The only thing better than one ‘Cupset’ is two, as the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Birmingham Legion will carry the USL Championship flag into the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup.
Bob Lilley led the Pittsburgh Riverhounds to a 1-0 victory over the Columbus crewwhile the Birmingham Leigon defeated 10 men Charlotte F.C 1-0. The Riverhounds will qualify for the quarterfinals for the first time since 2001, while the Legion will qualify for the first time in franchise history.
Following Sacramento Republic, which reached the Open Cup final last season, both teams have ensured that the USL Championship flag will fly in the quarterfinals.
After Albert Dikwa opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, the Riverhounds held on against a twisted Crew side now following FC Los Angeles top teams fall out of the cup. The New England have struck Revolution from the Open Cup, Lilley’s RIverhounds are now on a seven match unbeaten run in all competitions. Then they had to hold on Edward Kizza was sent off in stoppage time but managed to do it.
The Riverhounds become the first USL Championship team to win back-to-back shutouts against MLS sides. With the bracket determined by region for the next round, the Riverhounds will take on it F.C. Cincinnati in the quarter-finals as they attempt to eliminate three MLS sides in a row.
For Birmingham it took until Charlotte FC defender Adilson Malanda was sent off in the 51st minute to score a goal, and it had some MLS flavor with former New England Revolution player Juan Aguedelo assisting Prosper Kassim’s finish.
The Legion is an up-and-coming club in USL led by general manager Jay Heaps, and this is a milestone for the club. The quarter-finals will see them take on Inter Miami, meaning there is also a chance that Birmingham and Pittsburgh will face back-to-back Open Cups with a USL Championship side in the final. It is a testament to the growth in American football that second division teams are advancing in America’s longest-running football league.
