CHICAGO (April 16, 2024) – The Third Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, U.S. Soccer’s Club Championship, got off to a flying start with five thrilling matches across the country on Tuesday night.
Chief among the exciting outcomes was USL League One (Division III) outfit Charlotte Independence advancing over USL Championship debutants Rhode Island FC (Div. II) via shootout after a 4-4 barn burner.
Of the three Open Division sides that entered the Third Round, two exited the competition tonight. El Farolito’s magical run ended for a second straight year at the hands of USL Championship side Oakland Roots after a 2-1 loss after extra time. Similarly, the hard charging Lubbock Matadors take their leave after a 3-1 road defeat to New Mexico United (USLC).
Earlier in the evening, Louisville City (USLC) needed a last-minute insurance goal to pull away from Div. III foe Greenville Triumph, advancing 3-1 at home. Fellow USL Championship club Detroit City FC also enjoyed a home win, escaping a testy standoff, 1-0, against Great Lakes State rival Michigan Stars FC (NISA).
The Third Round concludes Wednesday evening with 11 matches across the nation. Fans can stream all the action from U.S. Soccer (ussoccer.com/us-open-cup/watch), USL (uslsoccer.com/watch), and MLS (mlssoccer.com/usopencup-live-streams).
The 16 victors from the Third Round will test their mettle against the remaining eight, seeded USL Championship teams (Div. II) as well as the eight MLS entrants (Div. I) in the Round of 32 on May 7-8. The Round of 32 Draw will be held this Thursday, April 18, at 1:00 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the pairings as they’re drawn live on www.usopencup.com and U.S. Soccer’s YouTube channel.
Charlotte Independence (USL1) 4-4 (5-4 PKs) Rhode Island FC (USLC)
Louisville City FC (USLC) 3-1 Greenville Triumph SC (USL1)
Detroit City FC (USLC) 1-0 Michigan Stars FC (NISA)
New Mexico United (USLC) 3-1 Lubbock Matadors (NPSL)
Oakland Roots SC (USLC) 2-1 (aet) El Farolito (NPSL)
Charlotte Independence (USL1) 4-4 (5-4 PKs) Rhode Island FC (USLC)
The definition of a back-and-forth affair resulted in the highest scoring and most dramatic meeting of the tournament thus far. Conor McGlynn’s first time finish from 14 yards put Rhode Island up after 11 minutes, but Charlotte striker Carlos Obregon Jr. confidently roofed the penalty kick he earned to even matters in the 26th minute. Tresor Mbuyu gave the Independence the lead at 2-1 in the 35th minute by rounding RIFC ‘keeper Jackson Lee at the top of his area, but Nathan Messer’s near-post finish just before half sent the sides into the locker rooms at deuces. Clay Holstad’s 20-yard banger into the right upper-90 was world-class stuff and pushed Rhode Island ahead again five minutes into the second half. While the visitors stayed on the front foot, Luis Alvarez’s strip-and-score against the run of play brought things to 3-3 and set up a tense finish to regulation highlighted by Austin Pack’s double-save in the 90th. In overtime, Obregon’s 95th minute conversion on the rebound of his own saved shot set up Charlotte for success, but Stephen Turnbull’s first goal for RIFC with five minutes remaining pushed things to penalties. Pack’s save in the fifth round kept Charlotte’s hopes alive, and his stop of Gabby Alves in the seventh helped the Independence advance via shootout for the second straight round.
Louisville City FC (USLC) 3-1 Greenville Triumph SC (USL1)
LouCity FC held off a late charge from the USL League One side from South Carolina to win its U.S. Open Cup opener for the eighth time in as many tries. Louisville was strong out of the gates, scoring not even 100 seconds in via Sean Totsch’s flicked header of Niall McCabe’s corner to the near post. USL Championship Golden Boot leader Wilson Harris was a menace throughout the first half and finally hit paydirt four minutes into the second half – and was denied an almost assured second near the hour by Greenville GK Gunther Rakenburg’s full-stretch kick save. Louisville native Ryan Troutman made an unexpected pro debut between the posts after subbing in for an injured Daniel Faundez with 15 minutes to go, and his highlights started well enough with an 85th minute double-save followed immediately by Arturo Ordonez’s acrobatic goal-line block. While Troutman’s poor clearance of a free kick allowed Hayden Anderson’s redirect that pulled Greenville to back to 2-1 three minutes into stoppage, Jorge Gonzalez’s 97th minute finale ensured LouCity’s passage into the Round of 32.
Detroit City FC (USLC) 1-0 Michigan Stars FC
Maxi Rodriguez’s stoppage time tally pushed Detroit City FC to victory in a rivalry row at home in Hamtramck. Michigan Stars FC goalkeeper and captain Tatenda Mkuruva touched seemingly every blade of grass inside his area during an aggressive first 45 minutes that included three saves in the dying moments. He picked right back up with a huge stop on Kevin Mathews from close range shortly after the interval, and in the 70th his low diving parry of Alistair Coote’s far-post dipper kept things scoreless still. Michigan’s upset bid got tougher with Hunter Olsen’s second yellow card offense in the 78th minute. The undermanned Stars held off the City onslaught for only so long, as Stephen Carroll’s through ball from midfield exploited a gap in their defense and set Rodriquez up for his 93rd minute winner from 15 yards. A red card to DCFC’s Brett Levis brought both sides to 10 men for the final portion of a chippy 12 minutes of stoppage, but Le Rouge emerged victorious in the latest chapter of the heated series spanning 11 years and four different competitions.
New Mexico United (USLC) 3-1 Lubbock Matadors (NPSL)
Within sixty seconds during the second half, veteran forward Daniel Bruce changed the complexion of the match at Rio Rancho High School Stadium in Rio Rancho, N.M. The Englishman's right-wing feed set up Harry Swartz's close-range goal into the lower left corner in the 58th minute for the game winner before he sent a well-placed chip shot past goalkeeper Owen Jack from the top right of the penalty area barely a minute later for a two-goal advantage. Mukwelle Akale made it 3-0 with a brilliant 31-yard free kick in the 62nd minute, giving the hosts three goals within a span of three minutes, 58 seconds. Midfielder Shuma Sasaki spoiled goalkeeper Kristopher Shakes' shutout bid as he buried a penalty kick into the upper left corner in the 90th minute after defender Avionne Flanagan fouled him in the area. Despite dominating possession and opportunities, United endured a frustrating first half and start of the second. The host side came close twice. Jacobo Reyes fired a shot from outside the box that ricocheted off the left post in the 45th minute and Sergio Rivas just missed the right corner seven minutes into the final period. New Mexico outshot the visitors, 24-8.
Oakland Roots SC (USLC) 2-1 (aet) El Farolito (NPSL)
Eighteen-year-old Ali Elmasnaouy provided the heroics in his team debut eight minutes into extratime to lift Oakland over 10-man El Farolito at California State University, East Bay in Hayward, Calif. It was the second straight year that Oakland eliminated El Farolito from the competition. Elmasnaouy slotted home Justin Rasmussen's long feed at the far-right post. At the time, the hosts were playing with a man advantage after El Farolito forward Edgard Kreye accrued his second yellow card, for a studs-up foul on defender Thomas Carrier, and was given his marching orders in the 51st minute. Both teams finished the match with 10 players as Trayvone Reid was shown his second yellow for fouling Gabriel Arias later in the extra period. El Farolito forward Dembor Benson continued his scoring heroics by connecting for his fourth goal in three cup matches in the 12th minute. On a scoring sequence started by Jonatan Valdivia, Benson headed the ball past keeper Timothy Syrel before celebrating with fans at the edge of the stands. Oakland, however, retaliated with a header of its own one minute into first-half stoppage as Guillermo Diaz nodded the ball past keeper Johan Lizarralde for a 1-1 deadlock at the half.
7:00 p.m. ET | Richmond Kickers (USL1) vs. Loudoun United FC (USLC)
7:00 p.m. ET | Hartford Athletic (USLC) vs. New York City FC II (MLSNP)
7:00 p.m. ET | North Carolina FC (USLC) vs. Carolina Core FC (MLSNP)
7:30 p.m. ET | Memphis 901 FC (USLC) vs. Miami United FC (USSSA-S / USSL)
7:30 p.m. ET | Miami FC (USLC) vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC (USL1)
8:00 p.m. ET | Birmingham Legion FC (USLC) vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USL1)
8:00 p.m. ET | Union Omaha (USL1) vs. El Paso Locomotive FC (USLC)
8:00 p.m. ET | Chicago Fire FC II (MLSNP) vs. Indy Eleven (USLC)
8:00 p.m. ET | FC Tulsa (USLC) vs. Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (USL1)
10:30 p.m. ET | Monterey Bay FC (USLC) vs. Irvine Zeta FC (NISA)
10:30 p.m. ET | Las Vegas Lights FC (USLC) vs. Spokane Velocity FC (USL1)