CARY, N.C. – Rafael Mentzingen found the net in the opening period of extra time, but North Carolina FC was unable to withstand a late barrage by Charlotte FC as United States international Patrick Agyemang and Kerwin Vargas each recorded a goal and assist in a 4-1 victory for the visitors from Major League Soccer on Tuesday night at First Horizon Stadium in the Round of 32 in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

North Carolina almost grabbed an early lead when Conor Donovan’s rose highest in a crowd that included CFC goalkeeper David Bingham to flick a header goalward, only for his chance to be cleared off the line by Nicholas Scardina. The visitors also went close 12 minutes before halftime as Idan Toklomati sent a volley wide of the left post, but the game remained scoreless after 45 minutes.

The game remained tight in the second half until late on when NCFC goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald was forced into good saves from both Eryk Williamson and Agyemang to keep the game scoreless. Those chances bracketed an opportunity for North Carolina to grab a late lead on a counterattack, only for Oalex Anderson to miss out on his one-on-one opportunity against Bingham.

Charlotte finally broke the deadlock seven minutes into the first period of extra time when Liel Abada clipped home a first-time finish off a low cross by Scardina. A minute later, however, Mentzingen responded as he cut into the right side of the penalty area and curled a low shot into the bottom-left corner to level.

Agyemang regained the lead for Charlotte with a good header in the 104th minute, though, and in the final 15 minutes the floodgates opened for the visitors as Nikola Petkovic scored in the 119th minute before Vargas capped the scoring in stoppage time.

D.C. UNITED 2, CHARLESTON BATTERY 0 (AET): Jacob Murrell and Jared Stroud each scored in extra time as Randall Leal notched a pair of assists to lift D.C. United past the Battery at Audi Field, giving the MLS side a hard-earned victory in the battle for the Coffee Pot Cup.

Looking to even the all-time series between the clubs in the Open Cup, the Battery had the best chance of a quiet first half when Arturo Rodriguez’s dipping effort from 20 yards was saved by D.C. goalkeeper Kim Joon-Hong. Charleston picked up the tempo early in the second half, and had a goal disallowed for offside in the 57th minute when Rubio Rubin flicked home an effort by Houssou Landry inside the six-yard area.

United’s first good chance came eight minutes later when Leal had a shot from the left side of the penalty area denied by the Battery’s Luis Zamudio, but neither side was able to find a breakthrough in the initial 90 minutes. D.C. opened the scoring six minutes into extra time, however, when Murrell curled home a brilliant strike from 25 yards into the top-left corner. Seven minutes later, the hosts doubled their lead when Murrell led Stroud into the penalty area for a low finish.

The Battery tried to fight back in the second period of extra time and hit the right post on a sliding effort from Emilio Ycaza with seven minutes to go before Aaron Molloy’s curling second effort was blocked away. That was a close as the visitors came, however, as United saw out the result.

NEW YORK RED BULLS 4, COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS FC 1: Mohammed Sofo scored a pair of first-half goals as the New York Red Bulls used a strong first half to earn victory against the Switchbacks as the hosts’ attempt to rally after the break came up short.

The Switchbacks held more possession in the first half, but the Red Bulls proved more incisive and took the lead in the 16th minute when Sofo was played into the right side of the penalty area and after cutting back onto his left foot shot home at the near post. The Ghanaian struck again a minute before halftime to double New York’s lead, getting in behind the Colorado Springs back line before calmly finishing.

The hosts came out more brightly to start the second half as substitute Yosuke Hanya made an impact, but the Red Bulls added a third against the run of play through Dennis Gjengaar in the 64th minute before Colorado Springs was able to break through. Anthony Fontana volleyed home from an angled cross by Matt Real with 19 minutes to go before Marco Micaletto had an effort from a free kick saved a few minutes later, but with five minutes to go the Red Bulls put the result beyond doubt as Sean Nealis fired home to cap the scoring.