2025 US Open Cup Round 4 Review
Recapping all the matches in the fourth round of the 2025 US Open Cup
Another fantastic round of the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup had the majority of action-packed matches that got your juices flowing. While there were some snoozers, we had an almost cupsets till only one prevailed.
NORTH CAROLINA FC (USL-C) 1:4 CHARLOTTE FC (MLS) AET
This was one of the few matches that went into extra time and went scoreless throughout regulation. Give credit to goalkeepers in Charlotte's David Bingham and North Carolina's Akira Fitzgerald, making timely and spectacular saves, this one was going to be a goal fest.
The passion and chess strategy from both clubs were fantastic to watch. We also saw a couple of skirmishes breaking out, and I thought it looked like a proper derby was being shown to all of us at Wake Med Soccer Park.
All the goals came in extra time, as Charlotte converted the opening goal. Liel Abada opened the scoring in the 97th minute, but a smasher from the far corner of the area by North Carolina's Rafa Mentzingen equalized in the 99th minute.
But the damn broke as Patrick Agyemang headed in the winning goal in the 104th minute. Charlotte FC would add two more late in the second half of Extra time from Nikola Petkovic in the 119th & Kerwin Vargas in second half stoppage time of Extra Time.
DC UNITED (MLS) 2:0 CHARLESTON BATTERY (USL-C)
Throughout regulation, this match was scoreless, but to be fair, only one side wanted it more. That side was the Charleston Battery. They looked hungry, and had the majority of the chances, and looked like they wanted to avenge that 2008 loss in the Open Cup Final against DC United.
But it looked like Head Coach Troy Lesesne's game plan was to absorb as much of the Battery's pressure and get into extra time. They took advantage when Jacob Murrell just got to the top of the area and bent a beautiful ball into the far upper ninety in the 96th minute.
Then Jared Stroud made a nice run down the far side, as he got inside the Battery area, he smashed home the second goal in the 104th minute. While Charleston tried to make the comeback, they would go down to ten men when Juan Torres was issued a straight red card in the 115th minute.
NASHVILLE SC (MLS) 1:0 CHATTANOOGA RED WOLVES (USL-L1)
The Red Wolves entered their first Tennessee State Derby, taking on Nashville SC at GEODIS Park. Sadly, they fell to Nashville by a goal to nil.
Josh Bauer's blast from outside the area in the 18th minute was all they needed to advance.
Sadly for Alhassan Al Hassan, he was double yellowed and then red carded, which put his side down to ten men. But the Red Wolves have nothing to be ashamed of. They had a fantastic run that took them to the fourth round.
Beating NJ Alliance in penalties to start their journey, doing it again in the first ever Chattanooga Derby through penalties, taking the odds in Las Vegas as they knocked off the Lights in penalties again. They made the Red side of Chattanooga proud.
COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS (USL-C) 1:4 NY RED BULLS (MLS)
The defending USL Championship winners took on an NY Red Bulls side that had a poor performance in league play at Inter Miami, so they took all their frustrations out on the Switchbacks and knocked them out.
Mohammed Sofo is the new Red Bulls Academy darling as he scored a brace inside the opening half. He converted in the 16th minute with lovely ball-dribbling skills, then shot it hard to the front post, then got his second in the 44th minute with a quick pass from Noah Eile, then slotted it home.
In the second half, it would be the Norwegian Youth International Dennis Gjengaar who was at the top of the area, received a pass from Raheem Edwards, and smashed it into the upper near ninety in the 64th minute.
While Anthony Fontana did pull one back in the 72nd minute, this one was over as Sean Neails tagged one and restored the three goal lead in the 85th minute.
TACOMA DEFIANCE (MLS-NP) 2:3 PORTLAND TIMBERS (MLS)
If you want to call this Pacific Northwest Derby Lite, then there could be some agreement to it, but not when the Timbers are in this competition. While The Defiance are the two team of the Seattle Sounders, these players know they are representing the club in this special matchup.
But the Timbers got on the board first when Zac McGraw buried his chance in the 33rd minute with a leaping header. But the Defiance started to defy the Timbers, scoring two goals in two minutes.
Osaze DeRosario equalized in the 48th minute, then it was Yu Tsukanome who got the lead in the 50th minute. It felt like there would be another cupset at the making. The Timbers said no.
Gae Guerra snuck in the equalizer in the 80th minute, but the Timbers were awarded a penalty inside second half stoppage time as Kevin Kelsy took the spot kick and converted it inside the far post. A Timbers fan would say they escaped embarrassment.
PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS (USL-C) 1:0 NYCFC (MLS)
The only cupset of the round as the Western Pennsylvania club representing the Steel City took down an NYCFC team that showed flashes of purpose out on the pitch. While they barely showed any urgency, they paid for it with a straight red card in the 79th minute.
Strahinha Tanasijevic tried to defend and play a bouncing ball, but grabbed a Hounds player, dragged him down, and was sent off afterward, putting his side down to ten men.
The Riverhounds got to the second half stoppage time and won it at the death. They earned a corner at the far side when the ball was delivered. Roberto Ydrach leapt up and headed it inside the far post for the winner and knocked out the blue side of New York.
PHILADELPHIA UNION (MLS) 1(5:1(4 INDY ELEVEN (USL-C)
Both sides scored early in each half. Alejandro Bedoya converted in the 6th minute to put the Union ahead and held it into halftime. Then Elvis Amoh scored the equalizer in the 49th minute, and the score remained level throughout regulation and extra time.
As we entered the penalty kick shootout, Indy went first. Both sides converted their first two penalties until Andrew Rick stopped Aodnan Quinn on the third attempt, the Union converted all five penalties and it was Jovan Lukic with the winning penalty.
RHODE ISLAND (USL-C) 1:2 NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (MLS)
The final stage of the New England Derby involves the Revolution at Rhode Island FC's new Centerville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket. The Revs scored first with the return of Tomas Chancalay, converting in the 38th minute.
Finally, Rhode Island FC gets its first goal in its new home as Maxi Rodriguez scored the equalizer in the 50th minute. But the Revolution edged Rhode Island with an 88th minute winner as Christiano Olvieira scored on the rebound after the ball was crossed and hit the back post.
TAMPA BAY ROWDIES (USL-C) 0:5 ORLANDO CITY (MLS)
One of the few Open Cup matches where it was over before it ever started. The Rowdies never stood a chance as they were taken down handily.
Gustavo Caraballo scored a brace in two minutes. Scored in the 36th and 38th minutes. Then Ramiro Enrique got the third goal in the 42nd minute. Nothing much more happened as Duncan McGuire got the fourth goal in the 59th minute, then Dagur Thorhallsson ended the scoring in the 90th minute.
LOUISVILLE CITY (USL-C) 0:1 MINNESOTA UTD FC (MLS)
Louisville City has always been a great side in the USL Championship and always dangerous at home in Lynn Family Stadium. While they were the better side against Minnesota United FC, it was Darius Randell who snuck one inside the 65th minute and stole the victory.
ST. LOUIS CITY SC (MLS) 2:0 UNION OMAHA (USL-L1)
After a scoreless first half, it felt we could get a good match here. But once St. Louis City got its opening goal, it was all over. Joey Salinksy scored in the 62nd minute, then Joao Clauss made it two in the 87th minute, moving on.
CHICAGO FIRE (MLS) 4:0 DETROIT CITY FC (USL-C)
The match was played at Seat Geek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, and this one was over right away. Hugo Cuypers scored the opening goal in the 4th minute, then Detroit City hurt themselves by scoring an own goal in the 30th minute from Darren Smith.
In the second half, it was over when Omari Glasgow scored in the 50th minute, then Marin Haile-Selassie converted the final goal in the 71st minute to send Detroit City back to the Motor City.
FC DALLAS (MLS) 3:1 AV ALTA FC (USL-L1)
An early goal from Luciano Acosta in the third minute put the MLS side ahead. Then a mistake was made by the Dallas keeper, as Osvaldo Lay was three yards behind the midfield stripe, struck the ball toward the net, it bounced in front of and over the keeper, who was well off his line and leveled the match in the 16th minute.
But FC Dallas retook the lead in the 43rd minute when Kaick buried the ball into the upper near ninety. The final goal of the match came from Bernard Kamungo in the 71st minute to end the tie.
AUSTIN FC (MLS) 3:2 EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE (USL-C)
This one had the potential of a cupset, and it looked like the Locomotive was going to join the Riverhounds in the fifth round. Roberto Avila scored a brace in the 20th and 34th minutes, as the visitors had the match in their hands.
But the club representing the capital of Texas said, No, you don't. They scored three goals in seven minutes when Brandon Vazquez scored the first goal in the 73rd minute and the winning goal in the 80th minute.
The equalizer came from Myrto Uzumi in the 76th minute. El Paso, who had a nice run themselves from the first round up to the fourth round, sadly fell a goal short of coming back and trying to force extra time.
PHOENIX RISING FC (USL-C) 1:4 HOUSTON DYNAMO (MLS) AET
The late-night matches came into play when the Dynamo made the trip out west to face Phoenix Rising. They got the opening goal in the 17th minute when De'Andrade Vieria scored.
Phoenix would level the match as they were awarded a penalty in first half stoppage time. Dariusz Formella took the spot kick and scored. The match was level until the end of regulation.
But the Dynamo took over the extra time session when Jack McGlynn scored an amazing goal as he bent it from the near side to the far upper ninety in the 99th minute.
Then in the second half of extra time, the Dynamo dominated and scored two more. Ezequil Ponce got the third goal in the 112th minute, then Sebastian Kowalczyk got the fourth in the 115th minute.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (MLS) 2:1 SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC (USL-C)
The Quales ended it in the first half and cruised to the finish line. Amahl Pellegrino scored in the second minute, and then Preston Judd had a beautiful touch for the second goal in the 44th minute.
While Trever Amann did score in second half stoppage time to pull one back, there wasn't enough time to earn an equalizer. Unfortunately for the Quakes, Jamar Ricketts was issued a straight red card in the 83rd minute and will be suspended for the fifth round.
FIFTH ROUND MATCHES
TUESDAY, MAY 20TH
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION Vs. CHICAGO FIRE 7:30 PM
CBS SPORTS GOLAZO/PARAMOUNT+
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES Vs. PORTLAND TIMBERS 10:30 PM
CBS SPORTS NET/PARAMOUNT+
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21ST
NEW YORK RED BULLS Vs. FC DALLAS 7:30 PM
CBS SPORTS NETWORK/PARAMOUNT+
PHILADELPHIA UNION Vs. PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS 7:30 PM
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DC UNITED Vs. CHARLOTTE FC 7:30 PM
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ORLANDO CITY Vs. NASHVILLE SC 7:30 PM
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MINNESOTA UNITED FC Vs. ST. LOUIS CITY SC 7:30 PM
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AUSTIN FC Vs. HOUSTON DYNAMO 9:00 PM
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EXPECT THE GOLAZO SHOW TO BE ON WEDNESDAY FOR A WHIPAROUND SHOW ON THE GOLAZO NETWORK