After a wildly entertaining opening salvo, the U.S. Open Cup picked back up this week with a second round of action. While there weren’t quite as many Cup-sets to enjoy, three amateur teams – Miami United, El Farolito, and the Lubbock Matadors – advanced to round three, where they’ll face off against USL Championship opposition.
Even with the chalkier results, round two was still full of breathtaking moments, unexpected storylines, and the sorts of grassroots joys that make this tournament so special. With 16 more games in the books, we’ve got another set of superlatives to hand out.
Most Cathartic Goal
El Farolito’s first-round Cup-set over Portland Timbers 2 at Providence Park was a wonderful story in its own right, but most amateur runs in the tournament tend to be one and done. Beating professional opposition multiple times in short order is an incredibly difficult task, but everyone’s favorite Mexican restaurant-turned-club pulled off the trick.
