USL LEAGUE ONE: U.S. OPEN CUP - One Knoxville SC Overcomes Early Scare to Advance Past SC Vistula Garfield
- Staff Writer
- 12 minutes ago
- 3 min read
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GARFIELD, N.J. — One Knoxville SC avoided a "cupset" on a chilly Wednesday evening, storming back from a first-minute deficit to defeat SC Vistula Garfield 3-1. The victory marks the third consecutive year the club has advanced past its opening match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, securing a spot in the Second Round scheduled for late March.
Despite playing with a heavily rotated squad just four days after their last league outing, One Knox dominated the semi-professional side from the American Premier Soccer League. The visitors controlled 71.8% of the possession and outshot the hosts 19-9, effectively silencing the New Jersey crowd after a frantic opening whistle.
"Not thrilled about the way we started, but the 89 minutes after that, we didn't put many feet wrong," said One Knox Head Coach Ian Fuller. "We moved the ball really well and created a lot of chances, so to advance feels good."
Quick Response Erases Early Deficit
The home side, SC Vistula, ignited the local supporters just 55 seconds into the match when Simon Gorczowski found the back of the net to take a 1-0 lead. However, the professional side's quality eventually leveled the playing field. In the 14th minute, Babacar Diene capitalized on a loose ball following a Will Perkins cross to power home the equalizer.
"It's really valuable for Baba as a striker to get that first goal on the scoresheet," Fuller noted. "It was also an important goal for us because the longer we play a goal down, the more momentum the opponent gets."
One Knox took the lead for good in the 21st minute through Real Gill. Making a clinical settle and strike off a corner kick from professional debutant Steven Cordova, Gill opened his 2026 account and showcased the finishing ability Coach Fuller has challenged him to bring to the pitch this season.
Youth and Depth on Display
The second half allowed One Knox to showcase its roster depth. Mikkel Gøling entered the match in the 72nd minute and took only four minutes to make an impact, curling a gorgeous strike from the top of the box into the far corner to seal the 3-1 result.
The night also featured a milestone for 16-year-old forward Eli Cook, who made his club debut after signing a USL Academy contract. Cook replaced Eli Conway in the 79th minute, becoming one of the youngest players to feature for the club in competitive play.
"Eli (Cook) got those minutes because he deserved them," explained Fuller. "If you see how he trains with the rest of the squad, you'd never know that he is 16 years old."
Looking Ahead: Home Stand at Covenant Health Park
One Knoxville SC now shifts its focus back to USL League One play with a two-match homestand at Covenant Health Park. They will host Corpus Christi FC on Tuesday, March 24, followed by a high-profile clash with the Richmond Kickers on Friday, March 27.
The draw for the Second Round of the U.S. Open Cup is expected to be announced by U.S. Soccer shortly, with matches slated for March 31 and April 1.
Match Statistics:
Stat | One Knox SC | SC Vistula |
Possession | 71.8% | 28.2% |
Shots (on Goal) | 19 (7) | 9 (5) |
Touches in Box | 40 | 9 |
Scoring Summary:
VIS: Simon Gorczowski — 1'
KNX: Babacar Diene — 14'
KNX: Real Gill (Cordova) — 21'
KNX: Mikkel Gøling — 76'
One Knox Lineup: Burke; Perkins (Fernandez 63'), McLeod, McRobb, Tiao (Brown 45'), Caputo, Cordova, Conway (Cook 79'), Gill (Gøling 72'), Linhares, Diene (Krioutchenkov 63')
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