‘We fight until the end’: Javier Martin Gil scores in added time to lift Spokane over Omaha 3-2 in USL Jagermeister Cup

Javier Martin Gil scored a highlight-reel goal in stoppage time and Spokane Velocity FC beat Union Omaha 3-2 in both teams’ second match in the Jagermeister Cup group stage before 4,523 fans at ONE Spokane Stadium on Saturday.

The in-season cup, which is new to League One, is a World Cup-style format that begins with a group stage before heading to a knockout round.

The Velocity move to 1-0-1 in the competition with four points after two cup matches. The Velocity lost their first cup match to Central Valley Fuego in a shootout after a 1-1 regulation.

“This game was an important one because we lost the first one, ending in penalties,” Martin Gil, a native of Madrid, said. “So, to win this game was important to keep in the mood high and don’t get down. We fight until the end.”

In the third minute of stoppage time, Dolling won a ball outside the box in the center of the field and played wide to Romain Metanire. He settled the ball then sent a feed into the goalie box, where Martin Gil rose and flicked it midair with his right foot over Omaha goalie Wallis Lapsley .

“(Metanire) always crosses the ball,” Martin Gil said. “I was in perfect space to attack the goal. I was able to get between the opposition and (Metanire) gave me the ball and I just tried to hit the ball.

“You don’t want to put it in the hands of just going to PKs. I feel like we did a really good job getting opportunities and big chances. We could have put the game away earlier. But you know, the game is 90-plus minutes and we did a good job coming out on top.”

The action started early, as just 3 minutes in Luis Gil took a long feed and was fouled just outside the box by Luca Mastrantonio, who received a yellow card. Collin Fernandez stepped up to take the free kick with his left foot and put the shot on target, but it was pushed aside on a diving save from Lapsley. Moments later, Ariel Mbumba put a header on goal, but Lapsley was there to swallow it.

Despite the Velocity’s strong start, Omaha scored the game’s first goal. Lagos Kunga sent a long through ball over the top of Spokane’s defense to Missael Rodriguez down the right side. The Chicago native beat Spokane goalie Carlos Merancio to make it 1-0 in the 11th minute.

The Velocity answered 5 minutes later when Andre Lewis stole it from a lackadaisical Omaha defender at the top of the box and fired past a stunned Lapsley.

The home team had a quality scoring chance in first-half stoppage time, but Mbumba’s cross to the center of the box was fired wide by Kimarni Smith and it remained tied at halftime.

Early in the second half, Omaha, which fell to 0-1-1 in in the cup’s group stage, was awarded a penalty kick on a late call when Rodriguez collided with Ahmed Longmire. Pedro Dolabella took the PK and his low-right shot glanced off Merancio’s fingertips to make it 2-1.

Again, the Velocity answered. Smith won a ball just outside the box and got tangled up with a defender. The ball deflected to Luis Gil, who juked his mark and put a rising shot past Lapsley from the top of the box.

“(Omaha is) tough to play against,” Luis Gil said of the physical nature of the game. “But I felt like (Omaha) felt the pressure. There was a little bit (of pressure) on both sides. We were getting after it, which is fun. Sometimes it does get a little gritty, but it’s part of the game and you got to figure out how to get past it.”

The Velocity’s Pierre Reedy broke free in the 71st minute and came in 1-on-1 from the right wing against Lapsley. His shot eluded the sliding goalie but was just wide of the far post.

The Velocity kept the pressure on in the latter stages of the game, and Lapsley made a kick save off a Smith effort in the 86th minute to keep it knotted.

The end: After the game, Spokane reserve goalkeeper Peter Swinkels announced his retirement. The 26-year-old from San Francisco had a standout career at San Francisco State, where he had 17 shutouts in 42 games and won all-conference honors in three out of his four seasons. He appeared in four matches for One Knoxville of USL1 in 2023. This season he played in three matches with two clean sheets .