Things you should know about the Quarterfinals of the US Open Cup
Posted on 05. Sep, 2009 by Josh Hakala in 1995 - Present (Pro Era), Feature, Quarterfinals
The 2008 US Open Cup marked the first time that a pair of USL-1 teams advanced out of the Quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.
In 2007, when the Seattle Sounders (USL-1) defeated the Colorado Rapids (MLS) 5-0, it was the worst loss suffered by an MLS team in the US Open Cup.
In 2007, the USL First Division had three teams in the Quarterfinals (Carolina, Charleston, Seattle), the most ever. That same year, only three MLS teams advanced to the Quarterfinal round, the fewest ever. For the first time ever, two USL-2 teams (Richmond Kickers, Harrisburg City Islanders) made the round of eight in the same year. In 2010, a pair of USL-2 clubs advanced to the quarterfinals (Charleston Battery, Harrisburg City Islanders) in the same year.
The Carolina RailHawks and the Seattle Sounders won their Quarterfinal matches in 2007, marking only the second time that two USL First Division teams had done that in the same year. In 1999, the Charleston Battery and the Rochester Raging Rhinos both made the Semifinals, with Rochester eventually winning the tournament.
The USL First Division (2nd Division of US Soccer) has been represented in the Quarterfinals by at least one team in all but three tournaments (2000, 2006, 2010). In 2010, it was the first year that the quarterfinals were without “2nd Division” representation but there were still USL Second Division (3rd Division of US Soccer) remaining (Charleston Battery, Harrisburg City Islanders).
The Harrisburg City Islanders are the first USL Second Division team to ever reach the quarterfinals in consecutive seasons (2009, 2010). 2010 also marked the first time that two USL-2 clubs reached the quarterfinals in two years in a row. (Wilmington & Harrisburg in 2009, Charleston & Harrisburg in 2010).