The 2023 US Open Cup continued Wednesday evening, with 12 MLS teams competing in the Third Round.
Here’s how those dozen performed against lower-division opposition while chasing a spot in the Round of 32. The domestic tournament's champion, decided in September, will receive a 2024 Concacaf Champions League spot.
FC Cincinnati 1, Louisville City SC 0
FC Cincinnati got all they could handle from Cupset-minded Louisville City SC, but scraped out a 1-0 victory over the USL Championship side at TQL Stadium on a late game-winner from Arquimides Ordóñez.
Ordóñez broke a hotly-contested scoreless deadlock in the 85th minute, finishing off a well-worked team goal spearheaded by a through ball from Luciano Acosta that set up Álvaro Barreal for the assist from the left side. It was the first senior-team goal for Cincinnati's 19-year-old Guatemala international, who's netted eight goals in 15 appearances in MLS NEXT Pro with FC Cincinnati 2.
Columbus Crew 1, Indy Eleven 0
The Columbus Crew left it late, but did just enough to beat USL Championship side Indy Eleven by a 1-0 scoreline at Lower.com Field.
Mo Farsi, who was part of Columbus’ historic MLS NEXT Pro squad in 2022, scored in the 83rd minute to turn consistent pressure into a breakthrough, latching onto Steven Moreira’s give-and-go.
D.C. United 1, Richmond Kickers 0
In a local derby decided from the spot, D.C. United gutted out a 1-0 win over USL League One side Richmond Kickers at Audi Field.
Yamil Asad’s penalty kick in the 52nd minute was the difference, then D.C. goalkeeper Alex Bono came up clutch to deny Emiliano Terzaghi from 12 yards out to keep Cupset aspirations muted.
Tampa Bay Rowdies 0, Houston Dynamo FC 1
A 44th-minute strike from Brooklyn Raines was all Houston Dynamo FC needed to get past USL Championship foe Tampa Bay Rowdies, as Ben Olsen’s side took a 1-0 victory in their matchup at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Raines notched the lone goal of the match right on the stroke of halftime, finishing off an assist from Corey Baird for the eventual game-winner.
Chicago Fire FC 3, Chicago House 0
A cross-city matchup went Chicago Fire FC’s way, as they breezed past NISA side Chicago House AC with a 3-0 victory at SeatGeek Stadium.
Fire striker Kacper Przybyłko opened the scoring in the 26th minute, then defender Kendall Burks bagged a brace on either side of halftime to ensure smooth sailing into the Round of 32.
Atlanta United 1, Memphis 901 FC 2
Atlanta United were on the verge of advancing, but crumbled in second-half stoppage time before USL Championship side Memphis 901 FC won 2-1 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.
Former Atlanta United 2 forward Phillip Goodrum scored a 96th-minute penalty kick, canceling out a 3rd-minute opener from Atlanta homegrown winger Tyler Wolff.
With extra time underway, Memphis sealed the win in the 100th minute via a goal from former FC Dallas academy player Nighte Pickering. Memphis featured longtime D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid, but he was rarely threatened in a dominant showing.
Goals
Nashville SC 1, San Antonio FC 0
Behind a second-half goal from striker Ethan Zubak, Nashville SC secured a 1-0 win over USL Championship side San Antonio FC at GEODIS Park.
Zubak put the hosts ahead in the 71st minute when Fafà Picault produced a clever takeaway before squaring across goal. Open at the back post, the 25-year-old slid home the match-winner.
Miami FC 2 (3), Inter Miami CF 2 (5)
Inter Miami CF narrowly averted disaster at FIU Soccer Stadium, prevailing over USL Championship side Miami FC in a penalty-kick shootout after the match finished 2-2 following regulation and extra time.
Inter Miami forced extra time with a last-gasp 1-1 equalizer from Shanyder Borgelin, with the PK shootout forced due to a wild sequence in extra time that saw the sides exchange a goal apiece between the 116th and 118th minutes. The first came off a shock own goal that deflected off Inter Miami defender DeAndre Yedlin before Ryan Sailor netted another dramatic equalizer for the MLS side.
In the shootout, Miami FC’s Ryan Telfer became the first player to miss when he skied his attempt over the crossbar, opening the door for center back Kamal Miller to convert the winning look from the spot to send Inter Miami through.
Goals
Colorado Rapids 3, Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC 1
A Jonathan Lewis brace allowed the Colorado Rapids to cruise to a 3-1 victory over USL League One’s Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Lewis netted in the 5th and 55th minutes to pace the hosts, with Max also notching a 65th-minute tally. Jackson Dietrich made it interesting near the end of the first half with a 40th-minute goal for Northern Colorado that leveled the contest at 1-1, but the Rapids struck twice on the other side of intermission, with Lewis's second proving to be the game-winner and Max's subsequent tally providing the insurance.
Goals
Portland Timbers 3, Orange County SC 1
The Portland Timbers had to sweat it out, but two second-half goals got the job done at Providence Park in a 3-1 win over USL Championship side Orange County SC.
Those decisive strikes came from MLS NEXT Pro standout Tyler Clegg and DP striker Jarosław Niezgoda, reflecting the lineup juggling that usually exists at this stage of the competition.
Goals
Las Vegas Lights FC 1, Real Salt Lake 3
Real Salt Lake’s offense sparked to life late in extra time, leading to a 3-1 win at USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights FC.
Captain and talisman Damir Kreilach bagged a brace and Danny Musovski put the result to bed, sending the Claret-and-Cobalt dancing into the Round of 32.
Goals
Seattle Sounders FC 5, San Diego Loyal FC 4
The Seattle Sounders emerged victorious in a nine-goal thriller against San Diego Loyal FC at Starfire Sports Complex, earning a wild 5-4 victory on a game-winning penalty kick from Fredy Montero.
Montero’s last-gasp PK bookended an action-packed contest, which saw the Loyal erase deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 with the help of a pair of legitimate golazos from former MLS midfielder Joe Corona and Kyle Adams.
After an equally highlight-reel strike from Seattle homegrown Reed Baker-Whiting preceded yet another San Diego equalizer from Jackson Kasanzu, Seattle won it at the death, with the match tied 4-4. Travian Sousa won the last-second spot-kick, which Montero converted on virtually the last kick of the match, allowing the Sounders to barely avoid what would have been an agonizing shootout.
Goals
- 15' - SEA - Fredy Montero | WATCH
- 26' - SEA - Ethan Dobbelaere | WATCH
- 53' - SD - Joe Corona (PK) | WATCH
- 55' - SEA - Paul Rothrock | WATCH
- 73' - SD - Joe Corona | WATCH
- 90+3' - SD - Kyle Adams | WATCH
- 101' - SEA - Reed Baker-Whiting | WATCH
- 115' - SD - Jackson Kasanzu | WATCH
- 120+3' - SEA - Fredy Montero (PK) | WATCH
