Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2023 US Open Cup

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Second half brace from Memo Rodriguez pushes LA Galaxy past Seattle Sounders

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Memo Rodriguez of LA Galaxy celebrates after scoring a goal against the Seattle Sounders FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: LA Galaxy
Memo Rodriguez of LA Galaxy celebrates after scoring a goal against the Seattle Sounders FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: LA Galaxy

A goal three minutes into the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup gave LA Galaxy it’s upperhand and hold of possession to end with a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders.

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“I did think we simplified the game, the ball moved a little bit quicker between guys. There’s times though, especially the first half where I think we have some momentum and to attack and we tend to turn back in and we turned it into a possession,” said LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney.

The start of the half proved to be in the favor of the Galaxy. Only three minutes of possession, a shot just a few steps into the goalie box by Julian Aude would find its way in the top left hand corner of the net, placing them on the scoreboard early on.

Aude made history by scoring the fastest US Open Cup goal in the Galaxy’s team history. It was about 45 seconds faster than Jellen Van Damme’s third minute goal in a match against the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2017 Quarterfinals

“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 that frees up the group a little bit as well and Julian when when the ball popped out, he took a great first touch. He had a good look and good angle and he got a hold of it,” Vanney said.

The Sounders now in a deficit with roughly 87 minutes to play; they slowly began to pick up the pace and match LA Galaxy’s intensity.

However, LA Galaxy remained on top of possession with a 60/40 hold, but fell short with only two shots on goal as opposed to the Sounders’ three.

In a final attempt to lengthen the score, a break away opportunity was created for Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez but ended with him being rewarded a yellow card following the play. In the 42nd minute, he was called offsides and while stopping his run; he kicked the ball away from the Sounders’ goalie. 

The half ended shortly after with the home side in front 1-0.

As the second half commenced, both teams began to increase their level of aggression. Possession seemed to decrease from the Galaxy’s grasp and become more even. However, the increased intensity would lead the Sounders to receive their first yellow card of the night.

It wouldn’t be long until the Galaxy raised the score, in the 66th minute, in a small battle of possession, just feet from the goalie, Memo Rodriguez was able to get a foot on the ball and put it past the netminder. The Galaxy’s 2-0 lead wouldn’t last long.

Less than two minutes later, in a quick offensive play, a center from on the right side of the field found its way Sounders’ Paul Rothrock whose header missed the hands of Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Bond and ended up in the back of the net to cut the lead in half.

Rodriguez would respond later in the 84th minute with his second goal of the match to restore the two-goal lead. This goal would also mark his sixth goal for his Open Cup career. His first four came with the Houston Dynamo. Three of them came during Houston’s 2018 US Open Cup title run.

“I thought it was a good night, good goals from all three, good goals, great for Memo to come on … and he’s been working really hard over this stretch,” said Vanney. “He hits the hardest balls on the team and he found himself with two good looks today.”

With only less than 10 minutes of the match left, the Sounders were unable to produce a comeback and the Galaxy win their opening round game for the eighth year in a row. 

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Real Salt Lake rallies twice to win “wild” 7-goal thriller at Portland Timbers

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Maikel Chang of Real Salt Lake celebrates after scoring a goal against the Portland Timbers in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Real Salt Lake
Maikel Chang of Real Salt Lake celebrates after scoring a goal against the Portland Timbers in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Real Salt Lake

You want goals? Maikel Chang and Co. will give you goals — the most of the season, in fact.

Chang scored two goals less than four minutes apart in the second half, and Andrés Gómez and Danny Musovski added a goal and an assist as Real Salt Lake rallied twice to eliminate the Portland Timbers, 4-3, on the road Wednesday night in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon.

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Sebastian Blanco, Justin Rasmussen and Jaro Niezgoda each scored for the Timbers, which became the second-straight host to fall to RSL after going winless in its first five Open Cup road attempts before a 3-1 win at USL Championship squad Las Vegas Lights FC two weeks ago.

And after playing to back-to-back scoreless draws in MLS play, Salt Lake’s latest result was anything-but. And just like that — combined with LA Galaxy’s 3-1 win over the Seattle Sounders — Cascadia came crashing out U.S. Soccer’s version of the FA Cup.

“I thought it was a fantastic performance. A lot of guys got a great opportunity tonight, and they did a great job,” RSL manager Pablo Mastroeni said. “It was a real collective effort, and these kind of Cup games are always crazy. You never know what to anticipate. But I think the guys managed the game the right way, didn’t lose their cool after going down 3-2, and found a winner.

“I’m really pleased with the performance, and big-picture, I’m really pleased with the performances on top of performances. We’re really building as a group.” 

Blanco opened the scoring just five minutes in following a chaotic frenzy on RSL’s back line. But this match was just getting started, with three ties and three lead changes still on deck before goalkeeper Gavin Beavers made four saves and a back line of Delentz Pierre, Justen Glad and Bode Hidalgo and Braian Ojeda as a late sub helped kill off the one-goal win.

Suddenly, a club that sits a point off the MLS Cup playoff line in the Western Conference after close to a third of the season has found new life in the oldest knockout competitions in North American soccer.

“I think it shows that we’ve got a lot of fight in us,” Musovski said. “That game was really wild, with them going up early, then us taking the lead, then them taking the lead. It was a lot of ups and downs, but I think through it all, we were fighting the entire time. We showed that we have a lot of grit, and we want to make a run in this Cup.”

The Argentine took advantage of pressure in the back forced by Noel Caliskan before slotting home a right-footed shot down the center of the box and past Beavers, the 18-year-old goalkeeper making his second start in Open Cup play this year.

But that wasn’t the end of it. Far from it.

“We allowed them to score four goals at home which is not good, and the way we sometimes allow those moments to happen, we need to have a little bit more maturity,” Timbers coach Giovanni Savarese said. “But again, it’s good for some of the players that don’t have that many minutes to be able to come and play, that makes them better, that makes them stronger, that makes them more available to be able to compete and ready to play. In St. Louis, we put in a mature performance, today we put in the effort, the energy, the good plays — but maturity is what was missing. Losing this game at home, allowing four goals after we scored three is no good. We talked about it in the locker room and the guys took the responsibility and now we continue to work.”

Musovski equalized in the 30th minute, taking a pass across the face of goal from Chang via Bryan Oviedo with the slightest touch from Damir Kreilach, finishing it for his second goal in as many matches in the Open Cup to help the visitors turn the tide quickly.

Gómez scored a banger in the 40th minute, lifting RSL to a 2-1 advantage following Bode Hidalgo’s set piece. The Salt Lake side put just three of their seven first-half shots on target, but Beavers made four saves and passed at 91.7% clip to keep RSL ahead.

Justin Rasmussen equalized for the Timbers in the 49th minute, taking a touch from Caliskan near the top of the box before converting a banger from distance for the Timbers’ second goal.

Three minutes later, Niezgoda pushed Portland back in front with a banger from just outside the box. But you didn’t think that was the end of it, did you?

Gómez found Chang in the 55th minute as the Cuban scored the first of two goals less than four minutes apart, and RSL took a 4-3 advantage in the middle of the smoky artificial turf at Providence Park.

“Chang has proven that he’s a fantastic player in this league, and he comes up huge when necessary,” Mastroeni said. “I couldn’t be happier for a player who waits patiently for his time, and then when his time comes, he’s ready to go. That’s what we talk about all the time; you’ve got to be ready to go. And this moment was Chang’s moment.”

The latter goal came as Damir Kreilach found Musovski, who found Chang for the visitors’ second go-ahead goal of the match on a counter attack in the 59th minute of a #DrunkOpenCup match in the Rose City.

“I saw Chang wide open, and I knew I just had to thread it firmly, and then Chang did a great job finishing,” Musovski said.

Portland threw the kitchen sink in search of an equalizer, but Beavers stood strong, including stopping an attempt in the fifth minute of stoppage time to keep the hosts at bay and book passage to the Round of 16 for only the third time in 13 Open Cup appearances (and the first since advancing to the semifinals in 2015).

“I’m really proud of the collective performance,” said Mastroeni, whose group hosts LAFC on Saturday (7:30 p.m. MT, MLS Season Pass). “Guys understand the way we want to play, and commit their lives to doing whatever it takes to win games, being a strong group inside the locker room. All these things are the intangibles that lead you in the right direction.

“The sky’s the limit for this group. But we’ve got to put our heads down. We’ve got a great opponent coming in this weekend, we’ve got to do a great job against them, and then we’ve got to just keep moving forward.”

RSL and the rest of the Round of 16 qualifiers, which include 14 MLS clubs and two from the second-division USL Championship, will find out the draw for the next round Thursday at 12 p.m. MT from U.S. Soccer on the B/R Football YouTube channel.

 

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Austin FC has “dominant” win over New Mexico United in tournament debut at home

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Austin FC forward Maximiliano Urruti celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2023 US Open Cup match against New Mexico United. Photo: JJ Moothart | Austin FC
Austin FC forward Maximiliano Urruti celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2023 US Open Cup match against New Mexico United. Photo: JJ Moothart | Austin FC

For a club a little over two years old, Austin FC still experiencing plenty of new things.

Rodney Redes, the first signing in club history, scored his first career goal to help the Verde & Black beat USL Championship side New Mexico United 2-0 Wednesday night in the first-ever Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game at Q2 Stadium. 

“I thought it was a good example of what we have been building on the last couple of games,” Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff said. “We created a lot of chances and got some goals. I thought it was a pretty dominant performance.”

Redes scored the opening goal in the 24th minute, heading home a corner kick from designated player Emiliano Rigoni. 

Austin FC doubled its lead with a beautiful team goal in the 36th minute.

Rigoni took one touch to get past a new Mexico defender and picked out Adam Lundqvist near the left sideline. Lundqvist needed just one pass to find a wide-open striker Maxi Urruti for an easy goal. 

“A play like that almost looks like a play from an NFL game,” Lundqvist said. “It’s exactly what we practiced, it’s exactly the moves and it just played out. It really gives you that confidence going forward. It was good to see.” 

For Urruti, it was his fifth career US Open Cup goal. He scored three of those goals in 2016 with FC Dallas en route to winning the US Open Cup title.

Austin FC dominated nearly every statistical category against New Mexico, including shots (13-9), shots on goal (8-2), corners (5-1) and crosses (18-6). 

It all happened without superstar midfielder and MLS MVP finalist Sebastian Driussi, who will be out until at least the end of the month with a groin injury.

“We can win games without Seba, we can score goals without Seba,” Wolff said. “It’s important that our guys see that and feel that and now truly believe that.”

Wolff said earlier in the was going to take this tournament seriously, especially after last year’s embarrassing loss to San Antonio FC in the team’s’ first-ever game in Round 3. Wednesday was the first of seven games over the next three weeks for the Verde & Black, but that didn’t stop him from running out a largely first-choice starting XI. 

“Elimination games are never easy,” said Wolff, who won three Open Cup titles as a player with the Chicago Fire (1998, 2000) and Sporting Kansas City (2004) “You’ve got one team in a different league and they’ve got a chip on their shoulder for a variety of reasons. You’ve got to come in ready to play. You take nothing for granted. You’ve got to be hungry and ruthless.”

Perhaps nobody was more hungry and ruthless on Wednesday than Redes. 

The Paraguayan midfielder appeared in 25 games with five starts for Austin FC during the inaugural 2021 season, contributing one assist. He struggled to get consistent minutes in 2022, making just 12 MLS appearances with no starts.

He’s had somewhat over a redemption arc over the last three games in Verde & Black, picking up his first assist in more than two years two weeks ago against San Jose before scoring his first goal on Wednesday.

The fans at Q2 recognized his commitment, chanting his name late in the second half.

“Of course I heard it and of course it made me happy,” Redes said. “I thank the fans for the support that they always give me. I’ve always worked hard, and I knew there would come a point that I was going get those minutes, and I’m thankful that now I am.”

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Nashville SC still unbeaten at home in Cup play with win vs. FC Dallas

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Nashville SC players celebrate after scoring a goal against FC Dallas in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Nashville SC
Nashville SC players celebrate after scoring a goal against FC Dallas in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Nashville SC

FC Dallas travelled to FirstBank Stadium to take on Nashville SC in the Round of 32 of the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and it was the hosts that booked their place in the next round of the competition after two goals and a good defensive showing made sure Dallas had no chance of coming back into the match.

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A crowd of 5,196 saw Nashville book their place into the Round of 16 for the second time in their club’s history after making it to the Quarterfinals in the 2022 season. A disappointing Dallas side exited the competition in the Round of 32 for the second year in a row and will be looking to bounce back before their rivalry matchup against Austin FC at the weekend.

The first half saw little to no action as each side had one shot but neither were on target. Nashville controlled the majority of the possession as they tried to counter Dallas’ high press and build out of the back. Nashville saw 54% of the ball throughout the first half as FC Dallas had no cohesion when pressing forward against a strong back line of Nashville.

The second half began just how the first had ended with possession from Nashville and constant pressure from Dallas. Both sides exchanged harsh tackles and picked up numerous fouls but referee Lukasz Szpala didn’t believe these tackles warranted a yellow card.

The first chance of the second half came from Dallas after Ema Twumasi slid a ball through Nashville’s back line into Jesus Ferreira who blasted a shot into a Nashville defender winning a corner for the away side. The pressure continued as Ferreira sent in a corner that met the Brazilian right back Geovane Jesus’ head as he redirected the ball straight into Elliot Panicco.

Nashville responded immediately to the pressure that Dallas had begun to bring and decided to take this tie into their own hands in the 63rd minute. Fafa Picualt was played a ball on the left flank and pressed towards the Dallas goal before cutting inside and placing a shot directly into the bottom right corner of the net. Jimmy Mauer could only attempt to save it as he was let down by poor defending from his back line.

The momentum had shifted completely in Nashville’s favor and they were looking for more. They thought that they had secured a 2-0 lead in the 76th minute when the ball bounced around in the six yard box and eventually found its way in, but the assistant referee ruled the goal out for offsides.

FC Dallas, a two-time winner of the competition, were given a lifeline but it did not last long before Nashville scored another to end the tie. A poor attempt to clear the ball ended with Alex Muyl receiving the ball on the edge of the box and with some skill and precision, he curled the ball into the net leaving Jimmy Mauer helpless yet again.

FC Dallas attempted to string attacks together with nothing going in their favor. Nashville secured their safe passage into the next round of the competition and remain undefeated at home (7-0-1, 1-0 PKs) in their club’s Open Cup history. For FC Dallas, it will likely be a long flight home after the club’s first one-and-done US Open Cup since 2012.

 

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Shorthanded Houston Dynamo gives “complete effort” to edge Sporting KC

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Thor Ulfarsson and Sebastian Ferreira of the Houston Dynamo celebrate after Ulfarsson's goal against Sporting KC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Houston Dynamo
Thor Ulfarsson and Sebastian Ferreira of the Houston Dynamo celebrate after Ulfarsson’s goal against Sporting KC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Houston Dynamo

The Houston Dynamo in the Round of 32 looking to continue the magic at home for the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match struck first against Sporting Kansas City and never looked back.

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The Dynamo playing much like 2018 when they found magic in a bottle and won their first US Open Cup title, Houston moved on to the Round of 16 with a 1-0 win despite playing a man down for 55 minutes.

Thor Uhlfarrson, the Icelander looking to claim more playing time in the regular season, put Houston on top in the 12th minute of play with a left footed banger from 25 yards out. Kansas City had made the initial clearance off a quick counter but the ball landed right at the feet of Houston’s second year forward. A quick switch to the left foot and Uhlfarrson put it inside the near post past a diving John Puhlskamp.

The goal came just moments after SKC forward Stephen Afrifa missed from the doorstep. Sporting had other opportunities to level the match but could not find the equalizer against Dynamo keeper Andrew Tarbell who was peppered with 17 shots. Conversely, the shorthanded Dynamo only managed two shots and the only one that was on target was the one that went in.

In the 55th minute, Khiry Shelton knocked one off the post for Sporting. It was the second time in the match that the frame saved Houston. Chris Rindov’s header went off the crossbar in the opening half.

Neither side played a majority their top players yet Houston was able to secure their seventh clean sheet of the season across all competitions including six at home where they remain unbeaten in 2023 and have not been scored on. Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen was happy about the effort.

“Overall, super pleased with the result and we are moving on in the tournament. More so than that, it is just amazing what you can do when everybody is selfless and gives a complete effort,” described Olsen. “It’s a lot of guys that have not gotten a lot of minutes, not only up until this point, but also collectively. So the rhythms are off. I put them in a new structure from the get-go, that we worked on for a few days, and that wasn’t ever going to be perfect. So, at the end of all this kind of craziness, and in the game, somehow, we got through it.”

This matchup between Houston and Kansas City is becoming an Open Cup tradition in recent years. This was the sixth meeting between the two MLS sides, and those games have taken place in the last seven tournaments. With Wednesday’s win, the Dynamo have evened up the Open Cup series with the four-time Open Cup champions at 3-3. Only three sets of rivals in the Modern Era of the tournament had played more often than these two teams. (Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers FC top the list with eight meetings)

They now await the draw for the Round of 16 that takes place tomorrow at 1:00pm CT on the B/R Football YouTube Channel.

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Birmingham Legion beats rival Memphis 901 in USL Championship matchup

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Juan Agudelo of Birmingham Legion FC celebrates after scoring a goal against Memphis 901 FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Birmingham Legion FC
Juan Agudelo of Birmingham Legion FC celebrates after scoring a goal against Memphis 901 FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Birmingham Legion FC

On Wednesday, May 10, Memphis 901 FC made the trip down the I-22 to take on rival Birmingham Legion FC. There was not a lot of southern hospitality at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala. as the Legion defeated Memphis 3-0 to advance to the Round of 16.

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With the win, Birmingham becomes the first Alabama club to reach the Round of 16 in the 108-year history of the competition. 

This rivalry has gone through many iterations and is about as even of a match as you will find. This rivalry, dubbed Southern Harm, is anything but full of Southern Charm. There’s hatred, intensity, and a real intention to do damage to another person, and that’s before you even leave the pitch.

Coming into this match, Memphis was riding high, going seven matches unbeaten, including a thrilling win over Atlanta United in the US Open Cup. East on the I-22, the 3 Sparks were not having the same luck, losing their last two matches by a combined 7-2 scoreline.

In the first five minutes, it looked like it would be the same again. The Beale Street Boys were dictating play and had complete control of the ball, letting Legion only have one touch in the entire first five minutes. That, however, would be the only real success Memphis would have on the night.

After two chippy fouls by Akeem Ward, a former Legion man, the match seemed to completely shift in the Legion’s favor. The 3 Sparks started mounting up the pressure, and it was only a matter of time before the flood dams opened, and they opened in the 20th minute thanks to a solid short corner routine that made its way from Prosper Kasim, to Juan Agudelo, to both goal posts, and finally in the back of the net.

It was Agudelo’s third goal of the tournament, and the seventh of his career. Wednesday’s goal was scored a little less than 11 years since his first Open Cup goal which was scored as a teenager with the now-defunct Chivas USA of Major League Soccer. 

From there, Birmingham was unrelentless. In the first half, the real bright spots were Bruno Lapa (making his first return to Birmingham), Jeremy Kelly, and Laurent Kissiedou, being the only real creative options on the night for Memphis.

Just 19 minutes later, Legion had a breakaway opportunity and Tyler Pasher was staring down at goal and had a rip from outside the box. Unfortunately for Bill Hamid, the ball took a wicked deflection off of a defender, but he did well to save it. Once again unfortunately for Hamid, his save only went as far as Enzo Martinez who took a touch around a defender and fired the ball into the bottom right corner. To this point, Memphis hasn’t made Trevor Spangenberg prove his worth yet, with every single one of their shots going well over or blocked before it could even trouble the Number 18.

In the second half, it was more of the same for Legion. The third and final goal was a beautiful goal set up entirely by Juan Agudelo. His touch and dribble into space to find Kasim was masterful. Unfortunately for Agudelo, Prosper’s slight touch before completely losing his footing and the ball falling to Tyler Pasher was enough to steal away the assist. Pasher, who was an absolute menace on the wings and in the middle, gets the goal he deserves, firing it far post to give the 3 Sparks 3 goals and securing the win.

In the next round, the Legion will likely be facing their first ever MLS opponent in the US Open Cup. The draw will take place on Thursday at 2 p.m. ET. 

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Columbus Crew overwhelm shorthanded Loudoun United

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Columbus Crew players celebrate after scoring a goal against Loudoun United in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Columbus Crew SC
Columbus Crew players celebrate after scoring a goal against Loudoun United in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Columbus Crew SC

It was always going to be a tough game for Loudoun United when facing their first MLS team in club history. Now, add a red card in the 10th minute and it’s near impossible, even playing at home. That combination was just too much for the USL Championship side as the Columbus Crew would make easy work of the first year U.S Open Cup team by the score of 5-1.

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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

With the win, the Crew put an end to an unfortunate streak in the tournament. Combined with last round’s 1-0 home win over Indy Eleven (USL Championship), the victory over Loudoun United gives them consecutive wins for the first time in more than a decade. The win ends the Crew’s streak of 10 straight tournaments without advancing in multiple games. It is the third-longest such streak in the Modern Era (1995-present). 

Columbus would waste no time in breaking the deadlock as wide playmaker Yaw Yeboah would pounce on a misplaced clearance from the Loudoun backline and would take it first time and slot it home against Loudoun keeper Hugo Fauroux. It looked as if it was going to be a uphill battle for Loudoun after conceding early but just four minutes things went from bad to worse.

After Columbus took a free kick quickly, fullback Mo Farsi would find himself behind the Loudoun backline and through on goal. Then on the edge of the box Loudoun defender Gaoussou Samake would attempt to make a last ditch tackle on Farsi but would instead trip him up, it took the referee no time to make his decision as it would be an immediate red card in the 10th minute.

Columbus would take immediate advantage of the extra man and just eight minutes later it’d be young Sean Zawadzki, who would strike a beauty of a long shot from right outside the box that would curl right into the bottom right of the goal. The goal would be only his second of his career and the second of the night for Columbus.

The next two goals for the Crew would only be four minutes apart, the first coming from Loudoun pushing up the pitch trying to get back into the game. This though would see them short at the back and Columbus striker Christian Ramirez would be played through and find himself on a counter along with teammate Isaiah Parente. Ramirez would take only one touch and lay it off for Parente who would open his scoring account for the night.

Then just moments later Loudoun would fail to clear their lines again, leaving Parente to just poke the ball into the back of the net to make it 4-0. Columbus would go on their longest goal drought in the first half, that’d be broken just ten minutes later as Parente would pay back Ramirez for his earlier assist with one himself after a beautiful pass would give Ramirez a chance he couldn’t and wouldn’t miss. The 5-0 scoreline would stay true through the end of the half.

The second half would be much slower as Columbus would control the majority of the possession as Loudoun with ten men just could not hold onto the ball. It seemed that Loudoun would leave the night with nothing to show for but in the 85th minute Kalil ElMedkhar would win and score a penalty. The goal would be historic as it marks the clubs first goal against a MLS side.

After struggling to score last round against Indy Eleven and Loudoun’s impressive round of 64 this is a scoreline that will be a bit of a surprise. For Columbus they now shift their focus back to MLS play as they host Orlando City. As for Loudoun this is obviously a disappointed result but there should still be a lot of optimism around the club this season as it is still early in their USL Championship season.

 

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: FC Cincinnati take first match ever from NYCFC to advance

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Alvaro Barreal of FC Cincinnati attempts to deliver a cross against New York City FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Joe Guzy | FC Cincinnati
Alvaro Barreal of FC Cincinnati attempts to deliver a cross against New York City FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Joe Guzy | FC Cincinnati

It was a beautiful spring night for the FC Cincinnati home faithful as the hosts broke their New York City FC curse, earning their first win against the only MLS opponent they hadn’t beaten (0-6-2 all-time entering the night) by a final score of 1-0 at TQL Stadium.

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“Really strong performance,” said Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan, “Really pleased with the collective but a lot of individual performances from the guys. I thought they were ready to play against a very good New York City team that can make you chase the game. I thought there was a lot of things the guys did well and I’m pleased for a lot of reasons, but especially for some of the guys that don’t get to start week-in week-out.”

The hosts entered the match with an unblemished home record, 7-0-0 across all competitions, while the visiting Pigeons entered winless on the road, 0-4-2 this season. Cincinnati also had the advantage of the upcoming weekend off, with their next match Wednesday, May 17 vs. CF Montreal, while NYCFC has a big upcoming derby match this Saturday against the New York Red Bulls. As a result, Cincy fielded a stronger XI with less rotation.

Of note for Cincinnati, 2019 US Open Cup Champion (with Atlanta United) Brandon Vazquez made his 100th appearance for the club in all competitions, joining Nick Hagglund as the only players to do so for the club. Meanwhile, City had an unfortunate last-minute change to their starting XI as Alfredo Morales was injured in warm-ups and was replaced by Justin Haak.

The action got underway quickly, with Cincinnati and NYCFC trading opportunities within the first 15 minutes, with City’s best chance a deflected shot from near the penalty spot by Gabriel Segal that went out for a corner, while Cincinnati’s Yuya Kubo ripped a long distance effort off a recovered free kick that was parried just over the crossbar by Matt Freese in goal.

The action would continue as Cincinnati picked up two quick yellow cards – Obinna Nwobodo in the 12th minute, followed by Yerson Mosquera in the 21st. The latter set NYCFC up with a dangerous free kick, which was played to the left side of the box and headed just wide of the far post by Tony Alfaro.

Cincinnati was quick to respond with a chance of their own in the 25th minute, as a back post ball from the right wing got by everybody and forced Freese to parry a narrow-angle shot from inside the box. A significantly longer range effort was attempted in the 31st as Vazquez attempted to catch Freese off his line, but the NYCFC keeper was just able to recover and catch the on-frame attempt. Shortly after re-distributing, Cincinnati forced a turnover and found a free Vazquez in the box, who ripped a mid-range shot forcing Freese to tally another save in a busy first half.

The final 15 minutes would bring some calm as neither side generated a significant chance, leaving things scoreless entering the halftime break. Neither side would make a change and we’d begin the second half as we started on the field.

It was slower going in the opening segments of the second 45 minutes, with neither team able to find a critical break-through pass to generate a true chance. But that changed just before the hour mark, as Cincinnati forced a corner. Alvaro Barreal floated a ball into the crowd at the top of the six-yard box and Brandon Vazquez did what Cincinnati fans have grown so used to seeing, as he rose above the crowd to nod the ball past a frozen Freese to give the hosts the opening score of the evening in the 56th minute.

NYCFC would try to find an answer by subbing out their entire front three in the 61st minute, who had a lackluster night on the road not for the first time this season – with Segal, Talles Magno, and Jasson leaving the field for Santi Rodriguez, Gabriel Pereira, and Richie Ledezma. Cincinnati would counter and bring on some firepower of their own a few minutes later in the 67th, bringing on fan-favorite Luciano Acosta in place of Yuya Kubo.

NYCFC would get a chance to do just that with a corner in the 79th minute. A well-taken ball into the center of the box was found by the head of James Sands, but Alec Kann was on hand in the Cincinnati goal to parry the attempt away before the ball was cleared to safety. City would continue to pile on the pressure as their attack opened up, looking for an equalizer and forcing a yellow card out of Matt Miazga in the 81st. But City’s now-open attack would leave their defenders more frequently in one-on-ones, ultimately resulting in a yellow card for Tayvon Gray a minute later.

There was a scary moment in the 87th minute as the game wound down, with Justin Haak and Nwobodo colliding in midfield following up on a cleared header. Neither player saw the other and were down on the field for several moments as the training staff attended to them. Thankfully, both left the field under their own power and returned to the game – though not before Haak picked up a yellow for the trouble.

Ultimately, the six minutes of stoppage time at the end of the second half wouldn’t be enough to save NYCFC, who saw their road woes continue as Cincinnati’s home record remained perfect, with a final scoreline of 1-0 on the evening.

With the win, Cincinnati advance to the Round of 16 for the third time in team history – having previously reached the Semifinals in 2017 as a USL club, and the Round of 16 in 2019. NYCFC, meanwhile, fail to reach the Round of 16 for the fifth time in seven appearances – having previously made the Quarterfinals in 2019 and 2022.

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Colorado Rapids pulls away from Sacramento Republic to end “Curse of the Rhinos”

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Jonathan Lewis of the Colorado Rapids dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Republic FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Colorado Rapids
Jonathan Lewis of the Colorado Rapids dribbles the ball against the Sacramento Republic FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Colorado Rapids

Under the lights of a cool spring evening, Sacramento Republic FC played host to Colorado Rapids in the Round of 32 of the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup at Heart Health Park.

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Behind early goals from Rapids forward Jonathan Lewis and Michael Edwards, Colorado held on to knock out last year’s Open Cup runner up 4-2 in an entertaining, back and forth match.

With the win, Colorado erased a seven-game road losing streak in Open Cup play as well as the infamous ‘Curse of the Rhinos.” Since the Rapids lost the 1999 US Open Cup Final to the Rochester Raging Rhinos, they had failed to win multiple games in 17 straight tournaments. Tuesday’s win is only their sixth road win in the competition across 21 tournaments, and despite getting past Republic FC, they still have a losing record against second division teams in the tournament (7-8-1, 0-1 PK) and hold the record among MLS teams who have been upset 11 times by a lower division side.

“Obviously, happy to advance,” said Colorado manager Robin Fraser. “As I’ve been saying all week, we certainly intend to take this tournament seriously, and we’ve talked a lot about mentality, we talked about what it’s like to play in an arena like this. And were every bit as good as I thought they would be. After giving up a couple of early goals, they really applied a lot of pressure late in the game. I was certainly pleased with how we handled it, and then obviously, to relinquish the lead, and then come back in and find two more goals to win it. I was really proud of the group for that. But as I said, the bottom line is we’re happy to have gotten through and advance to the next round.”

Jonathan Lewis opened the scoring for the Rapids in the 4th minute following a nice through ball from Daniel Leyva to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage. Eleven minutes later (15th minute), Rapids defender Michael Edwards slid under the Republic defense and headed in a corner from Alexander Gerbach to make it 2-0.

After the shock of going down two early goals, Republic FC were able to gain composure and work themselves back into the match. The effort would pay off in the 30th minute, when Sebastian Herrera pulled one back for the Quails on a beautiful cross from forward Keko Gontan on the right side capping off a solid build up of play.

Looking to level the match out of halftime, Republic FC got what they needed in the 52nd minute when Herrera got his brace after heading in a cross from defender Jack Gurr to send Heart Health Park into a frenzy. Unfortunately for the Republic, the excitement of fighting back to level at 2-2 would be short-lived.

Colorado regained the advantage in the 56th minute when substitute Sam Nicholson gathered the rebound following a blistering right-footed shot from Michael Barrios that hit the left post, ricocheted near the right post where Nicholson was crashing in. He calmly tapped it in to give the Rapids a 3-2 advantage.

The game would change when Republic defender Shane Wiedt picked up two yellow cards in a span of 90 seconds (61st and 62nd minute) and was sent off with 30 minutes left in the match. Down a man, Republic FC fought hard and continued to mount pressure and create chances, however, the game was put away in the 81st minute by Barrios off a cross from substitute Braian Galvan to make it 4-2, which is where the game would finish.

With the loss, Republic’s home unbeaten streak ends at 14 (second longest in the Modern Era). However, they still hold an impressive 18-2-1 (1-0 PK) home record in the Open Cup. For Colorado, Tuesday’s win means a trip to the Round of 16 and an opportunity to do something special in this tournament and change the direction of their history in the Open Cup. Lewis and his teammates are embracing the moment.

“If you tell somebody you can win a trophy in five or six games, then I think most people will take that,” said Rapids forward Jonathan Lewis. “You’ve got to win six games, so for us, it’s like that focus and that mentality right there to win or go home. And, you know, we have that in the back of our heads, and we know that this could be an opportunity, a tournament that we can actually win, so I think everybody’s just putting their head down. We know whoever we get next, again, it’s going to be just another game, but there’s going to be a lot more urgency in these games right now than even maybe an MLS game.”

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: LAFC reserves hold off Monterey Bay FC, advance 5-4 in PK shootout

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Eldin Jakupovic of Los Angeles FC scores a PK in the shootout in a 5-4 win over Monterey Bay FC (after a 2-2 draw) in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Jose Rocha | @Rochamultimedia
Eldin Jakupovic of Los Angeles FC scores a PK in the shootout in a 5-4 win over Monterey Bay FC (after a 2-2 draw) in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Jose Rocha | @Rochamultimedia

In a riveting showdown in the US Open Cup Round of 32, the stage was set for an underdog story as Los Angeles FC clashed with Monterey Bay FC. Against all odds, Monterey Bay entered the match as the favorites, buoyed by their recent victory over the San Jose Earthquakes in the previous round. Meanwhile, LAFC found themselves fielding an inexperienced squad, causing fans online to dub their potential triumph as the miraculous “Cupset.”

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
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


Amidst speculations about the talent disparity between the two teams, with USL being considered a superior league to MLS Next Pro, LAFC would have to defy expectations and rise above to secure a memorable victory. After Monterey Bay scored a late equalizer to force extra time and took the lead in the extra frame, LAFC’s Matheus Maia would tie the game back up in the 105th minute. The MLS side would survive the shootout 5-4 to advance to the Round of 16 for the fourth time in as many entries. 

The action kicked off with Monterey Bay FC riding the wave of energy from their passionate sell-out crowd at Cardinale Stadium. The first 15 minutes saw them earning multiple corner kicks, making their intentions clear.

For LAFC, Erik Dueñas stood out as the only player on the squad who regularly saw minutes in Major League Soccer, albeit as a substitute. But it was the favorites, Monterey Bay, who came closest to breaking the deadlock. A tantalizing indirect free kick found its way to their player, only for the shot to narrowly miss the target, leaving Jakupovic, the LAFC goalkeeper, relieved.

However, it was Los Angeles who struck first, stunning their opponents with a magnificent through ball that sliced through the Monterey defense. In the 24th minute, Cristian Torres displayed the composure of a seasoned MLS veteran, coolly slotting the ball past the goalkeeper. The assist came from Christian Jaime, a Chris to Chris connection that put LAFC ahead.

Taking charge of set pieces for LAFC was Crisostomo, who orchestrated their dead ball situations. Jakupovic, the guardian between the posts, made two crucial saves in the 46th and 63rd minutes, denying Monterey Bay FC the equalizer. The Monterey goalkeeper, Gerold Siaha Ngnepi, also stepped up, pulling off a monumental save to prevent LAFC from extending their lead to 2-0, much to the dismay of the away supporters.

Controversy struck in the 69th minute, when a potential handball incident led to heated chants of “Ref, you suck” echoing through the stadium. The Monterey Bay FC faithful felt aggrieved by the refereeing decisions throughout the match. Momentum swung in their favor when Volesky squandered a glorious opportunity to level the game in the 70th minute, leaving the fans on the edge of their seats.

With the entire stadium pulsating with anticipation, Simon Dawkins orchestrated a sublime attacking move, culminating in a beautifully placed shot finding the back of the net in the 90th minute. Bedlam ensued as the crowd erupted, Cardinale Stadium reverberating with unbridled excitement as the night was not over.

Riding the wave of emotion, Monterey Bay FC delivered a sucker punch at the beginning of extra time, taking a 2-1 lead over LAFC as Maldonado showcased his finishing prowess, converting a one-on-one opportunity against the valiant Jakupovic.

However, LAFC refused to succumb to defeat, sneaking in a goal by Matheus Vinícius Maia Costa de Almeida to equalize and silence the exultant crowd. Penalties would decide the game, and the tension was palpable.

Emulating the bravado of Emi Martinez from the Qatar World Cup, Jakupovic employed all his time-wasting tactics to unnerve the home team and their supporters. The LAFC fan base, who had traveled to support their team, rose to the occasion, creating a raucous atmosphere rarely witnessed from an away section.

In the penalty shootout, Jakupovic’s antics paid off as he successfully blocked two of Monterey Bay’s spot-kicks. The LAFC fans erupted in jubilation, while the hosts were left to rue missed opportunities. Jakupovic emerged as the hero, the embodiment of audacity and mind games.

Steve Cherundolo, LAFC’s coach, faced heavy criticism in the lead-up to the match for fielding what many deemed a disrespectful lineup. Detractors questioned the wisdom of not including any of the regular starters. However, in the end, the youngsters, Steve, and Jakupovic defied the odds on a cold night in Seaside, Calif., clinching victory for LAFC.

A fairy-tale narrative unfolded as the team, primarily comprising LAFC2 players, completed the “Cupset”. 

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