Familiar Faces On Opposing Sides Await As NASL Enters Third Round Of The U.S. Open Cup

When NASL sides enter Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play in the third round, familiar faces will await them. Several players on opposing sides were members of an NASL squad last season and many will also face their former teammates.

The reunion of these players, now looking to knock each other out of the Cup, adds extra intrigue and subplots to what should already be an exciting third round of the competition.

The matchups between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Carolina RailHawks and Charlotte Independence, and San Antonio Scorpions and Austin Aztex feature several of these connections.

Riverhounds goalkeeper Ryan Thompson and defender Willie Hunt were members of the Rowdies last season. Both will now look to shut out the Rowdies as they visit the Riverhounds at Highmark Stadium on Wednesday. Vini Dantas, who is also on the Riverhounds, played for Ottawa Fury FC in its inaugural season in 2014.

When the RailHawks and Independence meet at WakeMed Soccer Park, it will be more than just a regional rivalry. Alex and Enzo Martinez, as well as Daniel Jackson, have ties to the NASL side. Jackson made his professional debut for the RailHawks, Enzo was a member of the team for two seasons, while his brother, Alex, also played last season with the club. Another NASL connection in the match is Tomasz Zahorski, who helped the Scorpions win the league title last season.

When the Austin Aztex head to Toyota Field to take on the Scorpions, two players, Trevin Caesar and Sainey Touray, will feature against their former side. Both forwards played a part in helping the Scorpions lift the Soccer Bowl trophy in 2014. Ryan Roushandel and Mozzi Gyorio were in the NASL last season as well, playing for the Atlanta Silverbacks and Minnesota United, respectively.

Minnesota United will also face a former player when it visits Saint Louis FC, who has midfielder Kentaro Takada on its roster. Another player that suited up for Minnesota United in the past, Mike Ambersley, who played for Indy Eleven last season, could also feature in the match.

Louisville City FC and the Charleston Battery, who face Indy and the Fort Lauderdale Strikers respectively, have NASL ties as well. Scott Goodwin, who helped the RailHawks to a third straight victory over the LA Galaxy last year, will line up alongside former Carolina teammate Austen King for Louisville City FC. Former Minnesota United forward Nate Polak will join Goodwin and King on the pitch against Indy Eleven. Former Ottawa Fury FC defender O’Brian Woodbine will take on the Strikers in a Battery kit.

While it will be nice to catch up with former teammates before or after the match, during the 90 minutes (or more if required), it will be anything but friendly as the teams look to progress towards Open Cup glory.