The final weekend of the Open Division Local Qualifying tournament for the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is complete with seven teams clinching a spot in next spring’s 110th edition of the tournament.
The last seven games had a little of everything with two games finishing scoreless and having to be decided in a penalty kick shootout. Four games were high-scoring barnburners where the lowest-scoring game was five total goals and it was decided in the final seconds of extra time. And finally another spot was decided without a ball being kicked as Washington Athletic Club became the first Open Division Local team from the Evergreen State to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present).
Of the seven teams that advanced to the tournament proper (which is expected to begin in March), three of them were first-time entries. They will join the following teams in the 2025 US Open Cup:
CD Faialense (BSSL/USASA)
Harpos FC (CPL/USSSA)
New Jersey Alliance FC (UPSL)
New York Renegades FC (UPSL)
Southern Indiana FC (UPSL)
Virginia Dream FC (VSSL/USASA)
West Chester United SC (USLPA/USASA)
Soda City FC (2024 UPSL Spring Champions).
NY Pancyprian Freedoms (2024 National Amateur Cup Champions)
Below you will find a brief recap of each game with a link to the full match report and video:
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7
ROUND 4 (WIN & YOU’RE IN)
Harbor City FC (UPSL)
0:0
FC America CFL Spurs (USSL/USSSA)
Harbor City FC qualifies, 5-4 on penalty kicks
Melbourne High School; Melbourne, FL
FULL MATCH VIDEO: YOUTUBE
By: Taylor George
In a tense “Win and You’re In” matchup against United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) rivals FC America CFL Spurs, Harbor City FC punched their ticket to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after an intense battle that ended in penalty kicks.
After 120 minutes of scoreless soccer, Harbor City would qualify for the 110th edition of the US Open Cup with a 5-4 win in the shootout with goalkeeper Bryce Notardonato making the decisive save.
For HCFC, it was a revenge result as both teams made their Open Cup qualifying debut last year and the Spurs eliminated City 1-0 on a Melvrik Fernandes goal in the 76th minute.
FULL MATCH REPORT
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7
ROUND 4
FORO SC (UPSL)
4:2
Houston Regals SCA (USSL)
Prince of Peace; Carrollton, TX
FULL MATCH VIDEO: YOUTUBE
By: Jim Coppock
A cool, rainy night in Carrollton, Texas, saw hosts FORO SC defeat Houston Regals SCA by a 4-2 score in a “Win & You’re In” match. FORO SC took the lead twice only to see Houston equalize each time. But after taking the lead for a third time, they would hold on for the victory. With the win, FORO SC qualifies for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the second year in a row.
FORO SC have become perennial UPSL Championship contenders (three times in the UPSL semifinals), while Houston Regals are establishing themselves as a powerhouse in the Texas conference of the United States Soccer League (winning it all in 2022 and claiming the most recent Spring Texas title). Neither side considered themselves the underdog and neither played like it. Outside of the first and last five minutes, the game was end to end.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8
ROUND 4
Chicago House AC (MWPL)
0:0
Tulsa Athletic (UPSL)
Tulsa Athletic qualifies, 5-4 on penalty kicks
Langhorst Field; Elmhurst, IL
FULL MATCH VIDEO: YOUTUBE
By: Joe Chatz
There’s no easy path into the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, particularly throughout Open Division Local qualifying, but Tulsa Athletic managed to weather multiple storms and secured a spot in the 2025 edition of the tournament after defeating Chicago House AC 5-4 in a penalty kick shootout after a scoreless draw at Langhorst Field on the campus of Elmhurst University in Illinois.
The two sides had multiple chances in open play throughout the 120 minutes but neither side broke the deadlock, sending the match to penalty kicks. Tulsa didn’t miss from the spot and that was enough to secure their spot in the 2025 US Open Cup. With the shootout win, Tulsa Athletic qualified for the third year in a row and the seventh time in club history (all previous entries were as members of the NPSL). Meanwhile, Chicago was denied a third straight trip to the competition.
FULL MATCH REPORT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8
ROUND 4
Miami United FC (UPSL)
3:2
Red Force FC (PFL)
After Extra Time
Ted Hendricks Stadium; Hialeah, FL
FULL MATCH VIDEO: YOUTUBE
By: Daniel Solana
On a beautiful night in Hialeah, Fla., two of South Florida’s most historic clubs faced off in a “Win & You’re In” game to punch their ticket to the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Miami United FC, were victorious over their rival Red Force in a fierce game that went to extra time. Fueled by a goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time of the second extra time period from their Argentine star player, Diego “Cachetes” Morales, “El Equipo del Pueblo” is on its way to the 110th edition of US Soccer’s historic tournament.
With the win, Miami United extends it’s record winning streak in the qualifying tournament to 13 games, and have qualified for the US Open Cup proper for the third year in a row and the seventh time in club history (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025)
FULL MATCH REPORT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8
ROUND 4
San Diego Internacional (UPSL)
2:6
Laguna United FC (UPSL)
Mission Bay High School; San Diego, CA
FULL MATCH VIDEO: YOUTUBE
By: Josh Hakala
Laguna United scored four first half goals and didn’t look back as they traveled south and defeated fellow UPSL side San Diego Internacional 6-2. Michael Barrazas got the offense rolling by scoring the first two goals and assisting on the third. For that third goal, Barrazas set up Yousef Farah for the first goal of his hat trick. Farah’s biggest of his three goals came just before halftime when he gathered a loose ball in the penalty area, flipped the ball up to himself and buried a bicycle kick goal past the diving goalkeeper to make it 4-1 at the halftime break. After Farah would complete the hat trick in the 50th minute, Ben Nicholson would add a late penalty kick to send LUFC to the US Open Cup for the first time in club history.
FULL MATCH REPORT
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8
ROUND 4
International San Francisco (SFSFL/USASA)
5:4
Valley 559 FC (UPSL)
After Extra Time
James P. Lang Field; San Francisco, CA
FULL MATCH VIDEO: YOUTUBE
By: Jordan Beech
It was do-or-die in the Bay on Sunday night, and Leo Lazaro’s extra time heroics proved the difference as Inter San Francisco edged past Valley 559 FC, 5-4, at James P. Lang Field.
After missing out on back-to-back tournament appearances last year, Inter SF are headed back to the Open Cup for the 110th edition of the tournament. Inter made their debut in the Open Cup in 2023.
Leo Lazaro led the way with a brace on the night, scoring in the 85th and 99th minutes.Both times Lazaro scored to give the hosts the lead, with the 99th-minute tally standing as the difference in an otherwise even affair.
Washington AC (SRATS)
vs.
Las Vegas Legends FC (NISAN)
Nathan Hale High School; Seattle, WA
Washington AC qualifies for the 2025 US Open Cup via forfeit
By Josh Hakala
Washington AC earned a spot in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time in club history after the Las Vegas Legends informed them that they were forfeiting Saturday’s “Win & You’re In” match in Seattle.
“On our last weekend of the season during NISA Nation championships semi final and Finals we faced disciplinary issues with multiple players. Unfortunately that led us to not have enough players to field a team for the December 7th game,” said Las Vegas Legends owner and founder Meir Cohen. “This is very disappointing to some players and to the club as we were looking forward to make a run at the Open Cup as we did in 2022.”
“The Las Vegas Legends wishes WAC all the best in the First Round in March,” he added.
“It’s obviously not the way we wanted to qualify with our last game but there’s not much we can do about it,” said Washington AC head coach Mark Conrad. “We are excited to be in the tournament proper regardless.”
Washington AC comes from the Seattle Recreational Adult Team Soccer, the same league as 2024’s viral sensation Sharktopus FC. The teams have taken turns atop the SRATS, Washington AC winning the Winter and spring regular season and Sharktopus taking the summer section.
Washington AC opened 2025 qualifying with a 4-3 win over Bellevue Athletic FC (UPSL) with Christian Soto scoring twice. In the Second Round, WAC defeated Holac FC (UPSL) 2-1, with Eric Lagos scoring twice to erase a 1-0 deficit. Finally, Washington returned home to blank the UPSL’s Deportivo Rose City 3-0 with Lagos once again scoring twice and joined on the scoresheet by Christian Soto.
Washington Athletic Club entered the competition with some rich history as they were founded in 1930. With the forfeit win, WAC becomes the first Washington-based club to qualify for the Open Cup in the Modern Era through Open Division Local qualifying. The only amateur clubs to ever qualify for the tournament from Washington were from USL League Two and the NPSL.