CHICAGO (March 21, 2024) – The First Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup concluded Thursday with a pair of Open Division clubs grabbing last-minute upsets against their professional rivals, but in the final analysis, it was the pros’ night again as eight Division III teams from USL League One, MLS NEXT Pro and the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) advanced from the matchday’s ten games.
UPSL amateurs South Carolina United Heat got the party started in dramatic fashion, surviving a missed, 85th-minute penalty kick attempt for MLS NEXT Pro heavy hitters Crown Legacy FC before converting their own spot kick five minutes into stoppage time to escape with the 1-0 upset on the road.
Their feat was emulated later in the evening when NPSL club Lubbock Matadors ousted NISA debutants Arizona Monsoon FC with a come-from-behind 2-1 win after extra time. Lubbock needed goals in the 83rd minute of regulation – to send the match to overtime – and 119th minute of OT to seal passage to the Second Round in their inaugural Open Cup voyage.
Late winners were also the name of the game for pro sides Michigan Stars FC (NISA) and Carolina Core FC (MLSNP), who needed goals in the 83rd and 82nd minutes respectively to escape hearty challenges from amateur sides Steel City FC (NPSL) and NoVa FC (USL2).
There was also high drama for Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USL1) who nearly let a 2-0 lead slip away to UPSL challengers Brockton FC United. The Open Division side grabbed a pair of goals in the 89th and 95th minutes to force extra time after the Red Wolves were reduced to 10 men in the 76th minute. But the pros dug deep to plunder goals in the 116th and 120th minutes of overtime and stave off elimination.
Elsewhere, pro sides Union Omaha and Charlotte Independence (USL1), as well as NYCFC II, Colorado Rapids 2 and Ventura County FC (MLSNP) all eased to victory and berths in the Second Round.
Next on tap, the 32 victors from the First Round will square off in 16 Second Round matches over April 2-3. The Second Round matchups will be announced by U.S. Soccer on Friday.
Every match of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will be broadcast for fans to watch across the country. Catch every thrilling moment of the First and Second Rounds via streaming broadcasts from U.S. Soccer (watch.usopencup.com), USL (uslsoccer.com/watch), and MLS (mlssoccer.com/usopencup-live-streams). Check usopencup.com for the full First Round schedule.
Steel City FC (NPSL) 0 : 1 Michigan Stars FC (NISA)
FC Motown (NPSL) 0 : 3 NYCFC II (MLSNP)
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USL1) 4 : 2 (aet) Brockton FC United (UPSL)
Crown Legacy Football Club (MLSNP) 0 : 1 South Carolina United Heat (UPSL)
Western Mass Pioneers (USL2) 0 : 4 Union Omaha (USL1)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (USLoP/USASA) 0 : 2 Charlotte Independence (USL1)
Carolina Core FC (MLSNP) 3 : 2 NoVa FC (USL2)
Lubbock Matadors (NPSL) 2 : 1 (aet) Arizona Monsoon FC (NISA)
Colorado Rapids 2 (MLSNP) 3 : 0 Azteca FC (CPL/USSSA)
Ventura County FC (MLSNP) 2 : 1 Irvine Zeta FC (UPSL)
Steel City FC (NPSL) 0 : 1 Michigan Stars FC (NISA)
The third time was the charm for Michigan Stars FC, which used Niels Lollouch’s 83rd minute tally to record their first Open Cup win. That result looked quite unlikely after one half of play as Steel City FC used the energy of an enthusiastic crowd on the University of Pittsburgh campus to generate attack after attack. SCFC captain Nick Kolarac’s shot off the crossbar in the 22nd was the first dangerous chance, followed by Nathan Prex’s header across frame that forced Michigan netminder Tatenda Mkuruva into his toughest of six saves on the night. Prex picked right back up in the second half with a shot on Mkuruva’s near post less than a minute in, but the script changed in favor of the visitors from there. Stars FC nearly broke through in the 62nd minute with two shots blocked inside the six in quick succession – and then dodged a bullet when Steel City’s Patrick Koenig fired high off an immediate counter. Michigan’s improved possession in the final third never resulted in any true danger until Lellouch rose at the six to meet Daniel Wright’s driven free kick; the visitors’ lone shot on target proving enough in the end. The triumph ensured Michigan would not suffer an away defeat to start Open Cup action for a third straight appearance and sent Stars FC back home with a historic result in their pocket.
FC Motown (NPSL) 0 : 3 NYCFC II (MLSNP)
After a short hop over the Hudson River, New York City FC II made easy work of FC Motown, defeating the proud amateur outfit 3-0 on the campus of Montclair State University in New Jersey. The Division III pros were off to the races by the ninth minute as captain Taylor Calheira put his side 1-0 up. Eleven minutes later, Drew Baiera notched a second for a MLS NEXT Pro squad that controlled the match throughout, racking up 12 shots on goal while putting another five off the woodwork. Máximo Carrizo put a bow on proceedings for the visitors in the 64th minute, tapping home at the back post to make it 3-0 and send NYCFC II to the Second Round.
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USL1) 4 : 2 (aet) Brockton FC United (UPSL)
It may not have always been a looker in the Scenic City, but what this First Rounder lacked in fluidity it more than made up for with a breakneck finish that featured a little bit of everything. Brockton goalkeeper Christopher Moura was an active participant in the first half, making a few big saves and one big mistake, the latter a clumsy challenge at the top of his area that led to Omar Hernandez’s spot kick conversion in the 26th minute. By the time Chevone Marsh sent Moura the wrong way on another penalty kick in the 66th minute, the USL League One side appeared in full control. Omar Gomez’s sending off 10 later minutes changed all that and set up a frantic stretch drive that saw the Massachusetts men get one back in the 89th minute through Joseano Paulo Tavares and equalize via a darting header on the doorstep by Leonardo Teixeira five minutes deep in stoppage. After squandering some major chances following his substitution in the 70th minute, Ropapa Mensah atoned with aplomb during the second period of extra time. The Ghanaian striker put Red Wolves SC ahead 3-2 in the 117th minute and added a rare open net tally to cement Chattanooga’s first tournament win in its fourth try dating back to 2019.
Crown Legacy Football Club (MLSNP) 0 : 1 South Carolina United Heat (UPSL)
Neither team could find the back of the net until, at the very last opportunity, South Carolina did. With overtime looming, Division III pros Crown Legacy must have thought they’d won it after Chandler Young drew a penalty kick in the 85th minute. But Filip Mirkovic skied his shot over the bar, wasting yet another of Legacy’s 12 shots – only two of which they managed to put on target. That profligacy left the door open for amateurs SCU Heat to come away with a smash and grab victory as Wilterlynd Inalien converted his team’s opportunity from the spot five minutes into stoppage time. It is a massive upset for the open division side, toppling last year’s MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference champions and booking their ticket to the Second Round.
Western Mass Pioneers (USL2) 0 : 4 Union Omaha (USL1)
The game – played at the fabled Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, Massachusetts – was over as a contest in the fourth minute. Joe Gallardo met a slick through-ball from Josue Gomez on the left side of the penalty area with a ferocious first-time shot that took a deflection before nestling in the corner of the Pioneers’ goal. Steevan Dos Santos doubled the lead in the 62nd minute, setting the table for Man of the Match Gallardo to quite simply go off and claim his hat-trick. His 73rd minute strike – with his right foot from a long ball out of midfield – killed off the Pioneers’ spirit and his final strike was a virtual carbon copy as he slammed home with his cultured right foot from just inside the penalty area to see Union Omaha – shock Quarterfinalists of the 2022 edition – take their first steps toward further Open Cup glories.
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (USLoP/USASA) 0 : 2 Charlotte Independence (USL1)
Tournament veteran Charlotte Independence were too much for Vereinigung Erzgebirge to overcome; the USL League 1 club’s thorough 2-0 victory ruining an Open Cup return 22 years in the making for the Philly-area squad. After some early exuberance by Vereinigung – including Chris Baker’s header that rang the crossbar – Charlotte was largely in charge by the 18th minute, when Tresor Mbuyu ended his long run with an effort that buzzed just over the frame. VE goalkeeper Steve Paul kept the amateurs from Bucks County level for as long as he could, stopping strong efforts by Juan Carlos Obregon, Jr. and Anton Sorenson to see out the first half scoreless. However, Charlotte’s insertion of Kharlton Belmar helped sharpen their finishing in the second half, his assist setting up Omar Ciss’s opener in the 72nd minute before the veteran striker collected a goal of his own, a thunderous header that all but ended things four minutes from time. Charlotte went over the .500 mark all-time in Open Cup play with the win and will aim to improve on a now 7-6-1 tournament record.
Carolina Core FC (MLSNP) 3 : 2 NoVa FC (USL2)
This Open Cup thriller was end to end from the opening moments. Carolina Core took only 18 minutes to open the scoring – in admittedly bizarre circumstances. Drake Hadeed pressured the NoVa center-back, blocking his clearance and sending the ball bouncing fortuitously over the head of 2013 Open Cup winner (with D.C. United) Bill Hamid’s head in the NoVa FC goal. It would have been easy for the amateurs – cobbled together after Salem City FC pulled out of the tournament a few weeks ago – to fold up and accept defeat. Instead, Noah Holmes hit home to level the score at 1-1 on the full volley in the 34th minute after a huge throw-in was flicked on at the near post. NoVa FC took a well-deserved lead just five minutes later after a sublime bit of interplay on the left side opened up the Core defense and allowed Alexander Abril to steal in at the back post and slam his shot into the top corner. Stunned into response, the Carolina youngsters – playing in their first Open Cup – drew level again at 2-2 through David Polanco in the 49th minute. That, finally, opened the door to the critical winning goal – scored by Joshua Rodriguez after a clever backheel in midfield to seal the affair with nine minutes left in regulation time.
Lubbock Matadors (NPSL) 2 : 1 (aet) Arizona Monsoon FC (NISA)
One team was going to earn a first-ever Open Cup victory. 21-year-old Toufik Najem scored the match-winner near the end of the second overtime period as Lubbock Matadors came from behind to defeat Arizona Monsoon at LCU Soccer Field in Lubbock, Texas. Monsoon, a NISA expansion side, grabbed the opening goal when experienced striker Alex Tejera distributed centrally at the top of the penalty area to Izsak Fierro, who took a step and hit a blast into the net in the 38th minute. Playing with a man advantage for most of the second half, Salvador Martinez netted the equalizer for Lubbock in the 83rd minute, putting his laces through a cross whipped in from Shuma Sasaki. Set up by Lucca Motta, Najem produced the match-winner in the 119th minute, running onto a ball near the penalty spot and passing it into the back of the net.
Colorado Rapids 2 (MLSNP) 3 : 0 Azteca FC (CPL/USSSA)
Early set pieces set the tone in the defacto Colorado state final. Two goals from corner kicks in the first half were more than enough as Colorado Rapids 2 topped Azteca FC at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo. A powerful header down and into the net from Joshua Belluz off a corner kick from Sebastian Anderson gave Rapids 2 the lead in the 13th minute, and Daniel Garcia jumped kicked in a second goal from an Anderson corner in the 45th minute to take a commanding lead into halftime. Wayne Frederick beat the defense and sent a ball back to the top of the goal area for Alec Diaz to tap in for an easy third goal in the 64th minute for Rapids 2, which scored on three of its four shots on goal.
Azteca FC, which scored 13 goals across four local qualifying round matches, had just 38 percent of the possession and just two shots on target.
Ventura County FC (MLSNP) 2 : 1 Irvine Zeta FC (UPSL)
It wasn’t worlds away from being a more lopsided score line. Sean Karani hit the match-winner just before halftime, and Ventura County FC went on to beat Irvine Zeta FC II 2-1 at Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Facility in Carson, Calif. Zeta FC II got on the scoreboard in the 8th minute after Orlando Erazo drew a penalty and Daniel Baumgartner finished it from the spot for a 1-0 lead. Zeta FC II goalkeeper Anthony Chavoya was forced into a pair of difficult saves in the first 10 minutes, and gave away an own goal in the 11th minute from a Ventura County FC corner kick to tie the game. Formerly known as LA Galaxy II, Ventura County FC took advantage of another mistake to take the lead in first half stoppage time. A turnover near midfield led to Karani receiving the ball at the top of the box, and the striker took one touch to his right before unleashing a daisy cutter that beat Chavoya to the keeper’s left side. The second half saw VCFC find every conceivable way not to extend their lead despite craving out quality chance after quality chance; but ultimately, they only needed the pair they did score in the first half.
