FC Naples Advances to Second Round of Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with Dominant 3-0 Victory over Red Force FC
USL1 FC Naples

FC Naples Advances to Second Round of Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with Dominant 3-0 Victory over Red Force FC

Published on March 18, 2026 under United Soccer League One (USL1)
FC Naples News Release


Naples, FL - FC Naples delivered a commanding 3-0 victory over Red Force FC on Wednesday evening at the Paradise Coast Stadium, advancing to the Second Round of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The win was FC Naples' most complete performance of the 2026 campaign, combining defensive discipline, attacking variety, and the kind of squad depth that signals a club ready to make noise in America's oldest soccer tournament.

Midfielder #21 Marc Torrellas opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, finishing off a perfectly weighted assist from #14 Kevin O'Connor. #12 Hudson Gay doubled the advantage in the 30th minute with a clinical finish set up by #30 Ian Cerro, and winger #7 Taylor Gray sealed the result in the 92nd minute from another O'Connor delivery. O'Connor finished the evening with two assists and five chances created, reinforcing his status as the engine of the FC Naples attack.

FC Naples controlled the match from first to last, finishing with 62.8% possession, 16 shots to Red Force FC's one, nine shots on target to none, and an expected goals figure of 1.96 compared to the visitors' 0.01. Defender #5 Luca Mastrantonio led all outfield players with 111 touches and 96 completed passes, while goalkeeper #1 Edward "Lalo" Delgado kept a clean sheet before being relieved late by #99 Joshua Grant, giving several players meaningful Open Cup minutes.

Head Coach Matt "Gaffa" Poland was pleased with both the result and the manner of the performance. "Winning with a shutout is great, especially doing that at home in front of our fans. But really, the dynamic attack we created - the quality chances from numerous players in different ways - was fun to see." Poland also acknowledged the significance of the occasion for players earning their first professional minutes. "It was great to get some guys their first professional minutes, both at the club and ever in their career. To get those guys on the field was awesome."

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, now in its 111th edition, is the longest-running national soccer competition in the United States, open to professional and amateur clubs alike in a single-game knockout format. The 2026 First Round paired 32 Division II and III professional sides against 32 amateur clubs, with winners advancing to the Second Round on March 31-April 1. The tournament champion earns a berth in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.

Wednesday's clean sheet was the second shutout in three matches for FC Naples to open the 2026 season, a run Poland noted speaks to the entire group's collective development. "Every minute they play together is important as we're building our identity. Anytime you get shutouts, that means you're doing things right as a group - not just our center backs, but our goalkeeper, our whole team. To have two shutouts in three games is a great starting point." It was also FC Naples' second Open Cup appearance, having reached the Third Round in the club's historic 2025 inaugural season.

March 21st - FC Naples takes on Richmond Kickers 6:00 pm EST

Join Southwest Florida fans for a watch party to cheer on FC Naples as the team takes on the Richmond Kickers at 6:00 pm on March 21. The watch party is free to attend, with a cash bar and regular menu available at Hopsized Brewing Company in Bonita Springs (201 Cockleshell Dr #13, Bonita Springs, FL 34135).

March 28th - FC Naples hosts Forward Madison FC at 7:00 pm EST

The club then returns home to Paradise Coast Sports Complex on Saturday, March 28 to host Forward Madison FC at 7:00 PM. The Second Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is slated for March 31-April 1, with FC Naples' opponent to be announced. FC Naples calls on all fans to pack the stands and be part of this historic run.

Tickets are available at www.fcnaples.com/tickets.

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United Soccer League One Stories from March 18, 2026


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