2025 US Open Cup Round 5 Review
Recapping the entire field of matches in the 5th Round of the US Open Cup
While the majority of the clubs represented Major League Soccer, we still had some fantastic cup ties in this round, and the final lower-level side was trying to knock out their Pennsylvania State rivals. But this is why we love the Open Cup to get the best out of these clubs and give great football.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (MLS) 1:3 CHICAGO FIRE (MLS)
This match was played on the campus of Providence University as the Revolution left the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium, but the Fire was determined to get to the next round for a chance at their 5th Open Cup title.
The Revolution put the ball into their net when Jonathan Bamba came down the far side, as he took the shot, the ball was crossed, it deflected off of Eric Klein in the 38th minute to put the visitors ahead one goal to nil.
The second half showed the Fire's dominance and they wasted no time. Hugo Cuypers took advantage of a poor clearance as a defender struck the crossbar of his net, and Cuypers was in perfect position to smash the rebound in the 69th minute.
Philip Zinckernagel was a second half substitute when he received the ball at the near side and danced around two to three defenders. He ripped one inside the far post in the 79th minute.
Even though the Fire gave the Revolution a participation gift by scoring an own goal from Justin Reynolds in second half stoppage time, it didn't matter as the Chicago Fire moved on.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES (MLS) 1:0 PORTLAND TIMBERS (MLS) AET
While a scoreless match is usually a snoozer and boring, this one wasn't. Both sides were making attacking runs, and both keepers were on their toes, keeping that ball out of their net.
Even toward the backend of the second half, the Timbers looked to have fouled an attacker, but the referee never called it. Three seconds later, the far-side assistant waved his flag for the foul, and then the referee was told the foul happened inside the area and called for a penalty.
The Timbers were very irate and protested that the foul began outside of their area. After the referee discussed with the far side assistant, the penalty was changed to a free kick for the Quakes, and then three players were booked in two minutes. Felipe Mora, Johnathan Rodriguez, and the man who originally caused the foul were Kamar Miller.
Once regulation time ended, it was on to extra time. Nothing in the first half of extra time, but in the second half, that's when the Quakes took the match. Mark Anthony Kaye was on the far side, made a pass toward the middle of the area, and out of nowhere, Jack Skahan slightly deflected it in the 116th minute. That was the winner, and the Quakes moved on.
NEW YORK RED BULLS (MLS) 2(4:2(3 FC DALLAS (MLS)
Even though these two sides aren't geographically paired, this was a revenge matchup from the 1997 Semi-Finals played at Baker Field on the Athletic Campus of Columbia University in the neighborhood of Inwood. This is the northernmost end of Manhattan before you cross the Broadway Bridge into the Bronx.
FC Dallas got on the board first in the 28th minute, as Petar Musa was given the ball, then made a slight pass to Bernard Kamungo and he broke through and scored. Dallas would keep the lead going into halftime.
The Red Bulls made some slight tactical adjustments and they dominated the second half with several attacking runs, but in the 63rd minute Mohammed Sofo who scored a brace in Colorado Springs, leveled the match at one when Daniel Edelman's shot was deflected.
Sofo tracked the ball down and smashed it low to beat Maarten Paes to earn his third Open Cup goal in two consecutive matches. The Red Bulls up and coming star from their two team has been a revelation.
But Luciano Acosta is always a sneaky and slippery attacking player. Paxton Pomykal was on the near side and made a strong pass to Kamungo, who found Acosta and slipped in between Sean Nealis and Noah Eile and went upper near 90 in the 77th minute.
In second half stoppage time, the Red Bull had last chance saloon, they earned a free kick just outside the area. Captain Emil Forsberg took the free kick and as Ramiro turned his body toward the ball, it deflected off of him and into the back of the net for the second equalizer.
The match headed to extra time. While no goals were scored, a man went down for Dallas. Ramiro chased after Forsberg and brought him down just a foot outside of his area, and while the Red Bulls earned the free kick, they were screaming at the referee for a red card due to DOGSO.
Originally referee Alyssa Nichols was setting up the free kick and produced no card, but her fourth official Luis Diego Arroyo was on their communication device and informed her that a red card had to be issued for last defender fouling, and eventually Ramiro was sent off officially at the 110th minute.
Off to penalties as The Red Bulls went first, FC Dallas went second. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scored while Lucho Acosta tried the Panenka and hit the crossbar. Both sides converted in round two, sadly Wiki Carmona telegraphed his pen and Paes made the save.
Logan Farrington converted the third penalty for Dallas and it was knotted at two through three rounds. Both teams converted in the fourth round but in the final round of penalties, Emil Forsberg scored while Pedrinho was stopped by backup goalkeeper A.J. Marcucci for advancement.
ORLANDO CITY (MLS) 2:3 NASHVILLE SC (MLS)
The 2022 Open Cup Champions hosted Nashville SC at Inter&CO Stadium, and it looked like they were going to take the victory, while it looked like Orlando had a great start, their finish was horrible.
The home side did score the opening goal in the 17th minute from Marco Pasalic, but they were harmed by friendly fire as Rodrigo Schlegel scored an own goal in the 23rd minute.
Nashville took the lead just before halftime when Ahmed Qasem scored in the 40th minute and took the lead into halftime for the Tennessee club. But Orlando City continued to fight.
They would score the equalizer in the 58th minute when Ramiro Enrique put it in, but Nashville wanted it more, and it was Wyatt Meyer who broke the hearts of all the fans inside the purple palace on Church St. in the 79th minute.
DC UNITED (MLS) 3(2:3(1 CHARLOTTE FC (MLS)
This wasn't Open Cup after dark, but trust my words, this was a match an Open Cup Sicko would salivate over with the amount of goals and the strangeness of the penalty kick shootout at the end of it.
DC United got on the scoresheet first when David Schnegg took advantage and scored in the 17th minute, and took that lead into halftime. Then Charlotte took over in the second half.
US Men's National Team Striker Patrick Agyemang leveled the score by tucking the ball inside the far post in the 58th minute, then Bill Tuiloma made it two to one in the 61st minute.
It looked like Charlotte was going to take the match, but Garrison Tubbs stepped up and scored the equalizer in the 88th minute to force the match into extra time.
In extra time, both sides scored. Tyger Smalls took the lead in the 95th minute while Jackson Hopkins equalized for DC again in the 104th minute. No other goals were scored, so on to the shootout.
Kim Joon Hong, who was the starting goalkeeper for DC United in this match, was subbed out in the 119th minute for Jordan Farr as he made his DC United debut, performing in the shootout.
Farr made four saves out of five penalties while his teammates scored the first two pens to send DC to the Quarterfinals. What a gamble that was by Head Coach Troy Lesesne.
PHILADELPHIA UNION (MLS) 4:1 PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS (USL-C)
The Pennsylvania State Derby returned, but this time, after two separate times facing the defunct Harrisburg City Islanders, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds got their first crack at the Philadelphia Union.
While the Hounds did make a good run, it ended in a whimper as they were taken down very hard. Bruno Damiani converted the penalty in the 14th minute, then in first half stoppage time, Indiana Vassilev made it two.
Danly Jean Jacques scored in the 54th minute to take a three goal lead, but a fabulous bending goal by Jorge Garcia in the 63rd minute gave the hounds a lifeline. It didn't matter as Jovan Lukic scored in the 86th minute to end the run of the Riverhounds.
MINNESOTA UNITED FC (MLS) 3:2 ST. LOUIS CITY SC (MLS)
The Loons jumped out to an early lead when Kelvin Yeboah broke out and scored in the tenth minute. Minnesota held the lead going into halftime. Then in the second half, St. Louis came out like gangbusters.
Marcel Hartel scored in the 55th minute, then João Klauss took the lead ten minutes later in the 65th minute. But Minnesota got back up top with a brace by Anthony Markanich in the 85th and 88th minutes to put Minnesota into the Quarterfinals.
AUSTIN FC (MLS) 3:1 HOUSTON DYNAMO (MLS)
On April 26th, Austin FC fell to the Houston Dynamo at the Q2 Stadium by a final of two goals to nil. They wanted revenge on the Orange and Black, they got it in a major way.
It started with a thumper of a goal by Brandon Vasquez in the 29th minute. As they took the one goal lead into halftime, they never took their foot off the gas.
Osman Bukari converted the penalty in the 56th, then Ille Sanchez scored three minutes later to make it a three goal lead. While the Dynamo scored to pull one back by Ezequiel Ponce, it wasn't enough.
While Austin will move on, they will miss Julio Cascante as he was sent off in second half stoppage time along with Houston's Brooklyn Raines. But Austin is the lone Texas side to reach the Quarterfinals.
Excitement and fun, with a little bit of sadness, now it's all MLS, all the time. It will still be fun as we will continue to have Open Cup Nights across America.
2025 US OPEN CUP QUARTERFINAL MATCHES JULY 8TH & 9TH
PHILADELPHIA UNION Vs. NEW YORK RED BULLS
NASHVILLE SC Vs. DC UNITED
MINNESOTA UNITED FC Vs. CHICAGO FIRE
SAN JOE EARTHQUAKES Vs. AUSTIN FC
All Quarterfinal matches will be streamed on Paramount Plus, selected games will also be seen on CBS Sports Network or CBS Sports Golazo