Adam Uthe

Adam is a Dallas-based TheCup.us contributor who enjoys covering the tournament's lower (and non) division teams and is a proud alum of the University of Dayton.

2016 US Open Cup Final: Mauro Diaz helps FC Dallas beat Revolution to end 19-year title drought

September 14, 2016 by Adam Uthe

FC Dallas: 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup champions. Photo: FC Dallas

UPDATE: Mauro Diaz wins his second consecutive TheCup.us Player of the Round award

Mauro Diaz set up two goals and then converted a penalty kick in the first half, before adding a third assist in the second half, and FC Dallas defeated the New England Revolution 4-2 in front of a standing room only crowd of 16,612 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.

With owner Clark Hunt and team president Dan Hunt looking on, the last remaining MLS team owned and operated by the Hunt family took home its second Lamar Hunt US Open Cup trophy; the first coming back in 1997 before the trophy was eventually named after Lamar in 1999. The then-Dallas Burn defeated DC United 5-3 on penalty kicks after playing to a scoreless draw in regulation. It was also the first US Open Cup final rematch since 1944. The two teams met back in 2007 with New England coming away with a 3-2 win on the same field, including a goal from the game’s ESPN color commentator Taylor Twellman.

With the win, FC Dallas earns a $250,000 cash prize, and a spot in the 2017/18 CONCACAF Champions League.

It didn’t take long for the game to get going. In the sixth minute, Gershon Koffie played a pass to Juan Agudelo, who was posting up Dallas center back Walker Zimmerman at the top of the box. Agudelo spun Zimmerman neatly and took a quick touch to set up his shot before beating Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz to put the Revolution up 1-0 early.

Agudelo’s goal is the second-fastest goal scored in a US Open Cup Final in the Modern Era (1995-present). The only goal that was faster was Luciano Emilio of D.C. United who scored in the 4th minute in 2008.

Dallas was quick to respond though. In the 15th minute, Diaz drove a low, very early cross into the box to Maxi Urruti, who needed just one touch to control it and fire past New England keeper Brad Knighton for the equalizer.

Minutes later, Mauro Rosales went down in the box under a challenge from Watson, but referee Baldamero Toledo did not blow the whistle. It would prove to be an irrelevant moment.

In the 40th minute, a Dallas corner wasn’t quite cleared by the Revs and Diaz floated a feathery cross back into the box and it found the head of Matt Hedges who finished calmly to make it 2-1 Dallas.

Several minutes of added time were needed at the end of the first half due to several players needing treatment in the first half. One of those players was Je-Vaughn Watson, who had to be substituted right before halftime. He was replaced by Chris Tierney as New England coach Jay Heaps had to burn his second substitution before halftime; Kei Kamara was brought on for Koffie in the 42nd minute.

To make matters worse for New England, the first half went on just long enough for Jose Goncalves to bring down Matt Hedges in the box during a free kick to earn the home side a penalty kick. Diaz stepped up and converted to add a goal to his two first half assists and put his team up 3-1 going into the locker room at halftime. The four combined first half goals were the most in an Open Cup final since 1983.

Diaz continued his stellar form in the second half, placing a perfect through ball to an on-rushing Urruti who calmly slotted home to make it 4-1 Dallas in the 61st minute.

The two almost repeated their connection for a third time a few minutes later, but Urruti was whistled for offside coming off a Diaz free kick. Kei Kamara almost got one back for the Revs in the 67th minute, but his leaning header went just wide of goal.

Urruti continued to go hunting for a third in the 71st minute, but his header from second half substitute Tesho Akindele hit the far post. New England’s final substitute, Teal Bunbury (on for Kellyn Rowe), almost made an instant impact but his curled shot went just wide of the far post.

Then in the 73rd minute, Juan Agudelo found himself open at the far post and received a fortuitous deflection off a Dallas defender on the cross from Bunbury and brought it back to 4-2.

Kamara got his head on another cross in the 77th minute, but Seitz did well as he made his only save of the evening for Dallas. In the 82nd minute, Victor Ulloa, who scored the winner for Dallas against Los Angeles in the semifinals, came on for Diaz, who received a standing ovation from the home crowd as he exited the game.

It was a history-making night for Diaz as he broke multiple Open Cup Final records for the Modern Era (1995-present). Diaz broke the single-game record for assists (3) and points with five (1 goal, 3 assists). He also brought his tournament total to five assists which ties Diego Serna’s single-tournament mark set in 2000 with the Miami Fusion.

“Mauro’s performance tonight, I thought, was a collection of what he has done this year. Mauro showed the heart of this club.”, Dallas head coach Oscar Pareja said of his captain’s performance.

“It means a lot. Tonight is a night I won’t ever forget.”, Pareja added when asked about what it meant to win his first trophy as a head coach.

Cup finals are traditionally fairly low-scoring affairs, but with six total goals, the 103rd Final is the highest-scoring championship game since 1984. That year, New York’s AO Krete defeated Chicago’s Croatian SC 4-2.

Although the 2016 edition of the tournament is officially in the books, Open Cup fans need not worry: Qualifying is already underway for the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup!

#USOC2016 NOTES (TheCup.us)

* 16,612 was the announced attendance which shatters FC Dallas’ club record for US Open Cup attendance. The previous record was set in 2007 when 10,618 attended the Final against the New England Revolution. The total ranks 8th among US Open Cup Final attendance figures in the Modern Era.

* Maxi Urruti of FC Dallas and Juan Agudelo of the New England Revolution become the first pair of players in the same game to each score multiple goals in a Final (Modern Era). Prior tonight, only one player (Sanna Nyassi of the Seattle Sounders in 2010) had scored more than one goal in a Final since 1995.

* With the win, FC Dallas ends a 19-year trophy drought, which was, by far, the longest among MLS teams.

* FC Dallas becomes just the second Texas-based club to win the US Open Cup (Dallas Burn – 1997).

* This is the 31st US Open Cup win for FC Dallas in club history, which moves them into a tie for 4th place among clubs in the Modern Era.

2016 US Open Cup Semifinals: Mauro Diaz delivers comeback win for FC Dallas, earns TheCup.us Player of the Round

August 23, 2016 by Adam Uthe

Mauro Diaz of FC Dallas assisted on both extra time goals in the club's 2-1 come-from-behind win in the Semifinals. Photo: FC Dallas — Mauro Diaz of FC Dallas assisted on both extra time goals in the club’s 2-1 come-from-behind win in the Semifinals. Photo: FC Dallas

Set piece takers don’t always get the credit they deserve, but that wasn’t the case in the Semifinals of the 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. FC Dallas midfielder Mauro Diaz earned TheCup.us Player Of The Round honors thanks to not one, but two well-taken corner kicks in extra time that found the heads of teammates. Those goals pushed the Hoops past the Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-1, and booked them a spot in the US Open Cup Final for the first time since 2007.

The award is voted on by the staff at TheCup.us and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters. Diaz was the clear winner, with Kei Kamara of the New England Revolution receiving strong consideration.

The FC Dallas midfielder also becomes the first player from Argentina to be named Player of the Round. Diaz is the fourth FC Dallas player to win the award, joining Kenny Cooper (2006), Abe Thompson (2008), and Blas Perez (2014).

After a hard-fought 90 minutes, neither team had managed to break through and extra time was needed to separate the MLS Western Conference foes. Giovani Dos Santos earned a penalty kick for Los Angeles in the 100th minute and Mike Magee converted from the spot to give their side the lead. FC Dallas pressed forward and Diaz served up pinpoint corner kicks in the 115th and one minute into stoppage time that found the heads of Matt Hedges and Victor Ulloa, respectively. The result itself was impressive enough, but Dallas also became the first away team to defeat the Galaxy in an Open Cup game since 2000.

FC Dallas celebrate the game-winning goal in extra time stoppage time against the LA Galaxy in the 2016 US Open Cup Semifinals. Photo: FC Dallas

Despite an injury-riddled start to his career in Dallas, Diaz is carrying on a long tradition of South American playmakers making waves in MLS. Unlike predecessors like Javier Morales (36), Diego Valeri (30), and former Columbus Crew star Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Diaz joined the club at a young age and looks set to play the entire prime of his career with the North Texas side.

While he looks to create for others first (he has 10 assists in MLS play this season), Diaz is also capable of finishing when needed.In the Fifth Round against the Colorado Rapids, he managed to poach the equalizer after teammate Fabian Castillo did all the heavy lifting, creating an excellent opportunity with a stunning solo run on the counter attack. Diaz has three goals to his name in MLS play so far this season as well.

The goal against Colorado gave him a total of two in his Open Cup career, the first coming in the 2014 Quarterfinal win against the Carolina RailHawks.

HIGHLIGHTS: FC DALLAS AT LA GALAXY (US OPEN CUP SEMIFINALS)

2016 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Fabian Castillo’s stoppage time winner stuns Houston Dynamo, sends FC Dallas to Semifinals

July 20, 2016 by Adam Uthe

After catching eyes with his assist in the Round of 16 against the Colorado Rapids, Fabian Castillo had another excellent US Open Cup outing Wednesday as he beat Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Joe Willis in the 91st minute to help FC Dallas advance to the semifinals of the nation’s oldest soccer tournament.

The goal was Castillo’s first of the 2016 edition of the tournament, helping Dallas build its edge to 3-1-0 against its Texas rivals in the Open Cup. It also was Dallas’ first win over Houston in three games this year.

The first half was a chippy affair, with few clear scoring chances.

The heat, an incredibly humid 91 degrees at kickoff, didn’t stop both teams from creating chances, but it may have prevented them from finishing said chances.

Dallas may have been tired from playing its fifth competitive game in 17 days, while Houston has had a dismal season, highlighted by Owen Coyle’s resignation to return to England with Blackburn Rovers.

Both teams seemed to take the game seriously, trotting out strong, but their finishing left a lot to be desired.

Dallas almost got on the scoreboard before halftime, when Michael Barrios got into the Dynamo penalty box off a Houston turnover only to be taken down without drawing a whistle.

The no-call from the referee was probably the right choice, but Houston wasn’t out of the woods yet.

A minute later, Maximiliano Urruti got on the end of a pass into the box from Mauro Diaz, but his near post shot was turned away for a corner that proved to be fruitless, leaving the teams scoreless after 45 minutes.

Minutes into the second half, Houston’s Mauro Manotas found himself unmarked in the box only to be denied by FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz.

Two minutes later, Dallas forward Michael Barrios got into the box onside at the other end, but hit his shot right at Willis.

The teams continued to exchange chances, only to see each go wanting.

The heat may have even gotten to Dynamo forward Andrew Wenger, who openly requested a sub in the 68th minute despite not looking the least bit hobbled.

Moments later, Houston’s Giles Barnes was fouled on the edge of the box, earning a free kick that was ultimately wasted.

The deadlock held until the 91st minute, before the number of added minutes had even been announced, when Castillo got into the box, bolted toward the near post and hit his shot with so much power it managed to skim off of Willis and into the net.

Cristian Maidana had one last chance for Houston but his free kick missed high and wide as time expired.

FC Dallas advance to the Semifinals for the ninth time in club history, which is tied for third-most in tournament history behind the Chicago Fire (12) and Kutis SC (11).

Dallas will face the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Semifinals. The date, time and venue will be announced on Thursday, July 21 at 11 a.m. ET.

FULL MATCH REPLAY: HOUSTON DYNAMO VS. FC DALLAS

2016 US Open Cup Round 5: FC Dallas needs OT to edge Colorado Rapids, earn 15th trip to Quarterfinals

June 30, 2016 by Adam Uthe

In a battle of the teams with the two best records in Major League Soccer, FC Dallas came out on top thanks to a 96th minute goal from offseason acquisition Maximiliano Urruti. The game went to extra time after the teams traded goals in regulation; one in the first half from Colorado’s Dominique Badji and one the second half from Dallas’ Mauro Diaz.

With the win, FC Dallas advances to the Quarterfinals for the 15th time in club history. Only one club in the 103-year history of the tournament has more appearances in the Quarterfinals (Kutis SC from St. Louis with 17 from 1953-1986.)

The game was a bit lackluster given the league records of both teams and Colorado only brought four outfield substitutes with them to go with a backup goalkeeper. They were also missing midfield stalwart Jermaine Jones, who did not travel upon returning from international duty with the US Men’s National Team at the Copa America. Urruti didn’t even come off the bench for Dallas until the 77th minute.

There were goals to be had right from the start. Dallas got things going in the eighth minute when Diaz played striker Tesho Akindele through into the box, only for Akindele’s shot on goal to be denied by Rapids goalkeeper Zac MacMath.

Not too long afterwards, Colorado homegrown product Dillon Serna was fouled hard by Dallas defender Agustin Jara, who earned a yellow card for the play in question. Colorado fullback Jared Watts had words with Jara and got a little too heated in defense of his teammate and earned a yellow card himself. Serna was forced exit and was replaced by Hairston in the 21st minute, several minutes after the initial foul.

The Rapids had a pair of chances shortly thereafter, including a Marco Pappa free kick that ended up being hit right at Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez. Dallas responded in the 30th minute with a chance of their own as defender Atiba Harris, a former Rapids player, found himself inside the box on the right side with options. Instead, he skied a shot over the crossbar.

Colorado had a couple more half chances before the 38th minute when Hairston got free down the right hand side and played a low cross far post to Badji for the goal. Dallas threatened just once again before halftime when Mauro Diaz had a free kick opportunity, but it failed to find a red shirt in the box.

The second half got off to a rough start Badji was shaken up after a foul right out of the break, but stayed in the game.

Dallas didn’t wait long to bring on super sub Michael Barrios in the 52nd minute and he made his presence felt two minutes later when he played Fabian Castillo into the box, only for MacMath to get to it first.

Pappa and Badji tried to mimic the play at their end of the field, only for Gonzalez to the ball first as well. The second half continued with both teams trading similar half chances until the 64th minute. Fabian Castillo made an excellent play on the counter to keep the ball in play in front of his team’s bench and beat two Colorado defenders at the same time. The Colombian winger streaked in alone and played a crisp centering pass to Diaz for the easy finish. It was the kind of individual effort that has kept Castillo’s name in various transfer rumors as the international transfer window prepares to open this Friday.

Colorado went for the win in the 83rd minute, bringing on Designated Player Kevin Doyle, who got his head on a cross in the box but saw his effort skim wide of the goal. The deadlock remained and the game went to extra time.

Doyle missed near post on another chance in the 93rd minute after extra time got underway and would rue the chance he missed. Three minutes later Urruti got into the box and took his chance near post from what seemed like an impossible angle. The ball seemed to take an awkward deflection off the near post that left MacMath stranded as the ball skipped past him into the net.

Colorado emptied its bench and brought on Conor Doyle at the extra time break, but Dallas kept the pressure up throughout the final 15 minutes and came away with the win.

The loss by Colorado means the Rapids have now gone 13 straight US Open Cups without winning multiple games; a Modern Era record. Dallas will take the trip down I-45 to Houston to battle in-state rivals Houston Dynamo in the Quarterfinals next month.

FULL MATCH REPLAY

2016 US Open Cup Round 4: FC Dallas uses recalled players to eliminate OKC Energy in PKs

June 16, 2016 by Adam Uthe

It’s one thing for a player to be loaned out by one team and then made ineligible for any competitive matches against the team loaning him. It’s quite another for said player to be recalled altogether, start, and record two assists against his “former” team.

Coy Craft had been on loan with OKC Energy, FC Dallas’ USL affiliate, but was called back to Dallas for the purpose of starting out wide on the left against the team he had been playing for so far this season. The move paid off big time for Dallas as Craft provided not one, but two assists to midfielder Carlos Lizarazo to help propel the home side to a 2-2 draw, which led to a successful penalty kick shootout.

But Craft didn’t even end up being the former OKC Energy player with the greatest impact for FC Dallas on the night. Dallas also recalled Colin Bonner from OKC for this particular match and the target forward came off the bench in the 65th minute, replacing Max Urruti, and scored sixth and final penalty kick to help the Hoops advance to the Round of 16.

With a temperature in the mid-90s at kickoff, the game got off to a sluggish start in every sense of the word. Neither team managed to get a touch in the opponents’ box for the first ten minutes. Even the crowd at SMU’s campus took its sweet time filling the stands in the 1,500 seat facility. Finally FC Dallas got things started in the 11th minute when Max Urruti managed to get a shot off inside the 18, but it was right at OKC keeper Carl Cochran. The home side got a couple corners in quick succession moments later and produced several shots from Mauro Diaz inside the box, none of which ended up on goal.

Then the Energy opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Daniel Gonzales slipped into the box and put a shot on frame that was parried by Dallas keeper Jesse Gonzalez. Unfortunately for him, his stop ended up at the feet of OKC forward Jordan Rideout, who slotted home near post. But the hosts quickly woke up after Juan Esteban Ortiz’s 33rd minute yellow card and in the 37th minute Coy Craft got the ball to Carlos Lizarazo inside the box. Lizarazo proceeded to turn and fire past Cochran to level the score. Not satisfied with just one connection for a goal, Craft found Lizarazo again, this time at the edge of the box in the 43rd minute, and Lizarazo turned and fired for his second of the evening to make it 2-1 Dallas.

The second half continued at a much more entertaining pace as the teams traded intermittent chances throughout. Lizarazo almost had a third as he got a free look in the box, but missed wide. Jose Cuevas had an excellent curling effort that just barely missed moments later in the 70th minute. Dallas would end up regretting not capitalizing on their chances through the game as OKC hung in until the 89th minute when Energy midfielder Michael Thomas got on the end of a corner kick to level things up and force extra time.

Neither team looked particularly interested in playing extra soccer. The two sides exchanged a few half chances in the first 15 minutes of extra time without ever really presenting a threat. Then things picked up at the end of the first 15 minutes when OKC defender Michael Harris earned a yellow card off a corner kick clearance for undercutting Dallas defender Zach Loyd, who fell awkwardly on his head and had to be carried off the field on a stretcher with a suspected concussion. Dallas would end up having to play a man down the rest of the way, having exhausted all three of their substitutions.

Despite the disadvantage, the home team ended up being the more dangerous side for the final 15, earning several corners and free kicks, but they failing to capitalize on any of them and so the game went to penalty kicks.

Each team converted their first three and then each proceeded to see their fourth effort saved before going back to alternating goals until OKC defender Cyprian Hedrick did his best Roberto Baggio impression and skied his attempt high. Bonner proceeded to step up to the spot and converted his chance to give Dallas the win 6-5 on PKs.

Dallas awaits Thursday’s Round of 16 draw to know who they will play next.

Scoring Summary:

OKC – Jordan Rideout 26
DAL: Carlos Lizarazo (Coy Craft) 37
DAL: Carlos Lizarazo (Coy Craft) 43
OKC – Michael Thomas (Kyle Hyland) 89

Penalty shootout:

OKC: Danny Konig (goal), Jose Cuevas (goal), Michael Thomas (goal), Wojciech Wojcok (saved), Peter Toth (goal), Coady Andrews (goal), Cyprain Hedrick (miss).

DAL: Carlos Lizarazo (goal), Kellyn Acosta (goal), Mauro Diaz (goal), Matt Hedges (saved), Atiba Harris (goal), Juan Esteban Ortiz (goal), Colin Bonner (goal).

FC Dallas – Jesse Gonzalez, Agustin Jara, Zach Loyd, Matt Hedges, Aaron Guillen, Victor Ulloa (Kellyn Acosta 68), Juan Esteban Ortiz, Coy Craft (Atiba Harris 84), Carlos Lizarazo, Mauro Diaz, Maxi Urruti (Colin Bonner 65).

Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Herman, Walker Zimmerman, Fabian Castillo, Timo Pitter.

OKC Energy FC – Carl Cochran, Michael Harris, Coady Andrews, Cyprian Hedrick, Kalen Ryden (Wojciech Wojcik 74), Kyle Hyland, Michael Thomas, Daniel Gonzalez, Frimpong Evans (Peter Toth 79), Jose Cuevas, Jordan Rideout (Danni Konig 74).

Substitutes Not Used: Jacob Lissek, Michael Byskov, Luis Martinez, Tim Janssen.

Misconduct Summary:

DAL: Juan Esteban Ortiz (caution) 34
OKC: Danni Konig (caution) 87
OKC: Michael Harris (caution) 105
OKC: Coady Andrews (caution) 119

Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr.
AR1 (bench): Tony Obas; AR2 (opposite): John Dearmond; 4th: Travis Haight
Weather: Clear, 95

Konig (OKC) – GOal (1-0 OKC)

Lizarazo (DAL) – Goal (1-1)

Cuevas (OKC) – Goal (2-1 OKC)

Acosta (DAL) – Goal (2-2)

Thomas (OKC) – Goal (3-2 OKC)

Diaz (DAL) – Goal (3-3)

Wojcok (OKC) – SAved (3-3)

Hedges (DAL) – Saved (3-3)

Toth (OKC) – Goal (4-3 OKC)

HArris (DAL) – Goal (4-4)

Andrews (OKC) – Goal (5-4 OKC)

Ortiz (DAL) – Goal (5-5)

Hedrick (OKC) – MISS (5-5)

Bonner (DAL) – Goal (FCD wins 6-5

2016 US Open Cup Round 2: Abdoukarim Danso leads Lansdowne Bhoys to upset, earns TheCup.us Player of the Round

June 5, 2016 by Adam Uthe

Abdoukarim Danso of the Lansdowne Bhoys FC at Highmark Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds during the 2016 US Open Cup.

Sometimes you just have to ride the hot goalie.

That’s the cliché in the National Hockey League, where sometimes you can win the Stanley Cup with one guy standing on his head for the entire tournament.

Sometimes the strategy works in soccer too. Lansdowne Bhoys goalkeeper Abdoukarim Danso was voted TheCup.us Player Of The Round for Round 2 thanks to an excellent performance in a 2-0 road upset over the USL’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

If you’re going to spring the upset on the road against a pro team, it’s hard to overvalue the performance of your goalkeeper. Danso faced 14 shots on the night and saved three of them, earning himself a clean sheet in his team’s 2-0 upset over Pittsburgh. The magnitude of the upset no doubt played a part in voters’ decisions. The 27 year old Gambian international managed to beat out San Antonio FC’s Jacques Francois, who scored twice and assisted on the third in his team’s 3-1 win over Corinthians of San Antonio, by just two votes.

Aside from Francois, the voting was very netminder heavy this round. Other players receiving strong consideration include Chattanooga FC goalkeeper Tom Halsall and Los Angeles Wolves goalkeeper Kifi Kalani.

Or maybe this is just the Year Of The Goalkeeper. Fans of the Open Cup will recall that Round 1’s Player Of the Round award went to Detroit City FC’s Evan Louro, who notched 13 saves to help his team get to a shootout where he proceeded to come up two additional stops. Keep an eye on the goalkeepers throughout the rest of the tournament; shootouts are always going to be part of any Cup competition.

“It was a excellent game because I was top of my game ,” said Danso. “My teammates and the coaching staff gave me the go to command and control the the defense . I make classic saves and I was very commanding coming for crosses and set-pieces. After all is was great team win.”

Lansdowne Bhoys pose for a team photo before their 2016 US Open Cup match vs. Long Island Rough Riders. — Lansdowne Bhoys (Danso is in pink) pose for a team photo before their 2016 US Open Cup match vs. Long Island Rough Riders.

The 28-year-old, who goes by the childhood nickname “Kabo,” arrived in New York City from Gambia in 2013 where he was part of the pool for his home country’s Under-23 National Team. He played in a local tournament and Lansdowne Bhoys head coach Austin Friel noticed him and eventually signed him to the club.

“Kabo is an excellent goalkeeper and should be playing at a higher level,” said Friel. “He the best goalkeeper in amateur football throughout America. This award is well deserved.”

Danso is hoping that his performance in the US Open Cup will help him achieve his goal of playing at the professional level. The word is starting to get out about him as he recently trained with New York City FC (MLS) and the Carolina RailHawks (NASL). He also hopes that with some professional experience, he has the talent to one day represent Gambia at the senior international level.

One might think Danso would be the first Gambian to win the Player of the Round award but he’s actually the third. Sainey Touray of the Harrisburg City Islanders won the award in the 2012 Fourth Round for the City Islanders’ upset of the New York Red Bulls (MLS). The first was Sanna Nyassi of the Seattle Sounders who became the first player in the Modern Era to score multiple goals in a US Open Cup Final when the Sounders beat the Columbus Crew in 2010.

The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.

Past Player of the Round winners:

Round 1: Evan Louro – Detroit City FC
Round 2: Abdoukarim Danso – Lansdowne Bhoys

Josh Hakala also contributed to this story

2016 Meet the Underdogs: North Texas Rayados returns for record fifth straight US Open Cup run

May 5, 2016 by Adam Uthe

North Texas Rayados pose for a picture before a recent exhibition game against the Tulsa Athletics. Photo: NTX Rayados

When you think of some of the more memorable amateur qualifiers from recent US Open Cups, you probably think of teams from California like PSA Elite or Cal FC; the latter did pull off the most memorable run in recent years back in 2012 with an upset of the Portland Timbers. You might also be familiar with Harpo’s FC, the somewhat notorious pub side from Boulder, Colorado. If you’re on the East Coast, maybe you prefer New York Pancyprian Freedoms and their historic title winning sides of the 1980s.

No matter what your level of familiarity with the Open Cup is, you might end up overlooking the youth soccer hotbed of North Texas.

Case in point: North Texas (NTX) Rayados.

NTX Rayados probably aren’t even the most well-known amateur team in their home city of Dallas. Open Cup fans might remember Dallas Roma FC’s then-historic run of three wins back in 2006 when they took down MLS side Chivas USA on penalty kicks and then ultimately lost to LA’s other MLS club, the Galaxy, in the fourth round.

That run in 2006 inspired former Richland College teammates Tito Salas and Raul Herrera to form a new team in the summer of 2011 comprised of friends and other Richland College players in the area who wanted to compete at a high level. Richland College was a National Junior College Athletic Association Division III power back in the mid-2000’s and former players like Salas and Herrera were anxious to continue challenging themselves. They won the North Texas Premier Soccer Association 1A title in their first season and have qualified for the Open Cup every year since, setting a new Modern Era (1995-present) record for consecutive appearances by an open division amateur side.

“We try to stay simple and keep the same base of boys playing to compete,” said Salas, who is the team’s general manager and player/coach. “As we know that we are only getting older, we try to keep the youth involved with us. I think that people around the community see us involved in many different activities as well. A few of us are public school teachers, others are actively coaching within the metroplex, not to mention the NTX Rayados Youth academy one of our players just started.”

Antonio Rodriguez, who is not on the Rayados roster this year, launched the academy with seven teams from as young as four years old up to the Under-16 level.

“The boys are very humble, very simple guys that never give you an impression that we are better than any other amateur team around here,” said Salas. “Several teams around Dallas now claim to be semi-pro, yet never get to compete at the level that we have.”

According to Salas, the team is also proud of the fact that so many of the players on the team have used their soccer talents to earn college degrees. This foundation of their friendships and their love for the game has been what has kept the club going over the years.

While Salas is listed as the team’s general manager and head coach, the team receives a lot of support both on and off the field from assistant coach Humberto Rodriguez. Sales describes Rodriguez as “another hard working, humble man that simply enjoys watching us play. He has been there since day one, and we really appreciate his support. Would not be able to do it without him.” (He’s the white-haired man in the team photo at the top of the page).

The team actually did not participate in the highly-competitive North Texas Premier Soccer Association this past season. Salas says numerous injuries combined with a lack of player availability. They have scheduled a number of exhibition games to stay fresh. They played against teams like Dallas City FC, FC Dallas Academy teams, the NPSL’s Tulsa Athletics, Texas Spurs and will be playing against local rivals Legends FC and Liverpool Warriors before the match on the 11th.

They have also entered multiple tournaments like the Metro PCS Cup. They won the tournament which gave them a cash prize that will help them pay for their US Open Cup run. They will also be taking part in the Copa Alianza, another Dallas-based tournament that they have won three of the last four years.

North Texas Rayados 2016 US Open Cup qualifying — North Texas Rayados prepare for their 2016 US Open Cup qualifying match vs. Austin Real Cuauhtemoc. Photo: NTX Rayados

Much like Dallas Roma FC, NTX Rayados drew the inspiration for their name from a professional club; in this case Mexican giants C.F. Monterrey. The team simply went by “Rayados” in their first season but then quickly decided to add “NTX” in order to broadcast their home base of Dallas. The team does feature a roster loaded with Mexican influence, but several players of English descent have graced their roster over the years. They want to honor their favorite Liga MX side, but they also want the best of the best regardless of heritage.

Key players on this team include goalkeeper Eduardo Cortes and striker Alberto Rodriguez. Both entered the 2016 MLS draft but unfortunately for them, and fortunately for the Rayados, they weren’t selected. Rodriguez scored three goals during the 2014 US Open Cup (tied for third-most in the tournament), including two scores and the game-winning kick in the penalty shootout against the Austin Aztex. Returning players include Jamie Lovegrove and Kevin Ellis and left back Fernando Garza, who also play with the Dallas Sidekicks indoor team.

Even with February’s announcement about MLS-owned USL teams no longer being eligible to compete opening up more amateur side spots, NTX Rayados still had an easier path to the first round than most. They defeated Austin Real Cuauhtemoc 4-2 on Nov. 1, 2015 after the initial match the week before was postponed due to heavy rain and flooding in the Texas capital. Joshean “Yoshi” Gonzalez scored twice to help seal the deal and that was the last time the team had an Open Cup match. Their second round of qualifying saw them advance after International Portland Select (IPS) had to forfeit because they couldn’t make the 2,000 mile trip to Dallas. IPS had reached Round 2 because their opening round opponent, KC Athletics, had to drop out because they couldn’t make the long trip to Oregon. Travel was an issue for a few open division amateur teams that entered the qualifying process this year.

Despite their sustained excellence in qualifying, NTX Rayados haven’t had much success in the tournament itself. They’ve only managed to advance past their first game once since their qualifying streak began back in 2012. In 2014 they took down Austin Aztex (PDL) in a thrilling 4-4 game that ended with Rayados advancing via the penalty shootout. The victory was sweet for the North Texas side given that Austin crushed them 3-0 in the previous year. Rayados went on to put up a spirited fight against the NASL’s San Antonio Scorpions but ended up losing 4-2. This year they find themselves paired with another team from San Antonio: Corinthians FC of San Antonio. The Red and Black Rayados will be hoping this is the year they can finally make a sustained run and announce themselves as a true Open Cup amateur power.

2016 US Open Cup: Motor City rematch headlines most intriguing First Round games

April 12, 2016 by Adam Uthe

The Michigan Bucks cruised to a 3-0 win over Detroit City FC in their first meeting in 2015. Photo: Michigan Bucks

It’s (almost) back!

The United States Soccer Federation announced the first and second round matchups for the 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Round 1 will kick off on Wednesday, May 11 and features 18 Premier Development League (PDL) teams, 14 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) sides, and 14 Open Division qualifiers representing the best teams competing in regional leagues throughout the country.

There will be a total of 23 first round games, but here are the five most intriguing matchups (in no particular order):

Detroit City FC (NPSL) at Michigan Bucks (PDL)
Oakland University Soccer Field; Rochester, MI
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET

While this list is not in any particular order, most neutral fans would agree that the rematch between two Metro Detroit rivals is the headliner of Round 1.

Detroit City FC has been one of the NPSL’s biggest success stories off the field as their fan base’s growth and revered supporters culture continues to grab national headlines across the soccer world. Founded back in 2012, the club and its rabid fan base have developed a following that many lower division pro teams would love to have. They averaged 3,528 fans per game last year, which is more than FC Edmonton of the NASL drew in 2015. If Detroit City competed in the 24-team USL, their attendance would rank 10th (granted, with fewer home games).

Just a small sample of Detroit City FC's fans. — Just a small sample of Detroit City FC’s fans.

The fans recently put their money where their collective mouth is as the team announced plans to move to and renovate 80-year-old Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck. Keyworth is so old that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt attended the stadium’s opening. The team is working with the local community to fix up the historic stadium and recently wrapped up a record-breaking fundraising campaign that saw the club pull in a jaw-dropping $741,250. With support like that, many have speculated that’s it’s only a matter of time before the club outgrows its current amateur status.

Saying their opponent has a strong resume in this competition is a bit of an understatement. The Michigan Bucks hold a number of Modern Era (1995-present) records but two of them have helped the club make a name for themselves nationally. No amateur team has more pro team upsets than the Bucks’ nine and only two clubs have more than three (Des Moines Menace with six, Ocean City Nor’easters with five). In fact, if you exclude the Carolina RailHawks, the Bucks have more wins over pro teams than all of the active NASL teams combined (8).

But their biggest accomplishment is that they are the only amateur team to eliminate two Major League Soccer teams. They stunned the New England Revolution at Foxboro Stadium in 2000, 1-0 on a 90th minute winner by Chad Schomaker. They followed that up in 2012 when they hosted the Chicago Fire at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas (their indoor home) and beat the four-time Open Cup champions 3-2 in extra time.

Despite their on-field success, the Bucks’ fan support is only a fraction of what City draws. The Bucks play their home games in Pontiac, Mich. which is almost the exact same distance from downtown Detroit as FC Dallas’ Toyota Stadium is from downtown Dallas. There is a rivalry between the two teams that have developed off the field as Detroit City’s fans mock the Bucks’ lack of fan support. On the other side, Bucks fans point to their on-field resume with two PDL titles (2006, 2014), the most wins in league history and their Open Cup success. While they have been very good in their first four seasons (32-7-11 in regular season play), DCFC has yet to advance beyond the conference final in the NPSL playoffs.

The two teams finally met on the field for the first time last year in the First Round of the US Open Cup. At the Bucks’ indoor home in Pontiac, the City fans vastly outnumbered the Bucks fans in the stands, but it was the Bucks who outnumbered City on the scoreboard. Michigan got three first half goals by David Goldsmith, Peri Marosevic, and Brad Ruhaak and they won 3-0. Thanks to the way the draw worked out, there will be a rematch this year. Only this time, the game will be played outdoors at the Oakland University Soccer Field in Rochester, Mich.

Boca Raton FC (USASA) at Miami Fusion FC (NPSL)
North Miami Athletic Stadium; North Miami Beach, FL
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET

South Florida is the place to be if you’re a fan of the beautiful game at any level. David Beckham is leading the charge for the future, yet-to-be named MLS team while Miami FC, led by head coach and AC Milan legend Alessandro Nesta, kicked off its inaugural North American Soccer League (NASL) season last week against fellow South Beach rivals Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Now it’s Miami Fusion FC’s turn to get in on the action. The Fusion will be looking to make a deep run in their first US Open Cup appearance after a successful inaugural NPSL season in 2015 when they took the Sunshine Conference title with seven wins, one loss, and one draw. The club, who are led by former New York Cosmos player Ferdinando De Matthaeis, are not related to the now-defunct MLS team by the same name that finished runner-up in the 2000 US Open Cup.

Their opponent, Boca Raton FC, are coming off a pretty impressive debut season themselves. They cruised to first place in the 2015 American Premier Soccer League (APSL) Fall Tournament with five wins in their seven matches and tournament-best plus-11 goal differential. The APSL is a newly-formed South Florida-based amateur league that are part of a new trend of regional amateur soccer leagues across the country. This will be the third straight Miami-based club that they will have to face, as they narrowly defeated fellow APSL clubs Real Miami CF and Uruguay Kendall (in penalty kicks) to qualify for the Open Cup.

The winner will head north to take on the USL’s Wilmington Hammerheads, who have been knocked out of the tournament by an amateur team in three of the last four seasons.

New York Red Bulls U-23 (PDL) at New York Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA)
Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.); Jamaica, NY
Kickoff: 7:30p.m. ET

New York Pancyprian Freedoms 2015 Team Photo

You wouldn’t be out of line calling this an “old school vs. new school” matchup. New York Pancyprian Freedoms dominated the US Open Cup in the early 1980’s winning the title in 1980, 1982, and 1983. They even followed up their 1983 title with a semi-final run in what was known back then as the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Today it’s known as the CONCACAF Champions League. You won’t find too many clubs that can match their history and pedigree as they continue to be among the elite in the fabled Cosmopolitan League. It was not an easy path through the open division tournament as the Freedoms had to defeat their biggest rival, and four-time US Open Cup champion, New York Greek Americans in Round 1 by a score of 4-2. They punched their ticket with a 2-1 win over 2012 Open Cup qualifier Jersey Shore Boca.

Representing the “new school” side of this tie is the U-23 side for one of Major League Soccer’s (MLS) premier clubs: the New York Red Bulls. The Red Bulls’ youth side is one of two teams representing the Mid Atlantic division of the PDL’s Eastern Conference (Jersey Express). The Red Bulls have enjoyed a lot of success in their first six years as a club. They played their first five seasons in the NPSL, winning three division titles in addition to a league title in 2014. They celebrated their first NPSL championship by leaving the league to join the PDL. They qualified for the tournament in 2013 and 2014, and would have made the cut in 2015 but it was unlikely that the NPSL was going to give up one of their Open Cup spots to a team that just left to join a rival league.

The way the draw works out, the winner of this game will get a rather favorable matchup. Rather than playing a USL team, as most Round 1 winners will, the Red Bulls or the Freedoms will take on the winner of Jersey Express (PDL) and the Clarkston Eagles (NPSL).

LA Wolves FC (USASA) at Ventura County Fusion (PDL)
Ventura College Sportsplex; Ventura, CA
Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET

LA Wolves (orange) and Del Rey City squared off in the opening round of the 2016 US Open Cup open division qualifying tournament. Photo: Del Rey City SC

“Play Like A Wolf” is the slogan for the United Premier Soccer League’s (UPSL) LA Wolves FC. The senior team sure looked like alpha dogs in 2015, winning 20 of their 21 competitive matches (20-0-1) and ultimately falling short in the league title game, losing to fellow Open Cup qualifier San Nicolas FC. Now they’ll set their sights on a new competition as they enter the Open Cup for the first time in team history. To get there, they had two win two games in the open division tournament, one against fellow UPSL side Del Rey City SC and the other against Cal FC, the team that made a name for themselves in 2012 when they upset the Portland Timbers of MLS. The Wolves are one of three qualifiers from the Los Angeles-based UPSL, a fast-growing amateur league that has expanded to Nevada and Arizona in recent years.

Their opponent, the Ventura County Fusion, have qualified for the seventh straight year, one shy of the amateur record for the Modern Era (Reading United AC – 8). In addition being one of the most consistent PDL teams in the league, the Fusion have also hosted teams from the EPL, Liga MX, and other top divisions from around the globe for friendlies.

They’ve seen it all in their 10-year history with eight playoff appearances, three division titles and a 2009 PDL championship. In Open Cup play, they have won a Modern Era amateur record five straight opening round games, which is a Modern Era record, and have upset a pair of professional teams on the road. They beat the Los Angeles Blues (now Orange County Blues) of the USL in the 2012 Second Round, and knocked off the LA Galaxy II (USL).

A fair warning to those who will be in attendance: be prepared for LOTS of orange. Both sides feature a healthy dose of it in their uniforms.

CD Aguiluchos USA (NPSL) at San Francisco City FC (US Club Soccer)
Beach Chalet #4; San Francisco, CA
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET

San Francisco City FC defeated Cal FC 2-1 in their US Open Cup debut in the 2015 Preliminary Round. Photo: San Francisco City FC

Finally, we turn our attention to the northern half of California. Oakland-based CD Aguiluchos were founded in 2012 in honor of El Salvadoran side CD Augila and, as you might expect, feature a roster full of players drawn from the Bay Area’s Salvadoran population. The club is also managed by former CD Augila coach Hugo Coria. And if you’re still not convinced of their love of all things El Salvador, their away kit is blue and white to honor the national team. This is their second trip to the tournament after qualifying in 2014. They were one-and-done after traveling to Southern California and losing to the Ventura County Fusion, 2-1. The club missed out in 2015 but are back after finishing third in their division with a 7-4-1 record. That third place finish was enough to get into the NPSL playoffs and they made a run all the way to the national semifinals. They lost to the New York Cosmos B, one of the few pro teams in the league that moved on to win the NPSL title and later withdrew from this year’s US Open Cup.

On the other side of the draw is another team with close ties to its community, though in a different way. San Francisco City FC is 51% owned by its club members while the other 49% belongs to their investors/partners. Their Board of Directors, which must vote unanimously to make major changes to the club, is made up of three members: one from the membership group, one from the investor group, and one from the club’s staff. The approach seems to be working as the club is growing. They made the movie from a local amateur league to the PDL, where they will begin play in 2016. There have been reports that the club is being courted to join one of the professional leagues down the road. The roster that will take part in the Open Cup this year will not be the PDL roster that will be on the field this summer, it will be the one that qualified for the competition through the open division qualifying tournament. making its PDL debut this season. This is also their second consecutive Open Cup appearance. Last year, they lost a 2-1 decision to Cal FC at Kezar Stadium.

Format, schedule for 2016 US Open Cup unveiled with record number of teams

February 5, 2016 by Adam Uthe

Sporting Kansas City celebrates their 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup title. Photo: Bob Larson

UPDATE: Rio Grande Valley FC has been removed from the tournament by the request of the Houston Dynamo. Chattanooga FC (NPSL) and Kitsap Pumas (PDL) receive byes into Round 2 as a result.

UPDATE: The draw for Round 1 and the Round 2 scenarios was released

The US Soccer Federation has released the format and schedule for the 103rd edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The tournament kicks off on Wednesday, May 11 and will feature a Modern Era (1995 to present) record 92 participating teams from Division 1 all the way down to the amateur level (Division 4). A record 48 Open Division teams will participate after the Third Qualifying Round was eliminated due to a reduction in professional teams entering the competition. Also new this year, once the Round of 16 matchups are determined, the bracket will remain fixed until the Final, which takes place on Wednesday, Sept. 21.

First Round matchups and potential Second Round possibilities will be announced on Wednesday, April 6. 14 local amateur qualifiers, 19 PDL teams, and 15 NPSL clubs will begin play in the First Round with 18 USL sides entering in the Second Round on Wednesday, May 18. The nine eligible NASL teams will join the action on Wednesday, June 1 when the Third Round takes place. The Fourth Round, which is slated for Wednesday, June 15, will see MLS teams enter the fray. Upon its completion, the field for the Round of 16 will be set and a fixed bracket will be determined for the remainder of the tournament.

There have been rumors of a possible national broadcast for the Final this year and US Soccer is preparing for that possibility by noting that “any game chosen by US Soccer to be broadcast nationally is subject to being moved up a day”.

Check out the full field, schedule, and all other pertinent details below…

Tournament Format, Schedule and Other Key Dates:

Initial Pairings Announcement – April 6

First Round games as well as Second Round possibilities announced.

First Round – May 11

Number of Games: 24
Participants: 48 Open Division teams (14 local qualifiers, 19 PDL sides and 15 NPSL clubs).
Description: Teams will be paired geographically with the restriction that teams from the same qualifying pool (e.g. local qualifiers, PDL, NPSL, etc.) cannot be paired to play each other.

Second Round – May 18

Number of Games: 21
Participants: Winners of 24 First Round games are joined by 18 USL clubs.
Description: At the time the First Round pairings are made, each USL team will be matched geographically to a specific First Round pairing and be scheduled to play its winner. The remaining First Round matchups not paired with a Division III side will be paired up geographically, with the winners playing each other to complete the round.

Third Round – June 1

Number of Games: 15
Participants: Winners of 21 Second Round games are joined by nine NASL sides.
Description: After each Second Round matchup has been determined, each NASL team will be paired geographically to a specific Second Round matchup and be scheduled to play its winner. The 12 remaining Second Round matchups not paired with a Division II side will be paired up geographically, with the winners playing each other to complete the round.

Fourth Round – June 15

Number of Games: 16
Participants: Winners from 15 Third Round games are joined by 17 MLS clubs.
Description: After each Third Round matchup has been determined, 15 of 17 MLS teams will be paired geographically to a specific Third Round matchup and be scheduled to play these winners, while two MLS teams will face each other to complete the bracket.

Round of 16 Draw – June 16

The Fourth Round winners will be divided geographically (regardless of league affiliation) into groups of four, with teams who are precluded from playing each other until the Final (see list elsewhere) placed in different groups. A random draw will determine the pairings within each group, resulting in a fixed bracket for the remainder of the tournament. Should a precluded pair of teams reach the Semifinal Round and be scheduled to face each other, the matches will be re-drawn after the quarterfinals to avoid this outcome.

Round of 16 – June 29

Number of Games: 8
Fourth Round winners face each other as determined by the Round of 16 Draw.

Quarterfinals – July 20

Semifinals – Aug. 10

Final – Sept. 21

Note: The day following each of the dates listed above is reserved as a make-up date in the event of a weather postponement. Additionally, any game from the Fourth Round until the Semifinals where one of the participants has a league game the following Friday will be moved up a day (exception to this is when the team’s opponent is scheduled for a league game the preceding Sunday; in this case, the provisions in the Open Cup Handbook to resolve such an issue prevail). Finally, any game chosen by U.S. Soccer to be broadcast nationally is subject to being moved up a day.

2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Participating Teams
Division I, II and III Professional Teams Eligible to Participate (44 total):

Division I – Major League Soccer (17 teams, entering in the Fourth Round): Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew SC, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Sporting Kansas City

Division II – North American Soccer League (9 teams, entering in the Third Round): Carolina RailHawks, Fort Lauderdale Strikers, Indy Eleven, Jacksonville Armada, Miami FC, Minnesota United FC, New York Cosmos, Rayo OKC, Tampa Bay Rowdies

Division III – United Soccer League (17 teams, entering in the Second Round): Arizona United, Charleston Battery, Charlotte Independence, Colorado Springs Switchbacks, FC Cincinnati, Harrisburg City Islanders, Louisville City FC, Oklahoma City Energy, Orange County Blues, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Rhinos, Sacramento Republic, Saint Louis FC, San Antonio, Tulsa Roughnecks, Wilmington Hammerheads

Division IV, Open Division Teams (48 total, all entering in the First Round, except Chattanooga FC & Kitsap Pumas will enter in Round 2):

Local Qualifiers (14 places, listed alphabetically by state): California (5): La Maquina, LA Wolves FC, Outbreak FC, San Francisco City Football Club*, San Nicolas FC; Colorado (1): Harpo’s FC*; Florida (1): Boca Raton Football Club; Louisiana (1): CD Motagua of New Orleans; Massachusetts (1): Southie FC; New York (2): Lansdowne Bhoys FC, New York Pancyprian Freedoms; Pennsylvania (1): West Chester United; Texas (1): NTX Rayados*; Virginia (1): Aromas Cafe FC

Premier Development League (19 places): Division Winners: Burlingame Dragons* (Calif.), Charlotte Eagles (N.C.), Des Moines Menace* (Iowa), FC Tucson* (Ariz.), GPS Portland Phoenix (Maine), Kitsap Pumas* (Wash.), Michigan Bucks*, Mississippi Brilla, New York Red Bulls U-23, The Villages SC* (Fla.); At-Large Berths previously awarded: Jersey Express* (N.J.), Long Island Rough Riders* (N.Y.), Reading United* (Pa.), Seacoast United Phantoms* (N.H.), Ventura County Fusion* (Calif.); At-Large Berths newly awarded: Albuquerque Sol FC (N.M.), Cincinnati Dutch Lions (Ohio), Portland Timbers U-23, Sounders FC U-23. The PDL is a nationwide league affiliated with the U.S. Adult Soccer Association and opted to use 2015 league results to determine its qualifiers for the 2016 Open Cup.

National Premier Soccer League (15 places): Qualified via 2015 NPSL playoffs: AFC Cleveland (Ohio), CD Aguiluchos USA (Calif.), Chattanooga FC* (Tenn.), Clarkstown SC Eagles (N.Y.), Indiana Fire, Myrtle Beach Mutiny (S.C.), Sacramento Gold (Calif.); At-Large Berths previously awarded: Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves, FC Wichita (Kan.), Fredericksburg FC (Va.), Miami Fusion FC; At-Large Berths newly awarded: Chesterfield United FC (Va.), Corinthians FC of San Antonio (Texas), Detroit City FC*, Kraze United (Florida). New York Cosmos B and New York Athletic Club, previously awarded places in the 2016 competition, have withdrawn. The NPSL is a nationwide league affiliated with the U.S. Adult Soccer Association and opted to use 2015 league results to determine its qualifiers for the 2016 Open Cup.

* Participated in 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (The Villages SC played as Ocala Stampede)

Teams not eligible to play each other until the Final
(result of ownership affiliation or level of control over another squad participating in the tournament)

New York Red Bulls (MLS), New York Red Bulls U-23 (PDL)
Portland Timbers (MLS), Portland Timbers U-23 (PDL)
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS), Sounders FC U-23 (PDL)

In the instances listed above, the lower-division teams are allowed to participate per Section 202(d) of the Open Cup Policy (which limits an organization to fielding its top professional team when owning more than one pro side) because the teams either do not share an ownership affiliation or are not professional teams (in the case of PDL squads).

2016 US Open Cup qualifying preview: Lansdowne Bhoys, Pancyprian Freedoms advance; 3 more games Sundays

November 13, 2015 by Adam Uthe

West Chester United prepares to face Junior Lone Star in 2016 US Open Cup qualifying.

MORE: Five teams advance to final round of qualifying in first weekend

Just five second round matches to preview for this weekend and they are all out on the East Coast. The US Soccer Federation also confirmed that Round 2 will have one fewer game as Oregon’s International Portland Select withdrew from the tournament over challenges related to traveling to their game against North Texas Rayados.

You can keep up to date with all of the games this weekend by following and using the hashtag #USOC2016 on Twitter. If you’re attending any of the games, use that same hashtag to share your photos and videos on Twitter and Instagram.

Check out a preview of each game and you can check out the entire second round schedule below.

Lansdowne Bhoys (East NY) at Worcester FC (MA)
Foley Stadium; Worcester, MA – Nov. 14, 7:15 p.m. EST
UPDATE: Lansdowne Bhoys 5:0 Worcester FC – MATCH REPORT

Not exactly “Yanks-Sawx”, but regional pride is still on the line in this one. Landsdowne Bhoys dispatched another New England side, Connecticut’s Newtown Pride FC, in Round 1 by a score of 3-0 in game that was played in the Bronx. Worchester FC, meanwhile, dispatched Rhode Island’s Newport FC 2-0 in Worcester. Bhoys will have to fight a short turnaround after they took on NY Greek American SC in the semifinals of the US Amateur Cup on Thursday. Worchester, meanwhile, will have had plenty of rest as their first round win over Newport FC was one of their first matches ever played as a club; they formed just this past summer. Both clubs are looking to qualify for the US Open Cup for the first time.

Jersey Shore Boca (NJ) at NY Pancyprian Freedoms (East NY)
Randall’s Island Field No. 75; Randall’s Island, NY – Nov. 14, 7 p.m. EST
UPDATE: NY Pancyprian Freedoms 2:1 Jersey Shore Boca – MATCH REPORT

This one features two teams who won close matches in the first round. Jersey Shore Boca edged South Jersey Elite Barons 2-1 in Brick, N.J. New York Pancyprian Freedoms, a three-time winner of this tournament (1980, 1982, 1983), actually needed extra time to defeat four-time winners New York Greek American SC, though they scored twice in the extra time for a somewhat comfortable finish. Jersey Shore Boca, whose name is in fact inspired by that team from Argentina, are one of the more seasoned sides in the tournament; they just celebrated their 37^th birthday this year. The qualified for the first and only time back in 2012 when they lost their opening round game on the road to the PDL’s Michigan Bucks. The Pancyprian Freedoms, as you might surmise from their name, has a distinctive Greek flair and was founded back in 1974 and are looking to qualify for the first time since 2011.

Aegean Hawks FC (MD) at Aromas Café FC (DC/VA)
Charlottesville High School; Charlottesville, VA – Nov. 15, 3 p.m. EST

The Aegean Hawks won a thrilling nail-biter, 2-1, in extra time over the Maryland Bays. Aromas Café, meanwhile, dispatched Pennsylvania side Tartan Devils Oak Avalon, 3-1, in Charlottesville, Va. You’ve heard of “pub football” over in England. Well in Charlottesville they’re looking to make “café soccer” a thing as the newcomers look to qualify in their first year of Open Cup competition. They’ll be hoping for some home field magic against the Hawks, another squad representing Greek heritage when it was founded, who are no strangers to the Open Cup having qualified three times in the last nine years.

NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather

GPS Omens (MA) at Southie FC (MA)
Lawrence Veterans Memorial Stadium; Lawrence, Mass. – Nov. 15, 4 p.m.EST

It’s an all-Massachusetts matchup in Round 2. Southie FC took care of business with a 2-0 win over Battery Park Gunners in Round 1 while Global Premier Soccer (GPS) Omens cruised to a 5-0 victory against a shorthanded Boston Olympiakos squad; both games took place in the greater Roxbury area. Southie FC are looking to qualify for the Open Cup for the first time, but GPS (who were under the names GPS Massachusetts and Mass Premier Soccer) is looking to get into the tournament for a USASA record-tying fourth straight year. Keep an eye on GPS’ Keith Caldwell, a former Colorado Rapids draft pick, who scored twice and added two assists in their first round match.

Salone FC (East PA) at West Chester United (East PA)
WCUSC Turf Field; West Chester, Pa. – Nov. 15, 5 p.m.

We finish up with an all-Eastern Pennsylvania match. Salone FC squeaked by Vereinigung Erzgebirge with a 1-0 win on the road while playing a man down in the second half. West Chester United needed extra time to defeat Junior Lone Star FC. Salone’s roster, coaching staff, and team officials are primarily made up of immigrants from Sierra Leone. Salone FC, who have never qualified for the Open Cup have run into West Chester before in their quest to qualify for teh Open Cup for the first time. In 2012, Salone eliminated West Chester’s Over-30 team in the Eastern Pennsylvania qualifying tournament, only to be eliminated by the senior team in the Final, 1-0. They met again in the 2013 state semifinals and West Chester won 3-2. Salone will have their work cut out for them as West Chester are the reigning Amateur Cup national champions and are looking to qualify for the first time after falling in the USASA Region I tournament three of the last four years. (MORE: Preview by PhillySoccerPage.net)

OCT. 17, 2015
Southie FC (MA) 1:0 Battery Park Gunners (MA)
Salone FC (EAST PA) 1:0 Vereinigung Erzgebirge (EAST PA)
Aromas Café FC (DC/VA) 3:1 Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (WEST PA)
Junior Lone Star FC (EAST PA) 1:2 (AET) West Chester United (EAST PA)
Jersey Shore Boca (NJ) 2:1 South Jersey Elite Barons (NJ)
Lansdowne Bhoys FC (EAST NY) 3:0 Newtown Pride FC (CT)

OCT. 18, 2015
Global Premier Soccer Omens (MA) 5:0 Boston Olympiakos FC (MA)
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (MD) 2:1 (AET) Maryland Bays (MD)
NY Greek American SC (EAST NY) 2:4 (AET) NY Pancyprian Freedoms (EAST NY)
Worcester FC (MA) 2:1 Newport FC (RI)

OCT. 24, 2015
NTX Rayados (NORTH TX) vs. Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (SOUTH TX) – PPD (rain)
Match rescheduled for Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. at McMasters Athletic Complex (Georgetown, TX)
Harpo’s FC (CO) 4:1 (AET) Colorado Rovers (CO)
San Nicolas (SOUTH CA) W:L Corinthians USA (SOUTH CA)
(Corinthians forfeited – not enough registered players)
La Maquina(SOUTH CA) 3:2 Strikers FC South Coast (SOUTH CA)
San Pedro Monsters (SOUTH CA) 9:0 Footballers Academy (SOUTH CA)
LA Wolves (SOUTH CA) 2:1 (AET) Del Rey City SC (SOUTH CA)

OCT. 25, 2015
Boca Raton FC (FL) 2:1 (AET) Real Miami Club of Football (FL)
Colorado Rush (CO) 5:2 FC Boulder (CO)
San Francisco City FC (NORTH CA) 2:0 El Farolito (NORTH CA)
Outbreak FC (SOUTH CA) 5:1 Buena Park FC (SOUTH CA)
Queen City United FC (NC) 4:1 Charlotte Sporting Soccer Academy FC (NC)
Real Sociedad (SOUTH CA) 2:2 (4:1 PKs) Ozzy’s Laguna FC (SOUTH CA)
Uruguay Kendall (FL) 3:0 Red Force (FL)
Davis Legacy (NORTH CA) 1:0 IFX Ballistic (NORTH CA)
Cal FC (SOUTH CA) 4:0 Valley United (SOUTH CA)
Chula Vista FC (SOUTH CA) 5:2 Temecula FC (SOUTH CA)

NOV. 1, 2015
NTX Rayados (NORTH TX) 4:2 Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (SOUTH TX)

International Portland Select (OR) W:L KC Athletics (KS)
KC Athletics withdrew (travel); IPS advances to Round 2
CD Motagua (LA) W:L Tobacco Road FC (NC)
Tobacco Road FC withdrew (travel); CD Motagua advances to Round 2

QUALIFYING: SECOND ROUND (All Times Eastern)

International Portland Select (OR) at NTX Rayados (NTX)
IPS withdrew (travel); NTX Rayados advances to Round 3

NOV. 14, 2015

Jersey Shore Boca (NJ) at NY Pancyprian Freedoms (ENY)
Randall’s Island Field No. 75; Randall’s Island, NY – 7 p.m.

Lansdowne Bhoys (ENY) at Worcester FC (MA)
Foley Stadium; Worcester, MA – 7:15 p.m.

NOV. 15, 2015

Aegean Hawks FC (MD) at Aromas Café FC (DC/VA)
Charlottesville High School; Charlottesville, VA – 3 p.m.

GPS Omens (MA) at Southie FC (MA)
Lawrence Veterans Memorial Stadium; Lawrence, MA – 4 p.m.

Salone FC (EPA) at West Chester United (EPA)
WCUSC Turf Field; West Chester, PA – 5 p.m.

NOV. 21, 2015

Queen City United (NC) at CD Motagua of New Orleans (LA)
Pan American Stadium; New Orleans, LA – 8 p.m.

La Maquina (SCA) at Chula Vista FC (SCA)
Eastlake High; Chula Vista, CA – 9 p.m.

Cal FC (SCA) at LA Wolves FC (SCA)
Toyota Sports Complex (Field 1); Torrance, CA – 10:30 p.m.

NOV. 22, 2015

Boca Raton FC (FL) at Uruguay Kendall (FL)
Broward College South Campus; Pembroke Pines, FL – 3:30 p.m.

Colorado Rush (CO) at Harpo’s FC (CO)
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (Field 8); Commerce City, CO – 4 p.m.

Davis Legacy (NCA) at San Francisco City FC (NCA)
Kezar Stadium; San Francisco, Calif. – 5 p.m.

San Nicolas (SCA) at Real Sociedad (SCA)
St. John Bosco Football Stadium; Bellflower, Calif. – 7:30 p.m.

Outbreak FC at San Pedro Monsters FC
Toyota Sports Complex (Field 1); Torrance, CA – 10:30 p.m.

QUALIFYING: THIRD ROUND

April 1-2, 2016

US OPEN CUP FIRST ROUND

May 11, 2016