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Donsu Sends Switchbacks Through in Open Cup

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 05/15/19, 11:06PM EDT

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Foxes move on thanks to second-half goal; Locomotive FC falls to League One’s Madison


Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC celebrated Kwasi Donsu's long-range tally that proved the winner in the side's 1-0 win against FC Denver in the Second Round of the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. | Photo courtesy Isaiah J. Anderson

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC advanced to the Third Round of the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 1-0 win against FC Denver on Wednesday night at Weidner Field.

The Switchbacks will face the winner of the clash between Phoenix Rising FC and New Mexico United on Wednesday, May 29 as they advanced out of the Second Round for a fifth consecutive season.

Colorado Springs got out to a positive start, but Switchbacks goalkeeper Abraham Rodriguez made a crucial save in the 25th minute with a scrambling stop to deny Denver’s Peter Jacobson. The Switchbacks struck just before halftime, however, as Kwasi Donsu fired a low shot from 30 yards into the bottom-left corner to give his side the lead.

The Switchbacks then managed the game effectively throughout the second half as they held Denver without a shot on goal after the break, while Mike Seth almost added a second for the hosts with a shot that just missed the top-right corner with 20 minutes to go.

Colorado Springs wouldn’t require an insurance goal, however, as it took its first win in all competitions since March 23 against San Antonio FC.

FRESNO FC 1, EL FAROLITO 0: Qudus Lawal scored with 15 minutes to go to send the Foxes into the Third Round with victory against El Farolito at Boxer Stadium.

Fresno almost took the lead 10 minutes before halftime when Jason Johnson broke in but saw his shot come back off the crossbar, but the Foxes had to withstand some pressure from its hosts and early in the second half needed a big clearance off the goal line to keep the game scoreless. With 15 minutes to go, however, Lawal seized on a chance after El Farolito goalkeeper Luis Castro spilled a ball into the penalty area and fired home from eight yards for the winner.

FORWARD MADISON FC 3, EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC 0: Locomotive FC’s first Open Cup campaign came to an end at the first hurdle as USL League One’s Forward Madison FC took victory at Southwest University Park.

The Flamingos took the lead in the 19th minute when a through-ball to Paulo Jr. in the right channel saw the Brazilian deliver a first-time cross to Jiro Barriga Toyama for a headed finish at the top of the six-yard area. Madison then doubled its lead seven minutes later when a flicked pass by Jeff Michaud released Barriga Toyama into the left side of the penalty area, and his low cross picked out Christian Díaz for a simple close-range finish.

El Paso tried to mount a comeback in the second half, and Yuma had an early chance blocked away to safety, but with 14 minutes to go the Flamingos made it three as Michaud got in on the left side and slotted his finish home into the right corner.

ORANGE COUNTY FC 2 (5), ORANGE COUNTY SC 2 (3): Orange County SC was eliminated in a penalty shootout by Orange County FC after twice holding a lead at Championship Soccer Stadium. Orange County took the lead in the 13th minute on an own goal as OCFC’s Joshua Davis sent a header into his own net as he tried to intercept an angled cross into the penalty area, but OCFC pulled back on level terms in the 27th minute as Dakota Collins put home the rebound after a counterattack by the visitors.

OCSC thought it had regained the lead with 18 minutes to go, but Darwin Jones’ finish was ruled out for offside. A long-range effort by Harry Forrester also tested OCFC goalkeeper David Preys, but with three minutes to go Jones was slid in behind the OCFC defense and produced a perfect chipped finish that went off the underside of the crossbar and in to put the hosts ahead. OCFC responded in the second minute of stoppage time, however, as Rayan Holland scored from close range to send the game to extra time. Neither side would find the net in the additional 30 minutes, but after Aodhan Quinn had OCSC’s first shot of the shootout saved, OCFC went perfect from the spot to advance.

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