Match Recap: Twos Blank Chicago House in Open Cup First Round

March 23, 2024
|In Match Recaps, MNUFC2, US Open Cup
|By Ashle Paige
Action during MNUFC2’s US Open Cup win at Chicago House AC on Wednesday, March 20. (Photo courtesy: @MNUFC2 – Twitter)

MNUFC2 traveled to Elmhurst, IL, this past week for a Wednesday evening Lamar Hunt US Open Cup clash with Midwest Premier League side Chicago House AC. The Twos made their debut in the tournament following a dispute between MLS and the USSF over the league sending its Next Pro teams. That was eventually resolved [temporarily] with 8 MLS teams and 9 affiliated MLS Next Pro teams qualifying. Chicago House on the other hand earned their spot through the Open Division qualifiers.

Even with a first team friendly being played back in the Twin Cities, the Twos kept their Starting XI from Sunday’s match at LAFC mostly intact, making just three changes in the field: Justin Arias, Molik Jesse Khan, and Tamer Ibsais replaced Moses Nyeman, Carlos Harvey, and Derek Dodson, respectively.

 

The first half of the match started out extremely chippy, a theme that would continue throughout the night. Just seven minutes in, following a collision between an MNUFC2 and a Chicago House player, a small altercation started — One that ended with MNUFC2’s Darius Randell and House’s Cesar Murillo being issued yellow cards.

Both MNUFC2 and Chicago House threatened one another’s goals throughout the first half, though nothing substantial was placed on target.

“I think everybody takes some time to settle into the game. Obviously we want to control the game with the ball and make sure we put them under a lot of pressure. I felt we did that in the first half and that was exciting to watch,” coach Justin Ferguson told NSJ following the match.

The Twos finally broke the match open in the second half when Kage Ramanshyn Jr fed a short pass to an open Jordan Adebayo-Smith, where he finished the play with a low shot far out of the keeper’s reach to open the scoring in the 52nd minute.

Three minutes later the forward secured a brace with a blast from the top of the six yard box after Loïc Mesanvi dropped a cheeky pass to a covered Adebayo-Smith.

“We knew we had to get a goal early in the second half so it doesn’t give the other team confidence,” Jordan Adebayo-Smith said following the win. “Just being composed and confident that the chance will come and be ready when that opportunity came.”

Adebayo-Smith capped off the night for the Twos with a 90+5′ goal. After getting a long ball sent to him from Dom Mawing, Adebayo-Smith sprinted downfield, ran through and around the keeper before sending the ball into a practically empty goal to earn himself a hat trick.

“I think obviously we didn’t start [the season] how we wanted to. That was a big talking point coming in to here, just to change the mindset and do what were good at,” goalkeeper Alec Smir told NSJ post-match. “I think we came in with the right mindset here and it’s good to bounce back.”

With the win over Chicago House AC, the Twos move on to the Second Round of Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. MNUFC2 will host NISA side Michigan Stars FC on Tuesday, April 2nd with kickoff set for 7:30pm at Allianz Field in St. Paul, MN. First the Twos return to league play on March 27th when they travel to Utah to face Real Monarchs.

NSJ

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Chicago House Jordan Adebayo-Smith Justin Ferguson MNUFC2 MWPL