LAS VEGAS – Ricardo Jerez made the decisive save in the fifth round of a penalty shootout to send Chattanooga Red Wolves SC to a 4-3 victory from the spot against Las Vegas Lights FC at Cashman Field, sending the Red Wolves through in a shootout for the third consecutive round and into the Round of 32 of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night.

The Red Wolves took the lead in the 19th minute when Zahir Vazquez received a headed pass from Kimball Jackson just outside the top-left edge of the penalty area and curled his finish into the bottom-right corner of the net. Las Vegas leveled things up two minutes before the halftime break when Edison Azcona was brought down in the penalty area, allowing the Dominican Republic international to convert from the spot with a Panenka down the middle of the goal.

Parity for the hosts was short-lived, however, as the Red Wolves regained the lead three minutes into the second half when they were awarded a penalty kick of their own, allowing Pedro Hernandez to shoot low to the left corner with his shot to find the net. The Lights hit back again just past the hour-mark, though, as Christian Pinzon powered home a strike into the top-right corner from 25 yards out, resulting in the game going to extra time.

The Red Wolves gained the early edge in the shootout as Matt Bentley converted to open the first round before Pinzon shot wide of the left post for the lights, but Las Vegas goalkeeper Nicholas Ammeter immediately denied Chattanooga’s Ualefi on the next shot, allowing Chris Pearson to level things after two rounds.

After each of the next two shooters for each side converted, Chattanooga’s Owen Green converted to put his side ahead with a powerful high finish. Jerez then made a diving save on Gennaro Nigro’s shot to the left corner, sending the Red Wolves through against a higher-division opponent for the first time in club history.

TAMPA BAY ROWDIES 1 (9), FC NAPLES 1 (8): FC Naples saw its run in the U.S. Open Cup come to an end after an epic penalty shootout against the USL Championship’s Tampa Bay Rowdies ended 9-8 in favor of the visitors at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex after the sides had ended all square through 120 minutes of compelling action in the Gulf Coast Derby.

The teams exchanged chances early as a turnover in the Rowdies’ end gave an opportunity to Karsen Henderlong for the hosts that Tampa Bay goalkeeper Ethan Bandre did well to keep out. Three minutes later, the Rowdies’ Thomas Vancaeyezeele produced a flicked header off a corner from the left that was well saved by Lalo Delgado in the Naples net.

The Rowdies took the lead in the 26th minute, however, as Cammy McPherson’s lifted pass upfield was cleverly headed down by Manuel Arteaga to Pacifique Niyongabire as he broke in from the right flank, and the Burundi international fired home a low shot to the left corner.

Just as quickly, Naples struck back. A pass from Julian Cisneros found Jayden Onen on the left side, and his low cross found Luka Prpa in the middle of the penalty area for a finish to the right side of the net.

After what was mostly a quieter second half, Naples almost grabbed victory in stoppage time when Onen broke in on the right side before feeding Henderlong in the center as the Rowdies scrambled to recover. Henderlong made the extra pass to Andrés Ferrín, only for his low shot to be cleared off the line by Forrest Lasso to send the game to extra time.

The Rowdies went close to regaining the lead six minutes into extra time when Endri Mustali had a close-range chance hit the left post and go behind, while McPherson had a half-volleyed effort in the second period of extra time tipped over by Delgado before the game went to a shootout.

Naples gained the early advantage from the spot as Delgado made a low save to deny the Rowdies’ Leo Fernandes in the second round, but the Rowdies pulled back level in the fourth round when Bandre kept out Chris Heckenberg’s shot to the bottom-right corner. The sides then continued to exchange goals as the shootout went into extra rounds, with the 17-year-old Mustali converting with a Panenka in the sixth round before Tyler Pasnik answered for Naples.

In the 10th round, though, Lasso stepped up and powered a low shot home to the right corner before Cisneros rang the crossbar with his effort, allowing Tampa Bay to move on.

COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS FC 3, ONE KNOXVILLE SC 2: One Knoxville took an early lead and hit back late against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC to send the game to extra time but saw their Open Cup journey go no further after a helter-skelter clash against the reigning USL Championship title holders at Weidner Field.

Knoxville grabbed the initiative immediately, scoring inside the opening 90 seconds when Jaheim Brown’s lifted ball over the Switchbacks’ back line found Babacar Diene as he cut into the penalty area before firing home a precise finish into the left corner of the net. The visitors saw their lead through to the halftime break, but the Switchbacks hit back four minutes into the second half as Steven Echevarria scored from the edge of the six-yard area to level the score.

Colorado Springs appeared to have earned victory in regulation when Marco Micaletto combined with Anthony Fontana, receiving a return pass as he entered the penalty area before shooting home a low finish with eight minutes to go. Just two minutes later, though, One Knox hit back as a long throw-in from the right was flicked on by Kempes Tekiela to Stavros Zarokostas, who volleyed home to send the game to extra time.

The Switchbacks regained the lead a minute before the end of the first period concluded when Yosuke Hanya beat his marker on the left side and cut back a low cross that Fontana struck home into the top-left corner with a first-time finish. Knoxville attempted to get back into the game again, but after Zarokostas was sent off for his second yellow card in the final minute, Colorado Springs saw out the result.

DETROIT CITY FC 3, WESTCHESTER SC 1: Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. scored a spectacular late goal to give Westchester SC hope as it squared off with Detroit City FC at Keyworth Stadium, but a late penalty kick for the hosts sent Le Rouge through as WSC’s inaugural trip in the Open Cup came to an end in the Third Round.

Detroit carried the play early and threatened regularly inside the opening 15 minutes, going closest when Ates Diouf tracked down a pass into the left channel and after navigating onto his right foot curled a shot just over the top-right corner of the goal.

Le Rouge continued to press into the second half when Sebastian Guenzatti sent a bicycle kick just wide of the right post eight minutes into the second half. The breakthrough came for the hosts with 19 minutes to go, though, as Jay Chapman’s low cross from the left byline found Morey Doner in the center of the penalty area for a first-time finish into the right side of the net.

After struggling to create chances previously, Westchester struck back in spectacular fashion just five minutes later as Honduran international Obregon Jr. controlled well just outside the penalty area and fired home a half-volley into the top-left corner of the net.

With five minutes to go, however, Le Rouge regained the lead from the spot as Diouf was brought down in the left side of the penalty area. Cedeño stepped up and fired home into the left corner of the net. Detroit then wrapped up the result in stoppage time as Darren Smith converted into an open net after the hosts had turned possession over in the attacking third, sending the side into the Round of 32.