UPDATE:
Saturday, Oct. 17
Lansdowne Bhoys FC 3:0 Newtown Pride FC
West Chester United SC 2:1 (AET) Junior Lone Star FC
Jersey Shore Boca 2:1 South Jersey Elite Barons
Aromas Cafe FC 3:1 Tartan Devils FC
Salone FC 1:0 Vereinigung Erzgebirge
Southie F.C. 1:0 Battery Park Gunners
Sunday, Oct. 18
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks 2:1 (AET) Maryland Bays
NY Pancyprian Freedoms 4:2 (AET) NY Greek American SC
Worcester FC 2:0 Newport FC
GPS Omens 5:0 Boston Olympiakos
The memory of Sporting Kansas City lifting the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup trophy is still fresh in the minds of soccer fans across the country, but less than three weeks later, qualifying for the 2016 tournament will kick off this weekend.
On Saturday, Oct. 17, six games will start us out on the road to the 103rd national championship, with all of them based on the east coast. The following day, four more games from the region will wrap up the opening weekend of play.
The weekend after that (Oct. 24-25), 16 more games will compete the first of three rounds to determine which eight amateur clubs will join the rest of the country’s professional teams in next year’s competition.
You can follow all the latest updates from all the games this weekend through TheCup.us Twitter account @USOpenCup as well as the hashtag #USOC2016 on Twitter and on Instagram. If you have any photos or updates to provide, use that hashtag and we’ll pass it along.
The national qualifying tournament, the first of its kind, operated by the US Soccer Federation, was open to any amateur team competing in a US Soccer-sanctioned league (excluding the Premier Development League and the National Premier Soccer League, who were awarded 15 and 13 entries, respectively). The field of teams represents 15 different states from the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), US Club Soccer, and the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA). The tournament was then split up regionally in an effort to minimize travel and after Round 2 (Nov. 14-22) and Round 3 (April 2-3, 2016) there will be eight clubs remaining to enter the 2016 US Open Cup which has a tentative start date of May 11, 2016.
The initial list of entries was cut from 56 to 54 after two clubs withdrew after learning they would have to travel a considerable distance for their first round game. Tobacco Road FC, based in Chapel Hill, NC, were facing a lengthy 850-mile trip to New Orleans for their qualifying opener against CD Motagua. Three-time qualifier Kansas City Athletics had even further to go as they had a 1,800-mile trip to Portland, Ore. on the schedule to take on the International Portland Select (IPS). Both CD Motagua and IPS received byes into Round 2.
We begin with this weekend and the highlight of Round 1, without question, is the Sunday matchup between the New York Greek American SC and the New York Pancyprian Freedoms. Between them, they have won seven US Open Cup titles (4 for the Greeks, 3 for the Freedoms) and have played each other countless times while competing for club championships in the city of New York. To put it simply, it’s one of the great rivalries in the history of US Soccer.
Other opening weekend highlights include three-time qualifier (2007, 2009, 2012) Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC hosting the Maryland Bays who made their US Open Cup debut in 2015. Elsewhere, Global Premier Soccer (GPS) Omens are looking to qualify for the tournament for the fourth year in a row. To reach that goal, they will have to get through Boston Olympiakos, who haven’t qualified since their Open Cup debut in 2008.
Check out the full schedule below:
QUALIFYING: FIRST ROUND (All Times Eastern)
OCT. 17, 2015
Southie FC (MA) at Battery Park Gunners (MA)
Madison Park High School; Roxbury, Mass. – 12 p.m.
Salone FC (EAST PA) at Vereinigung Erzgebirge (EAST PA)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge; Warminster, Pa. – 2 p.m.
Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (WEST PA) at Aromas Café FC (DC/VA)
South Fork Soccer Park; Charlottesville, Va. – 3 p.m.
West Chester United (EAST PA) at Junior Lone Star FC (EAST PA)
YSC Sports Field; Wayne, Pa. – 6:30 p.m.
South Jersey Elite Barons (NJ) at Jersey Shore Boca (NJ)
Pinewood Park; Brick, N.J. – 7 p.m.
Newtown Pride FC (CT) at Lansdowne Bhoys FC (EAST NY)
Gaelic Park; Bronx, N.Y. – 7:30 p.m.
OCT. 18, 2015
Boston Olympiakos FC (MA) at Global Premier Soccer Omens (MA)
West Roxbury High School; West Roxbury, Mass. – 2 p.m.
Maryland Bays (MD) at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (MD)
Maryland SoccerPlex; Boyds, Md. – 2:30 p.m.
NY Pancyprian Freedoms (EAST NY) at NY Greek American SC (EAST NY)
Metropolitan Oval; Maspeth, N.Y. – 6 p.m.
Newport FC (RI) at Worcester FC (MA)
Foley Stadium; Worcester, Mass. – 7:30 p.m.
OCT. 24, 2015
NTX Rayados (NORTH TX) at Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (SOUTH TX)
San Gabriel Park; Georgetown, Texas – 4 p.m.
Colorado Rovers (CO) at Harpo’s FC (CO)
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, Colo. – 6:30 p.m.
La Maquina (SOUTH CA) at Strikers FC South Coast (SOUTH CA)
Lake Forest Sports Park and Recreation Center; Lake Forest, Calif. – 9 p.m.
San Nicolas FC (SOUTH CA) at Corinthians USA (SOUTH CA)
Rialto High School; Rialto, Calif. – 10 p.m.
Footballers Academy (SOUTH CA) at San Pedro Monsters FC (SOUTH CA)
Daniel’s Field; San Pedro, Calif. – 10 p.m.
Del Rey City SC (SOUTH CA) at LA Wolves FC (SOUTH CA)
Toyota Sports Complex; Torrence, Calif. – 11 p.m.
OCT. 25, 2015
Boca Raton FC (FL) at Real Miami Club of Football (FL)
St. John Bosco Football Stadium; Miami, Fla. – 4:30 p.m.
Colorado Rush (CO) at FC Boulder (CO)
Pleasant View Soccer Complex; Boulder, Colo. – 5 p.m.
El Farolito (NORTH CA) at San Francisco City FC (NORTH CA)
Kezar Stadium; San Francisco, Calif. – 6 p.m.
Outbreak FC (SOUTH CA) at Buena Park FC (SOUTH CA)
John F. Kennedy High School; La Palma, Calif. – 6 p.m.
Charlotte Sporting Soccer Academy FC (NC) at Queen City United FC (NC)
West Mecklenburg Stadium; Charlotte, N.C. – 7 p.m.
Real Sociedad (SOUTH CA) at Ozzy’s Laguna FC (SOUTH CA)
East Los Angeles College; Monterey Park, Calif. – 7 p.m.
Red Force FC (FL) at Uruguay Kendall FC (FL)
Broward College-South Campus; Pembroke Pines, Fla. – 8 p.m.
Davis Legacy (NORTH CA) at IFX Ballistic (NORTH CA)
Las Positas College; Livermore, Calif. – 8 p.m.
Valley United SC (SOUTH CA) at Cal FC (SOUTH CA)
Agoura High School; Agoura Hills, Calif. – 10 p.m.
Chula Vista FC (SOUTH CA) at Temecula Football Club (SOUTH CA)
Linfield Christian School; Temecula, Calif. – 10 p.m.
Tobacco Road FC (NC) at CD Motagua of New Orleans (LA)
NOTE: Tobacco Road FC withdrawn (Travel). CD Motagua advances to Round 2
KC Athletics (KS) at International Portland Select (OR)
NOTE: KC Athletics have withdrawn (Travel) IPS advances to Round 2
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QUALIFYING: SECOND ROUND (All Times Eastern)
Boston Olympiakos / GPS Omens winner at Battery Park Gunners
Madison Park High School; Roxbury, Mass. – Nov. 14, 12 p.m.
OR
Boston Olympiakos / GPS Omens winner at Southie FC
Lawrence Veterans Memorial Stadium; Lawrence, Mass. – Nov. 15, 4 p.m.
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Newtown Pride FC / Lansdowne Bhoys winner at Worcester FC
Pappas Recreation Center; Auburn, Mass. – Nov. 14, 5 p.m.
OR
Newtown Pride FC / Lansdowne Bhoys FC winner at Newport FC
Gardner Seveney Field; Portsmouth, R.I. – Nov. 15, 9:30 a.m.
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South Jersey / Jersey Shore Boca winner at NY Pancyprian Freedoms
Belson Stadium, St John’s University; Jamaica, N.Y. – Nov. 14, 7 p.m.
OR
South Jersey / Jersey Shore Boca winner at NY Greek American SC
Metropolitan Oval; Maspeth, N.Y. – Nov. 15, 6 p.m.
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West Chester United / Junior Lone Star winner at Vereinigung Erzgebirge
Vereinigung Erzgebirge; Warminster, Pa. – Nov. 14, 2 p.m.
OR
West Chester United / Junior Lone Star winner at Salone FC
Marcus Foster; Philadelphia, Pa. – Nov. 15, 4 p.m.
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Maryland Bays / Aegean Hawks FC winner at Aromas Café FC
Western Allenade High School; Crozet, Va. – Nov. 15, 3 p.m.
OR
Maryland Bays / Aegean Hawks FC winner at Tartan Devils Oak Avalon
Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa. – Nov. 15, 3 p.m.
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La Maquina / Strikers FC South Coast winner at Chula Vista FC
Eastlake High; Chula Vista, Calif. – Nov. 21, 11 p.m.
OR
La Maquina / Strikers FC South Coast winner at Temecula FC
Temecula Valley High School; Temecula, Calif. – Nov. 21, 10 p.m.
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Boca Raton FC / Real Miami winner at Uruguay Kendall FC
Broward College-South Campus; Pembroke Pines, Fla. – Nov. 21, 6 p.m.
OR
Boca Raton FC / Real Miami winner at Red Force FC
Broward College-South Campus; Pembroke Pines, Fla. – Nov. 22, 6 p.m.
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Colorado Rush / FC Boulder winner at Colorado Rovers
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, Colo. – Nov. 21, 6:30 p.m.
OR
Colorado Rush / FC Boulder winner at Harpo’s FC
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, Colo. – Nov. 22, 12 p.m.
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Davis Legacy / IFX Ballistic winner at San Francisco City FC
Crocker Amazon Field; San Francisco, Calif. – Nov. 21, 4 p.m.
OR
Davis Legacy / IFX Ballistic winner at El Farolito
Boxer Stadium; San Francisco, Calif. – Nov. 22, 4 p.m.
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Valley United SC / Cal FC winner at LA Wolves FC
Mira Costa High School; Manhattan Beach, Calif. – Nov. 21, 10:30 p.m.
OR
Valley United SC / Cal FC winner at Del Rey City SC
St. Bernard High School; Playa Del Rey, Calif. – Nov. 22, 8:30 p.m.
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Outbreak FC / Buena Park FC winner at San Pedro Monsters FC
Daniel’s Field; San Pedro, Calif. – Nov. 21, 10 p.m.
OR
Outbreak FC / Buena Park FC winner at Footballers Academy
Orange County Great Park; Irvine, Calif. – Nov. 22, 11 p.m.
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San Nicolas FC / Corinthians USA winner at Ozzy’s Laguna FC
Santa Ana Stadium; Santa Ana, Calif. – Nov. 22, 7 p.m.
OR
San Nicolas FC / Corinthians USA winner at Real Sociedad
St. John Bosco Football Stadium; Bellflower, Calif. – Nov. 22, 7:30 p.m.
NOV. 21 or 22
Charlotte Sporting / Queen City United winner vs. CD Motagua (LA)
Site / Date TBD
NTX Rayados / Austin Real Cuauhtemoc winner vs. International Portland Select
Site / Date TBD
QUALIFYING: THIRD ROUND
April 1-2, 2016
US OPEN CUP FIRST ROUND: May 11, 2016