CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Derby had some highs for both sides. Ultimately, it was the USL’s Charlotte Independence who had the final say as second-half sub Enzo Martinez recorded a brace to rally the Independence to a 3-2 victory against the Premier Development League’s Charlotte Eagles on Wednesday in the Second Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The match featured three lead changes, and it was Martinez’s presence that naturally served as the ingredient that the Independence needed.

Down 2-1 with less than 20 minutes remaining, Martinez quickly asserted himself. He found a 77th-minute equalizer, placing a right-footed penalty kick into the back of the net. Then in the 88th minute, the Independence’s Martinez brothers teamed up for the winner as Alex Martinez dished to Enzo for the go-ahead strike, taken from the right of the box and finding the inside of the far left post for a 3-2 advantage.

The Independence appeared as though they would make things easy for themselves, gaining the lead within the opening 10 minutes. Austin Yearwood crossed in from the left of the box, the ball took a deflection and Casey Townsend put away the loose ball for a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute.

The Eagles has some pep in their step through several stretches, and they sustained a heavy dose of pressure about 15 minutes into the second half to turn things around.

Ryan Williams found a 61st-minute equalizer with a strong individual effort, sneaking his shot inside the right post for a 1-1 score. Then in the 63rd minute, from more than 25 yards out, Kevin Omondi uncorked a bending shot inside the far right of the frame to give the host Eagles a 2-1 advantage.

The final 20 minutes belonged to the Independence. Before Martinez’s heroics, Townsend had nearly found the equalizer in the 72nd minute with a laser shot that caromed off of the left post.

With the win, the Independence will now prep for the Third Round of the Open Cup when they travel to face North Carolina FC on Wednesday, May 31, at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.