US Open Cup qualifying for the Premier Development League is already underway for 2011 as the season began on April 30. It is arguably the most exciting portion off the event for the league as the task of qualifying can be more daunting than the professional opponents awaiting them in the tournament proper.
In the 2011 edition of the tournament, the PDL will be represented by a record nine clubs after seven consecutive years with eight representatives. With nine berths available, the league will send one from each division based on four league contests that will double as qualification matches – a format long established by the parent United Soccer Leagues.
The Southern Conference has undergone a massive overhaul from last year, including many new additions, as well as a few losses. One of those losses was the DFW Tornados, last year’s Mid-South representative and the last remaining USL franchise from its humble indoor beginnings back in 1986. Teams to watch for are the El Paso Patriots (who have qualified every odd-numbered year since 2001) and the Central Florida Kraze (last year’s Southeast representative). They have qualified three times each from the PDL. Ten other teams will be looking to earn their own opportunity to fight for the US Open Cup as one of two representatives from the South.
Here is the how the Southern Conference is currently shaping up:
Mid-South Division
Final Results
The Chivas El Paso Patriots (as they are known this year) have qualified for their ninth US Open Cup (fourth as a member of the PDL) after defeating the Baton Rouge Capitals 1-0. With that, they finished with a perfect 4-0 record, and have continued their streak in qualifying for the US Open Cup every other year since 2001.
| MID-SOUTH DIVISION | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GF | GD | |
| Chivas El Paso Patriots | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 7 | +5 | |
| Laredo Heat | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 6 | +3 | |
| New Orleans Jesters | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | -1 | |
| West Texas United Sockers | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | -1 | |
| Baton Rouge Capitals | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | -2 | |
| Rio Grande Valley Grandes | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 2 | -4 |
Top team qualifies for the U.S. Open Cup
Clinched Open Cup berth – Eliminated from contention
Note: Columns on the far right are for tiebreaker purposes
USL Premier Development League tiebreakers
(1) Head-to-head record based on total points in Open Cup qualifiers
(2) Total wins in Open Cup qualifying games
(3) Goal difference (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)
(4) Goals scored (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)
(5) Lottery conducted by the USL
All times Eastern
| May 13 | Chivas El Paso Patriots | 2:1 | Rio Grande Valley Grandes | 9:00 |
| May 13 | West Texas United Sockers | 1:2 | Laredo Heat | 9:15 |
| May 14 | West Texas United Sockers | 2:1 | Rio Grande Valley Grandes | 9:00 |
| May 14 | Chivas El Paso Patriots | 1:0 | Laredo Heat | 9:15 |
| May 19 | Baton Rouge Capitals | 1:2 | West Texas United Sockers | 8:30 |
| May 19 | New Orleans Jesters | 1:3 | Chivas El Paso Patriots | 10:00 |
| May 21 | New Orleans Jesters | 2:0 | West Texas United Sockers | 8:30 |
| May 21 | Baton Rouge Capitals | 0:1 | Chivas El Paso Patriots | 10:00 |
| May 27 | Rio Grande Valley Grandes | 0:1 | Baton Rouge Capitals | 8:00 |
| May 27 | Laredo Heat | 3:1 | New Orleans Jesters | 8:00 |
| May 28 | Rio Grande Valley Grandes | 0:1 | New Orleans Jesters | 8:00 |
| May 29 | Laredo Heat | 1:0 | Baton Rouge Capitals | 8:00 |
Southeast Division
Final Results
The Central Florida Kraze didn’t have the easy road to the US Open Cup that they thought they did. The Mississippi Brilla are matching and beating the Kraze’s efforts, with three wins of their own. And what wins they are. Their last two results have been 5-0 wins against FC Jax Destroyers and the Nashville Metros – both on the road. Each had one home game left on the holiday weekend that would determine their fate. The Kraze fired the opening salvo Saturday evening with three second half goals from three different players to maximize their potential in the table from the match with a 3-0 victory against central Florida rival IMG Bradenton Academics. Central Florida, perfect at 4-0, took the advantage in tiebreakers, moving ahead of Brilla by one in goal differential and goals scored, but had to wait for Mississippi’s Monday finale at home versus Nashville to see if it holds up. With Brilla leading 2-1 late in the match it looked as though Mississippi was heading to the tournament – then disaster. A 90th minute Nashville strike leveled terms at 2-2 and when the final whistle blew moments later, Central Florida got the news that the Kraze had qualified for the second consecutive year.
| SOUTHEAST DIVISION | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GF | GD | |
| Central Florida Kraze | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 10 | +9 | |
| Mississippi Brilla | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 15 | 3 | 11 | +8 | |
| Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 5 | -2 | |
| FC Jax Destroyers | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 5 | -3 | |
| Nashville Metros | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 4 | -5 | |
| IMG Bradenton Academics | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | -7 |
Top team qualifies for the U.S. Open Cup
Clinched Open Cup berth – Eliminated from contention
Note: Columns on the far right are for tiebreaker purposes
USL Premier Development League tiebreakers
(1) Head-to-head record based on total points in Open Cup qualifiers
(2) Total wins in Open Cup qualifying games
(3) Goal difference (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)
(4) Goals scored (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)
(5) Lottery conducted by the USL
All times Eastern
| April 30 | Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. | 0:1 | Central Florida Kraze | 4:00 |
| May 6 | Central Florida Kraze | 3:1 | Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. | 7:00 |
| May 8 | Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. | 1:0 | Bradenton Academics | 5:30 |
| May 12 | Central Florida Kraze | 3:0 | Bradenton Academics | 5:30 |
| May 13 | FC Jax Destroyers | 1:3 | Mississippi Brilla | 8:00 |
| May 15 | Bradenton Academics | 3:3 | Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. | 6:00 |
| May 15 | FC Jax Destroyers | 2:0 | Nashville Metros | 8:00 |
| May 19 | Mississippi Brilla | 5:0 | FC Jax Destroyers | 7:00 |
| May 23 | Nashville Metros | 2:2 | FC Jax Destroyers | 7:00 |
| May 26 | Mississippi Brilla | 5:0 | Nashville Metros | 8:00 |
| May 28 | Bradenton Academics | 0:3 | Central Florida Kraze | 7:00 |
| May 30 | Nashville Metros | 2:2 | Mississippi Brilla | 6:00 |