Philadelphia Escapes Rochester Rhinos on Penalties
The Rochester Rhinos nearly left PPL Park with a ticket to the fifth round of the U.S. Open Cup, but it was one of their own who stopped them. John McCarthy, a former Rhino, saved three of the Rochester's four penalty kicks to help the Union advance.
Sporting Kansas City Gets Past St. Louis FC
Longwood, FL native Graham Zusi’s put Sporting ahead of in the 70th minute, and it was all they’d need. The game was played in front of a record-setting crowd of 19,298, the most ever for a U.S. Open Cup fourth round match.
Chicago Fire Downs Louisville City FC
Louisville City came within four minutes of penalty kicks, but Quincy Amarikwa’s 115th minute goal secured passage for the Fire. The loss was particularly hard to stomach for LCFC considering the wide margin of opportunities they had.
FC Dallas Cruises Past Oklahoma City Energy FC, 4-1
FC Dallas scored early and often against USL club OKC Energy FC. David Texeira opened the scoring in the 21st minute and Michael Barrios bagged two goals in the 34th and 36th minute. The Energy saved face with their 81st minute goal, but that would be it.
Colorado Rapids Defeat Colorado Springs Switchbacks, 4-1
The Rapids advanced to the fifth round of the U.S. Open Cup with their 4-1 slashing of their instate adversaries. Dillon Serna scored twice in the second half to seal the deal over the Switchbacks.
Wondolowski’s Heroics Force Extra Time, Quakes Advance
Sacramento looked like they would be the first USL team to defeat an MLS club, but Chris Wondolowski scored two goals in five minutes (74’, 79’) to force extra time. Sacramento lasted through eight rounds of penalties, but Shaun Francis scored to push San Jose into the fifth round.
Portland Timbers Advances Past Seattle Sounders
The final score was 3-1 in favor of Portland, but it was the extra-curricular activities that defined this game. In one of the crazier ejections you’ll ever see, Clint Dempsey took the referee’s book, tossed it, and then ripped it to pieces to earn his red card.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds Take it to Extra Time but Fall, 3-1
D.C. United needed an extra half hour to beat USL-Pittsburgh, but they comfortably advanced, 3-1. Kofi Opare scored the eventual winner in the third minute of extra time to avoid the upset and lift D.C. into the fifth round.
NY Cosmos Defeat NYC FC on Penalties
NYC FC could almost taste victory over the Cosmos, but Lucky Mkosana equalized in the 90th minute to push it to extra time. Hunter Gorskie scored penalty kick-winner – and earned his club the $15,000 for being the last NASL club standing – to advance to the fifth round.
Orlando City Slips Past Charleston Battery on PKs
Carlos Rivas scored a hat trick from the penalty spot, but Charleston’s Justin Portillo scored a wicked strike and then a penalty kick of his own to force a shootout. It lasted ten rounds, but Danny Mwanga finally won it for the Lions.
Charlotte Independence Top New England Revolution
In one of the more patriotic matchups of the tournament, Charlotte declared Independence from the Revolution with Jorge Herrra’s 55th minute strike from 20 yards out. Charlotte became the first and only USL club to knock off an MLS team.
Real Salt Lake Defeats Sounders 2
Sounders 2 made a game of it, but Joao Morales’ lifted RSL with his 71st minute goal of an indirect free kick (If you've never seen one of those, check out the video below). RSL led, 1-0, in the first half until Sam Garza scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time in the first half when a long-range throw in landed right at his feet.
Houston Dynamo Oust Austin Aztex
Argentine loanee Leonel Miranda’s 24th minute goal put Houston up, 1-0, over USL side Austin Aztex and Ricardo Clark’s stoppage time goal iced the win for the Dynamo. The win advances Houston into the Round of 16.
PSA Elite’s Cinderella Run Ends Against Los Angeles
The last amateur club standing, PSA Elite (Irvine, CA) lost, 6-1, to the L.A. Galaxy in decisive fashion. PSA actually led momentarily when Michael Salazar scored in the 12th minute, but their lead was short lived. Sebastian Lletget scored three minutes later and Gyasi Zardes scored the eventual winner in the 19th minute.
NY Red Bulls Cruise Past Atlanta Silverbacks
The Red Bulls jumped out to an early lead with Lloyd Sam’s seventh minute goal and Ronald Zubar’s 15th minute addition to down NASL club Atlanta Silverbacks. Sean Davis made it 3-0 in the 70th minute to push NYRB into the fifth round.
