Photo Credit: Bee Buck Photography
Louisville City FC 3-New England Revolution 2
Brian Ownby’s heroics set the stage for a tournament upset on Tuesday in the Blue Grass State as USL side Louisville City FC pulled off a 3-2 U.S. Open Cup fourth round victory over MLS’s New England Revolution at Lynn Stadium.
Ownby scored the game-winner in the 62nd minute and assisted on Oscar Jimenez’s 11th minute goal while Cameron Lancaster tallied in the 37th minute. The Revolution opened the account in the fifth minute from a Mark Segbers strike and benefitted from a 26th minute own goal from Patrick McMahon.
Tuesday’s win marked Louisville City’s first victory over an MLS opponent. The Kentucky selection will discover its round of 16 foe during Thursday’s draw, which will be conducted by U.S. Soccer.
How the USL side – which earned its first league title last season – pulled off the shock result can be summed up in two words: tenacity and teamwork.
Despite conceding early after Segbers pounced on a defensive miscue, the hosts’ determination never waned.
Six minutes after allowing the Revolution to score, Louisville City struck back when Ownby found Jimenez at far post, where the midfielder glanced it through to level it.
However, Louisville could not escape a momentary disaster midway through the first frame. With New England looking to reclaim its lead, Brandon Bye whipped a cross into the box for Femi Hollinger-Janzen, whose shot caromed off McMahon before it settled into the Louisville City net.
But McMahon and Co. were far from dejected. To wit, the defending USL champions patched together a slew of passes to run circles around the mix-and-match Revolution lineup. And their efforts were rewarded in kind not long after the hour mark.
With the Revolution retreating, Ownby dribbled along the right, then cut inside and blasted a shot that beat Brad Knighton and lodged itself into the upper 90 to send the 5,196 on hand into a wild frenzy.
The Revolution found an opportunity to make it a three-all affair in the dying moments, but couldn’t capitalize when Brian Wright sent a ball buzzing over the bar in the 85th minute.
With their Open Cup hopes dashed, the Revolution will redouble their focus on league play, which resumes Saturday at Chicago before another mid-week match at San Jose awaits them.
NE Revolution
US Open Cup
