Talk about Centennial State Déjá vu in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Northern Colorado Hailstorm came from behind Wednesday night at Weidner Field to pull off a second successive Open Cup shocker against in-state rival Colorado Springs Switchbacks in a 3-1 win.
It was the second successive year in which the budding Centennial State Derby has gone to extra time, and both times Hailstorm have found a winner in the additional period to pull off the “cupset”.
Switchbacks opened the scoring in the 82nd minute as 17-year-old academy product Marco Rios found midfielder Drew Skundrich, who flicked in the pass to make it 1-0. Six minutes later, Westminster’s Trevor Amann leveled the score shortly after he hit the post, as he headed home a cross from Arthur Rodgers.
In the opening half of the extra time, Hailstorm got its go-ahead goal. Substitutes combined as Marky Hernandez had a wonderful step-over to create separation from his man and Donald Benama headed home the ensuing cross to make it 2-1. Hernandez would later put the exclamation point on the budding rivalry with an emphatic finish in the 107th minute to seal the match, and the in-state rivalry.
Three unanswered goals by NoCo, this one is the most emphatic of the bunch.
— Brendan Ploen (@BrendanPloen)
Hailstorm will move onto the third round with its opponent to be determined.
