UNIONDALE, N.Y. – The Long Island Rough Riders gave the Charlotte Independence a battle and a half but ultimately fell short in the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Thursday night.
Forward Rafael Jauregui’s second goal of the match, in the 107th minute, broke the deadlock and lifted Charlotte to a 3-2 victory in foggy conditions at Mitchel Athletic Complex.
Jauregui intercepted a clearance and fired a 15-yard shot past goalkeeper Eryk Dymora to give the USL League One side the win over the Rough Riders, who compete in USL League Two.
Charlotte advanced to the second round, which will be played April 1–2.
The two 30-minute extra-time periods were action-packed, with both teams combining for three goals.
Christian Chaney put Charlotte ahead 2-1 in the 104th minute, scoring off a half-volley from Clay Dimick’s right-flank delivery. Just a minute into stoppage time of the first extra-time period, Long Island leveled the score at 2-2 as Elias Khodri volleyed home a 14-yard strike—setting the stage for Jauregui’s decisive moment.
Both teams eased into the match, with neither able to register a shot on target in the opening 15 minutes. Charlotte midfielder Omar Ciss took the game’s first attempt in the 17th minute, rolling a shot from the left side of the penalty area that Dymora easily saved.
Led by Woznicki, the Rough Riders controlled much of the rest of the first half. Defender Carlo Ritaccio recorded the hosts’ first shot on goal in the 20th minute, forcing goalkeeper Drew Romig to punch the ball away.
Woznicki continued to trouble the Charlotte backline, working his way into the middle of the box in the 29th minute, but fired wide right. Six minutes later, midfielder Leonardo D’Ambrosio attempted a long-range shot that drifted just wide.
In the 45th minute, Woznicki nearly capitalized on a Romig clearance he blocked, but the ball rolled wide. A minute later, D’Ambrosio launched another effort from 25 yards out that missed just left.
Woznicki finally broke through in the 49th minute. Defender Gabriel Pacheco began the scoring sequence with a throw-in to Woznicki on the left side of the box. His initial shot was blocked, but the rebound fell back to him, and he lofted a high shot into the upper-right corner over Romig.
D’Ambrosio noticed Romig off his line and attempted a bold long-range effort from midfield in the 67th minute, but it sailed wide left.
Charlotte pressed forward. In the 70th minute, Long Island forward Jakob Friedman cleared a header off the goal line, and Dymora denied another header five minutes later.
The visitors were rewarded for their persistence in the 79th minute when Jauregui converted a feed from Chaney from eight yards out to equalize.
Rough Riders head coach Chris Megaloudis assembled the team well ahead of the USL League Two season, which begins in May. He and his staff successfully brought back several key players from last year’s Metropolitan Division-winning squad, while also adding promising newcomers.
The Rough Riders will kick off their USL League Two season at home against Ironbound SC at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale, N.Y., on Sunday, May 18, at 6 p.m.
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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