynamo and they currently sit tenth in the West. With two draws and two losses (one of each at home) in MLS play, they’ll need to shrug off the frustration that saw them go down to nine men in the 1-0 loss at Seattle and harness the energy that secured their 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City in Round Four, despite playing down a man for 55 minutes (Chase Gasper will be unavailable for selection on Tuesday due to his red card ejection in the 35 minute mark at Sporting). Like Minnesota, Houston has a young forward leading a low-scoring but gutsy offense. Thor Úlfarsson scored the late equalizer at FC Dallas and notched the lone goal early in the 1-0 win at SKC. He had two shots, one on target, in a 31-minute sub shift at Minnesota last week, leading the squad with a 0.17 xG. A Dynamo attack of Úlfarsson and Adalberto Carrasquilla could trouble United’s stingy defense.

The Houston Dynamo do have the advantage of hosting the USOC leg of this matchup. Since 2023, Houston has played 24 USOC games, 18  of which have been at home – including all five of their wins in 2018 when they went on to win the tournament. Minnesota United has only won multiple games in a USOC tournament once since joining MLS (they reached the final in 2019, losing to expansion rival Atlanta United). The NASL iteration of MNUFC won multiple games in 2012, but lost out in Round Three. MNUFC head coach Adrian Heath, however, has a better USOC record. He is tied for fourth with SKC’s Peter Vermes in most US Open Cup coaching wins and advances in the Modern Era (22 wins / 25 advances).

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Minnesota United FC (MLS)
12th US Open Cup appearance (5th as MLS team)
Overall: 12-9-3 (2-1 PK) | 7-4-2 (1-1 PK) as MLS
Away: 7-5-2 (1-1) | 3-3-1 (1-0 PK) as MLS
vs. MLS: 5-7-1 (1-0 PK) | 4-4-1 (1-0 PK) as MLS
Best finish: Runner-up (2019)

Houston Dynamo (MLS)
15th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 21-12-2 (1-1 PK)
Home: 17-5-1 (1-0 PK)
vs. MLS: 7-10-1 (1-0 PK)
Best finish: 2018 US Open Cup champions

LA Galaxy (MLS) at Los Angeles FC (MLS)
BMO Stadium – Los Angeles, CA
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: CBS Sports Golazo
Winner will play at Colorado Rapids or Real Salt Lake

By Wendy Pintor 

The US Open Cup Round of 16 match between the LA Galaxy and LAFC at BMO Stadium on Tuesday marks the 19th meeting between the two teams across all competitions, with the Galaxy leading the all-time series 7-6-5. Against LAFC, the Galaxy hold a 6-4-5 record in league play, a 0-2-0 record in the MLS Cup Playoffs and a 1-0-0 record in the US Open Cup. The last time the two teams played in the Round of 16, the Galaxy earned a 3-1 win at Dignity Health Sports Park on May 25, 2022, with Javier “Chicharito” Hernández and Dejan Joveljić each tallying goals. Dating back to their first US Open Cup match in 1999, the LA Galaxy hold an all-time record of 36-18-1 (1-0 in PKs) in 55 matches played in the competition and have also been crowned champions twice (2001, 2005). But today all those statics mean nothing to LAFC.

To get here, LAFC’s defeated USL’s Monterey Bay FC with their MLS Pro team 5-4 in a penalty kick shootout after a 2-2 draw. The Black & Gold now host the rival Galaxy with a spot in the Quarterfinals on the line.

In league play, LAFC defeated the San Jose Earthquakes in a 2-1 win at BMO Stadium over the weekend.  With the win, LAFC is at the top of the Western Conference standings with 25 points through 12 games played. Those 25 points are the most by any defending MLS Cup champion after 12 matches of a season in MLS history. The Black & Gold enter Tuesday with a three-game winning streak over the Galaxy in all competitions — including a 3-2 win on April 16 in Carson in MLS regular season action. While it is unclear if he will start, LAFC also boasts the league’s leading scorer in Dénis Bouanga. He finished the weekend with 10 goals in 12 matches.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez of LA Galaxy celebrates during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup Fifth Round match against LAFC. Photo: LA Galaxy

Meanwhile the Galaxy took on a younger team in the Seattle Sounders, winning 3-1 which they had hoped would give them a boost in league play, but they did not materialize.

The Galaxy are coming off two back-to-back shutout losses in the East. The first loss was 2-0 against Columbus Crew and then last Saturday they fell 3-0 at D.C. United. They now sit in the complete opposite of the town’s neighbor in the standings with nine points. This is the worst start to a MLS regular season in Galaxy history. A lack of offense is one of their issues. Only one player on the roster has scored multiple goals this year (Dejan Joveljic with 2). The club’s 10 goals in 13 games are the second-lowest in the league. When the teams will face each other today, the Galaxy are very much playing the role of underdog.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

LA Galaxy (MLS)
21st US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 36-18-1 (1-0 PK)
Away: 10-14-1 (1-0 PK)
vs. MLS: 14-13-1 (1-0 PK)
Best finish: 2001, 2005 US Open Cup champions

Los Angeles FC (MLS)
4th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 7-2-2 (1-1 PK)
Home: 6-1-0
vs. MLS: 4-2-1 (0-1 PK)
Best finish: Semifinals (2018)

WEDNESDAY, MAY 24

Columbus Crew SC (MLS) at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USL-C)
Highmark Stadium – Pittsburgh, PA
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: CBS Sports Golazo
Winner will play at New York Red Bulls or FC Cincinnati

By Jason Herbert

Columbus will travel to Pittsburgh for their Round of 16 match in the 2023 US Open Cup as it is only the second meeting ever between the two sides, with the initial match taking place in 2019 in the Fourth Round when David Accam scored the winner for Columbus as the Crew took a 1-0 win.

As Columbus enter their match at Pittsburgh, it should be noted that the Crew are the only Ohio team in history to win the tournament (2002.) This may prove vital as the Crew are coming off a 3-2 loss against instate rivals FC Cincinnati, who currently sit in the top spot of the Eastern Conference in MLS. Although Columbus has lifted the US Open Cup trophy, coming into 2023 they also had the third longest Modern Era streak of a team that has failed to win multiple games in a tournament. Prior to this season they have gone 10 tournaments in a row without winning more than one game, a streak dating back to their loss in the 2010 US Open Cup Final. Since winning the 2002 title the Crew have only won multiple games in a tournament twice.

David Accam of the Columbus Crew scored the lone goal in the club’s 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the Fourth Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Columbus Crew SC

Columbus is still searching for their way under first year head coach Wilfried Nancy as they have taken strides forward but are still trying to find a consistent stretch to their season. After their derby loss at the hands of FC Cincy, the Crew now sit in eighth spot and twelve points off the pace of first place. The Crew took 14 points out of their opening seven games, but have since hit a dry spell only tallying two wins in their last seven league matches. Having six players out due to injury, which include their first choice goalkeeper and two center backs, has not helped a team that has also given important minutes to young newcomers from their inaugural MLS Pro champion side Crew 2. Players such as Jaycen Russell-Rowe, Patrick Schulte and Phillip Quinton have been given important opportunities with the first team, along with Alex Matan as Nancy has both willingly let the youth push into the first team while also having his hand forced recently due to injuries.

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds, on the other hand, are trying to reach the Quarterfinals of the US Open Cup for the second time in club history. The Riverhounds reached this round of the tournament in 2001 and have never beaten two MLS sides in the same tournament, a feat which they could accomplish against Columbus as they recently beat the New England Revolution in the previous round. 2023 also marks the first time in club history that the Riverhounds have been able to tally three wins in the same tournament (one of the wins was a forfeit win in Round 2 vs. Rochester New York FC). Pittsburgh is coached by Bob Lilley who also happens to rank sixth in the Modern Era for coaching wins with 21.

The Riverhounds are fresh off a 4-1 win over the weekend against Las Vegas that saw Edward Kizza bag a first half brace. Arturo Ordonez and Danny Griffin also scored for Pittsburgh as they have now won four of their last six taking nine league points during that stretch, as well as two US Open Cup wins. Griffin, a New England native, was the runner-up for the last round’s TheCup.us Player of the Round award for scoring the lone goal against the Revolution.

OPEN CUP HISTORY

Columbus Crew SC (MLS)
22nd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 25-17-3 (0-3 PK)
Away: 8-10-1 (0-1 PK)
vs. Div. 2: 9-3-1 (0-1 PK)
Best finish: 2002 US Open Cup champions

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USL-C)
19th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 16-16-3 (1-2 PK)
Home: 11-5-1 (1-0 PK)
vs. MLS: 2-6-0
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2001)

Charlotte FC (MLS) at Birmingham Legion FC (USL-C)
Protective Stadium – Birmingham, AL
Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: Bleacher Report
Winner will host Inter Miami CF or Nashville SC

By Jordan Beech

Birmingham Legion FC welcomes Charlotte FC to Protective Stadium for a Round of 16 match up. Both sides will be making some history on Wednesday, as the Legion has never faced an MLS opponent and Charlotte, likewise, has never been challenged by a team from the USL Championship.

The Legion entered the 2023 US Open Cup in the Second Round, dispatching Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, 4-1, on the road. They then needed penalties to sneak past NISA’s Chattanooga FC before enjoying a 3-0 romp past Memphis 901 FC in the Fourth Round. Birmingham, the first Alabama-based team to ever reach the Round of 16, will need to shake off a bad run of form to get past Charlotte, having gone 1-4-0 in May across all competitions.

Photo: Birmingham Legion FC

Charlotte made their 2023 Open Cup debut in the Third Round, dropping USL League One’s South Georgia Tormenta, 4-1, before eliminating the 2022 Open Cup Champions, Orlando City SC, with a 1-0 victory in the last round. The Crown have enjoyed a good run of form in May, going 4-1-0. However, Charlotte will need to be on notice as they’re only loss in Open Cup history was on the road.

A win for Birmingham – coached by Tom Soehn, who led D.C. United to an Open Cup title in 2008 – would mark the first time an Alabama side has reached the Quarterfinals. A Charlotte triumph would mark the club’s first foray into the Quarterfinals, and they would be the first North Carolina team since 2014 (NASL’s Carolina RailHawks, now known as North Carolina FC), to reach that stage.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Charlotte FC (MLS)
2nd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 4-1-0
Away: 2-1-0
vs. Div. 2: 0-0-0
Best finish: Round of 16 (2022)

Birmingham Legion FC (USL-C)
3rd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 4-2-1 (1-0 PK)
Home: 3-1-1 (1-0 PK)
vs. MLS: 0-0-0
Best finish: Third Round (2019, 2022)

Chicago Fire FC (MLS) at Austin FC (MLS)
Q2 Stadium – Austin, TX
Kickoff: 9 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: Bleacher Report
Winner will host Minnesota United FC or Houston Dynamo

By Chuck Carlson

When Frank Klopas’ Chicago Fire take on Josh Wolff’s Austin FC in a Round of 16 clash on Wednesday night in Texas, it will be a matchup between coaches with multiple Open Cup championships. Klopas and Wolff were teammates on the 1998 Chicago Fire Open Cup/MLS Cup championship team, so they will both know the joy and challenges of winning US’s oldest running knockout men’s soccer tournament.

Austin FC, who joined MLS in 2021, are playing in just their second US Open Cup, having lost their inaugural match to USL Championship side San Antonio FC in 2022. This year, the Verde and Black have gotten off to a more auspicious Cup start, defeating New Mexico United 2-0 in the round of 32. Coach Wolff’s men did not give the Albuquerque-based USL Championship side much hope of a Cupset, as Austin were up by two in the first 36 minutes and were never really threatened in the 2nd half as they got a comfortable win in Austin.

After defeating the Columbus Crew 2-1, the Chicago Fire celebrate the club’s 1998 US Open Cup championship at Soldier Field. Photo: Chicago Fire FC

The Fire have had a more challenging road to this game. Because of their low finish in MLS 2022 table, they entered the Cup in the Third Round, and faced fellow Windy City club Chicago House AC in a matchup only the Open Cup can produce: a first division professional side and an amateur side from the Midwest Premier League. The Fire easily defeated House 3-0 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, which set up a first ever meeting with fellow MLS side, St. Louis City SC, in the Round of 32.

It was clear from the get-go that the Fire, who had just fired their head coach Ezra Hendrickson, and installed Klopas as interim manager for his third stint as Chicago’s head coach, took this St. Louis match very seriously. Teams from the cities of St. Louis and Chicago have had contentious Open Cup matches dating back more than a century, when teams such as the Chicago Bricklayers and Scullin Steel of St. Louis competed to be “Champions of the West.” In this most recent matchup of these city rivals, the Fire scored in the 3rd minute to put St. Louis on the backfoot, then again in the 75th minute., and though St. Louis got a stoppage time consolation goal, the Fire moved on with a 2-1 win.

While Austin FC have a very limited Open Cup history, for the Fire, this 2023 Cup is a chance to make some serious history. Only three teams in the 108-year history of the tournament have won 5 Open Cup titles (Bethlehem Steel, Maccabee AC, Fall River Marksmen/New Bedford Whalers). When the Chicago Fire won their fourth Open Cup title in nine years of existence, it looked as though they would quickly join that list of all-time champions. However, since capturing that fourth title in 2006, the Fire’s Open Cup trophy case has been stagnant, and the Fire will be looking to give themselves the chance to win a record tying fifth title. However, they have knocked on the door of that fifth trophy multiple times, finishing runner-up in 2011, and reaching the Semifinals five times (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018).

Both Austin FC and the Fire have struggled to stay in MLS playoff contention this season. In addition, Austin FC were knocked out of CONCACAF Champions league by Haiti’s Violette, so progress in the Open Cup would be an accomplishment for either side. It should be a great game at Q2 in Austin on Wednesday night, as there is no doubt that former Open Cup champion teammates Wolff and Klopas will ensure their teams are ready for this matchup of MLS teams that has significance well beyond a league game.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Chicago Fire FC (MLS)
24th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 44-16-7 (4-3 PK)
Away: 15-15-3 (2-1 PK)
vs. MLS: 23-10-2 (2-0 PK)
Best finish: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006 US Open Cup

Austin FC (MLS)
2nd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 1-1-0
Home: 1-0-0
vs. MLS: 0-0-0
Best finish: Third Round (2022)

Real Salt Lake (MLS) at Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, CO
Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: CBS Sports Golazo
Winner will host LA Galaxy or LAFC

By Andrew Mosier

There is always a cup of one sort or another on the line when geographical rivals Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake play.

Last Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, it was the Rocky Mountain Cup, awarded to the supporters of the club that wins the regular season series between the two clubs. RSL is the perennial cup holder, winning 13 out of 18. A 3-2 RSL win on Saturday puts them on track to capture a third consecutive Rocky Mountain Cup.

The clubs shift gears on Wednesday, facing off, again at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for a berth in the US Open Cup Quarterfinals. This is a place that neither club has reached in a while. The Rapids last reached the Quarterfinals in 2007, while RSL last got there in 2015. This also marks just the second time that the two teams have met in Open Cup play. The last time they met was back in 2006 when Colorado edged RSL 1-0 in the Fourth Round when Clint Mathis assisted on the game-winning goal by Jacob Peterson in the 61st minute.

This is a matchup between two rivals who have never won the US Open Cup, but both have come close. Real Salt Lake hosted the 2013 US Open Cup Final, but lost to a D.C. United team that had the fewest league wins of any Open Cup champion in the history of the competition. Colorado lost in the 1999 US Open Cup Final in Columbus, Ohio to the Rochester Raging Rhinos.

In league play this year, both clubs are mired near the Western Conference playoff line. RSL sits in 11th place (15 points, 4-6-3), one place ahead of the Rapids (15 points, 2-6-6).

RSL are coached by Rapids playing and coaching legend and Ring of Fame member, Pablo Mastroeni. As a player, he led the Rapids to the 2010 MLS Cup before taking over coaching duties in 2014.  In 2017 he was relieved from his head coaching duties of the Rapids a year after he led the Rapids to the most successful regular season in club history, finishing second in the Western Conference and Supporters’ Shield behind Dallas and losing to Seattle Sounders in the MLS Cup Conference Finals.

In Open Cup play this year, RSL moved into the Round of 16 in a seven-goal thriller on the road against the Portland Timbers. Maikel Chang had two goals and an assist. After going down in the fifth minute, RSL’s Danny Musovski leveled the score at the half-hour mark, slamming home a Chang cross from close range. Then Andrés Gómez put RSL ahead in the 41st minute. Portland opened the second half with two quick goals to pull ahead 3-2 followed almost immediately by Chang, pulling the game level in the 55th minute. Chang closed out scoring for the night in the 50th minute burying a feed from Musovski from close range.

RSL opened Round 3 with a 3-1 win at Las Vegas Lights FC of the USL Championship in extra time. Damir Kreilach opened scoring in the 106th minute, scoring again to put RSL back in the lead ten minutes later. Musovski closed out the game just before the final whistle. The win was extra special for Salt Lake as it snapped the club’s Modern Era-record seven-game winless streak in the competition. They hadn’t officially won a game in the tournament (they did have one penalty kick shootout win vs. Wilmington Hammerheads in 2016) since 2015.

With little difficulty the Rapids beat the Northern Colorado Hailstorm of the USL League One, 3-1, at home in the Third Round behind goals by Jonathan Lewis (two) and Max. That set up a road match with 2022 Open Cup finalist, Sacramento Republic FC. Colorado were facing a club that were riding a 14-game home unbeaten streak in the tournament, and the Rapids were also looking to snap the “Curse of the Rhinos.” Since the Rapids lost in the 1999 US Open Cup Final to the A-League’s (Div. 2) Rochester Raging Rhinos, the Rapids have never won more than one Open Cup match in a single year. Rochester is the last lower-division team to win the Open Cup.

The Rapids broke the curse at Sacramento, winning 4-2. Lewis continued his torrid Open Cup scoring streak, putting the Rapids up in the fourth minute, followed by Michael Edwards in the 15th. Sam Nicholson and Michael Barrios rounded out the scoring for the Rapids.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Real Salt Lake (MLS)
13th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 11-11-2 (1-1 PK)
Away: 2-5-0
vs. MLS: 4-6-1 (0-1 PK)
Best finish: Runner-Up (2013)

Colorado Rapids (MLS)
21st US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 15-19-1 (0-1 PK)
Away: 6-17-0
vs. MLS: 4-9-0
Best finish: Runner-Up (1999)

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Bongokuhle Hlongwane of Minnesota United voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

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Bongokuhle “Bongi” Hlongwane of Minnesota United was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Fourth Round of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Minnesota United FC
Bongokuhle “Bongi” Hlongwane of Minnesota United was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Fourth Round of the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Minnesota United FC

Bongokuhle “Bongi” Hlongwane of Minnesota United FC doubled his 2023 goal count in the Fourth Round Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match against the Philadelphia Union, giving life to a team that had squandered two leads. The young international is the first South African to play in MLS and has been an exciting example of that brand of football. Two goals and four assists in 2022 secured Hlongwane’s place as a supersub and he cemented that role in stunning fashion in the Fourth Round with a penalty kick win against Union. With his two goals and one assist, the gentleman’s hat trick, Hlongwane was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round.

Hlongwane ran away with the voting for the award. He outpaced Daniel Griffin of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, followed by Andrew Tarbell of the Houston Dynamo and last round’s winner Christian Volesky of Monterey Bay FC. 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) of TheCup.us’ Patreon team.

In the absence of Minnesota’s All-Star designated player Emanuel Reynoso, Hlongwane has become a regular starter in Adrian Heath’s attack this season, starting in all nine league matches ahead of the Round 4 matchup and tallying two goals in that stretch. His ability to race end to end and willingness to put his body on the line in the counterattack has opened possibilities for a team struggling to find an identity and a consistent formation. This grit was the difference against Philadelphia.

Hlongwane opened the scoring in the 68th minute with a glancing header inside the six, and dropped a dime to Joseph Rosales just five minutes later, putting the Loons up 2-0 in the 73rd minute. His composure in possession is a trait sorely lacking in this squad but shone against through the tired legs of the both sides in this match. The Loons, in a not atypical fashion, gave up the lead with Chris Donovan going unchallenged in front of goal in the 78th minute and Kai Wagner scoring at the death, equalizing in the fourth minute of stoppage time. It was Bongi who renewed Minnesota’s hopes in the first half of extra time.

While Minnesota’s go-ahead goal was canceled out by another last-gasp goal from Wagner, goalkeeper Clint Irwin stopped his penalty kick, sealing a win behind Hlongwane’s efforts. Wagner also received consideration for the award and had he scored the PK to extend the shootout, there’s a chance he would have won.

For Hlongwane, being the striker who secured the first win at home of the 2023 season was special.

“It’s been a while. But I still need to learn the song ,” said Hlongwane. “I am happy when I hear it. It makes me feel good because I see the people’s joy.”

Just a week later, he was responsible for the first home win in league play as well, the lone scorer in a 1-0 win against Houston Dynamo on Matchday 13, earning MLS Team of the Matchday honors and overtaking Luis Amarilla and Mender García as the squad’s leading scorer with three in league play.

Bongokuhle Hlongwane has contributed five goals and two assists in all competitions and leads Minnesota United with 13 shots on target (Amarilla is in second with 7). A fan favorite for his goal celebrations, Hlongwane is on track for a productive breakout performance this season and may well be the difference for an MNUFC squad that faces personnel challenges moving forward in US Open Cup play.

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