CHICAGO (March 18, 2025) – In many cases it wasn’t easy, but ten of the eleven professional teams who took on amateur squads in tonight’s opening First Round matches of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup survived to make the Second Round.
The close calls included two matches that saw USL League One sides pushed to penalty kicks on the road, from which Greenville Triumph advanced at Asheville City SC (4-3 in penalties after a scoreless draw) and a 10-man Chattanooga Red Wolves SC squeaked by New Jersey Alliance (4-2 in PKs following a 2-2 draw).
Two more USL League One squads were severely tested, but Westchester SC and FC Naples indeed took their Open Cup debuts via a 1-0 win at FC Motown and a 2-1 victory at Sarasota Paradise, respectively. Fellow USL League One expansion side AV ALTA FC had a much easier time garnering its first win in club history during a 3-1 victory over Ventura County Fusion.
UPSL side FORO SC made sure to spoil the night of the evening’s last USL League One expansion side, downing Texoma FC 2-1 to register the first upset of the 2025 tournament – and the Dallas-based amateur side’s second such shock result in the First Round in as many years.
The evening began with two USL Championship sides claiming dominant wins at home, as Hartford Athletic and Miami FC barely needed to sweat to defeat New York Shockers and Naples United FC. Things were tougher for the USL Championship teams on the road, as FC Tulsa needed a late penalty to claim a 1-0 win at Tulsa Athletic in the second “Tulsa Tussle” in Open Cup play across the last three years, and Loudoun United FC fell behind early before posting a 3-2 win at West Chester United SC.
The lone MLS NEXT Pro representative playing this evening repped the circuit well, as Ventura County FC posted a lopsided 7-0 result over Laguna United FC.
The First Round continues with a 13-game slate on Wednesday before eight more fixtures close out the round on Thursday. Fans can catch every thrilling moment the next two nights via live streaming broadcasts at the @USSoccer YouTube channel.
The victors from this week’s First Round contests will be paired off into 16 Second Round matches, details of which will be announced this Friday, March 21. Like the First Round, all 16 Second Round contests will be streamed live via U.S. Soccer’s YouTube home.
Hartford Athletic 3-0 New York Shockers
Sarasota Paradise 1-2 FC Naples
Miami FC 4-1 Naples United FC
New Jersey Alliance 2-2, 2-2 (aet), 2-4 PKs Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
FC Motown 0-1 Westchester SC
Asheville City SC0-0, 0-0 (aet), 3-4 PKs Greenville Triumph SC
West Chester United SC2-3 Loudoun United FC
Texoma FC 1-1, 1-2 (aet) FORO SC
Tulsa Athletic 0-1 FC Tulsa
AV ALTA FC 3-1 Ventura County Fusion
Ventura County FC 7-0 Laguna United
Hartford Athletic (USLC) 3-0 New York Shockers (NPSL)
Hartford established its 15-1 shot advantage from the jump, and it took only 11 minutes for Adewale Obalola to finish a nifty give-and-go in the area with Jonathan Jimenez that gave the Trinity Health Stadium crowd reason to celebrate. Mamadou Dieng got behind the backline on a swift counterattack and pushed the lead to 2-0 in the 38th minute, while Michee Ngalina’s constant danger eventually earned Athletic the dagger in the 87th via his redirect of Obalola’s ball to the six.
Sarasota Paradise (USLL2) 1-2 FC Naples (USLL1)
Substitute Kevin O'Connor buried a rebound of his own shot one minute into stoppage time to snap a 1-1 tie and garner FC Naples its first Open Cup victory from a West Florida Derby at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. Sarasota goalkeeper Eric Walker denied an initial header from O’Connor, who slotted the rebound into the lower left corner for the dramatic game-winner. Only three minutes earlier in the 88th minute, Sarasota equalized on a rebound of its own. Nicolas Colacci raced in on Naples goalkeeper Edward Delgado, whose save popped behind him and allowed Colacci a second chance to deposit, this time into an empty net. Delgado produced his own heroics earlier in the 69th minute, diving to his left to save Christopher Solari's penalty kick. That allowed teammate Karsen Henderlong to give FC Naples the game’s first lead with his headed finish off a corner kick in the 79th minute.
Miami FC (USLC) 4-1 Naples United FC (NPSL)
Behind a first half brace from forward Francisco Bonfiglio, Miami FC cruised to victory over Open Cup newcomers Naples United FC. In the 41st minute, Bonfiglio headed in a cross from Deian Veron to make it 1-0, and just four minutes later (45+’) the Argentinean notched his second following a deep cross in the box that wasn't properly cleared. Allen Gavilanes added a third goal for Miami FC in the 66th minute, and three minutes later Tobias Zarate made it 4-0. Jorge Moreno pulled one back for Naples United in the 83rd minute to close the scoring. With the win, Miami FC moved to 9-6-1 all-time in Open Cup competition and advanced to the Second Round.
New Jersey Alliance (UPSL) 2-2, 2-2 (aet), 2-4 PKs Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USLL1)
A disputed 36th minute DOGSO red card to Chattanooga’s Gharett Morris typified a wild contest and gave the Alliance life throughout – but their advantage at NJIT’s Lubetkin Field eventually expired in penalties. Marlin Preciado took advantage of New Jersey’s extra space in first half stoppage, when he finished an 80-yard counter to lift New Jersey into the lead at the interval. Matt Bentley’s second half brace for Chattanooga included a 65th minute penalty he earned himself and a tap-in of a long throw into the box six minutes from time that looked like it would be enough to stave off the upset. While Alliance forward Joel Quist’s 20-yard effort in the 92nd minute snuck just inside the left post and bought 30 minutes of added extra time, the Alliance’s Cinderella bid ended with a miss and saved shot in penalties, allowing Chattanooga to advance to the Second Round for the second year in a row.
FC Motown (NPSL) 0-1 Westchester FC (USLL1)
Forward Juan Obragon converted a penalty kick in the 81st minute to lift Westchester SC to its first victory in club history at MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field in Montclair, N.J. Obragon hammered his shot toward the lower right corner, and while FC Motown goalkeeper Joshua Schaffer guessed correctly the attempt was too hard to save. FC Motown, competing in its eighth Open Cup, had one final chance to equalize in the 89th minute, but Israel Dos Santos Neto fired his attempt from just outside the penalty area barely left of frame, which allowed goalkeeper Dane Jacomen to record the first clean sheet in club history.Tonight’s match followed on the heels of Westchester’s USL League One debut on March 8, a 1-1 draw at Greenville Triumph SC.
Asheville City SC (USLL2) 0-0, 0-0 (aet), 3-4 PKs Greenville Triumph SC (USLL1)
Big chances were few and far between at Greenwood Field, where Asheville netminder Francois Djiba and his opposite number from Greenville, Seth Torman, stood tall to earn respective 120-minute shutouts. Both sides eventually earned dangerous looks as regulation drew towards a close, and the frequency only increased during a desperate final 15 minutes of added extra time that ultimately set the goalkeepers up to shine once more in penalties. Torman stopped Asheville’s third attempt to push into the lead, only to see Djiba thwart Greenville’s fourth. City’s Jonny Fennick sent Asheville’s final PK off the crossbar, setting up veteran midfielder Sebastian Velazquez to close the door and see Greenville on to a 4-3 triumph in penalties.
West Chester United SC (USASA) 2-3 Loudoun United FC (USLC)
Loudoun United FC punched their ticket to the Second Round, despite a valiant effort from amateur side West Chester United SC. The amateur side struck first after Ayoub Mouhou drew a penalty in the box in the 19th minute. Yassine Elkahloun stepped up to the spot and converted to earn a 1-0 advantage. Loudoun leveled in the 37th minute after Riley Bidois slotted home a cross from Ben Mines, set up by a deep ball in the box from Aaron Hurge. Loudoun pulled ahead in the 49th minute after Christian Sorto converted a penalty, and Bidois secured his brace in the 61st minute following a beautiful through ball from Surafel Dagnachew to make it 3-1. West Chester did not go away quietly, pulling one back in the 68th minute on a Ken Roby goal assisted by Mouhou. West Chester's pressure continued until the final whistle, but Loudoun was able to survive and advance, keeping hopes for another lengthy Open Cup run alive after last year’s march to the Round of 16.
Texoma FC (USLL1) 1-1, 1-2 (aet) FORO SC (UPSL)
Brayan Padilla's 100th minute goal – his second tally of the match – boosted FORO SC to its second upset in as many years. The Dallas-based side emerged 2-1 from an affair that saw both teams down to 10 players by halftime at Bearcat Stadium in Sherman, Texas. After a handball in the box, Padilla lifted FORO SC into a 15th-minute lead, converting his penalty kick into the lower left side. Eleven minutes later, Texoma went down to 10 men when midfielder Ozzie Ramos was assessed a red card for taking down Padilla as the last defender, but in the 44th minute the sides were balanced out as FORO's Nate Kopetsky was assessed his own red. Texoma's Brandon McManus equalized from close range past ‘keeper Jesus Diaz in the 59th minute giving the USL League One side its historic first goal in the process. However, Padilla’s heroics 10 minutes deep into overtime heaped even more Open Cup lore onto FORO SC, which escaped past Austin FC II of MLS NEXT Pro in penalties in last year’s First Round.
Tulsa Athletic (UPSL) 0-1 FC Tulsa (USLC)
In the third edition of the Tulsa Derby, FC Tulsa advanced with a 1-0 victory behind a penalty kick conversation from Taylor Calheria in the 84th minute preceded by a Tulsa Athletic handball in the box. Tulsa Athletic had been playing a man down after Gustavo Vargas was sent off in the 67th minute following a second yellow card, but the amateurs continued to make FC Tulsa sweat up to the final whistle. Both sides had solid chances throughout, but an inability to cash in left the proceedings to be decided by one moment, which the USL Championship side captured through Calheria – who also played a major role in helping NYCFC2 to last year’s top finish for a Division III club in the tournament. With the win, FC Tulsa moves to 4-7-1 all-time in the Open Cup and earns a trip to the Second Round of the competition, while Athletic was unable to repeat its “Tulsa Tussle” upset from 2023.
AV ALTA FC (USLL1) 3-1 Ventura County Fusion (USLL2)
It was an auspicious and ultimately victorious debut in the U.S. Open Cup for AV ALTA FC, which claimed an impressive 3-1 win against the Ventura County Fusion at Lancaster Municipal Stadium. Jerry Desdunes claimed the first goal in club history when he netted for AV ALTA in the 28th minute. A Buba Fofanah strike in the 42nd minute levelled matters, but Desdunes converted a penalty kick in the third minute of first half stoppage time to restore his nascent club’s lead. Sebastian Cruz gave AV ALTA some breathing room with a goal in the 52nd minute to make it 3-1 in favor of the hosts, who saw out the rest of the match with ease on their way to the Second Round.
Ventura County FC (NP) 7-0 Laguna United (UPSL)
Ventura County FC made a statement in its opening round match with a 7-0 beatdown of amateur side Laguna United FC at Dignity Health Sports Park Track & Field Stadium in Carson, Calif., on Tuesday night. The Third Division hosts were powered by a hat trick from Aaron Bibout, who bagged goals in the 42nd, 52nd and 68th minutes. Ascel Essengue started the scoring in the 18th minute for the LA Galaxy’s second team, which also received strikes from Jason Bucknor (62’) and Luis Mueller (63’) before a Laguna United own goal sealed the 7-0 scoreline.
Now in its 110th edition, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has crowned U.S. Soccer’s national champion since 1914. The history-filled tournament is conducted on a single-game-knockout basis and is open to professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the U.S. was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
The 2025 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn a berth in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy – one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in American team sports – now on permanent display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas. The 2025 tournament features a total purse worth $1 million that includes a $600,000 award for the champion.
Los Angeles Football Club of MLS is the defending Champion. The 109th edition of the tournament concluded on September 25, 2024, with LAFC beating four-time Champions Sporting Kansas City 3-1 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles to become Open Cup Champions for the first time.
The official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is ussoccer.com/us-open-cup. Fans can also follow the competition on X/Twitter and Instagram @OpenCup and Facebook @OfficialOpenCup.