CHICAGO (May 8, 2024) – Perhaps the wildest night yet in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup brought the Round of 32 to a rip-roaring conclusion with four of the evening’s nine fixtures decided in added extra time and a fifth needing penalties to determine who advanced to the Round of 16.
The “Open Cup After Dark” portion of the evening saw a trio of Major League Soccer vs. USL Championship showdowns, highlighted by New Mexico United taking down MLS’ Western Conference leader, Real Salt Lake, and Seattle Sounders FC needing eight rounds of penalties to get past Louisville City FC.
The evening’s tone was set in St. Petersburg, Fla., where Cal Jennings’ hat trick paced his Tampa Bay Rowdies to a 4-nil lead that Birmingham Legion FC erased over a frantic last 15 minutes of regulation that included two stoppage time goals by Tyler Pasher. However, Manuel Artega’s brace – including a bicycle kick winner in the 101st minute – pushed the home side to a 6-4 triumph that immediately secured a place in tournament lore.
MD Myers of the USL Championship’s (Div. II) Charleston Battery capped off a hat trick at home in the 121st minute to squash the upset bid of USL League One (Div. III) side South Georgia Tormenta FC, 3-2. In Nebraska, Alan Pulido did the same for MLS’ (Div. I) Sporting Kansas City in the 120th minute to secure a 2-1 result that silenced Union Omaha’s (USL League One) sold out crowd at the death.
Those literal last-minute winners made Giulio Doratiotto’s 111th minute decider for Phoenix Rising FC at North Carolina FC seem almost mundane – although the intra-USL Championship affair that finished with just 19 players on the pitch was clearly anything but that. Another all-Championship battle was nowhere near as dramatic, as Indy Eleven was up two goals by the 11th minute en route to a comprehensive 2-0 win over San Antonio FC in Indiana’s capital city.
The Baby Pigeons of NYCFC II (MLS NEXT Pro) claimed the $25,000 prize as the last Division III team standing, using an early goal to claim a 1-0 win over Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USLC) on their home turf in Queens.
As is wont to happen, the western slate of games did not disappoint in the slightest. New Mexico United’s early brace by Zico Bailey staked the home side out to a cushion that Real Salt Lake cut into twice but could never quite overcome in United’s eventual 4-2 triumph. Just as LAFC’s Christian Oliveria added the visitors’ insurance goal in stoppage time to down Las Vegas Lights FC, 3-1, LouCity’s Jorge Gonzalez equalized in the 89th minute to send their cross-country affair against Sounders FC into extra time at 2-2. For a second straight night it was a goalkeeper finishing things off in penalties, as Andrew Thomas slotted past his opposite number – and Seattle native – Danny Faundez to keep the Sounders’ push for a fifth Open Cup title alive in its nascent stages.
North Carolina FC (USLC) 1-1, 1-2 (aet) Phoenix Rising FC (USLC)
Indy Eleven (USLC) 2-0 San Antonio FC (USLC)
Charleston Battery (USLC) 2-2, 3-2 (aet) South Georgia Tormenta FC
(USL1)
New York City FC II (MLSNP) 1-0 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USLC)
Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC) 4-4, 6-4 (aet) Birmingham Legion FC (USLC)
Union Omaha (USL1) 1-1, 1-2 (aet) Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
New Mexico United (USLC) 4-2 Real Salt Lake (MLS)
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) 2-2, 2-2 (aet), 5-4 PKs Louisville City FC (USLC)
Las Vegas Lights FC (USLC) 1-3 Los Angeles FC (MLS)
With tonight’s results in the rearview, match-ups and host teams for the Round of 16, set to take place May 21-22, have been determined. Fans across the country will once again be able to watch those contests live via U.S. Soccer (ussoccer.com/us-open-cup/watch), USL (uslsoccer.com/watch), and MLS (mlssoccer.com/usopencup-live-streams).
Alonso Division: Charleston Battery (USLC) vs. Atlanta United (MLS)
Gonsalves Division: Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC) vs. FC Dallas (MLS)
Hakala-Nolan Division: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) vs. FC Tulsa (USLC)
LeToux Division: Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) vs. Phoenix Rising FC (USLC)
Lopez Division: Sacramento Republic FC (USLC) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Mark Division: Los Angeles FC (MLS) vs. Loudoun United FC (USLC)
Onstad Division: Indy Eleven (USLC) vs. Detroit City FC (USLC)
Watson Division: NYCFC II (MLSNP) vs. New Mexico United (USLC)
North Carolina FC (USLC) 1-1, 1-2 (aet) Phoenix Rising FC (USLC)
Phoenix Rising FC showed that there is a substitute for success as two players off the bench – midfielders Giulio Doratiotto and Renzo Zambrano – combined for the extra-time game-winner. The 10-man visitors booked a spot into the Round of 16 for the first time, defeating nine-man North Carolina FC at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. Doratiotto buried Zambrano's right-wing feed into the lower right corner from six yards in the 111th minute past goalkeeper Jacob McGuire to snap a 1-1 tie. The USL Championship defending champions grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the 9th minute as midfielder Juan Carlos Azocar stabbed midfielder Gabriel Torres' right-wing cross home from eight yards. Defender Justin Malou equalized for North Carolina off a corner kick in the 80th minute with a spectacular backheel shot from six yards at the near left post past ‘keeper Patrick Rakovsky. Each team lost a player in the opening half due to second yellow cards, Phoenix defender Laurence Wyke given his marching orders in the 24th minute before North Carolina captain and defender Paco Craig saw red for fouling forward Remi Cabral in the 40th minute. Phoenix will take to the road again in the Round of 16, this time heading to the Pacific Northwest to face MLS’ Seattle Sounders FC.
Indy Eleven (USLC) 2-0 San Antonio FC (USLC)
Indiana’s Team won its intra-USL Championship affair at Butler University’s Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis, and in the process put together consecutive wins in Open Cup play for the first time in the club’s 11-year history. For the second time in as many cup contests the Boys in Blue quickly raced into the lead, Augi Williams’ heavy smash off SAFC ‘keeper Kendall McIntosh giving Indy the advantage just 71 seconds in. By the time Jack Blake finished from eight yards out in the 10th minute the Eleven were unlucky not to be up by at least one more thanks to a relentless, cohesive attack that kept the visitors on their heels. Indy saw out the second stanza with relative ease, goalkeeper Patrick Sulte needing to do little work to secure the clean sheet until a pair of quality saves on Eduardo Fernandez and Jose Mulato in the final 20 minutes. The victory sets up Indy Eleven for a highly anticipated Round of 16 rivalry row at home versus Detroit City FC.
Charleston Battery (USLC) 2-2, 3-2 (aet) South Georgia Tormenta FC (USL1)
South Georgia Tormenta FC pushed Charleston Battery to 120 minutes, but it wasn’t enough as MD Myers capped his hat trick with a stoppage-time goal in the second period of extra time. The Battery opened the scoreline with a goal in the 21st minute, as Myers stole the ball from Tormenta goalkeeper Drew Romig and slotted the ball home. Myers struck again in first-half stoppage time, when he headed home a cross from Josh Drack. The game-winner came after a cross landed in the box, resulting in several attempts before the ball landed at the feet of Myers, who powered the ball across the goal line. The Black and Yellow defeated Tormenta FC for the first time since 2018 and become the first USL Championship club to defeat Tormenta FC since it become a USL League One club in 2019. The win gives Charleston their first visit to the Round of 16 since 2013, coming in the form of another home contest against MLS’ Atlanta United.
New York City FC II (MLSNP) 1-0 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USLC)
New York City FC II, the last MLS NEXT Pro team standing in the competition, continued its magical run with its third consecutive win while recording a second upset in a row at Belson Stadium in Queens, N.Y. Six minutes after the opening kickoff, Jonathan Jimenez produced a brilliant run into the penalty area before depositing the ball past goalkeeper Luis Zamudio for what turned out to be the lone goal. Jimenez, who registered a hat-trick in a 4-2 second-round win over New York Red Bulls II, its MLS NEXT Pro rivals, on April 2, has four Open Cup goals and six tallies across all competitions this season. Hailstorm FC played the final two minutes of regulation and five minutes of stoppage time with 10 men after midfielder Aidan Rocha received a double yellow card for a foul and dissent. NYCFC II goalkeeper Tomas Romero secured the clean sheet. NYCFC II also defeated Hartford Athletic (USL Championship), 3-2, in extra time in the third round on April 17. The lone Division III squad remaining in the tournament will host a third straight home match in the Round of 16 when it welcomes New Mexico United.
Tampa Bay Rowdies 4-4, 6-4 (aet) Birmingham Legion FC (USLC)
Not even a four-goal lead is safe in this year’s Open Cup. Cal Jennings scored a hat trick in regulation before Manuel Arteaga added a brace – and also was sent off late in overtime – as the Tampa Bay Rowdies held on despite a late comeback bid by Birmingham Legion FC in an epic 10-goal thriller at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla. Damian Rivera had Tampa Bay’s first goal in the 25th minute, finishing off a tight passing sequence along the left side with a rifled shot inside the near post. Eight minutes later, Jennings got his first when he took advantage of a turnover in Birmingham’s defense to score unassisted. He added his second in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time with a flying header to tuck in an inch-perfect cross from Blake Bodily and got his third in the 80th minute when he buried a sweet flick from Daniel Crisostomo into the back of the net for what seemed to be an insurmountable 4-0 lead. Enzo Martinez finally got Birmingham on the scoreboard in the 81st minute when he controlled a loose ball in the box and found just enough space to fire past Rowdies goalkeeper Jordan Farr, and Kobe Hernandez-Foster hit a delightful left-footed curler inside the far post to make it 4-2 in the 89th minute. In added time, Legion FC’s Tyler Pasher snuck a pass from Hernandez-Foster under Farr to make it 4-3, and a well-struck penalty kick by Pasher drew the Legion level in 90+5. In overtime, Arteaga hit a clean bicycle kick off a cross from Eddie Munjoma into the top corner in the 101st minute to make it 5-4, then added his second when he cleaned up a rebound in the 110th minute to seal the win. Arteaga received a second yellow and was sent off in the 120th minute, making him unavailable when Tampa Bay makes its first appearance in the Round of 16 since 2013 at Al Lang Stadium against FC Dallas of MLS.
Union Omaha (USL1) 1-1, 1-2 (aet) Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Union Omaha could practically taste the next round. Instead, the Owls once again exited the Open Cup at the hands of Sporting Kansas City with a sour taste in their mouth. Things went better for the Division III pros than the last time these two clubs met in the Quarterfinals of the 2022 Open Cup when SKC dropped a 6-0 bomb at Children's Mercy Park. With home field advantage this time around, it was Omaha that initially gained the upper hand. Dion Acoff's powerful run up the right wing got him in on goal, and after his layoff pinballed around the penalty area Lagos Kunga turned up to blast the ball home in the 31st minute. Down 1-0 entering the second half, SKC raised its level and crafted a tying goal via Marinos Tzionis only three minutes out of the break. The Owls were resolute for the remainder of regulation and deep into stoppage time. With penalty kicks only seconds away, Alan Pulido - the 2023 MLS Comeback Player of the Year - received the ball at the top of the Owls’ box and uncorked a pinpoint shot into the lower left corner with the last kick of the game to give Sporting the 2-1 win. The four-time champs will next welcome FC Tulsa (USLC) to Blue Hell in the Round of 16.
New Mexico United (USLC) 4-2 Real Salt Lake (MLS)
New Mexico United scored three times in the first half and used the extra insurance policy to finish the match with a 4-2 win over Real Salt Lake. In the 18th minute, the home side broke the deadlock after Sergio Rivas passed the ball to a wide-open Zico Bailey, who ripped a scorcher from the middle of the field just outside the box. Before United’s fans had a chance to sit down Bailey sent them into a fit of exultation once again, finishing from nearly the same spot after some loose play by the Utahns out of the back allowed New Mexico to swarm and counter quickly. RSL’s Fidel Barajas scratched one back in the 35th minute on a play that began with a goal kick and took just four touches for the visitors to finish off, but just before halftime the hosts pressed high and again forced a turnover, and Nicky Hernandez took a note from Bailey as he buried a shot from outside the box and buried it in the same exact corner as Bailey’s brace. U.S. Youth National Team starlet Diego Luna made his own magic from the arc four minutes after halftime to bring the Claret and Cobalt back to within a goal at 3-2. Not to be left out of the party, Jacobo Reyes recreated the two-goal cushion on the MLS side with a goal in the 85th minute. New Mexico United’s deepest run in the US Open Cup since 2019 continues in the Round of 16, where they will head east to take the field at MLS NEXT Pro side New York City FC II.
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) 2-2, 2-2 (aet), 5-4 PKs Louisville City FC (USLC)
Seattle Sounders were pushed to the limit, battling through 120 minutes of play and extended rounds of penalty kicks, but ultimately came out on top, defeating Louisville City FC in the Round of 32. In the 41st minute, the Sounders won an aerial duel, settled the ball on the ground, and immediately recognized the counter attacking susceptibility in front of them. As several players made a mad dash down the field, the ball found its way to Georgi Minoungou, who served up a delicious cross to the far post and Paul Rothrock was there to put away the early lead. The hosts doubled the lead in the 63rd minute when Danny Leyva lobbed a direct kick into the box and anticipated Danny Musovksi’s path perfectly, but the insurance policy was short lived as LouCity veteran Sean Totsch converted from the spot four minutes later to make it 2-1 down the stretch. Louisville City eventually evened up the scoreline after Jorge González cleaned up a loose ball just as regulation time was about to expire. The two sides contested had their chances through the additional extra time but had to settle the match via penalty kicks, with Seattle Sounders emerging victorious in the end. The win puts the Sounders one round closer to history, as they chase their fifth championship. In the Round of 16, they’ll host USL Championship club Phoenix Rising FC.
Las Vegas Lights FC (USLC) 1-3 Los Angeles FC (MLS)
Cristian Olivera was a sub above. The young Uruguayan came off the bench in the second half and scored twice to lead Los Angeles FC past Las Vegas Lights FC at Cashman Field in Las Vegas. Olivera now has three goals in his last two appearances for LAFC, which moves on to host Loudon United FC in the Round of 16 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. LAFC had a pair of opportunities in the 41st minute, first with a corner kick that caused problems at the near post, then with a shot from a half-clearance that whizzed past the far post. LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo missed the action-packed second half after being sent off for dissent near halftime. Kai Kamara opened his LAFC account early in the second half, heading in a cross from Timothy Tillman in the 47th minute for a 1-0 lead. Las Vegas Lights FC equalized from a corner kick in the 56th minute, with Shawn Smart getting his head to a flicked pass from Edison Azcona, but Olivera tapped in the match winner in the 70th minute for LAFC and polished off the win with a slick move and a right-footed finish past Las Vegas goalkeeper Nicolas Ammeter in second-half stoppage time.