If there’s anything we’ve learned through the opening three rounds of the expanded 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup, it’s that the tournament is living up to its pre-tournament hopes and expectations.

With only July’s contests left to be played, none of the eight berths in the knockout stage have yet been claimed, setting up a compelling final night on Saturday, July 26.

What’s more, the entertainment the contests we’ve seen so far have shown the level of competition that’s present across the USL Championship and League One, and how that intensity rises when there’s more at stake in each game.

You only needed to look at how Saturday night’s action played out for evidence.

• DOWN TO THE WIRE: Of the 15 games that were played on Saturday, five featured result-changing goals that occurred in the 90th minute or stoppage time. That included a crucial late winner for Orange County SC’s Pedro Guimaraes against Sacramento Republic FC that could prove key in Group 1’s final standings.

• ON THE SPOT: Another five games were decided by penalty shootouts, including dramatic endings that put Indy Eleven in control of Group 3 ahead of Birmingham Legion FC, and that kept New Mexico United alive in its bid to finish on top of Group 2 going to the final game. That brought the total number of games decided from the spot to 12, almost one-quarter of the 55 games that have been played so far.

• MAKING HISTORY: The weekend’s games also produced some historic moments in the tournament’s second year. On Friday night, Rhode Island FC’s Albert Dikwa delivered the first USL Jägermeister Cup hat trick – and was quickly followed by Phoenix Rising’s Charlie Dennis on Saturday – while Rising’s 5-4 victory against Texoma FC was the competition’s highest-scoring game.

Are there elements that we’d have liked to see more of? Certainly. The one that stands out most is the relative lack of League One clubs in contention to advance on the final day. Notwithstanding the potential chaos of Group 6 where Greenville Triumph SC, South Georgia Tormenta FC and FC Naples all remain in contention, only the Charlotte Independence have a path to the knockout rounds with a game to play.

Where the tournament has shone, though, is in its entertainment value. Not only have there been 163 goals scored so far – an average of almost three per game – there’s been more than a fair share of high-quality finishes. Strikes like Gabriel Leal’s free kick for South Georgia Tormenta FC against the Charleston Battery or Emil Cuello’s winner for Phoenix against Texoma were among the latest examples of brilliance.

Now, as the tournament heads toward Decision Day next month, everything’s set up for drama.

In the end, that’s all you can ask for.

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