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U.S. Open Cup Roundup – Rakovsky lifts Phoenix Rising in penalty shootout against Tulsa

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 04/17/25, 1:35AM EDT

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Locomotive, Rowdies advance in penalty shootouts, Indy’s White, Switchbacks’ Fontana bag extra time winners


Phoenix Rising FC goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky celebrates with his teammates after their victory in a penalty shootout against FC Tulsa on Wednesday night in the U.S. Open Cup. | Photo courtesy FC Tulsa

TULSA, Okla. – Goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky was the hero for Phoenix Rising FC as he saved a stoppage time penalty kick in extra time to send the game to a penalty shootout, and then denied FC Tulsa’s first shot from the spot, a save that proved decisive as his teammates reeled off four consecutive makes to advance 4-2 after the teams had played to a tense 1-1 draw at the Hurricane Track and Field Stadium.

With the win, Rising advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup having battled through despite letting a lead slip late after being reduced to 10 players in the second half of regulation.

Rising previously had the better of the first half overall, with Noble Okello having a big opportunity blocked away to safety by Tulsa’s defense as the game went to the break scoreless. Six minutes into the second half, however, the visitors took the lead when Remi Cabral’s low ball from the left found Jearl Margaritha in space to control and finish calmly.

Cabral was sent off for his second yellow card with 15 minutes to go, however, allowing Tulsa the chance to push numbers forward late. That was rewarded with four minutes to go as Stefan Lukic equalized with a volley at the top of the six-yard area, sending the game to extra time.

Both teams had chances in extra time, including a header for recent Tulsa arrival Alhassan Toure that went over the crossbar and an effort off the post by Taylor Calheira for the hosts, but in second period stoppage time Phoenix was whistled for a handball in the penalty area, resulting in an opportunity from the spot. Calheira stepped up but had his shot to the left corner turned wide by Rakovsky, denying Tulsa its chance to claim victory before the final whistle.

Rakovsky then repeated the feat on the opening shot of the shootout, turning away Kalil ElMedkhar’s effort for Tulsa. Emil Cuello then converted for Phoenix before Faysal Bettache shot over to open the second round for the hosts, allowing JP Scearce to give Phoenix a two-goal advantage. Casey Walls and Carl Sainte then also converted to close out the result and send Phoenix into the Round of 32.

EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC 2 (4), NEW MEXICO UNITED 2 (1): Andy Cabrera scored in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time to level the Derby Del Camino Real in dramatic fashion before scoring the decisive goal from the penalty spot as El Paso Locomotive FC advanced past rivals New Mexico United 4-1 in a penalty shootout after a back-and-forth contest at the University of New Mexico Soccer Complex.

Locomotive took the lead in the 21st minute when Daniel Carter headed home at the back post off a corner from the right by Ricky Ruiz for his first goal in El Paso colors. New Mexico hit back five minutes before the halftime break, however, as McKinze Gaines capitalized on a loose pass in the Locomotive defensive end to gain possession and center for Marlon Vargas to finish from close range.

New Mexico then took the lead with 18 minutes to go when Jaylin Lindsey was picked out unmarked at the back post by Mukwelle Akale’s cross from the right, allowing the former U.S. youth international to head home to the left corner. In the dying moments of regulation, however, Cabrera controlled a cross by Gabriel Torres just outside the six-yard area and struck home a finish.

Neither side was able to break the deadlock in extra time, sending the game to the second shootout in the series’ history, and after Robert Coronado converted for El Paso to open things up, Gideon Zelalem had his shot for New Mexico saved, putting the hosts in a hole. Locomotive’s Ricky Ruiz and Torres each converted before Kalen Ryden hit the crossbar with New Mexico’s third round shot, and that opened the door for Cabrera to close out the shootout, which he did with a calm finish to the bottom-left corner.

TAMPA BAY ROWDIES 1 (9), FC NAPLES 1 (8): Forrest Lasso scored the decisive goal in a penalty shootout after making a crucial goal line clearance in second half stoppage time as the Tampa Bay Rowdies with a 9-8 victory from the spot against USL League One side FC Naples after the sides had ended all square through extra time at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex.

The teams exchanged chances early as a turnover in the Rowdies’ end gave an opportunity to Karsen Henderlong for the hosts that Tampa Bay goalkeeper Ethan Bandre did well to keep out. Three minutes later, the Rowdies’ Thomas Vancaeyezeele produced a flicked header off a corner from the left that was well saved by Lalo Delgado in the Naples net.

The Rowdies took the lead in the 26th minute, however, as Cammy McPherson’s lifted pass upfield was cleverly headed down by Manuel Arteaga to Pacifique Niyongabire as he broke in from the right flank, and the Burundi international fired home a low shot to the left corner.

Just as quickly, Naples struck back. A pass from Julian Cisneros found Jayden Onen on the left side, and his low cross found Luka Prpa in the middle of the penalty area for a finish to the right side of the net.

After what was mostly a quieter second half, Naples almost grabbed victory in stoppage time when Onen broke in on the right side before feeding Henderlong in the center as the Rowdies scrambled to recover. Henderlong made the extra pass to Andrés Ferrín, only for his low shot to be cleared off the line by Lasso to send the game to extra time.

The Rowdies went close to regaining the lead six minutes into extra time when Endri Mustali had a close-range chance hit the left post and go behind, while McPherson had a half-volleyed effort in the second period of extra time tipped over by Delgado before the game went to a shootout.

Naples gained the early advantage from the spot as Delgado made a low save to deny the Rowdies’ Leo Fernandes in the second round, but the Rowdies pulled back level in the fourth round when Bandre kept out Chris Heckenberg’s shot to the bottom-right corner. The sides then continued to exchange goals as the shootout went into extra rounds, with the 17-year-old Mustali converting with a Panenka in the sixth round before Tyler Pasnik answered for Naples.

In the 10th round, though, Lasso stepped up and powered a low shot home to the right corner before Cisneros rang the crossbar with his effort, allowing Tampa Bay to move on.


Indy Eleven's Hayden White celebrates his stoppage-time winner against Miami FC in the Third Round of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night. | Photo courtesy Trevor Ruszkowski / Indy Eleven

INDY ELEVEN 1, MIAMI FC 0: Hayden White scored in the third minute of stoppage time in the second period of extra time to send Indy Eleven past Miami FC at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in a tense clash between the two USL Championship clubs that saw both teams hit the woodwork in the additional 30 minutes.

Indy opened on the front foot and went close to taking the lead in the 13th minute when a corner kick was headed just wide of the left post by Bruno Rendon. Ten minutes later the hosts went closer as Elliot Collier forced a good save by Miami goalkeeper Bill Hamid with a header that was tipped over the crossbar to keep the game scoreless at the break.

Miami came into the game more as the second half began, and Deian Verón forced a fingertip save from Indy goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook nine minutes into the second half with a dipping effort from long range. The game moved into extra time, however, where Edward Kizza almost put Indy ahead in the 108th minute with a glanced finish that went off the face of the left post but went behind.

The visitors forced another big save from Charles-Cook with three minutes to go as Kevin Hoyos fired a powerful shot from outside the penalty area that the Grenada National Team goalkeeper turned onto the post. As the game appeared set to go to a penalty shootout, however, White got on the end of a corner kick by Cam Lindley to send the Boys in Blue through to the Round of 32.

COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS FC 3, ONE KNOXVILLE SC 2: Anthony Fontana scored in the first period of extra time to send Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC into the Round of 32 for a second consecutive year after a helter-skelter clash with USL League One side One Knoxville SC at Weidner Field.

Knoxville grabbed the initiative immediately, scoring inside the opening 90 seconds when Jaheim Brown’s lifted ball over the Switchbacks’ back line found Babacar Diene as he cut into the penalty area before firing home a precise finish into the left corner of the net. The visitors saw their lead through to the halftime break, but the Switchbacks hit back four minutes into the second half as Steven Echevarria scored from the edge of the six-yard area to level the score.

Colorado Springs appeared to have earned victory in regulation when Marco Micaletto combined with Fontana, receiving a return pass as he entered the penalty area before shooting home a low finish with eight minutes to go. Just two minutes later, though, One Knox hit back as a long throw-in from the right was flicked on by Kempes Tekiela to Stavros Zarokostas, who volleyed home to send the game to extra time.

The Switchbacks regained the lead a minute before the end of the first period concluded when Yosuke Hanya beat his marker on the left side and cut back a low cross that Fontana struck home into the top-left corner with a first-time finish. Knoxville attempted to get back into the game again, but after Zarokostas was sent off for his second yellow card in the final minute, Colorado Springs saw out the result.

DETROIT CITY FC 3, WESTCHESTER SC 1: Jeciel Cedeño scored the winner from the penalty spot with five minutes to go before Darren Smith added a late insurance goal as Detroit City eliminated USL League One side Westchester SC at Keyworth Stadium.

The hosts carried the play early and threatened regularly inside the opening 15 minutes, going closest when Ates Diouf tracked down a pass into the left channel and after navigating onto his right foot curled a shot just over the top-right corner of the goal.

Le Rouge continued to press into the second half when Sebastian Guenzatti sent a bicycle kick just wide of the right post eight minutes into the second half. The breakthrough came for the hosts with 19 minutes to go, though, as Jay Chapman’s low cross from the left byline found Morey Doner in the center of the penalty area for a first-time finish into the right side of the net.

After struggling to create chances previously, Westchester struck back in spectacular fashion just five minutes later as Honduran international Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. controlled well just outside the penalty area and fired home a half-volley into the top-left corner of the net.

With five minutes to go, however, Le Rouge regained the lead from the spot as Diouf was brought down in the left side of the penalty area. Cedeño stepped up and fired home into the left corner of the net. Detroit then wrapped up the result in stoppage time as Smith converted into an open net after the hosts had turned possession over in the attacking third, sending the side into the Round of 32.

SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC 1, EL FAROLITO FC 0: Sebastian Herrera scored the only goal as Sacramento Republic FC brought the Cinderella run of El Farolito FC to an end at Heart Health Park, sending the 2022 Open Cup Finalists into the Round of 32 draw for a fourth consecutive year.

Both sides had chances early, but Republic FC took the lead just before the half-hour mark when Rodrigo Lopez’s cross from the right was met by Herrera, whose flicked header found the left corner of the net. The visitors almost found a way to level shortly before halftime only for an angled cross into the penalty area to elude El Farolito’s front line before Republic FC goalkeeper Jared Mazzola clawed the ball away to safety.

Sacramento attempted to add to its lead in the second half with Ryan Spaulding curling a shot just wide of the right post and Russell Cicerone having an effort cleared off the line. The hosts held firm defensively, however, to advance on to the next round.

CHATTANOOGA RED WOLVES 2 (4), LAS VEGAS LIGHTS FC 2 (3): Ricardo Jerez made the decisive save in the fifth round of a penalty shootout to send Chattanooga Red Wolves SC to a 4-3 victory from the spot against Las Vegas Lights FC at Cashman Field, sending the Red Wolves through in a shootout for the third consecutive round and into the Round of 32.

The Red Wolves took the lead in the 19th minute when Zahir Vazquez received a headed pass from Kimball Jackson just outside the top-left edge of the penalty area and curled his finish into the bottom-right corner of the net. Las Vegas leveled things up two minutes before the halftime break when Edison Azcona was brought down in the penalty area, allowing the Dominican Republic international to convert from the spot with a Panenka down the middle of the goal.

Parity for the hosts was short-lived, however, as the Red Wolves regained the lead three minutes into the second half when they were awarded a penalty kick of their own, allowing Pedro Hernandez to shoot low to the left corner with his shot to find the net. The Lights hit back again just past the hour-mark, though, as Christian Pinzon powered home a strike into the top-right corner from 25 yards out, resulting in the game going to extra time.

The Red Wolves gained the early edge in the shootout as Matt Bentley converted to open the first round before Pinzon shot wide of the left post for the lights, but Las Vegas goalkeeper Nicholas Ammeter immediately denied Chattanooga’s Ualefi on the next shot, allowing Chris Pearson to level things after two rounds.

After each of the next two shooters for each side converted, Chattanooga’s Owen Green converted to put his side ahead with a powerful high finish. Jerez then made a diving save on Gennaro Nigro’s shot to the left corner, sending the Red Wolves through against a higher-division opponent for the first time in club history.

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