The U.S. Open Cup just gave us another showing of why all American clubs should continue competing against each other. Cough, cough, MLS.
This week saw the return of the fan-favorite Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with teams from the USL League One/Two, NISA and MLS Next Pro competing in the first round of the tournament.
Still Alive
Still Kicking @OpenCup | #USOC2024 pic.twitter.com/SmuTtCrHVQ— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) March 19, 2024
However, despite the 'low talent' and promise of a spectacle across the board, many of the matches in the inaugural match day of the cup featured quite the 90 minutes — with an amateur club from California named after a burrito shop stealing the show.
NPSL club ‘El Farolito’ named after a Mexican restaurant defeats Portland Timbers II in U.S. Open Cup
The Portland Timbers’ MLS Next Pro team, Portland Timbers II, hosted the modest NPSL club El Farolito — named after a Mexican taco shop — in one of the cup’s usual-unusual matchups in the early stages of the competition.
Thanks for your patience, @OpenCup fans
Here's WHERE to WATCH ⤵️ https://t.co/qIjNf8zhKH (@ussoccer)https://t.co/7hlg0CbvME (@MLS)https://t.co/Gxg5d8Plfp (@USL_HQ) pic.twitter.com/Q6su9mH8J3— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) March 19, 2024
The result? A story only the U.S. Open Cup tell.
NPSL club El Farolito, an amateur club based out of San Francisco, California, defeated Timbers 2 in match that saw the underdogs make an incredible comeback-win to put them through to the next round.
A goal in the 52nd minute from the away side that was followed by a red card for the Timbers from Harvey Neville (coincidentally son of former England defender and now Timbers first-team head coach Phil Neville), sent El Farolito onto the attack, resulting in a turn-around goal just 15 minutes later. Jhohann Yabur and Dembor Benson scored the two stunners.
.@elfarolito_npsl (1993 Open Cup champs -- yeah, you heard it right) draw level with @TimbersFC2 #USOC2024 | @opencup pic.twitter.com/T0HtD3ZdCS
— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) March 20, 2024
El Farolito, Oh @elfarolito_npsl #USOC2024 pic.twitter.com/a5ZrwMMW3I
— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) March 20, 2024
The burrito-mania will continue in the cup. Bring on the salsa!
Postgame: pic.twitter.com/cQDEneUJyn
— Adam Susman (@Adam_Susman) March 20, 2024
Who are El Farolito, the NSPL club in the U.S. Open Cup?
El Farolito, founded in 1985 and named after the late owner Salvador Lopez's chain of restaurants, has a deep connection with the U.S. Open Cup decades in the making, winning the tournament in 1993 pre-MLS under the name of Club Deportivo Mexico, or C.D. Mexico.
Round 1: El Farolito SC to celebrate the 30th anniversary of them winning the @OpenCup. @elfarolito_npsl won in 1993 under their club's previous name, Club Deportivo Mexico. pic.twitter.com/8qPinCDp5z
— U.S. Soccer Reform (@reformussoccer) April 27, 2023
Their historic win of the cup sent the club to play all the way to the 1994 CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup, playing Liga MX’s Necaxa in the tournament’s quarterfinals.
Years later and after a long 'professional' hiatus while playing in the San Francisco Soccer Football League, the club went back to its roots.
In 2017, the club announced that they would begin competting in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), reclaiming their origin name taken on by the popular ‘Taqueria El Farolito’, a very well-known Mexican restaurant chain in San Francisco.
Don Chava, founder of El Farolito, is dead at 70. He started his taqueria in 1982 as a way to fund an amateur soccer team. https://t.co/BgBdJSVoDL
— Burrito Justice (@burritojustice) January 15, 2021
Vamos FAROLITO!!!! pic.twitter.com/cobg86Ysyg
— El Farolito (@elfarolito_npsl) March 20, 2024
How can you not love America’s soccer cup?!
