US Open Cup: Independence advances over Battery

Forrest Wimberly
5 hours ago
3 min read

NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com

Independence advances in US Open Cup over Battery

A late, late game-winning goal from Viggo Ortiz lifts the Jacks into Round Three

It was a late, late goal deep into the second period of extra time that lifted the USL1 Charlotte Independence over the visiting USLC Charleston Battery in the second round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Tuesday night in the Charlotte suburb of Matthews.

In the 118th minute as penalties loomed, former Battery player Viggo Ortiz collected a ball on the left flank for the Independence and quickly spun away from pressure to open up a pathway to the goal. A surging solo run followed as Ortiz poured into the box where he unleased a wicked shot that rocketed into the far post, lower corner to send the Battery out of the Cup and the Independence into Round Three to face an MLS opponent.

The match had ended 2-2 after regulation as both teams had traded goals, spells of possession, and momentum during the first 90 minutes. The Independence had carefully crafted a 2-0 advantage early in the second half playing a disciplined, conservative defensive style looking to hit the visitors on the counter. The Independence caught the Battery in a counter in the 37rd minute on a series of quick passed that put Souaibou Marou into the box where he finished his chance for the 1-0 advantage. The hosts doubled their lead in the 58th minute as a quick change of possession sprung a free dribbler into the Battery defensive third where Luis Alvarez finished the chance to seemingly put the Jacks in complete control of the scoreboard.

All that was erased in a span of 7 minutes as the Battery made several changes to the lineup and quickly leveled the match with a pair of goals in the 70th and 77th minute. Houssou Landry was first on the board for Charleston after the ball was quickly circulated across the field left-to-right to find Landry all alone on the weak side to smash a ball into the lower nets. The match was then leveled after an errant ball was not collected by the Charlotte keeper and the onrushing Maalique Foster took the ball off the scramble and dribbled the now helpless keeper to put the ball into the empty Charlotte nets. The Independence were scrambling and uneasy during this sequence of play and saw the Battery come close to taking the lead several times over this span of the match.

The Battery kept dialing up the pressure but a stoppage time red card to Jeremy Kelly, who had assisted both Battery goals, took some steam out of the visitor’s attack and despite the 13 minutes of stoppage time the match moved to extra time knotted 2-2.

The Independence used the extra space and man advantage in the first 15 minutes of extra time to turn up the pressure on Charleston to change the momentum of the match and begin to wear down the Battery defense. As the second 15 minute period looked to be expiring and the match heading to penalties, the individual moment of brilliance from Viggo Ortiz captured the moment and winning the game in the 118th minute just seconds before penalties.

The Independence will now face an MLS opponent in round three with Charlotte FC, Atlanta United, Orlando City, and DC United all in the upcoming draw providing some intriguing potential matchups for the Jacks. The draw will be held April 2.