USL League Two’s Asheville City SC, UPSL’s Valley 559 FC Prevail Against Professional Opposition
Second Day of First Round Defined by High-Scoring Contests, Emergence of Talented Youngsters; First Round Continues with Seven Matches on Thursday
One of the busiest days of the tournament proper has come and gone, and the enticing slate of 15 matches delivered, with USL League Two side Asheville City SC and UPSL outfit Valley 559 FC both securing their first-ever Open Cup victories in the form of upset wins over professional USL League One sides Greenville Triumph SC and AV ALTA FC, respectively. Elsewhere, two matches featured lopsided margins of victory as Union Omaha and San Antonio FC won big.
The First Round will continue with seven matches on Thursday and one match next Wednesday. All remaining First Round matchups will be streamed live, as CBS Sports returns as the multimedia rights partner for the 2026 competition. Matches not airing on CBS Sports platforms will be carried live on U.S. Soccer's YouTube channel.
Chattanooga FC 2 – 1 Kalonji Pro-Profile
MLS NEXT Pro’s Chattanooga FC punched its ticket to the Second Round for the second consecutive season, overcoming an early deficit against UPSL side Kalonji Pro-Profile in the latter’s Open Cup debut. The festivities got started early at Fort Finley, as a rebounded Griffin Huff penalty kick save led to 14-year-old Braiden Kalonji chipping in an improbable goal from the edge of the penalty area to give the visitors the lead. From there, CFC responded quickly on either side of the halftime interval, as 20-year-old Darwin Ortiz bagged his first professional goal in the first minute of first-half stoppage time and 22-year-old Algerian Ameziane Sid Mohand scored the first goal of his professional career in match-winning fashion just seconds into the second half.
Charleston Battery 2 – 1 Florida Badgers FC
The 2008 Open Cup finalist Charleston Battery have progressed beyond the First Round for the 25th time in club history, outlasting UPSL’s Florida Badgers FC at Patriots Point. In his second match with the Battery, 18-year-old U.S. Youth National Team forward Colton Swan scored his first goals for the Battery—the second brace of his professional career—opening the scoring in the 21st minute before securing the victory with a winning goal in the 12th minute of second-half stoppage time.
Asheville City SC 3 – 1 Greenville Triumph SC
Exactly one year after USL League One professionals Greenville Triumph SC were pushed to the brink of elimination by USL League Two’s Asheville City SC in the First Round of the Open Cup, the amateurs exacted their revenge, securing their first Open Cup victory and first win against a professional opponent in club history by downing the USL League One heavyweights at Greenwood Field. The first half featured a goal from each side, as Evan Southern opened the scoring on his Asheville debut and Devin Boyce equalized with a screamer of a free kick. The difference came in the second half, though, as Ashton Bilow scored the winner in the 82nd minute and Ben Fall added some insurance in the ninth minute of second-half stoppage time to seal this historic win for the 10-year-old side.
Louisville City FC 2 – 0 Southern Indiana FC
In the first match since ultra-successful head coach Danny Cruz departed for Minnesota United FC, interim head coach Simon Bird led USL Championship juggernauts Louisville City FC to its 17th Open Cup victory in club history. LouCity took care of local UPSL foe Southern Indiana FC—visiting from just 10 miles up the road—by a final tally of 2-0, as 25-year-old Londoner Tola Showunmi bagged the first brace of his professional career.
FC Naples 3 – 0 Red Force FC
Second-year USL League One side FC Naples returns to the Second Round for the second successive season, downing Premier Futbol League side Red Force FC with a trio of goals at Paradise Coast Sports Complex. The professionals completely suffocated the Red Force attack, limiting the visitors to just one shot, while simultaneously peppering the opposing goalkeeper with nine shots on target. Marc Torrellas got the proceedings going with an opening score in the 23rdminute, while first-year professional Hudson Gay scored his first pro goal in the 30th minute and Taylor Gray cleaned things up with his first goal for the club in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.
FC Motown 0 – 2 Hartford Athletic
In front of both supporters at Lubetkin Field in Newark, N.J. and a national television audience on CBS Sports Network, USL League Two’s FC Motown matched up well against the USL Championship’s Hartford Athletic, but it was the professionals out of Connecticut that ended up going home with a victory. Motown held advantages in shots, shots on goal, tackles won and possession, but Hartford managed to escape with a victory courtesy of goals from T.J. Presthus and Andrés Hernández.
SC Vistula Garfield 1 – 3 One Knoxville SC
Defending USL League One champions One Knoxville SC survived an early scare from historic APSL side SC Vistula Garfield in N.J. on Wednesday evening, overcoming an early deficit to advance to the Second Round for the fourth consecutive campaign. Rutgers University sophomore Simon Gorczowski stunned the professionals less than a minute into the contest, splitting a pair of One Knox defenders before rolling one past goalkeeper Jon Burke to the far post. The visitors bounced back in a big way shortly after, as Babacar Diene, Real Gill and Mikkel Gøling found the back of the net to secure the comfortable victory.
BOHFS St. Louis 8 – 0 Union Omaha
Two-time USL League One champion Union Omaha was not keen on snapping its unblemished record against amateur opposition in official competition, as Los Los Búhos beat down Midwest Premier League side BOHFS St. Louis by a final tally of 8-0 at Lindenwood University. The lopsided contest marks the largest margin of victory in the tournament proper since Louisville City FC beat Tartan Devils Oak Avalon 9-0 in 2017’s Second Round. Omaha was propelled to its largest-ever victory as four players tallied multiple goal contributions: Sergio Ors Navarro notched a brace and an assist, Samuel Owusu bagged a brace, and both Pato Botello Faz and Sami Guediri each tallied a goal and an assist.
Little Rock Rangers 2 – 4 FC Tulsa
USL League Two’s Little Rock Rangers were unable to conjure up some of the cup magic they enjoyed a season ago when they upended USL Championship side Birmingham Legion FC in the First Round, as the amateur side fell to defending USL Championship Western Conference winners FC Tulsa. The Scissortails jumped out in front early thanks to first-half scores from Chelsea youth product Harvey St. Clair and former South Africa youth international Jamie Webber, and although the Rangers made things interesting with second-half goals from Raphael Kistmann and Aiden Turner, the visiting professionals would seal their First Round victory with second-half goals from veteran Championship defender Lamar Batista and Vancouver Whitecaps FC loanee Nelson Pierre.
San Antonio FC 6 – 0 ASC New Stars
It’s five consecutive trips to at least the Second Round for 2022 USL Championship title-winners San Antonio FC, as the Division II professionals outpaced Houston Football Association’s ASC New Stars. SAFC dominated nearly from start to finish, and notably, former El Salvador international Christian Sorto recorded a nine-minute brace, 19-year-old former Russia youth international Dmitrii Erofeev tallied his first goal for SAFC and added an assist, and goalkeeper Richard Sánchez recorded a big penalty kick save in the second half.
New Mexico United 3 – 2 Cruizers FC
An exciting, end-to-end contest in Albuquerque would end up going the way of New Mexico United, as the USL Championship outfit survived NPSL side Cruizers FC’s valiant upset bid. The match was level at halftime thanks to a Cruizers own goal, a first professional goal for 19-year-old Grady Gilchrist and a brace from Cruizers’ Ariel Mbumba. A miraculous winner for New Mexico United came from Cristian Nava, who returned to the squad after a three-year absence due to injuries.
AV ALTA FC 0 – 1 Valley 559 FC
Fresno, Calif.-based UPSL side Valley 559 FC secured a stunning upset against USL League One professionals AV ALTA FC, joining Asheville City SC as the only other side to down professional clubs on the second day of the First Round. The first-ever matchup between the pair of California foes was largely even throughout the contest, though the difference came from the most unlikely of sources. 38-year-old and former MLS Cup champion Quincy Amarikwa secured the upset victory with a diving header at the far post to seal Valley 559 FC’s first Open Cup victory.
Ventura County Fusion 1 – 2 Spokane Velocity FC
USL League One’s Spokane Velocity FC has secured its spot in the Second Round for the third consecutive campaign, defeating USL League Two side Ventura County Fusion by a final tally of 2-1 thanks to its signature last-minute Open Cup heroics. Anuar Peláez opened the scoring in the 20th minute before each side traded a pair of goals from the spot; Ventura County’s Abubakar Fofanah scored in the 79th minute but Spokane’s Joe Gallardo answered with the winner in the 89th minute.
Orange County SC 3 – 0 Laguna United FC
Laguna United FC’s second participation in the tournament proper came to an end in the First Round for the second consecutive year, as USL Championship professionals Orange County SC defeated the UPSL side 3-0 at Championship Soccer Stadium. OCSC dominated from start to finish, firing off 26 shots to LUFC’s 2, and controlling over 70% of the possession. The 2021 USL Championship title-winners are set to participate in the Second Round for the 14th consecutive time thanks to goals from Stephen Kelly, Ryan Doghman and Chris Hegardt.
Sacramento Republic FC 2 – 0 El Farolito (AET)
The second day of First Round action concluded with a thrilling rematch of a Second Round fixture from a season ago, as USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC again hosted 1993 Open Cup champion and 2025 John Motta Trophy winners El Farolito. Sacramento largely controlled the contest at Heart Health Park yet were unable to capitalize on their chances through 90 minutes of regular time. In extra time, the depth and experience of the professionals was apparent, as Republic FC found a pair of goals via Forster Ajago to confirm its victory and book its place in the Second Round for the 10th consecutive tournament.