LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisville City FC’s Brian Ownby scored a show-stopping game-winner to lead the defending USL Cup champion to a 3-2 victory against the New England Revolution in the Fourth Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Lynn Stadium on Tuesday night. The victory was Louisville’s first against an MLS side in the historic knockout tournament.

“Not only did we win, but we also played really well,” said Louisville wingback Oscar Jimenez. “To pull it off against a quality side like that shows that we’re catching on to what James [O’Connor] says.”

Louisville had an early chance as Jimenez fired a shot high in the third minute, but then the Revolution took the lead two minutes later as Mark Segbers found the net for the visitors as he capitalized on a defensive error to finish into an open goal from close range.

The hosts quickly got back into the game, however, with an equalizer seven minutes later when Ownby found space on the right side and cut inside before sending a chipped pass to the far post where Jimenez slipped in unmarked to fire home just inside the left post.

Cameron Lancaster also went close for Louisville in the 22nd minute as his free kick toward the top-left corner from distance was saved by Revolution goalkeeper Brad Knighton, but the visitors went ahead again in the 26th minute when a mishit clearance by Louisville defender Pat McMahon ended up in his own net.

Louisville almost found a chance to level moments later as Ownby got in down the right channel only for an excellent saving challenge by Revolution defender Andrew Farrell to snuff out the chance, but eight minutes before halftime Lancaster brought City FC even again as he took a pass at the top of the penalty area and fired a turning show low into the left corner of the net.

Both sides had chances before the halftime whistle blew with the Revolution’s Brian Wright sliding a shot just wide of the right post on a counterattack in first-half stoppage time, and Louisville’s Speedy Williams flashed a shot just over the bar early in the second half. George Davis IV also had chances for the hosts in the 56th minute as his initial effort was saved by Knighton before he put the rebound over the crossbar.

The pressure for the hosts paid off just past the hour-mark as Ownby was rewarded for his attacking threats with a powerful finish into the top-left corner of the net from the right channel that left Knighton little chance.

“We saw what was working, came in at half. Second half kept stringing things together,” said Ownby. “We’re proud of this team tonight.”

Louisville then had the chance to add a fourth with 17 minutes to go, only for Niall McCabe to send his finish high after being set up on a low cross by Kyle Smith.

New England tried to find a way back into the game, and a pair of corner kicks in stoppage time gave the visitors a pair of chances to try and level, but Dobrowolski’s pair of saves to keep out chances for Brandon Bye and a header by Jalil Anibaba in the final minute of stoppage time saw the defending USL Cup champion through the to Round of 16 for the first time in their history.

Scoring:
5’ – NE – Mark Segbers
11’ – LOU – Oscar Jimenez (Brian Ownby)
26’ – NE – Pat McMahon (own goal)
37’ – LOU – Cameron Lancaster (George Davis IV)
62’ – LOU – Brian Ownby

Louisville City FC: GK Tim Dobrowolski; D Pat McMahon, Paco Craig, Sean Totsch; M Kyle Smith, Devon Williams, Paolo DelPiccolo, Oscar Jimenez; F Brian Ownby (Magnus Rasmussen 78’), Cameron Lancaster (Luke Spencer 75’), George Davis IV (Niall McCabe 70’)

New England Revolution: GK Brad Knighton; D Nicolas Samayoa (Jalil Anibaba 36’), Mark Segbers, Andrew Farrell, Gabriel Somi (Juan Agudelo 58’; M Scott Caldwell, Wilfried Zahibo, Zach Herivaux, Brian Wright, Brandon Bye; F Femi Hollinger-Janzen (Kelyn Rowe (75’)