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A Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup victory 22 years in the making for Hounds | News & Notes

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 05/11/23, 6:10PM EDT

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How the United States U-20 squad was formed in the USL; Away teams finding surprising success this season


Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC midfielder Danny Griffin helped lift his side to a historic win in the Open Cup on Tuesday night. | Photo courtesy Mallory Neil / Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

How long had it been since Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC last defeated an opponent from Major League Soccer in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup?

Current Hounds USL Academy signing Anders Bordoy hadn’t been born, while forward Abiolo Showunmi – who started on Tuesday night – was less than a year old when it happened.

We’ve got more on that, plus details on how the USL Championship and League One offered a proving ground for numerous players that will represent the United States at the FIFA U-20 World Cup this month, and why the road hadn’t appeared quite as difficult for visiting teams so far this season.

All of that plus the regular look at upcoming milestones among the league’s players, and the Week 10 Discipline Report.

Let’s dig in.

NEWS AND NOTES

RIVERHOUNDS SC EARNS HISTORIC OPEN CUP TRIUMPH

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC recorded its first victory against a club from Major League Soccer in 22 years on Tuesday night as the side defeated the New England Revolution 1-0 in the Round of 32 at Gillette Stadium. The win was only the second for the Hounds against a top-flight opponent in club history, with Pittsburgh having previously defeated the Colorado Rapids in the 2001 edition of the tournament on the way to reaching the Quarterfinals.

New England has now been eliminated by four different current and former USL Championship clubs since 2012, with the Harrisburg City Islanders (2012), Charlotte Independence (2015) and Louisville City FC (2018) also having accomplished the feat.

The victory also marked Head Coach Bob Lilley’s first coaching victory against an MLS side since his Rochester Rhinos side defeated defending Open Cup title holder D.C. United in 2014. It also marked the first time a Lilley-coached side had won on the road against an MLS opponent in the Open Cup, with his prior two Cupsets coming on home turf.

CHAMPIONSHIP, LEAGUE ONE HELPED BUILD UNITED STATES U-20S SQUAD


Former Louisville City FC teammates Joshua Wynder and Jonathan Gomez are part of the United States U-20 Men's National Team squad for the FIFA Men's U-20 World Cup in Argentina. | Photo courtesy Em-Dash Photography / Louisville City FC

The United States U-20 Men’s National Team squad for the FIFA Men’s U-20 World Cup in Argentina was announced on Wednesday with 14 players who have competed in the USL Championship or League One named in the squad by Head Coach Mikey Varas. Leading the group is current Louisville City FC star Joshua Wynder, who last year was nominated for the USL Championship’s Young Player of the Year award and U.S. Soccer’s Young Male Player of the Year award.

The group includes three players who have been nominated for the USL Championship’s Young Player of the Year award in previous seasons, with Wynder’s 2022 having been preceded by former LouCity teammate Jonathan Gomez and former El Paso Locomotive FC star Diego Luna in earning nomination in 2021 when Gomez claimed the award. From League One’s ranks, meanwhile, Justin Che was nominated for both Defender of the Year and Young Player of the Year in 2020 for North Texas SC.

Overall, the 14 players have combined to make 342 regular season and playoff appearances in the Championship and League One and logged more than 23,500 minutes of playing time across the two leagues.

Player

Team

Games

Minutes

Goals

Assists

Luna, Diego

El Paso Locomotive FC

42

2917

13

7

Wynder, Joshua

Louisville City FC

41

2904

2

0

Ferkranus, Marcus

LA Galaxy II / Phoenix Rising FC

40

2055

0

1

Edelman, Daniel

New York Red Bulls II

39

2975

2

1

Gómez, Jonathan

Louisville City FC

39

2888

2

8

Wiley, Caleb

Atlanta United 2

33

2787

0

2

Cuevas, Mauricio

LA Galaxy II

21

1818

4

5

Yapi, Darren

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

17

184

2

0

Che, Justin

North Texas SC

16

1427

0

1

McGlynn, Jack

Philadelphia Union II

14

1123

5

3

Craig, Brandan

Philadelphia Union II

14

1062

1

0

Sullivan, Quinn

Philadelphia Union II

9

225

0

0

Gómez, Jonathan

North Texas SC

9

810

0

2

Paredes, Kevin

Loudoun United FC

4

227

0

1

Cowell, Cade

Reno 1868 FC

4

196

1

0

 

Totals

342

23598

32

31

LEGION FC’S MARTINEZ CONTINUES HOT STREAK


Birmingham Legion FC's Enzo Martinez scored in his fourth consecutive USL Championship game on Saturday night against Oakland Roots SC, equaling an individual best. | Photo courtesy Ron Potts / Birmingham Legion FC

Birmingham Legion FC’s Enzo Martinez is the hottest player in the USL Championship at present with five goals in his past four appearances. The run has matched his previous best of goals in four consecutive regular season appearances – previously achieved last year in Birmingham – and has pushed the veteran playmaker into eighth place in the Championship’s all-time regular season goalscoring list with 64 tallies to his credit.

Martinez is also now third in the Championship’s all-time list of the most combined goals and assists in the regular season with 104. That places him three behind former Charlotte Independence teammate Jorge Herrera in second place, having surpassed Hadji Barry and Corey Hertzog over the past week.

Most Combined Regular Season Goals & Assists in USL Championship
1. Dane Kelly – 132 (106 goals & 26 assists)
2. Jorge Herrera – 107 (72 goals & 35 assists)
3. Enzo Martinez – 104 (64 goals & 40 assists)
T-4. Hadji Barry – 103 (79 goals & 24 assists)
T-4. Corey Hertzog – 103 (74 goals & 29 assists)

CHAMPIONSHIP CLUBS FEELING AT HOME ON THE ROAD


El Paso Locomotive FC is among five teams to currently be undefeated on the road this season with a 3-0-1 record. | Photo courtesy Jayson Ortiz / Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

If it’s felt like visiting teams have been having more than their normal share of success this season, you’re not mistaken. Going into this weekend’s games, with 102 regular season contests completed, visiting teams have posted a record of 33W-34L-35D so far this campaign, a winning percentage of 32.3 percent overall with sides earning at least a draw 66.7 percent of the time.

Leading the way are the Charleston Battery and El Paso Locomotive FC FC, both of whom are 3-0-1 so far this season on the road. Five clubs overall are yet to lose a road contest – Memphis 901 FC (2-0-1), Monterey Bay F.C. (1-0-2) and Sacramento Republic FC (1-0-2).

The road winning percentage isn’t far off that of a season ago, where USL Championship clubs won 32 percent of the time away from home in the regular season. However, we are already more than one-third of the way to the total number of away draws earned (35) compared to last season (98), when the overall success rate of visiting teams in earning a result sat at 53.4 percent.

Visiting Club Result Success Rate (Win or Draw) by Regular Season
2023
– 66.7 percent
2022 – 53.4 percent
2021 – 53.9 percent
2020 – 55.4 percent
2019 – 51.8 percent

Upcoming Player Milestones


New Mexico United's Alex Tambakis is approaching 500 regular season saves in the Championship for his career, a landmark only previously reached by all-time saves leader Evan Newton. | Photo courtesy Isaiah J. Downing / Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances

Justin Portillo (NM) – 197
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 196

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Lucky Mkosana (TBR) – 148
Matt LaGrassa (SAC) – 146
Luiz Fernando (MEM) – 146

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Sam Gleadle (MB) – 99
Joe Kuzminsky (COS) – 98
Collin Martin (SD) – 98
Aidan Apodaca (CHS) – 97
Nick Ross (SAC) – 97
Connor Sparrow (TBR) – 97
Yuma (ELP) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes

Josh Suggs (NM) – 19,778

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Brent Richards (OC) – 14,864
James Musa (COS) – 14,729

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Alex Crognale (BHM) – 9,805
Shannon Gomez (SA) – 9,679
Austin Yearwood (NM) – 9,636
Elijah Martin (SD) – 9,631

Goals
Approaching 75 regular season goals

Neco Brett (BHM) – 72

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Lucky Mkosana (TBR) – 48

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Aodhan Quinn (IND) – 49
Solomon Asante (IND) – 48

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Oscar Jimenez (LOU) – 29
Justin Portillo (NM) – 28
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 27
Charlie Adams (SD) – 27

Saves
Approaching 500 regular season saves

Alex Tambakis (NM) – 485

Approaching 300 regular season saves
Connor Sparrow (TBR) – 291

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Paul Blanchette (OAK) – 196
Jordan Farr (SA) – 191
Kyle Morton (LOU) – 187

Shutouts
Approaching 40 regular-season shutouts

Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 38

Approaching 30 regular-season shutouts
Joe Kuzminsky (COS) – 29
Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 27 

Discipline Report – Week 10

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 10 of the 2023 USL Championship season:

Phoenix Rising FC’s Jackson Conway has been suspended for one game following his red card for violent conduct against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 6. Conway will be unavailable for selection in Phoenix’s contest against Hartford Athletic on Saturday night.

Birmingham Legion FC’s Phanuel Kavita has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Oakland Roots SC on May 6. Kavita will be unavailable for selection in Birmingham’s contest against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday night.

Detroit City FC’s Rhys Williams has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against FC Tulsa on May 6. Williams will be unavailable for selection in Detroit’s contest against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday night.

San Diego Loyal SC’s Nick Moon has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Orange County SC on May 6. Moon will be unavailable for selection in San Diego’s contest against Rio Grande Valley FC on Saturday night.

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