Last Minute Spokane Velocity Winner has Ballard Defeated in US Open Cup First Round Rematch

Ballard returned to their original home of Interbay Soccer Stadium on Wednesday evening after a season at Memorial Stadium due to renovations. A record-breaking home crowd turned up for the Open Cup clash, where 1,508 supporters came to watch.

Spokane Velocity, who made the USL League One Final in their inaugural season last year, traveled west of the Cascade mountain range for the second time to face Ballard in the US Open Cup. Last March, the two Washington State sides battled out a nail-biting game that ended with a 97th-minute winner in Spokane Velocity's favor.

History repeated itself with another Spokane Velocity final-minute, this year coming in extra time at the 121st minute by Andre Lewis.

Former Sounders player Kelyn Rowe featured in Ballard FC's starting eleven, marking a significant cameo in Open Cup history and Rowe's return to competitive action since his retirement from the Seattle Sounders. Rowe donned the number eight jersey and started at center-defensive midfield, acting like a deep-lying playmaker.

Ballard went in strong with crunching tackles on Spokane, but the game remained hot in contention in the first half, giving a similar feeling to last year's fixture. Throughout the second half, momentum kept falling gradually more into the home side's favor. By the end of regulation, the match ended scoreless.

As the match progressed into extra time, the spoils seemed up for grabs. The possibility of a penalty shootout at Interbay appeared to be imminent, but a late break from Spokane lead to their victory after Lewis' shot was deflected into the top corner of Ballard's net.

Spokane Velocity will play the Tacoma Defiance for the second round of the US Open Cup on April 2nd, 2025.

(Game photos to be posted)

Cover Photo: Dakota Grim / Area Sports Network