An awaited moment arrives as the Long Island Rough Riders prepare to host a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
The Rough Riders will welcome the Charlotte Independence for a first-round game at Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y., on Thursday, March 20, at 7 p.m.
Charlotte competes in USL League 1, while the Rough Riders play in USL League 2.
“We are very excited to be competing in the U.S. Open Cup and even more excited to be bringing the U.S. Open Cup to Long Island,” Rough Riders general manager Tanner Sands said. “There’s obviously a beauty to the tournament where you never know what can happen, and to be able to play in front of our home fans – we believe we can make something special happen.”
The Rough Riders’ season doesn’t begin until May, but they will field a team for the match.
“We will have a competitive roster that will be able to compete with anyone, and this organization has a history of producing some major upsets, so hopefully, we will be able to once again do that on March 20,” Sands said.
Last year, the Rough Riders captured the Metropolitan Conference crown with a 9-1-2 record and 29 points while qualifying for the playoffs.
Charlotte (9-6-7, 34) finished in sixth place in League One. It was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
The Rough Riders have had several memorable Open Cup matches over the years. These include a 4-3 comeback win at the New England Revolution (Major League Soccer) behind late heroics by Jim Rooney (two goals, one assist) and Dahir Mohammed (game-winner) in 1997, and a 1-0 home loss to the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (MLS) at Stony Brook University several weeks later.
In 2018, the Rough Riders survived an amazing Open Cup match. Their 6-3 victory over the Kingston Stockade in Massapequa Park, N.Y., included five goals in extra time, a two-goal comeback in the second half, and four yellow cards and two reds, leaving both sides with 10 men. Charlie Ledula scored twice in the second extra time. Tyler Botte had a goal in regulation and added an insurance goal in the extra period. A week later, the Rough Riders were eliminated by Louisville City FC (USL Championship) in the second round, 5-0.
Keep following www.LIRoughRiders.com for the latest details about the Open Cup game, their regular season schedule, and other news and updates.
Written by Michael Lewis