The U.S. Open Cup is a part of FC Cincinnati at its very core. From the very start of FCC's history 10 years ago, The Orange and Blue have proudly entered into the United States longest running historic cup competition and competed in it with pride.
However, due to MLS regulations, FC Cincinnati missed out on the opportunity to represent itself in the tournament in 2024. In 2025, FCC was able to put its crest back into the Cup, but it needed to do so as FC Cincinnati 2 and as an MLS NEXT Pro side rather than through the first team. A compromise that still irks some – FC Cincinnati Head Coach Pat Noonan Thursday expressed his confusion at the selection qualification as to why some first teams are entered, but others are not before stating his desire to have all first teams enter – but a compromise nonetheless.
But, in a tournament that so often is hailed for its mayhem, upsets and spirit of the game in all of its small details, FC Cincinnati 2 was unfortunately on the opposite end of that U.S. Open Cup magic and became victim of a "Cupset" on Thursday night at NKU Soccer Stadium. The New York Pancyprian Freedoms held out for 120 minutes – 90 minutes of regulation and another 30 of extra time with a full defensive formation that included, at times, as many as seven players on the backline – with a scoreless draw and won the penalty kicks shootout 5-4 to advance to the second round in the Open Cup, ending FC Cincinnati 2's tournament run in the first round.
The New York Pancyprian Freedoms came into the tournament as underdogs, winners of the National Amature Cup in 2024 to qualify for the tournament, but did what they needed to advance. The result left FCC 2 with a sour taste despite dominating play and, hopefully, a lesson to be learned.
"We had the opportunities to put them away in terms of our techniques but this is part of the growing pain that this environment brings. Youthfulness, sometimes a little bit of inexperience and that's what happened tonight," FC Cincinnati 2 Head Coach Tyronne Marshall said after the match on Thursday night pitchside. "We just have to go back and just keep building. The guys are still learning a lot of things…but look at the end of the day you've got to score goals. We haven't scored a goal in three games. So we have to go back to the drawing board, and we have to start working on things, how we can get the guys to put the ball in the back of the net, and when we get guys to do that, we will be the ones cheering next time."
FC Cincinnati 2 dominated play and possession, putting pressure on the Freedom's goal all night. Still, they couldn't find that final piece. On several occasions, FCC 2 thought they had the winning moment, but the final touch was either tapped away by the keeper or spun just wide of the net. In the rare moments where New York found a half chance, first-team homegrown goalkeeper Paul Walters was there to eliminate the danger.
However, as the game developed and the clock continued to tick, FC Cincinnati 2 struggled to break down the packed defense NYPF fell into and showed some of the youthfulness their roster had. FCC 2 utilized five academy prospects and/or graduates in the match, and no one in the squad was older than 23 years old. On top of that, three more of their starters were not yet even 20 years old.
The age does not make the loss any less disappointing. Still, for such a young group it could be a vital learning moment for these young players in the FC Cincinnati system.
"It's a good opportunity for some of these boys to play in a tournament like this, a prestigious tournament like the U.S. Open Cup," Marshall insisted after the match. "I've been a part of it where we won three championships and been to six finals, so I know what it's like and I know it's going to be difficult for the guys to swallow a loss like this… that's what we want to get out of this, know the feeling."
"You don't want to experience this feeling again. (As a player) you know what it feels like and you know you don't want to get into that mood. You want to be on the other side of it where you're winning games and feeling the joy and feeling the excitement. Knowing that you did well and capitalized on the moments that we did have. So, we go back to work and we will try to learn from this moment and this feeling."
It is a disappointing outcome for FC Cincinnati as an organization, given the club's history in the U.S. Open Cup, to bow out so early, regardless of circumstance. However, as FC Cincinnati grows and becomes the big fish in the pond that others look to take down, it is a reminder of where FC Cincinnati came from and where they are now. No longer the upstart, but the giant.
So it is then the new lesson to learn for the next generation of FC Cincinnati players to grow from.
