Valiant effort from West Chester United comes up short in U.S. Open Cup exit

West Chester United put the nation on cupset alert after taking a first half lead through a penalty kick but were unable to overcome a response from Loudoun United despite a vibrant late push to tie the game in a 3-2 first round U.S. Open Cup loss on Tuesday night at YSC Sports.

Hosting for the third straight year and playing a pro team for the third time at home and the fourth time overall in U.S. Open Cup play, West Chester United went up inside 20 minutes on a penalty converted by Yassine Eklahloun. Ayoub Mouhou drew the foul on a run into the box in front of the supporters section.

The goal served as a wake-up call to the USL Championship side as they turned up the pressure and put the West Chester defense on their back heels with sustained possession. The goal that seemed inevitable came through Riley Bidois when he hit home a Ben Mines cross to the back post after a great ball served in from the left flank by debutant Aaron Hurge. The goal caught the defense ball watching but also flexed Loudoun’s muscles as a pro team.

The momentum snagged by the visitors continued after the break when Loudoun United’s pressure and numbers in the box overwhelmed the West Chester defense and led to a penalty call in their favor early in the half. Christian Sorto, who was instrumental in helping to create the equalizer, converted the penalty kick to make it 2-1.

Twelve minutes later, Loudoun delivered the dagger on a counter attack with Surafel Dagnachew splitting two center backs with a through ball to Bidois, who sped behind the line with the ball and delivered a forceful shot past Andrew Cooke to make it 3-1.

West Chester wouldn’t go away quietly, however. Their counter attack was on when Mouhou pounced on a heavy touch and played Kenny Roby into the box. Roby put the ball away to make it 3-2 in the 68th minute and the game was back on with plenty of time for West Chester to hunt another goal. Hunt they did as head coach Blaise Santangelo went to his subs bench and sent numbers forward trying to catch Loudoun in transition again.

There were moments that looked promising – usually through the feet of Roby or 19-year-old midfielder Dylan Lacy – and a big moment where substitute Giancarlo Vaccaro was bombing forward on a counter attack when he was dragged down by his shirt by Mines. Vaccaro pushed Mines down in retaliation and a scuffle ensued but no more than a yellow was shown to both players. The incident took a little air out of the final minutes as West Chester tried to find a breakthrough that ultimately would not come.

As fans filed out of their seats in YSC, it marked the end of another U.S. Open Cup journey for the local side, which still does not have a major cupset to its name but has proven a worthy opponent and host of the country’s oldest soccer competition.

West Chester, of course, won’t have long to dwell too much on any what ifs with another cup competition on the line Sunday. They’ll meet local rivals Vereinigung Erzgebirge in the EPSA Frank Giancroce Open Cup final at noon at Bryn Athyn College.

West Chester United Starting XI
Andrew Cooke, John Ricks (c), August Axtman, Ammit Bhogal, Patrick Short (72′ Tomas Ascoli), Marcus Brenes (88′ Sama Tima), Yassine Elkahloun (80′ Giancarlo Vaccaro), Ken Roby (88′ Luca Mellor), Ayoub Mouhou (72′ Dwayne Hickerson), Josh Luchini, Dylan Lacy

West Chester United U.S. Open Cup History
2016 – 1-1 draw, PK win at Fredericksburg FC
2016 – 2-0 loss vs Harrisburg City Islanders at Kildare’s Turf field in West Chester
2019 – 1-1 draw, PK win at Baltimore Christos
2019 – 4-1 loss at Birmingham Legion
2022 – 1-0 loss at FC Motown (replay)
2023 – 3-1 loss vs Ocean City Nor’easters, YSC Sports
2024 – 2-0 loss vs Maryland Bobcats, YSC Sports
2025 – 3-2 loss vs Loudoun United, YSC Sports