In recent years, the Third Round has been one of the most compelling rounds of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The reward for winning a Third Round game is a matchup with a Major League Soccer team. Or better yet, a home game against a MLS team.

The headline of Round 3 was the NPSL’s Orange County FC making history by traveling to Las Vegas and upsetting Eric Wynalda’s Lights FC. The win not only helped OCFC earn their first-ever date with a MLS team, but it also earned them $25,000 in prize money as the last remaining Open Division team in the 106th edition of the tournament.

Elsewhere, there was a seven-goal thriller in Norman, Okla., some late game-winning goals in Sacramento and Louisville, and the Charleston Battery advancing with a rare penalty kick shootout shutout.

Scroll down for links to other US Open Cup coverage, including a game-by-game summary of each Round 3 matchup.

#USOC2019 ESSENTIALS

2019 US Open Cup Schedule/Results (with links to every match report)

Things you should know about the Third Round of the US Open Cup (Modern Era)

Notable upsets in the Third Round of the US Open Cup (Modern Era)

2019 US Open Cup statistical leaders

2019 US Open Cup Round 1: Game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Round 2: Game-by-game review

NPSL Mid-Atlantic Conference currently ineligible for 2020 US Open Cup

Every US Open Cup game to stream on ESPN+ in multi-year media rights deal

SUPPORT US OPEN CUP COVERAGE ON THECUP.US

Appreciate what we do? Help improve our coverage by joining TheCup.us Patreon team!

VISIT THECUP.US STORE

THECUP.US PLAYER OF THE ROUND

Round 1: Charles Boateng – Richmond Kickers

Round 2: Bryant Martin – Florida Soccer Soldiers

#USOC2019 QUALIFYING

2019 US Open Cup qualifying schedule/results

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 1 game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2 game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 3 game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Final Round game-by-game review

Florida Soccer Soldiers qualify for first time after America SC withdraws

More pros, less amateurs, an extra sub in 2019 US Open Cup format

Chattanooga FC qualifies for 2019 US Open Cup, but opts out

Bavarian SC qualify for 2019 US Open Cup by winning Amateur Cup title

MEET THE UNDERDOGS SERIES

Milwaukee’s Bavarian Soccer Club, proudly amateur since 1929

West Chester United battle tested from long journey back to US Open Cup

NTX Rayados grooming “new generation” to keep qualifying streak going

Academica SC earns first US Open Cup berth after more than 40 years as a club

FC Denver using US Open Cup to build to “higher level”

First year Florida Soccer Soldiers winning with “respect, pride and commitment”

Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL-C)

3:4

OKC Energy (USL-C)

The lightning that delayed the match for more than two hours wasn’t the only thing that was electric on Tuesday night as Oklahoma City Energy FC played host to the Tampa Bay Rowdies at John Crain Stadium in Norman, Okla. After taking an early lead in the 2nd minute thanks to Omar Gordon, the Energy found themselves trailing 2-1 off goals from Brandon Allen and Antoine Hoppenot inside the first 24 minutes. Alexy Bosetti leveled the affair in the 27th minute before assisting on Christian Eissele’s goal five minutes later, sending OKC up 3-2 heading into halftime. Brandon Allen quickly got the Rowdies back to level pegging to start the second half, but OKC had one final answer thanks to Deshorn Brown.

The win sends Energy FC to the Fourth Round for the fourth time in five years. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Florida Soccer Soldiers (USASA/UPSL)

0:1

North Carolina FC (USL-C)

Cup darlings Florida Soccer Soldiers held tough, but ultimately succumbed to North Carolina FC’s pressure as the hosts came away with a 1-0 victory on Wednesday night at WakeMed Soccer Park. DJ Taylor scored the lone goal of the match in the 47th minute off a pass from Steven Miller after both teams battled to a 0-0 draw in the opening 45 minutes. North Carolina advances to the Fourth Round by virtue of their win, where they’ll hope for better fortune against a soon-to-be-named MLS side than they’ve experienced in six of the last seven years. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Indy Eleven (USL-C)

0:1

Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-C)

Coming off the bench, Kenardo Forbes scored his fourth career US Open Cup goal to send the Pittsburgh Riverhounds through to the Fourth Round for just the fourth time in club history. The late winner came in the 85th minute of a low shot from distance. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Birmingham Legion (USL-C)

0:1

Louisville City (USL-C)

A penalty kick in the 90th minute proved the difference in a tightly-contested fight between the Birmingham Legion and Louisville City on Wednesday night. Brian Ownby was the one who drew the foul in the box, but it was Sean Totsch who hammered home the penalty to secure the win for the host side. The win marks Louisville’s safe passage to the Fourth Round for the second straight year, where they’ll meet up with an MLS opponent to be determined Thursday morning. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Forward Madison (USL-1)

1:3

Saint Louis FC (USL-C)



A pair of goals inside the first six minutes of action proved disastrous for Forward Madison as Saint Louis FC secured a 3-1 victory. Paris Gee drew first blood in the second minute of action before Guy Abend doubled the advantage four minutes later. Though Don Smart did pull one back for the USL League One side in the 38th minute, Saint Louis’ Russell Cicerone iced the match with the hosts’ third goal in the 72nd minute. With the win, Saint Louis advances to the Fourth Round for just the third time in club history. They’ll find out their opponent during the Fourth Round drawing tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Hartford Athletic (USL-C)

0:4

Memphis 901 (USL-C)

Memphis ran rampant, picking up a clean sheet and putting four past 10-man Hartford Athletic to reach the Fourth Round. Marc Burch got Memphis on the board in just the sixth minute after converting from the spot. Jochen Graf then scored the next two goals in the 21st and 59th minutes, respectively. After Hartford’s Sam De Wit picked up a straight red in the 61st minute, Morgan Hackworth put the finishing touches on the victory with a final goal seven minutes from full time. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Charleston Battery (USL-C)

1-1 (3:0 PKs)

Nashville SC (USL-C)

The Charleston Battery needed penalty kicks to eliminate Nashville SC after a 1-1 draw and advance to the Fourth Round. Nicque Daley had the Battery in front in the 24th minute, but Kharlton Belmar staved off elimination for Nashville by restoring parity in the 72nd minute. After no player was able to break the deadlock through extra time, Charleston proved the more clinical side from the spot to secure their safe passage. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

San Antonio FC (USL-C)

2:4

Austin Bold (USL-C)



The Austin Bold gave their home fans plenty to cheer about as they emerged 4-2 victors on Wednesday night to become just the second Austin-based team to win a Third Round game in the US Open Cup. Kleber Giacommazi, Sonny Guadarrama and Andre Lima effectively decided the match with three first-half goals before San Antonio FC ruined the clean sheet with a goal through Walter Restrepo. Lima and Jack Barmby traded goals in the second half to give the match its final scoreline. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

New Mexico United (USL-C)

2:1 (AET)

Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL-C)

It required an additional 30 minutes, but New Mexico United advanced past the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, 2-1, after extra time. With the win, New Mexico United becomes the Land of Enchantment’s first squad to advance to the Fourth Round in the Modern Era. Battling to a deadlock in the first half, Colorado Springs’ Jordan Burt broke through with a 52nd-minute strike. However, Chris Wehan rescued United from defeat with a goal in the 87th minute to send the match to extra time. Rony Argueta changed the calculus of the match three minutes into the first extra time period, picking up a red card, which Kevaughn Frater almost immediately capitalized on with the match-winner two minutes later. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Orange County FC (USL-C)

5:3

Las Vegas Lights (USL-C)

In a game where advancement odds shifted more than a roulette wheel, Orange County FC scored twice in the dying moments of regulation to advance into the Fourth Round over the Las Vegas Lights. Blake Frischknecht’s incredible goal in the 89th minute gave his group the lead before Oscar Flores sealed it with a stoppage time goal off the bench. The team becomes the first National Premier Soccer League side to beat two professional teams in a single tournament since the league’s founding in 2003 while Vegas folds in the Third Round for the second straight year. Orange County also becomes the first NPSL club to claim the tournament’s Open Division prize money. This year, the amount is $25,000.

A quick start by Orange County including a goal by Cody Shelton six minutes in and a Lights own goal ten minutes later put the visitors up early. Eric Wynalda’s squad was able to cut the lead in half after Santiago Echavarria was brought down in the OCFC box allowing him to convert a pk but the amateur group entered the break up by two once again when Dakota Collins scored his second goal of the tournament. A comeback looked from Vegas looked as though the game was heading to extra time after Edwin Rivas and Junior Josue Sandoval both scored for their team, the latter’s tying goal coming in the 85th minute but were unable to hold the lead as regulation time ran out. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT

Fresno FC (USL-C)

0:1

Sacramento Republic (USL-C)

Sacramento Republic waited until the last minute to do it, but they defeated the visiting Fresno FC 1-0 to advance to the next round of the US Open Cup. It took 122 minutes, but Fresno finally cracked and forward Stefano Bonomo headed home the winner to seal Fresno’s demise, guaranteeing the Republic will be drawn into the Fourth Round of the Open Cup. It wasn’t easy, Fresno played their part from the very first moments of the match, key players used positive combination play to attack the channels all night, but Sacramento’s backline failed to relent to the pressure. The Republic probably should have won it in regular time though – the only bit of drama in the match was a 65th minute strike by Sam Werner, which rocketed off the crossbar and past the goal line. However, it bounced out so quickly that the goal was not awarded and play continued. It was probably justice then, for the Republic to avoid going to penalties and move on in the tournament. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT