Fans of the historic Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup live by its magic moments. And the Round of 16 of the 2025 competition tossed up a good few of those between May 20-21. Join us for a look back at eight moments of note from eight thrilling games in which MLS asserted a complete Major-League Dominance, a pair of outsider-goalkeepers were thrust into the role of heroes, the Quarterfinal field was confirmed and an astonishing 34 goals were scored.
There’s much to consider as we pause for breath – and replenishment –before our Last Eight (July 8-9). First is the fact that no teams from the lower leagues remain. The Pittsburgh Riverhounds, lone Division II survivors in our Last 16, didn’t bite like they did when they beat two MLS teams in a run to the 2023 Quarterfinals. The rain-soaked 4-1 rout by Philadelphia Union spoke to a larger victory. MLS beats USL Championship 8-0 a headline might read. For the first time since 2015, a full decade of Open Cup play, it’s an exclusive cast of Major League Soccer teams in our Last Eight. Why? Hell, why’s the sky blue? Why’s the sun shine? Depth could be a reason. It always is. So too might motivation be. And Stars. Like Brandon Vazquez in Austin, a man with three goals in two games and something to prove. And Emil Forsberg, the Swedish international, in New York Red Bull-Red. Luck? Yeah, same as all the other maybe-reasons. If you live only by numbers then you live in a world starved of Magic. And while the Magic of this Cup, from the Last Eight on, will be made only by teams from MLS, it’s Magic nonetheless. So we tip our cap to this new dawn in our tournament – the only one that considers the top to the bottom as they all prove their truths on the field. We wait, breath-bated, to see what’s next.
Goalkeepers rarely get to be The Hero. How often do they race to the corner flag, knee-slide in ecstasy and bathe in the collective love of the masses? It only happens in a penalty shootout. And our U.S. Open Cup, where winners are required from Game One to Game 63, is a cornucopia of drama from the spot. Two games of the Round of 16 needed shootouts and each saw goalkeepers – both outsiders, back-ups – save the day in a big way. D.C. United’s Jordan Farr – a hero of the lower leagues – made his MLS debut when coach Troy Lesesne – another hero of the lower leagues from his time with New Mexico United – brought him on with seconds to go in OT. He made FOUR saves. FOUR of them, folks. The shootout finished a humble 2-1 to D.C. (after a 3-3 end to the game itself) and Farr, as likeable a person as you’ll meet in this game, was the conquering hero. (also the ham: He provided a trademark celebratory backflip on demand for the cameras). A.J. Marcucci was heroic too in New Jersey. Four years ago he was lining up on Harkness Green as a DIII Connecticut College Camel. After a stint in Finland last year, RBNY coach Sandro Schwarz tapped him as his Cup Keeper for 2025. His save on Pedrinho’s spot-kick sent the 25-year-old into justifiable hysterics. “It’s something I couldn’t have imagined a few years ago.”
Sullivan is a common surname, so two in a roster shouldn’t raise too many eyebrows. But the two in the Philadelphia Union line-up against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, played in lashing wind and rain on the banks of the Delaware River, used to play one-on-one in the backyard and grew up in the same house. The second goal of the win – scored in the dying seconds of the first half by Indiana Vassilev – was set up by the Brothers Sullivan. Older brother Quinn (21) sent the ball in to younger brother Cavan, the 15-year-old phenom destined for huge things, to provide the assist. The two brothers, both pros born and raised in Philly and now playing for the hometown team, hugging and jubilating in their achievement in this country’s most historic soccer tournament, is enough of a story to sustain us. But it doesn’t stop (or start?) there. Dad, Brendan, played in the Open Cup in 1998 with the long-forgotten Worcester Wildfire. And his dad, Larry, grandfather of Cavan and Quinn, played in our Final in 1977 with the United German-Hungarians, a 5-0 loss to five-time Champions Maccabee LA. “It just means I’m carrying the tradition down,” Cavan said. “Hopefully, my kids will too.”
Let’s move from a Duo to a Trio. Three coaches still alive in our Last Eight were once in charge of the U.S. Men’s National Team. Only one of them, 73-year-old Bruce Arena of the San Jose Earthquakes, has ever won an Open Cup before. That came way back in 1996 when, with former USMNT playing hero John Harkes in his midfield, he guided D.C. United to the first title of our Modern Era. Now, with John’s son Ian Harkes marshalling his midfield, Arena’s hoping to win another Open Cup some 29 years on. Gregg Berhalter, head coach of the USMNT between 2018 and 2022, and again in 2022-2023, might have something to say about it. His Chicago Fire humbled a baby-faced, heavily rotated New England Revolution on the road in Providence and now have sights set on reviving the Glory Days that saw them win four Open Cups in the space of eight years (1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006). The Fire also sit on the cusp of becoming the first MLS team to win five Open Cup titles. But there’s another BUT and that’s B.J. Callaghan, coach of Nashville SC, who is – we should all take care to remember – the only undefeated coach in USMNT history. He won the Concacaf Nations League in 2023 and finished his tenure as interim National Team boss with five wins and two draws.
Hairstyles and Uniforms looked very different the last time anyone spoke about D.C. United or the Chicago Fire as major powers in MLS. But both of those clubs, heroes of a previous age, are now three wins away from lifting another Open Cup (they share an astonishing six between them). The only former Champions alive in our 2025 Last Eight, they’re both huffing and puffing to revive the echoes of former glories. The Fire, famous for their Debut League-Cup Double in 1998 when they burst onto the scene as an expansion side, won four U.S. Open Cup crowns between that year and 2006. D.C. United, whose team of the mid-to-late 90s featured Marco Etcheverry, Eddie Pope and Jaime Moreno – and was a force to be reckoned with on any field anywhere in the world, last lifted the Open Cup in 2013. That year’s D.C. United, maybe just as famously, was the worst team MLS had ever seen (at least on paper). But the Cup is open to everyone who accepts its unique challenges – win and move on. It’s a delight.
Magic always trumps Numbers in USOC-World. But as we must occasionally bow to modern pressures, like all who live and breathe, let us present a few statistics worth consideration. We begin, as always, with goals. 34 of them fell in our Round of 16. That’s a rousingly high number – at least four per game with the exception of San Jose v Portland Timbers (1-0). It’s the most goals scored in a Round of 16 going all the way back to 2005. There must have been something in the water that year, two decades ago, because 38 goals dropped in its Round of 16and that’s just bonkers (that glut was helped by: Sporting KC’s 6-1 rout of the Des Moines Menace and LA Galaxy’s 5-2 win over the Minnesota Thunder). 2015 is a number we can admire too. It’s the last year the Last Eight cast of an Open Cup was made up exclusively of MLS teams (until now). Star-power drives some of this current crop of MLS clubs – and one of those, former Champion and USMNT target-man Brandon Vazquez, is flying. His 3 goals in 2 games helped his Austin FC into the Last Eight for the first time. 4 is another number and it pertains to a star-in-the-making. New York Red Bulls’s young Mohammed Sofo scored four goals (and tallied one assist) in the Open Cup in three games of its last two editions (three goals and the assist with the first team this year and one as part of New York Red Bulls II of MLS NEXT Pro last year).
Forgive us. There’s a numerical spill-over into this section. Anthony Markanich scored twice in three late minutes to flip the script on St. Louis CITY SC and see Minnesota United FC through to the Quarterfinals. If the name sounds familiar, it’s maybe because his brother, Nick Markanich, was also a recent star in the Open Cup, doing his part with three goals in 2023 and helping the Charleston Battery Cupset Atlanta United in 2024. Minnesota United had their only taste of a deep Open Cup run back in 2019, but the Loons eventually lost a tight Final to Atlanta United in front of a record crowd. One of the Atlanta United stars that famous night was Julian Gressel, who just moved to MNUFC (from Inter Miami) in late April. Eight days after signing, he immediately requested to be a part of the Open Cup squad. The Loons, with Gressel and Markanich charging, have now beaten Louisville City and St. Louis CITY SC and find themselves two wins away from a place in another Final. And, with the luck of the Last Eight Draw behind them, it’s home games all the way for these Loons, too.
This is the hardest part. And we do mean it. Every outburst of joy at a final whistle has its counterpoint in the dread-agony of the loser. First, foremost (and forever) we would like to say a word of thanks to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Coach Bob Lilley, your grit and spirit – and the toughness of the teams you mold – will not be forgotten. Also, a wider thanks and farewell go to the entire United Soccer Leagues Family. From the summer-league strivers of USL League two, like, of course, the peerless Des Moines Menace, to the Division III pros of USL League One – this year’s outstanding debutants Portland Hearts of Pine and AV ALTA. And, of course, cheers and gratitude go to the Division II USL Championship. You’re all a huge part of the beating heart and soul of our Open Cup.
So there we have it. Let us rest and gather ourselves. We’ll go again, fresh and zesty, for our Quarterfinal Round on July 8-9 with the finish line of the 110th U.S. Open Cup coming into view.
See you then, friends.
Fontela is editor-in-chief ofussoccer.com/us-open-cup. Follow him at@jonahfontela on X/Twitter.