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2023 US Open Cup: Which USL League Two teams could qualify?

July 23, 2022 by Jake Sillick

Des Moines Menace 2022 US Open Cup
The Des Moines Menace celebrate scoring a goal vs. Minneapolis City SC in the First Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Jose Calderon @digitaljose

While the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is still in progress, with the semifinals taking place in one week, the qualifying for the 2023 competition has been underway all summer in the national leagues.

The format for the 2023 edition of the tournament has yet to be released, however the method in which teams can reach the tournament proper have been finalized including the Open Division National League Track. One of these leagues, USL League Two, formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), has held a fairly consistent qualifying process since 2012 where the league determines its entries based on the previous year’s results. The only changes have been the number of teams that the US Soccer Federation has allocated to it among the rest of the open division. 

Sunday night finished the regular season of USL League Two, which means the “priority list” of teams for determining who qualifies is (almost) complete.

Beginning in 2012 and continuing in 2013, the top 16 US-based USL League Two teams qualified for the tournament directly based on how well they did the previous season. That number increased to 19 from 2014-16 and in 2017 the top 21 teams got in. Since then the number of slots awarded has gone down with 20 allocated in 2018 and 10 slots allocated in 2019. It’s stayed at about that number since, with 11 slots allocated in the cancelled 2020 tournament, then 10 slots allocated in 2022.

Now, for the 2023 Open Cup, the 16 division winners will be prioritized first, followed by the rest of the league’s teams sorted by Points-Per-Game (PPG). Different divisions played different numbers of games meaning average points per game will be used to sort the teams (followed by total wins (not averaged), average goal difference, and average goals scored).

There is one exception to this now. The USL League Two champion in the playoffs that are underway this weekend will receive the #1 overall priority for the league, ahead of all division champions. This was added by the league for the 2021 USL-2 season, making the defending champion Des Moines Menace the first benefactor of this change. Of course, the Menace were already #1 as the best division champion from the 2021 season, meaning there was effectively no change from the old method for the 2021 season.

The teams that qualify will join other Open Division teams, such as those from the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and local amateur qualifiers in the opening round of next year’s competition.

Below is the overall USL League Two standings. y- denotes a division champion. Teams in bold are still alive in the USL League Two playoffs. This list will be updated at the conclusion of the playoffs on August 6.

Finally, the following teams received points deductions this season from the league office. All points deductions are reflected in the table below.

  • Dayton Dutch Lions: 1 point deducted
  • Philadelphia Lone Star: 3 points deducted
  • FC Golden State Force: 3 points deducted
  • AHFC Royals: 4 points deducted
  • Chicago Dutch Lions: 9 points deducted
    GP W L T GF GA GD PTS PTS/GP GD/GP GF/GP
1. y-Lionsbridge FC 14 12 0 2 47 11 36 38 2.714286 2.571429 3.357143
2. y-Des Moines Menace 12 10 0 2 37 9 28 32 2.666667 2.333333 3.083333
3. y-Seacoast United Phantoms 14 12 1 1 37 13 24 37 2.642857 1.714286 2.642857
4. y-Nona FC 14 12 1 1 27 10 17 37 2.642857 1.214286 1.928571
5. y-Manhattan SC 14 12 2 0 32 15 17 36 2.571429 1.214286 2.285714
6. y-Ocean City Nor’easters 14 11 0 3 28 9 19 36 2.571429 1.357143 2
7. y-Chicago FC United 14 11 1 2 53 18 35 35 2.5 2.5 3.785714
8. y-North Carolina Fusion U23 14 11 1 2 48 15 33 35 2.5 2.357143 3.428571
9. y-Brazos Valley Cavalry F.C. 14 11 2 1 47 15 32 34 2.428571 2.285714 3.357143
10. y-One Knoxville SC 14 11 2 1 34 10 24 34 2.428571 1.714286 2.428571
11. y-South Bend Lions 14 10 2 2 40 12 28 32 2.285714 2 2.857143
12. y-Texas United 14 9 0 5 32 13 19 32 2.285714 1.357143 2.285714
13. y-Capital FC 12 8 1 3 25 14 11 27 2.25 0.916667 2.083333
14. y-Project 51O 12 8 2 2 25 13 12 26 2.166667 1 2.083333
15. y-Park City Red Wolves SC 12 8 2 2 24 12 12 26 2.166667 1 2
16. y-Kalamazoo FC 14 8 2 4 28 15 13 28 2 0.928571 2
17. Long Island Rough Riders 14 11 2 1 40 14 26 34 2.428571 1.857143 2.857143
18. Western Mass Pioneers 14 11 3 0 36 15 21 33 2.357143 1.5 2.571429
19. Kings Hammer FC 14 10 2 2 41 15 26 32 2.285714 1.857143 2.928571
20. Asheville City SC 14 9 1 4 37 13 24 31 2.214286 1.714286 2.642857
21. Ballard FC 12 8 2 2 28 12 16 26 2.166667 1.333333 2.333333
22. Ventura County Fusion 12 8 2 2 24 15 9 26 2.166667 0.75 2
23. Christos FC 13 9 3 1 51 18 33 28 2.153846 2.538462 3.923077
24. The Villages SC 14 9 2 3 24 11 13 30 2.142857 0.928571 1.714286
25. Fort Wayne FC 14 9 3 2 34 11 23 29 2.071429 1.642857 2.428571
26. West Virginia United 14 9 3 2 36 23 13 29 2.071429 0.928571 2.571429
27. Charlotte Eagles 14 9 3 2 38 26 12 29 2.071429 0.857143 2.714286
28. Vermont Green FC 14 9 4 1 38 14 24 28 2 1.714286 2.714286
29. Kaw Valley FC 13 8 3 2 31 16 15 26 2 1.153846 2.384615
30. Flint City Bucks 14 8 3 3 31 13 18 27 1.928571 1.285714 2.214286
31. Houston FC 14 8 3 3 24 16 8 27 1.928571 0.571429 1.714286
32. Mississippi Brilla FC 13 8 4 1 33 13 20 25 1.923077 1.538462 2.538462
33. Flatirons Rush 12 7 3 2 22 16 6 23 1.916667 0.5 1.833333
34. Southern California Seahorses 12 6 1 5 21 15 6 23 1.916667 0.5 1.75
35. Hudson Valley Hammers 14 8 5 1 44 31 13 25 1.785714 0.928571 3.142857
36. AFC Ann Arbor 14 7 3 4 35 18 17 25 1.785714 1.214286 2.5
37. South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 13 7 4 2 23 16 7 23 1.769231 0.538462 1.769231
38. FC Miami City 12 7 5 0 27 17 10 21 1.75 0.833333 2.25
39. San Francisco Glens SC 12 6 3 3 27 12 15 21 1.75 1.25 2.25
40. Peoria City 12 6 3 3 22 18 4 21 1.75 0.333333 1.833333
41. Boston City FC 14 8 6 0 24 22 2 24 1.714286 0.142857 1.714286
42. West Chester United SC 14 7 4 3 33 18 15 24 1.714286 1.071429 2.357143
43. Chicago City SC 14 7 4 3 35 29 6 24 1.714286 0.428571 2.5
44. Northern Virginia FC 13 7 5 1 30 24 6 22 1.692308 0.461538 2.307692
45. St. Louis Lions 13 6 4 3 31 22 9 21 1.615385 0.692308 2.384615
46. Florida Elite SA 13 6 4 3 25 17 8 21 1.615385 0.615385 1.923077
47. Corpus Christi FC 14 7 6 1 21 21 0 22 1.571429 0 1.5
48. New Jersey Copa FC 14 7 6 1 26 29 -3 22 1.571429 -0.21429 1.857143
49. LA Krewe 14 6 4 4 39 26 13 22 1.571429 0.928571 2.785714
50. Tri-Cities Otters 14 7 7 0 17 23 -6 21 1.5 -0.42857 1.214286
51. FA Euro New York 14 6 5 3 22 21 1 21 1.5 0.071429 1.571429
52. Real Central New Jersey 14 6 6 2 31 27 4 20 1.428571 0.285714 2.214286
53. Miami AC 14 6 6 2 16 16 0 20 1.428571 0 1.142857
54. Tennessee SC 14 5 4 5 19 16 3 20 1.428571 0.214286 1.357143
55. Reading United AC 14 5 4 5 22 21 1 20 1.428571 0.071429 1.571429
56. New Mexico United U23 12 5 5 2 23 19 4 17 1.416667 0.333333 1.916667
57. South Carolina United FC 13 5 5 3 23 24 -1 18 1.384615 -0.07692 1.769231
58. Black Rock FC 14 6 7 1 22 23 -1 19 1.357143 -0.07143 1.571429
59. Oakland County FC 14 6 7 1 28 35 -7 19 1.357143 -0.5 2
60. FC Wichita 14 6 7 1 23 30 -7 19 1.357143 -0.5 1.642857
61. Little Rock Rangers 14 5 5 4 26 23 3 19 1.357143 0.214286 1.857143
62. Davis Legacy SC 12 4 4 4 26 24 2 16 1.333333 0.166667 2.166667
63. FC Motown STA 14 5 6 3 29 23 6 18 1.285714 0.428571 2.071429
64. Cedar Stars Rush 14 5 6 3 31 32 -1 18 1.285714 -0.07143 2.214286
65. Round Rock SC 14 5 6 3 25 33 -8 18 1.285714 -0.57143 1.785714
66. Weston FC 14 5 6 3 10 18 -8 18 1.285714 -0.57143 0.714286
67. Lane United FC 12 3 3 6 19 18 1 15 1.25 0.083333 1.583333
68. Charlotte Independence 2 14 5 7 2 39 32 7 17 1.214286 0.5 2.785714
69. Boston Bolts 14 5 7 2 19 24 -5 17 1.214286 -0.35714 1.357143
70. Marin FC Legends 12 4 6 2 20 18 2 14 1.166667 0.166667 1.666667
71. Salt City SC 12 4 6 2 21 27 -6 14 1.166667 -0.5 1.75
72. North Carolina FC U23 14 4 6 4 30 24 6 16 1.142857 0.428571 2.142857
73. Peachtree City MOBA 14 5 9 0 24 30 -6 15 1.071429 -0.42857 1.714286
74. Virginia Beach United 14 5 9 0 14 32 -18 15 1.071429 -1.28571 1
75. Dalton Red Wolves SC 14 4 7 3 19 25 -6 15 1.071429 -0.42857 1.357143
76. AC Connecticut 14 4 9 1 26 34 -8 13 0.928571 -0.57143 1.857143
77. Lansing City Football 14 4 9 1 13 28 -15 13 0.928571 -1.07143 0.928571
78. OVF Alliance 12 3 7 2 24 21 3 11 0.916667 0.25 2
79. Tampa Bay United 12 3 7 2 14 16 -2 11 0.916667 -0.16667 1.166667
80. Oly Town FC 12 3 7 2 16 25 -9 11 0.916667 -0.75 1.333333
81. Toledo Villa FC 14 4 10 0 18 34 -16 12 0.857143 -1.14286 1.285714
82. Southern Soccer Academy Kings 14 3 8 3 12 30 -18 12 0.857143 -1.28571 0.857143
83. PDX FC 12 3 8 1 12 34 -22 10 0.833333 -1.83333 1
84. Blue Goose SC 13 3 9 1 22 33 -11 10 0.769231 -0.84615 1.692308
85. Philadelphia Lone Star FC 14 3 7 4 25 39 -14 10 0.714286 -1 1.785714
86. Blackwatch Rush 14 3 10 1 16 35 -19 10 0.714286 -1.35714 1.142857
87. Patuxent Football Athletics 14 3 10 1 13 33 -20 10 0.714286 -1.42857 0.928571
88. Tobacco Road FC 14 3 10 1 22 50 -28 10 0.714286 -2 1.571429
89. St. Croix SC 12 2 8 2 15 30 -15 8 0.666667 -1.25 1.25
90. Central Valley Fuego FC 2 12 2 8 2 11 36 -25 8 0.666667 -2.08333 0.916667
91. AHFC Royals 14 3 8 3 24 33 -9 8 0.571429 -0.64286 1.714286
92. Caledonia SC 13 2 10 1 7 32 -25 7 0.538462 -1.92308 0.538462
93. East Atlanta FC 14 2 11 1 15 36 -21 7 0.5 -1.5 1.071429
94. Springfield ASC 14 2 11 1 16 38 -22 7 0.5 -1.57143 1.142857
95. AC Houston Sur 14 2 11 1 13 36 -23 7 0.5 -1.64286 0.928571
96. Midwest United FC 14 2 11 1 9 35 -26 7 0.5 -1.85714 0.642857
97. Commonwealth Cardinals FC 14 2 11 1 13 50 -37 7 0.5 -2.64286 0.928571
98. Dayton Dutch Lions 14 2 10 2 13 53 -40 7 0.5 -2.85714 0.928571
99. San Francisco City FC 12 1 8 3 13 27 -14 6 0.5 -1.16667 1.083333
100. Cleveland Force SC 14 1 9 4 15 36 -21 7 0.5 -1.5 1.071429
101. FC Florida U23 14 1 10 3 13 26 -13 6 0.428571 -0.92857 0.928571
102. LA Parish 14 1 10 3 22 66 -44 6 0.428571 -3.14286 1.571429
103. FC Golden State Force 12 1 6 5 12 19 -7 5 0.416667 -0.58333 1
104. Minneapolis City SC 12 1 9 2 11 26 -15 5 0.416667 -1.25 0.916667
105. CISA 12 1 9 2 12 28 -16 5 0.416667 -1.33333 1
106. Westchester Flames 14 1 11 2 16 38 -22 5 0.357143 -1.57143 1.142857
107. Lehigh Valley United 14 1 12 1 21 46 -25 4 0.285714 -1.78571 1.5
108. Pathfinder FC 14 1 12 1 8 46 -38 4 0.285714 -2.71429 0.571429
109. Wake FC 14 1 12 1 17 60 -43 4 0.285714 -3.07143 1.214286
110. Morris Elite SC 14 1 13 0 9 46 -37 3 0.214286 -2.64286 0.642857
111. Chicago Dutch Lions FC 14 2 12 0 18 54 -36 -3 -0.21429 -2.57143 1.285714

Filed Under: Feature - Main, Feature - Qualifying, Featured Post - Main, Featured Post - US Open Cup Qualifying, US Open Cup, US Open Cup Central, US Open Cup Qualifying Tagged With: 2023 US Open Cup

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