UPDATE: FC Tacoma defeated SFC Spartans 2-1 to advance to a “Win and You’re In” match against the winner of the Southwest Conference playoff. (Date TBA)
A trio of Lamar Hunt US Open Cup qualifying tournaments for the National Premier Soccer League’s (NPSL) 11 Western Region teams kicks off Friday, Feb. 20 when FC Tacoma 253 hosts SFC Spartans at Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Wash.
There are just two teams in the Northwest Conference this year and both of them are attempting to qualify for the first time. A team from Tacoma has never qualified while the Spartans fell one game short of the tournament last year when they lost to CD Aguiluchos in a win and you’re in match.
Two weeks later, on March 7, the Southwest and Golden Gate conferences will also hold their own qualifying tournaments to determine a total of two Open Cup spots for the three conferences.
The winner of the Golden Gate tournament will gain automatic entry into the 2015 US Open Cup, while the Southwest and Northwest representatives will battle for the other entry into the 102nd edition of the tournament.
The five-team Golden Gate Conference will begin their tournament with the Sacramento Gold, who reached the NPSL semifinals last year, taking on Real San Jose.
Despite finishing atop the GGC in league play last year, the Gold will have to play-in to the final four because, according to Gold coach Ruben Mora, the teams decided beforehand that the tournament would be seeded by a random draw.
The winner of that game will enter the semifinals of the conference tournament, hosting the Sonoma County Sol the following weekend, while CD Aguiluchos USA will host the San Francisco Stompers FC. The two winners will advance to the Golden Gate final on March 21.
For the Southwest tournament, the San Diego Flash will host Temecula FC, with the winner taking on whoever emerges from FC Hasental vs. Deportivo Coras USA fixture. FC Hasental will have home field advantage should they reach the final.
Of the NPSL teams looking to qualify for this year’s Open Cup, the Sonoma County Sol have by far the most experience, with six Open Cup berths in their 12-year history – but none since 2010.
The Sol’s best results in the Open Cup game in 2006 and 2009, when they reached the second round of the tournament. 2009 was a special year for the club as they won the NPSL national championship. FC Hasental are looking to return to the tournament for the first time since 2013 when they defeated the Fresno Fuego Future (US Club Soccer) before falling 3-2 to the Ventura County Fusion (PDL).
Qualifying for the tournament in the West last year was the San Diego Flash, who won the Southwest Conference tournament, and CD Aguiluchos USA, who defeated the Sol on penalties for the Golden Gate Conference title before dispatching the Spartans 2-1 in the play-in game.
While Aguiluchos lost its First Round game to the Ventura County Fusion 2-1, the Flash advanced to the Second Round via a forfeit from Corinthians USA, who had a player registration issue that they couldn’t get resolved in time.
Oddly enough, the Flash were forced to forfeit in the next round against PSA Elite after being unable to locate a venue to play the game at.
2015 US Open Cup Qualifying (NPSL West)
SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE
First Round (March 7)
San Diego Flash vs. Temecula FC
FC Hasental vs. Deportivo Coras USA
Final (March 14)
San Diego/Temecula vs. FC Hasental/Coras
* FC Hasental will host Final if they advance
NORTHWEST CONFERENCE
Final (Feb. 20)
SFC Spartans at FC Tacoma 253
Starfire Sports Complex – Tukwila, WA
8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET
WIN & YOU’RE IN
Northwest winner vs. Southwest winner
Date/Location TBA
*Winner qualifies for 2015 US Open Cup
GOLDEN GATE CONFERENCE
First Round (March 7)
Real San Jose at Sacramento Gold
Christian High School Stadium – Sacramento, CA
7 p.m. PT / 10 p.m. ET
Second Round (March 14)
Sonoma County Sol at Real San Jose/Sacramento Gold winner
Time/Location TBA
San Francisco Stompers at CD Aguiluchos
Raimond Park – Oakland, CA
8 p.m. PT / 11 p.m. ET
Final (March 21)
CD Aguiluchos/SF Stompers winner at SJ/SAC/SOL winner
* Golden Gate winner qualifies for 2015 US Open Cup