2026 U.S. Open Cup Team of the Round - First Round
Union Omaha (USL League One), Detroit City FC (USL Championship) lead the way with multiple players; 16 teams represented from Division II, Division III and Open Division
The 2026 U.S. Open Cup Team of the Round is here! The collection of 18 players and one coach highlight the top performers across 30 First Round matches. USL League One’s Union Omaha and the USL Championship’s Detroit City FC led the way with multiple representatives named to the Team of the Round following blowout victories.
The 18 players named to the Team of the Week were responsible for 23 goals and seven assists. Notably, 13 players on the Team of the Round recorded multiple goal contributions in their First Round matches.
In total, 16 teams earned representation on the Team of the Round and all three divisions were represented well: nine Division II representatives from the USL Championship, five Division III representatives from USL League One, and five Open Division representatives from USL League Two (3), the NPSL (1) and the UPSL (1).
2026 U.S. Open Cup Team of the Round - First Round
Coach – Chris Taylor, Vermont Green FC (USL League Two): Fresh off an unbeaten USL League Two title-winning campaign, Taylor led Les Verts to their second-ever victory against professional opposition. Even though Portland Hearts of Pine maintained 61% possession, Taylor’s side held advantages in expected goals (2.18 - 0.53), shots (14 - 8), shots on target (6 - 1), accurate long passes (34 - 19) and touches in opposition box (21 - 15) in a dominant showing.
GK - Isaiah Goldson, Flint City Bucks (USL League Two): The former Canada youth international and University of Michigan standout constructed a clean sheet in the Bucks’ 2-0 victory against the visiting professionals of Forward Madison FC. The 20-year-old shot-stopper made four saves, recorded 10 recoveries, completed 58% of his passes, won four duels and added two clearances.
D - Sami Guediri, Union Omaha (USL League One): In his second match with the Owls, Guediri recorded the first multi-goal-contribution match of his professional career. The former MLS, USL Championship and Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 defender registered one goal, one assist, a 91% passing accuracy rate, eight recoveries, four duels won, four chances created, three completed long passes and three tackles won.
D - Samuel Owusu, Union Omaha (USL League One): Owusu kicked off his second season with Omaha by recording the first brace of his professional career, helping the Owls to a huge 8-0 road win against BOHFS St. Louis. The former New York City FC defender completed 98% of his 53 passes, registered nine clearances, added three recoveries and won two fouls.
D - T.J. Presthus, Hartford Athletic (USL Championship): The second-year professional scored his first Open Cup goal, bagging the winner in Hartford Athletic’s 2-0 victory against FC Motown. The 23-year-old completed 80% of his passes, added eight clearances, totaled three interceptions, reeled in three recoveries and cleared a pair of Motown shots off the line.
M - Alexander Dalou, Detroit City FC (USL Championship): After leading FC Tulsa to the USL Championship Final a season ago, Dalou has kicked off his first season in Detroit with a bang, posting the first three-goal-contribution match of his professional career in a 5-1 victory against Michigan Rangers FC. The 25-year-old Michigan native totaled one goal, two assists, an 83% passing accuracy rate, five duels won, four recoveries and three tackles won.
M - Ben Fall, Asheville City SC (USL League Two): Fall helped his side upset USL League One professionals Greenville Triumph SC with a goal and an assist in Asheville’s First Round victory. The 28-year-old completed 67% of his passes, won five duels, added four recoveries, completed three dribbles and recorded two total chances created.
M - Ariel Mbumba, Cruizers FC (NPSL): In his first match with Cruizers, the former Oakland Roots and Spokane Velocity FC midfielder tallied the first brace of his career in his side’s 3-2, last-minute loss on the road against New Mexico United. The 24-year-old finished with a 63% passing accuracy rate, six duels won, three tackles won, two chances created and two fouls won.
M - Preston Tabort Etaka, Detroit City FC (USL Championship): The longtime USL Championship goalscorer bagged his first goals for Detroit in Le Rouge’s 5-1 win against Michigan Rangers FC, scoring in either half of the lopsided contest. The former Cameroon youth international also completed 79% of his passes, fired off nine total shots, won seven duels, created four chances, completed three dribbles, added three recoveries, connected on two long passes and won two fouls.
F - Daniel Burko, Westchester SC (USL League One): After posting assists in each of his first two league matches with Westchester, the first-year professional bagged the first goals of his professional career—via a match-winning 49-minute brace—to lift the second-year USL League One side over NY Renegades FC. The 23-year-old Norwegian also won one penalty kick, won 15 duels, completed 70% of his passes and registered a pair of recoveries.
F - Nick Firmino, Lexington SC (USL Championship): The former Atlanta United FC and Union Omaha man tallied his first Open Cup goals since scoring three in 2024 with the Five Stripes. This year, Firmino opened his Lexington account with an 18-minute brace in LSC’s record-matching 9-0 victory against Flower City Union. The 25-year-old also added an 88% passing accuracy rate, six duels won, three chances created and two recoveries.
F - Tola Showunmi, Louisville City FC (USL Championship): The 25-year-old Londoner scored his first goals with Louisville since returning to the club from Crawley Town FC, pacing LouCity to a 2-0 victory against local outfit Southern Indiana FC with a 10-minute brace. Showunmi also contributed with a 71% passing accuracy rate, seven duels won and five recoveries.
Bench: Christian Herrera (Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC - USL Championship), Dani Rovira (Rhode Island FC - USL Championship), Kevin O’Connor (FC Naples - USL League One), Sergio Ors Navarro (Union Omaha - USL League One), Colton Swan (Charleston Battery - USL Championship), Christian Sorto (San Antonio FC - USL Championship), Quincy Amarikwa (Valley 559 FC - UPSL)