FC Cincinnati 2 fell to the New York Pancyprian Freedoms Thursday night in the first round of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The teams finished the match tied 0-0 with the match ending in a shootout, which the Freedoms won 5-4.
After a scoreless opening half of action, controlled in large part by FCC 2, forward Tega Ikoba nearly gave the Orange and Blue a 1-0 lead in the 49th minute with a close range headed effort. Wingback Dilan Hurtado provided the service in with a good curling cross into the box. Ikoba was able to rise above the Freedoms defense but put the attempt straight at the goalkeeper.
In extra time, where the two sides battled for an additional 30 minutes through two 15-minute periods, Yorkaeff Caicedo hit the frame of goal from close range. Caicedo broke into the Freedoms box, beating one defender before launching a powerful left footed effort that struck the near post and cleared the danger for the visitors.
The match proceeded to a shootout to decide a winner where the Freedoms emerged winners. The Orange and Blue converted on their first four attempts, but Freedoms substitute Jens Hoff won it on the team’s sixth attempt.
Midfielder Ben Augee made his club debut in the match alongside FC Cincinnati Academy debutant Brandon Kristel. Augee came on as a second half substitute in the 63rd minute for Carson Locker while Kristel entered in the second extra time period.
FC Cincinnati 2 return to MLS NEXT Pro play on Sunday, March 30 at Scudamore Field as they take on Chicago Fire FC II at 4 p.m. ET. The match will air on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
FC CINCINNATI 2 GAME REPORT
FC Cincinnati 2 vs New York Pancyprian Freedoms
Date: March 20, 2025
Competition: Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Venue: Scudamore Field at NKU Soccer Stadium | Highland Heights, Kentucky
Kickoff: 7:33 p.m. ET
Weather: 39 degrees, cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY: 1-2-AET-FT
CIN: 0-0-0-0
NYPF: 0-0-0-0
CIN – None
NYPF – None
SHOOTOUT SUMMARY
CIN – GOAL | GOAL | GOAL | GOAL | MISS | MISS
NYPF – GOAL | MISS | GOAL | GOAL | GOAL | GOAL
LINEUPS
CIN: Paul Walters, Andrei Chirila, Brian Schaefer, Noah Adnan (Juan Machado 64’), Yorkaeff Caicedo (Will Kuisel 101’), Peter Mangione (C), Carson Locker (Ben Augee 63’), Dilan Hurtado (Xhosa Manyana 84’), Monsuru Opeyemi (Brandon Kristel 105’), Kenji Mboma Dem (Ademar Chavez 64’), Tega Ikoba
Substitutes not used: Nathan Crockford
Head Coach: Tyrone Marshall
NYPF: Joshua Levine, Rikard Cederberg, Matthew Forester (Alexsi Morel 96’), Devin Heanue (Jens Hoff 105’), Jack Sluys, Luis Argudo (C), Jordan Bailon, Augustus McGiff (Pablo Herrera 36’), Joseph Holland, James Thristino (Sameer Fathazada 46’), Nicholas Zielonka
Substitutes not used: George Angelidis, Junior Rosero, Konstantinos Xiouros
Head Coach: Andreas Chronis
STATS SUMMARY: CIN/NYPF
Shots: 24 / 12
Shots on Goal: 7 / 2
Corner Kicks: 4 / 3
Fouls: 14 / 10
Offside: 6 / 1
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
CIN – Andrei Chirila (Yellow Card) 6’
NYPF – Augustus McGiff (Yellow Card) 26’
CIN – Xhosa Manyana (Yellow Card) 84’
OFFICIALS
Referee: Salvador Flores
Ast. Referees: James Duling, Alex Adkins
Fourth Official: Kevin Kernen
