Ocean City Nor'easters Eliminated From U.S. Open Cup

OCEAN CITY, NJ — After an undefeated start to the season, the Ocean City Nor’easters men’s soccer team has dropped two games in a row. The most recent loss eliminated Ocean City from the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

North Carolina FC defeated Ocean City, 4-1, Sahlen's Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park on Tuesday night in the third round of the 105th edition of the oldest cup competition in the United States.

North Carolina will face a Major League Soccer (MLS) team in the fourth round. The United Soccer League (USL) team will learn its opponent on Thursday.

North Carolina struck first with a goal from Marios Lomis in the eighth minute. Ocean City tied the game in the 17th minute when a Nor'easters shot was deflected off a North Carolina defender for an own goal.

Austin Da Luz broke the 1-1 tie with what turned out to be the game-winning goal for North Carolina in the 26th minute. Andre Fortune and Ulrich Ewold scored in the second half for North Carolina.

"Tonight was a great learning experience for the boys, showing the difference between the decision making of a seasoned pro and the college level," said Ocean City Nor'easters coach John Thompson, who celebrated his birthday on Tuesday. "At times we put together some very good attacks and then reverted to making rookie decisions on the ball in promising situations."

The loss drops Ocean City to 3-2 overall on the season, following the team’s 1-0 loss to the Long Island Rough Riders in a Premier Development League (PDL) game on Saturday. Charlie Ledula scored that game’s only goal in the 61st minute. It was the first time Ocean City hasn’t scored in a game since June 29 of last year.

Ocean City will look to bounce back when it pays a visit to the New York Red Bulls Under-23 squad on Sunday night, May 27, 7 p.m. It will also look for revenge in its home opener on Sunday night, June 3, against the Long Island Rough Riders. That game at Carey Stadium kicks off at 7 p.m.

After missing out on the U.S. Open Cup in 2015 and 2016, the Nor’easters have made the tournament two straight years, and they advanced further in the tournament this year than last year.

Ocean City defeated AFC Ann Arbor, 3-0, in the first round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Eastern Michigan University on May 9. On May 16, Ocean City upset the Charlotte Independence (USL), 3-1, in the second round.

Last year, the second round was all Ocean City could muster, falling to Harrisburg on sudden death penalty kicks after defeating Junior Lone Star FC, 3-1.

Ocean City is one of the more successful amateur teams in the country when it comes to the U.S. Open Cup, behind only fellow PDL squads the Michigan Bucks and the Des Moines Menace. Ocean City now has 12 wins in nine U.S. Open Cup appearances.

Modeled after England's FA Cup, the US Open Cup is the second-oldest continually-operating soccer tournament in the world and has been the national championship for the United States since it launched in 1913. The tournament is open to professional and amateur teams from MLS to Sunday beer league teams and everything in between. The tournament winner will receive $300,000 and a spot in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League.

For more on the tournament, visit thecup.us.

See related: Nor'easters Continue Early Season Road Success In Brooklyn

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