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Switchbacks Edge Out Tucson

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 05/17/17, 10:12PM EDT

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Early second-half goals earn Colorado Springs berth in Open Cup Third Round


Photo courtesy Isaiah J. Downing / Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Two goals early in the second half by Jun Gyeong Park and Kevaughn Frater earned Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC a 2-0 victory against the Premier Development League’s FC Tucson in the Second Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Weidner Field on Wednesday night.

With the victory, the Switchbacks will play host to fellow USL club OKC Energy FC at Weidner Field on May 31 in the Third Round.

Neither side was able to threaten much early as the Switchbacks had more possession and Tucson looked to break out on the counter-attack. Tucson’s Pinheiro had a shot go just wide of the post in the 16th minute, while the Switchbacks’ Sean McFarlane missed a good chance with his header 11 minutes later.

The game reached the halftime break scoreless, but Colorado Springs grabbed the lead less than a minute into the second half when Park beat a pair of defenders in the penalty area and fired home his shot. Two minutes later Frater made it two as a piece of defensive miscommunication allowed the Jamaican time and space to double the lead.

The Switchbacks almost added to their lead with 14 minutes to go, only for Tucson goalkeeper Luis Barranza to make a diving save on Jack Jones. The visitors had late chances to get back into the game through Tate Schmitt and Pinheiro, but were unable to find the net, and the Switchbacks sealed a solid victory to move onto the Third Round. 

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