The first round of the U.S. Open Cup featured plenty of drama as penalty shootouts and extra time matches were abundant.
Christos FC, the darling’s of last year’s tournament, will not be making another run towards a match against an MLS side. They fell to Reading United AC on penalties after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes.
The most thrilling match of the night belonged to the Long Island Rough Riders, who were tied at two against the Kingston Stockade heading into extra time. Kingston went down a man early in the extra period, and the Rough Riders ended up slipping four goals through in the second fifteen minutes to end up winning 6-3.
In other penalty shootout madness, Detroit City FC survived being down to ten men for most of extra time to take down the Michigan Bucks in penalties. The Erie Commodores defeated the Rochester River Dogz in penalties as well.
Here’s the full first round scoreboard:
AFC Ann Arbor 0-3 Ocean City Nor’easters
Western Mass Pioneers 1-2 Elm City Express
Long Island Rough Riders 6-3 Kingston Stockade FC
FC Motown 2-1 New York Red Bulls U23
Reading United AC 1-1 Christos FC (5-4 on penalties)
Erie Commodores FC 1-1 Rochester River Dogz (4-3 on penalties)
Seacoast United Phantoms 2-2 Kendall Wanderers (6-5 on penalties)
Detroit City FC 1-1 Michigan Bucks (5-4 in penalties)
Brooklyn Italians 0-2 Lansdowne Bhoys FC
SIMA Aguilas 0-2 Jacksonville Armada
Charlotte Eagles 1-6 Inter Nashville FC
Myrtle Beach Mutiny 1-2 South Georgia Tormenta FC
Miami United FC 5-2 FC Kendall
New Orleans Jesters 1-1 Mississippi Brilla FC (2-3 on penalties)
Red Force FC 0-4 Miami FC
FC Wichita 3-1 OKC Energy U23
Duluth FC 4-4 Dakota Fusion FC (3-0 on penalties)
Midland-Odessa Sockers FC 3-0 Lakeland Tropics
NTX Rayados 2-1 Fort Worth Vaqueros
FC Denver 4-2 Azteca FC
CD Aguiluchos USA 0-4 San Francisco City FC
FC Golden State Force 3-1 LA Wolves FC
Orange County FC 3-0 Santa Ana Winds FC
FC Arizona 0-1 Sporting AZ FC
FC Tucson 2-1 La Máquina FC
i like to point out to people who are new to soccer that this tournament is like our march madness/ncaa college basketball tournament. the whole country should be reading and talking about this thing every day and going crazy making predictions and feeling elation when they’re right and feeling terrible when they’re wrong. what we actually get is about one million-millionth of that energy and enthusiasm and it just goes to show how far we still have to go in this grand ballet of sport building in this country.
I wish they would lock the bracket at the round of 64. Instead we have to wait until the round of 16 before the bracket is set. That makes any NCAA type bracket talk impossible. I know they keep it regional to cut down on travel costs. But it’s fun to dream.
wow, the Names of some of these clubs are original! the jesters? the tormenta?
I’ve always like the New Orleans Jesters name even if it doesn’t roll off the tongue. They should sell Jester hats in Mardi Gras colors