The 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup open division qualifying tournament is now complete with 14 amateur teams from across the country punching their ticket to the 105th edition of the tournament.
There are plenty of familiar faces from recent years that will return to next year’s tournament. Christos FC, the Baltimore, Md. club that became just the 13th amateur club to reach the Fourth Round during the 2017 competition, will be back. La Maquina (Santa Ana, Calif.) took the Los Angeles Galaxy to extra time in 2016 and they are back for the third year in a row, and Lansdowne Bhoys (New York City), who pulled off a stunning upset the last time they qualified (2016) are back after missing out last year. Also, the NTX Rayados have qualified for a Modern Era record seventh consecutive tournament.
There are also some teams who will make their US Open Cup debut in 2018: FC Denver (Denver, Colo.), FC Kendall (Miami, Fla.), Kendall Wanderers (Boston, Mass.), Santa Ana Winds (Santa Ana, Calif.), and Rochester Rivar Dogz (Rochester, NY). Sporting AZ FC (Phoenix, Ariz.) are a new name to the tournament, but they are the same club as the Arizona Sahuaros, a club that has participated in the tournament in many forms: a pro club in the USL, an NPSL team and an independent team.
This was the third and final round of a new qualifying tournament that was launched three years ago by the US Soccer Federation. The new format welcomes all amateur teams that compete in US Soccer-sanctioned leagues (National leagues like the Premier Development League and the National Premier Soccer League base their qualifying on the previous season’s results) to sign up and compete in a single-elimination tournament.
2018 US Open Cup qualifying schedule/results
Let’s take a brief look at each game with links to each game’s match report.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18
Indios Denver FC (USASA/UPSL)
0:2 (AET)
FC Denver (USSSA/Colorado Amateur Soccer League)
In a battle between two Denver-based clubs seeking their first US Open Cup berth, FC Denver scored twice in extra time to come away with a 2-0 win over Indios Denver FC. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
Azteca FC (USSSA/Colorado Premier League)
4:3
Harpo’s FC (USSSA/Colorado Premier League)
Broomfield County Commons Park Stadium – Broomfield, CO
A year ago, Azteca FC denied Harpo’s FC a chance to qualify for the US Open Cup. In this year’s rematch, Azteca FC did it again, with a 4-3 win over Harpo’s FC in an exciting match in Broomfield, Colo. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
FC Kendall (USASA / American Premier Soccer League)
4:2
Nashville United (USASA/Middle Tennessee Soccer Alliance)
E.S. Rose Park – Nashville, TN
FC Kendall traveled from Miami to Nashville and was greeted by some horrible weather as their game against Nashville United had to change venues a few hours before the game due to the heavy rain. In the end, the visitors received four goals from four different goalscorers to win 4-2 and earn their first trip to the US Open Cup. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
Kendall Wanderers (USASA/Bay State Soccer League)
2:1
Mass United (USASA/American Soccer League)
Dilboy Stadium – Somerville, MA
In rainy day just outside of Boston, Kendall Wanderers defeated in-state foe Mass United FC 2-1 to earn the club’s first-ever US Open Cup berth. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
Junior Lone Star U-23s (USASA/Philadelphia Premier Soccer League)
1:3
Lansdowne Bhoys FC (USASA/Cosmopolitan Soccer League)
Tibbetts Brooke Park – Yonkers, NY
Defending USASA Amateur Cup champion Lansdowne Bhoys FC ended the unlikely qualifying run of the Junior Lone Star Under-23s with a 3-1 win in Yonkers, NY. Lansdowne were led by Irish striker Daryl Kavanagh who scored a pair of goals to put the Bhoys back in the US Open Cup for the first time since 2016. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
Motagua of New Orleans (USASA/Gulf Coast Premier League)
1:2
NTX Rayados (USASA/North Texas Premier Soccer Association)
Premier Park – Balch Springs, TX
NTX Rayados qualified for the US Open Cup for the seventh year in a row with a 2-1 home win over Motagua of New Orleans. The Rayados scored two goals in the final 10 minutes to come back to win. No open division amateur team has more consecutive Open Cup berths than the Rayados’ seven. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
Galati FC (USASA/Arizona Champions League)
1:6
Sporting AZ FC (USASA/UPSL)
Chandler-Gilbert Community College – Chandler, AZ
Alejandro Aguilar scored a pair of goals to lead Sporting AZ FC, the club formerly known as the Arizona Sahuaros, to their first US Open Cup berth since the new club was launched last January. They defeated fellow Arizona club Galati FC 6-1 to punch their ticket. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
San Pedro Monsters (USASA/SoCal Premier League)
1:4
Santa Ana Winds FC (USASA/UPSL)
Lake Forest Sports Park – Lake Forest, CA
Santa Ana Winds FC made club history by qualifying for the US Open Cup for the first time, in their second attempt. Kramer Runager scored a pair of goals as the Winds defeated the San Pedro Monsters FC of the SoCal Premier League by a score of 4-1. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19
Phoenix SC (USASA/United Soccer League of Pennsylvania)
1:5
Christos FC (USASA/Maryland Major Soccer League)
Anne Arundel Community College – Arnold, MD
Christos FC stole the headlines with a run to the Fourth Round in last year’s tournament and they will be back for an encore in 2018 for an encore with a 5-1 home win over Phoenix SC (Oakford, Pa.). [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
Stegman’s SC (USASA/Minnesota Amateur Soccer League)
1:2
Rochester River Dogz (USASA/Rochester District Soccer League)
Pittsford Thornell Farm Park Turf Field – Pittsford, NY
The Rochester River Dogz defended their home turf with a 2-1 win over the well-traveled Stegman’s SC from Minneapolis, Minn. With the win, the River Dogz, led by their head coach former Rochester Rhinos star Doug Miller, became the first open division amateur team from Western New York to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present). [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
Cal Victory FC (USASA/UPSL)
1:2
El Farolito (USASA/San Francisco Soccer Football League)
Boxer Stadium – San Francisco, CA
1993 US Open Cup champion El Farolito stormed into the 2018 US Open Cup with an 8-0 win over Cal Victory of the UPSL. The San Francisco Soccer Football League (SFSFL) champions and former Open Cup champions (1993) took care of business to qualify for the Open Cup proper rounds for the second consecutive season. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
South Florida FC (USASA/American Premier Soccer League)
1:2 (AET)
Red Force FC (USASA/American Premier Soccer League)
Kendall Soccer Park – Miami, FL
In a battle of South Florida clubs, Red Force FC edged South Florida FC in extra time to earn their second US Open Cup berth in a row and the club’s fourth trip to the tournament in the last four years. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT COMING SOON
La Maquina FC (USASA/UPSL)
4:1
Chula Vista FC (USASA/SoCal Premier League)
Chula Vista Elite Training Center – Chula Vista, CA
Edwin Borboa scored again as La Maquina continued their dominance in US Open Cup qualifying by earning their third straight US Open Cup berth. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT
Los Angeles Wolves FC (USASA/UPSL)
4:0
Buena Park FC (USASA/SoCal Premier League)
OC Great Park Championship Stadium – Irvine, CA
The Los Angeles Wolves punched their ticket a third straight Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a dominant 4-0 victory over Buena Park FC at Championship Stadium, at Great Park in Irvine, Calif. [+] FULL MATCH REPORT