Naples, FL – March 31, 2026 – FC Naples continued its strong Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run Tuesday night, defeating FC America CFL Spurs, 3-0, at Paradise Coast Sports Complex to advance to the Third Round of the 2026 tournament. FC Naples struck early, controlled the match throughout, and posted another clean sheet to move one step closer to an MLS showdown and a historic Open Cup run.
The tone was set in just the third minute when #10 Andrés Ferrín opened the scoring with a well-taken penalty kick. The visitors’ night grew considerably harder on the stroke of halftime when midfielder Pedro Espindola was shown a red card in the 44th minute, leaving FC America to defend with ten men for the entirety of the second half. FC Naples pressed their numerical advantage to the fullest: #3 Julian Cisneros added the second goal in the 60th minute, assisted by #4 Max Glasser, and substitute #18 Dominick Bachstein sealed the result in the 92nd minute with a composed finish off a delivery from #7 Taylor Gray.
Head Coach Matt “Gaffa” Poland was pleased with the standard his side set from the opening minutes. “From minute one, we set a good standard. We won that first aerial duel, we had the first shot on goal, and we maintained that intensity for 90 minutes. The challenge for the team today was just to be ourselves — our best version of ourselves — from minute one through minute 90. As we’re growing, we want to become a more and more complete team, and I thought today we took a big step forward in that.”
Team captain and goalkeeper #1 Edward “Lalo” Delgado spoke to the defensive mentality driving the club’s clean sheet run. “It’s a testament to the mentality of all the guys. Throughout the week, we focus on keeping the goal clean in the back — because if you don’t concede a goal, you can’t lose. We keep that in mind, never dropping our professionalism and always working to keep the clean sheet.”
The victory advances FC Naples to the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, where they will face an MLS opponent. The Third Round draw will be held Thursday, April 2, at 9:00 AM ET, broadcast live on the CBS Golazo Network during the back half of Morning Footy. 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 in a single-game knockout format. The tournament champion earns a berth in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. FC Naples reached the Third Round in the club’s historic 2025 inaugural season, and this year’s squad is intent on going even further.
Midfielder #14 Kevin O’Connor reflected on the team’s advancement to the third round. “It’s great for the club and for everybody. It gives us something to look forward to, but we can’t worry about that too much yet. We have a big game on Saturday, so we just have to take it game by game. But once it comes around, we’ll be excited. We’ll be keeping an eye on the draw to see who we get and where it is.”
April 4th – FC Naples hosts Greenville Triumph SC – First Responders Night – 7:00 PM EST
FC Naples returns home to Paradise Coast Sports Complex on Saturday, April 4, for a 7:00 PM USL League One showdown against Greenville Triumph SC. The two clubs have split their all-time meetings evenly — one win apiece and one draw — making for a closely contested rivalry that promises another competitive night under the lights. The match will honor “First Responders Night – Our Heroes,” celebrating the firefighters, police officers, paramedics, and other first responders who serve Southwest Florida. FC Naples calls on all fans to pack the stands and show their appreciation for the men and women who protect and serve our community.
Tickets are available at www.fcnaples.com/tickets.
About FC Naples
FC Naples is Southwest Florida’s first professional soccer team, based at the state-of-the-art Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples, Florida. In its inaugural 2025 USL League One season, the club finished fourth in the regular season standings and qualified for the playoffs, becoming the first expansion team in USL League One history to host and win a playoff match. The club’s mission is to create a world-class family experience and forge a title-contending team to be the pride of Southwest Florida. FC Naples’ crest, colors, and culture reflect the community’s rich history of strength and resilience, as well as a deep connection to the beaches and waterways that have shaped the region. Learn more at www.FCNaples.com.