“The Open Cup gave me my chance,” Ozzie said of that 2008 run with Charleston. “It was my chance to improve and move forward. The Cup showed me anything is possible,” said Alonso, who played all 90 minutes of the 2-1 Final loss at the old RFK Stadium.
New Mexico’s Maiden Voyage (2019)
While it ended well shy of the Final, New Mexico United’s 2019 run is worth considering too.
Having only played their first game as a club nine days before opening in that year’s Open Cup, the Albuquerque-based side, led by the now-D.C. United head coach Troy Lesesne, wasted no time etching their name into our tournament’s legend and lore. NMU’s run to the Quarterfinal saw them beat two MLS teams and was made all the more impressive considering every one of their wins en route to the Last Eight came on the road.
Goals from local hero and former MLS standout Devon Sandoval and Kevaughn Frater felled the Colorado Rapids in the Round of 32 (2-2 aet and 4-2 PKs). They then beat 2016 Open Cup Champs FC Dallas in the Round of 16 (2-1). The side hoped for more magic when they arrived – with a large supporting cast of fans up in the stands – at the brand-new Allianz Field in St Paul for the Quarterfinal.
Those traveling fans had even more reason to believe when Santi Moar opened the scoring in the seventh minute. But it was a false dawn as Minnesota United – that year’s eventual Open Cup Runners-up – hit the net six times without reply in a convincing win (6-1).
