Match Information:
U.S. Open Cup: Round 1
Date: Thursday March 20, 2025
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Point (High Point, NC)
Watch: U.S. Soccer YouTube
SOCIAL TAGS:
Instagram: carolinacorefc
X: SodaCityFC
Instagram: sodacityfc
Match Overview
CCFC Record: 0-0-1 (2 points - 9th in the MLS NEXT Pro – Eastern Conference)
SCFC Record: 1-0-0 (3 points - 2nd in the UPSL Premier – Mid-Atlantic South Conference)
Carolina Core FC will host round one of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against Soda City FC on Thursday, March 20. The match will be livestreamed on U.S. Soccer YouTube with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Running it Back – Open Cup at The Point
Last season was the first time that Carolina Core FC participated in the U.S. Open Cup, the oldest ongoing soccer competition in the United States. The 110th edition of the cup presents the opportunity for clubs like Carolina Core FC to face opponents from the highest level of soccer in America, Major League Soccer (MLS). Last year, The Foxes were able to progress to the third round of the competition, defeating USL League Two sides Northern Virginia FC and Vermont Green FC. In a tightly contested third-round match, CCFC would eventually fall 1-0 to USL Championship side North Carolina FC, ending CCFC’s magical Open Cup run.
This season, the U.S. Open Cup comes to Truist Point for the first time ever. The Core will be hoping to advance further into the tournament this year after an impressive first-year debut. The club is coming into the match on the back of its first game of the season, a penalty kick shootout victory on the road against Inter Miami II. CCFC’s next step is reaching the fourth round of this historic tournament, when MLS teams are introduced into the bracket.
Player to Watch
Jacob Evans was the standout player for CCFC in the club’s first game of the season against Inter Miami II in MLS NEXT Pro. Evans scored a header early in the first half to give CCFC the lead and created four total chances on the night, making him instrumental in the two points earned from Chase Stadium. The English midfielder finished last season with 14 goal contributions (8 goals, 6 assists) in 28 league appearances. A mainstay in CCFC’s 2024 Open Cup run, The Foxes are hoping to see more magic from the captain to kick off their Open Cup run.
Back-to-Back UPSL National Champions Visit The Core
An undefeated season (11-0-1) in the United Premier Soccer League’s (UPSL) Mid-Atlantic South Conference saw Soda City FC return to the playoff stage of the tournament in 2024. It was there when SCFC made history, being the first-ever club in the UPSL to win back-to-back national titles. Forward Rauf Salifu led the team to victory, netting eight goals in the Fall playoffs and being one goal shy from the top scorer of the tournament. Co-head coach George Trifos has his sights set on the next campaign, aiming to “three-peat” for the first time ever. This is Soda City’s first time qualifying for the Open Cup, with qualification given to the Spring national champion of the UPSL.
Soda City FC set the tone for their UPSL campaign on March 15 with a 3-1 win over Gastonia FC. Picking up all three points puts SCFC second in the Mid-Atlantic South Conference based on goal difference. The South Carolina club will be hoping to transfer their UPSL success to U.S. Open Cup success when they visit High Point, North Carolina, to face Carolina Core FC.
