As we begin our 1995 US Open Cup Rewind series, we thought fans who weren’t following the US Open Cup 30 years ago could use a preview. For those that were following the US Open Cup back then, we present a refresher.
The 30th anniversary of the 1995 Open Cup is upon us this year, and as we did with the inaugural tournament in 1913-1914, we’re going to take you back in time and relive the 1995 US Open Cup in chronological order, as it happened.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If you know anyone associated with any of these teams or might have any information about any of the games from the 1995 US Open Cup, email us HERE. Our goal is to compile a complete historical record of the US Open Cup and we welcome anyone who has stats, team information, photos, videos, or memories about the games from this tournament.
June 11, 1995
Spartans SC (USASA) at Richmond Kickers (USISL Premier League)
University of Richmond Stadium – Richmond, VA
Kickoff: 3 p.m. ET
If the Spartans seem familiar to Richmond, it’ll be because the Kickers have already played against some of them this season. Six of the Spartans players also play for the Washington Mustangs, who Richmond defeated 5-2 in a USISL Premier League contest on May 19.
The Spartans come into the 1995 Open Cup no stranger to success in the tournament, having reached the Quarterfinals in 1988, 1991 and 1992. The Spartans reached the Open Cup by eliminating NY Greek American Atlas on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in the USASA Region I Final.
Of the eight USISL entries in the 1995 Open Cup, the Kickers are the lone club from the amateur USISL Premier League, the other seven hailing from the USISL Pro League. Michael Brady and Scott Snyder have played for the Spartans before but are not cup-tied as they did not play in any qualifying games for the amateur club.
Richmond is currently near the top of the USISL Premier League Eastern Conference, their 7-0 record topped only by the Cocoa Expos at 10-0. Goalkeeper Jeff Causey leads the USISL Premier League with a 1.00 goals against average. The Kickers are fresh off a 2-0 win just two days before over the Columbia Heat on June 9, Brian Kamler and Scott Snyder provided the goals for Richmond.
June 14, 1995
Connecticut Wolves (USISL Pro League) at New York Centaurs (A-League)
Downing Stadium – New York, NY
Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. ET
The Centaurs are literally only a few months old, having been created in February of 1995 to help fill the void left by three A-League teams that folded during the winter. The Centaurs are struggling both on the field and in the stands early in the season, sitting in the bottom half of the A-League standings at 2-5, having only scored five times in those seven games. After drawing just 2,793 fans for their inaugural game, the Centaurs have averaged only 780 fans for their last four games.
In what could be called an attempt to gain attention for the new club, the team offered Diego Maradona a $2 million contract in April. Maradona infamously tested positive for illegal substances during the 1994 World Cup and was suspended by FIFA for 15 months.
The Connecticut Wolves are also struggling, sitting near the bottom of the USISL Po League Coastal division at 3-6, with just 13 goals scored. In a twist of irony, US national team defender Janusz Michallik started the season with Connecticut but has since joined the Centaurs on loan. The Wolves are coming off a 3-1 loss to undefeated Coastal Division leaders Long Island Rough Riders (11-0).
Connecticut earned their Open Cup spot by defeating the Cape Cod Crusaders in a shootout after a 2-2 draw, then knocking off the New York Fever 4-1 in USISL qualifying.
Tampa Bay Cyclones (USISL Pro League) at Atlanta Ruckus (A-League)
Adams Stadium – Atlanta, GA
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
The Atlanta Ruckus come into their opening US Open Cup match with a distinct advantage. Their manager Lothar Osiander has tasted Open Cup success before, having won the tournament in 1985 and 1994 as manager of San Francisco’s Greek American AC. The first-year Ruckus are 5-3 in A-League play, with Staale Soebye and Lenin Steenkamp atop the league scoring table with five and four goals respectively.
Tampa Bay are 6-3 in the USUSL Pro League Southeast division, and are coming off two straight wins over the Florida Stars (4-1 on June 9) and Ft. Lauderdale Strikers (2-1 on June 10). The Cyclones path to the Open Cup saw them defeat the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers 6-3 on aggregate in a two-game series in USISL qualifying.
Colorado Foxes (A-League) at Flamengo SC (USASA)
Haws Field (BYU) – Provo, UT
Kickoff: 9:30 p.m. ET
In the lone A-League vs. USASA matchup of the first round, 1994 A-League championship runners-up Colorado Foxes travel to Provo, Utah to face USASA Region IV winners Flamengo SC. Colorado are off to a slow start in the A-League, sitting last out of the seven teams with a 1-4 mark, the lone win coming from a shootout victory over the New York Centaurs after a 0-0 draw. Colorado are two-time APSL champions (1991 & 1992) and feature four players who have earned caps with the U.S. National team: Ted Eck, Jeff Hooker, Robin Fraser and goalkeeper Mark Dodd.
Flamengo have had some success in the Open Cup recently, representing Utah in the Region IV Finals tournament from 1991-1994. This year they finally broke through, defeating 1991 Open Cup champions CD Mexico 2-1 in the Region IV semifinals, then earning a spot in the Open Cup field with a 5-1 win over San Nicholas (Santa Barbara, CA) in the Final. Flamengo are led by former Salt Lake Sting forward Dzung Tran, and BYU club soccer coach Chris Watkins.
Everett BigFoot (USISL) at Seattle Sounders (A-League)
Lake Washington High School – Kirkland, WA
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET
The Seattle Sounders finished their inaugural APSL season as regular season champions, but were upset in the playoffs by the Colorado Foxes. The Sounders are off to a 5-1 start in the A-League thus far, with a league leading 11 goals in their six games. The Sounders are coming off a 2-0 win on June 11 at home over the Atlanta Ruckus.
The Everett BigFoot are off to a slow start in the 1995 USISL season, sitting second-to-last in the five-team Northwest Division at 5-4. Everett qualified by finishing first in a four-team round robin with other teams from the Northwest Division. Everett manager Pat Henderson played with the Sounders during the 1994 season.
June 18, 1995
San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles (USISL) at Chico Rooks (USISL)
Durham High School – Durham, CA
Kickoff: 5 p.m. ET
In the lone all USISL matchup of the First Round, the San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles travel to Northern California to face the Chico Rooks. The Golden Eagles are in their third season of play, falling one win short of reaching last season’s USISL Sizzlin’ Nine Finals. They are currently 6-6 in the South Division of the USISL Pro League Western Conference. The Golden Eagles recently made a two-game trip to Iowa, defeating the Sioux City Breeze 5-4 in extra time on June 9, then dropping a 2-1 decision to the Des Moines Menace on June 10.
The Golden Eagles claimed their Open Cup spot by outscoring the Los Angeles Salsa on 7-6 aggregate over two games in USISL qualifying.
Like the Golden Eagles, the Chico Rooks also got their start in 1993. Last season, they reached the USISL Sizzlin’ Nine finals after posting a 12-6 record. This year the Rooks hold an 8-2 record, which is only good for third place in the very competitive North Division of the USISL Pro League Western Conference. Chico saw a six-game winning streak stopped on June 11 with a 3-2 loss to the San Francisco All Blacks.
Chico qualified for the Open Cup by defeating the North Bay Breakers 7-3 on April 14, then the San Francisco All Blacks 3-1 on May 29 in USISL qualifying.
AAC Eagles (USASA) at Chicago Stingers (USISL)
Forest View Park – Arlington Hights, IL
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Founded in 1940, the AAC Eagles have a long history in the Open Cup, entering their first tournament in 1947 as the Polish American AC Eagles, reaching the semifinals in 1949 and 1989 and winning the Open Cup in 1990. In 1994, the Eagles reached the Quarterfinals before falling to Milwaukee’s Bavarian SC 2-1. The Eagles roster is primarily made up of former professional players from Poland.
The Eagles path to the Open Cup saw them defeat fellow Chicago amateurs RWB Adria 2-1 in the Illinois Final, then they swept through the USASA Region II tournament, defeating the Cleveland Kickers, Louisville Soccer Alliance (12-0), and finally topping St. Louis’s Thermadyne 4-1 in the Final on June 4.
The Stingers are a new club in the USISL for the 1995 season and earned their Open Cup spot with a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Knights. Chicago is currently 3-6, and although that is good for second place in the East Division of the USISL Pro League Midwest Conference, they are far behind the 10-0 Minnesota Thunder. Two players on the Stingers roster who are very familiar with the Eagles are Art Wywrot and Teddy Kraft, who played with the Eagles during their 1990 Open Cup championship win.
June 25, 1995
McCormick Kickers (USASA) at El Paso Patriots (USISL)
Dudley Field – El Paso, TX
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. ET
The final game of the First Round, 14 days after the tournament started, see the El Paso Patriots host the McCormick Kickers
The Kickers have won both the Open and Amateur Cup in recent years. In 1989 they defeated New York Greek American Atlas 2-1 in extra time to capture the Open Cup, and the next year won the National Amateur Cup with a 1-0 win over San Francisco Glens.
The Kickers, who got their start as a club in the late 1950s, won the 1994-95 championship in the Florida Suncoast League, and have been one of the top teams in the league for the last ten years. The Kickers are made up mostly of players who attended college and high school in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, with a couple ex-Tampa Bay Rowdies mixed in.
El Paso are currently on top of the South Central Division of the USISL Pro League West Conference with a 10-1 record, their 41 goals scored leading the USISL Pro League. The Patriots are also one of leaders in attendance in the USISL. The Patriots won their Open Cup berth by winning a round robin group with the New Orleans Gamblers and Texas Lightning in USISL qualifying.
El Paso got its start in 1989 as one of the founding members of the USISL when it was the Southwest Indoor Soccer League. Then known as the El Paso Sixshooters, then the El Paso Spurs. By the time they began outdoor play in 1991 they adopted the name Patriots, named after the air defense system adopted by the US Army, which was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso.