2012 US Open Cup

2012 Meet the USASA: Jersey Shore Boca of Toms River, NJ

May 15, 2012 by William Murphy

Welcome to our continuing series of Meet the USASA features where we annually profile the clubs representing the United States Adult Soccer Association in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Advancing from the four regional tournaments, these often unknown clubs have great stories to tell and each year, our goal is to allow fans to get to know them as they attempt to become this year’s Cinderella story.

A club founded in 1978 and named after the famous Argentine club boasting a tremendously successful past in the state of New Jersey, you would be surprised to learn that Jersey Shore Boca has not only never played in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, but has not even applied to play in the tournament.

“When I first saw the opportunity to apply for the USOC qualifiers, I couldn’t believe that Boca never applied,” said player/manager Michael McCullion after the team touched down in Michigan. “I felt we had a strong enough side to take a shot, so I just went for it”

The Jersey Shore Boca men’s Open Cup team will add another chapter to the club history books during the First Round on May 15 as the men of blue-and-gold square off against the Michigan Bucks of the USL Premiere Development League in Pontiac, Michigan. It will be the first time in the club’s 34-year history that a Boca team will appear in the prestigious competition, and the first time in the Modern Professional Era (1995 to present) that team from New Jersey will make an appearance in the Open Cup via USASA Region I.

“We see this as a big step for both ourselves as a team and as representing the club.”

The timing was right, and McCullion’s decision had paid off. With the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup expanding to a field of 64 teams, the US Soccer Federation added a ninth berth to the USASA, expanding the Region I entrants to three due to its consistent number of entrants in recent years. It was a number that proved beneficial for Boca.

The team got its feet wet in the New Jersey semifinals, posting a 10-0 drubbing of Santorini with James Nelson scoring four times. Michael Pezza, Nick Tarquino and Simon Muckle each added two. Boca then proved their mettle in a showdown with the reigning three-time state champion Go Soccer FC, advancing in penalties after a 1-1 draw against the 2011 Region I semifinalists. Tomas Banionis tallied the equalizer in the 35th minute and Matt Heitmann made a save in the fifth round of the tiebreaker for the 5-4 decision from the spot.

They did not know it at the time, but that result was all they needed. Boca were paired up with another powerhouse in the Region I semifinals, and were unable to overcome their neighbors to the north, falling to New York Greek American Atlas, 2-0, on a pair of second half goals.

That left one apparent chance remaining to qualify, needing to win a consolation match with the Maryland Bays, who fell to Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks by the same score. The Bays, however, citing hardship from a combination of injuries and external player commitments were left with no choice but to forfeit their second chance to qualify, sending Jersey Shore Boca onto the prestigious national event.

Go Soccer were the state powers, and NY Greek American Atlas have a long history in the US Open Cup as four-time champions in the 1960-70s. But in the Michigan Bucks, Boca now face a club that has a history of success in the tournament’s Modern Era.

McCullion seemed reserved but quietly confident ahead of the match.

“Our main strength is our experience, both in the game and on this team. I personally have been with the club more than 10 years. We know each other well. That has always been a huge advantage to us on the field in big games, and for us, this is a big as it gets.”

That may come in handy as the Bucks are just coming together as a club for the PDL season, and are one of the three teams from the league (16 entrants total) that are entering the event without having played a regular season contest – a first that has been caused by the new schedule format of the Open Cup.

The Basics

Jersey Shore Boca is an amateur organization based in Lakewood NJ. Their men’s open team plays in the Garden State Soccer League. Boca fields teams from several age groups and both Men’s and Women’s teams, playing their home matches at John Patrick Sports Complex in Lakewood.

Jersey Shore Boca was founded in 1978 by Walt Pericciuoli and Phil Morretta, and promptly named after the very successful Argentine side Boca Juniors. Boca had just won its second Copa Libertadores and were crowned World Club Champions as well. The pair wanted to mimic both their style and success.

Boca started out with a U18 team that went undefeated in league play in each of its first two seasons. A second team was added in 1980 and the first and second teams finished one and two in the league. In 1990, the club grew with the addition of a semi-professional men’s team entered into the North East Super Soccer League (NESSL).

In 2001, Jersey Shore Boca became a member of the USL’s Super Y-League, and in 2002, the United Soccer Leagues awarded Jersey Shore Boca a Premier Development League franchise in 2003. The club, however, chose not to re-apply the following season.

There have been four senior National team players out of the club: George Gelnovatch, Ric Lansing, Dan McGuire and Ted Gillen. After a successful college and professional career, Gelnovatch is currently the head men’s soccer coach at the University of Virginia after serving as a former US Under-18 Men’s National Team Coach. Both Lansing and McGuire played professionally in Europe. Gillen achieved All-American status while at Penn State and played for the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls) of during the first two seasons of Major League Soccer (1996-97).

Two members from the Boca 2006 U23 men’s team, Chris Konopka and Teddy Niziolek, were selected by the Kansas City Wizards and Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer in the MLS 2007 Supplemental Draft. Konopka’s career also took him to Europe, where he played in Ireland before coming back to MLS, spending time last season with the Red Bulls and Columbus Crew. His stint with the Crew included an appearance against the English Premier League’s Newcastle United in a friendly. He recently signed with the Philadelphia Union.

– Gerald Barnhart also contributed to this report

2012 Meet The USASA: Eric Wynalda’s Cal FC from Thousand Oaks, CA

May 15, 2012 by Gerald Barnhart

On Tuesday evening, the well-established reigning USL Premier Development League champion Kitsap Pumas will play host to an unknown club built by a famous face, a team about second chances. That team is Cal FC.

A lot of American soccer fans may picture Eric Wynalda as a brash, outspoken former US international star striker turned television personality. But in reality, he is a busy man these days.

Just take two weekends ago. On Friday and Saturday he was coaching the club team, Cal FC, that he has built over the past year as it was making its debut at the USASA Region IV tournament. On Sunday he had to turn the reigns over to his friend and assistant coach Nick Webster for the Final while he saw to his broadcast responsibilities.

When TheCup.us caught up with him Friday to discuss the development of Cal FC, he was in a cab, having just landed in Houston for the Dynamo stadium opening. On Tuesday, he will miss his club’s opening match of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup due to travel to Germany for the Champions League.

It’s not something you would expect from a head coach of elite caliber team or club, but Cal FC is not about the career of Eric Wynalda. The club is about finding and developing local talent, giving players that have been missed by the system a first chance or giving a select few a second or third opportunity to prove themselves. You could almost compare it to a handful of the reality talent competition shows on network television.

“If we get to August and all of these guys are still playing for me, I did something wrong,” he said.

Based out of Thousand Oaks, Calif. and playing in La Gran Liga (Oxnard), the club has been operational for about a year and things are going well, to say the least.

“We are doing pretty good. We went into the playoffs and fared well,” said the club’s President and manager Michael Friedman about the team’s league performance prior to the Region IV tournament. For the Open Cup process though, it is “a whole different squad, an ongoing process.

“We have a number of players that have been in the camps of MLS squads and Eric has been able to corral them into this squad and put together a pretty good team.”

And Friedman was not kidding. Among the notable names that traveled to Ontario for the USASA tournament included Pablo Cruz, Eder Arreola, Artur Aghasyan, Mike Randolph and the Barrera brothers Diego and Danny.

Cruz and the Barreras accounted for all four goals in the team’s most important win in the regional tournament, a 4-3 event-opening victory over the defending Region IV champion Doxa Italia, the only other competitive side in what turned out to be a three-team group with the fourth not arriving. Cal FC notched a 7-0 win and Doxa an 8-0 victory against The Internationalists.

A missed penalty kick and a Randolph red card started the club’s descent in the final, which was compounded by the injuries the side was taking on.

“I made a couple mistakes as a manager; I did not bring enough guys,” said Wynalda. “We took some injuries and ran out of gas. We played against Doxa tight, and it was a pretty good game.

“It was good for the guys; they felt what a loss feels likes it,” he added about the Final, a 2-0 defeat to PSA Elite, another area club with former professionals on the roster. “It was difficult. Not enough guys, key injuries; it is a testament that they qualified.”

“We still haven’t got everyone on the team that we want,” added Wynalda. “Even if we lose, we are gonna continue to move forward.”

And by that, Wynalda is referring to its role of creating opportunities for players.

“The club started because Eric and I thought a few years back there could be something better,” said Friedman. “This team is mainly formed from this local area – Thousand Oaks – that went to college and came back. Then we held a tryout recently and the players that came out surprised us. The talent is really high. Eric put all of his resources to work to put this together.”

One of those resources is his other day job. Wynalda became the President of International Operations for Mexican club Murcielago (Spanish for bats), making him the technical director and chief scout looking for Mexican-American talent between Santa Barbara and San Diego. The club, formally known as Deportivo Guamuchil FC, was founded in 2008 and plays in the third-tier Segunda Division.

“This team defines the term unique,” said Wynalda.

“I basically called numerous high schools in the area and asked, ‘who’s your local legend?” They all knew of someone, but the hard part was finding them and trying to get them on a soccer field. Everyone has difficult challenges in life, some more than others. My challenge has been to discover these kids and invite them in and see what they’ve got. The process started a few years ago, and I am still tracking kids.

“During that process I brought in other players I was very well aware of, but for whatever reason it didn’t work out for them. Guys who tried out for Chivas or Galaxy and did not fit the mold. And, I guess I am the second chance for these guys.”

eric-wynalda-fox-soccer — Eric Wynalda is an analyst for Fox when he's not coaching. Photo: Fox Soccer

And in a way, those players owe their second opportunities to Wynalda’s search for his own second chance after being rejected in bids to become the head coaches for the Chicago Fire and Chivas USA.

“I wanted the Fire and Chivas jobs, and didn’t get either. Partly, it was because I was not an assistant somewhere, but I felt I didn’t need to be an assistant anywhere.”

Wynalda had already experimented with the coaching life early after retiring, taking a position with the PDL Bakersfield Brigade, a club run by a longtime friend, in 2005. “I was aspiring to be a coach, and we talked about a lot of things. I just wanted to get my feet wet, but the television part of my life kind of took things over. I haven’t stopped coaching or being a part of the game.”

Although he will be halfway around the world when his team takes the field Tuesday evening in Bremerton, Wash. against the professional Kitsap Pumas, the reigning PDL champions, they still owe the opportunity to the National Soccer Hall of Famer.

“The ability and talent they have shown is pretty outstanding. I don’t know how far we’ll take it.” At this point for the team he says, “We are not trying to reinvent the wheel, just have fun.”

“We are really fired up about playing Kitsap. It will be a good test,” said Wynalda, who is a proponent of the tournament.

“As much as a coveted cup it has become, it could be better. As a tribute to Lamar Hunt and what that means – as a friend, – it means a lot,” commenting that it is a deserving recognition of the man’s contribution to the sport and that the tournament should keep his name forever synonymous with the event.

2012 Meet The USASA: KC Athletics from Kansas City, KS

May 15, 2012 by William Schulz

After a one season’s absence, the Kansas City Athletics will once again represent the United States Adult Soccer Association’s (USASA) Region II at the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

For the last three years, KC has benefitted as the only entry from the state of Kansas, therefore not having to play a state qualifying tournament and getting a bye into the regional tournament. They are the only USASA club from Kansas to qualify for the Open Cup in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present).

In the 2010 tournament, the Athletics were eliminated in the first round by the NSC Minnesota Stars by a result of 4-2. Player/coach Kyle Perkins believes the game was much closer than the score line indicates, as one goal was scored via penalty kick and another the result of “an unlikely goalkeeper error.”

Since their elimination from the 2010 U.S. Open Cup, the Athletics have been playing in the Kansas Soccer Association League, and against some local colleges in the spring.

In 2011, the club’s qualification hopes were dashed by the Iowa Menace. A combination of overconfidence and only having ten players available doomed Kansas City to a crushing 7-1 defeat. The Athletics struck first, but Iowa seized the lead before halftime and never relented.

In their final qualifying match for the 2012 edition of the Open Cup, Kansas City again were forced to play with only ten men. The club only had the budget to send eleven players to the Bensenville, IL tournament, and at the last moment a player was called to train with the MLS side Sporting Kansas City. It was the luck of the draw for the Athletics because thanks to a blind draw conducted by Region II officials, it was determined that their game against the Cincy Saints would be a “Win & You’re In” match, with the other four entries playing off for the second Open Cup berth. Fortunately for the Athletics, their opponents, the Saints, had only eight players make the journey. KC won the match 10-2, and became the first Region II club to qualify for the tournament.

Regarding the victory, Perkins said, “Even with ten we would have been able to compete against a full eleven and scrap out a win. If we didn’t believe that we wouldn’t have shown up. All we could do was play against the team we drew.”

Kansas City will face the Premier Development League’s Real Colorado Foxes at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Co on Tuesday, May 15. Despite having a history of playing shorthanded, Perkins expects the Athletics to have a full-strength starting eleven and substitutes ready to go on match day. “We are a solid team who loves to play attacking soccer,” said Perkins, “So I am sure there will be some goals this week.

“Our goal every year is to go as far as we can in the Open Cup and win our regional final in June,” Perkins added. “It’s one step at a time for us.”

MORE: Check out the rest of the 2012 Meet the USASA series

2012 Meet the USASA: Croatian Eagles from Milwaukee, WI

May 15, 2012 by Eric Anderson

When one of the oldest cup competitions in the world kicks off Tuesday night, one of the nation’s oldest clubs will be part of the action.

And the Croatian Eagles, formed in 1922, just might have the oldest player in the 99th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

Jason Willan is expected to be in the lineup when the Croatians, based in the Milwaukee suburb of Franklin, face PDL side Chicago Fire Premier in a first-round match at the Toyota Park Practice Field in Bridgeview, Ill.

At 40 years old, Willan likely will be literally twice the age of some of the Fire Premier players.

“I do get a kick out of it – it has yet to rub me negatively, put it that way,” Willan said with a chuckle.

“But sometimes you get the comments on the field – you know, ‘Sit down, old man,’ stuff like that. You know what? I kind of swallow that, that’s fine, whatever. But don’t let me get the best of you. Watch your mouth if I go past you. It still makes it fun for me.”

This spring has been plenty of fun for the Croatians, who made the most of an unseasonably warm spring in Wisconsin and have been training and playing matches for two months. Conversely, the Fire Premier were scheduled to hold their first training session last Friday.

The Eagles blanked two of Illinois’ top amateur teams, fellow Croatian club RWB Adria and Polish side AAC Eagles, by identical 2-0 scores in the U.S. Adult Soccer Association Region II tournament April 14 and 15 in Bensenville, Ill., to earn their first Open Cup berth since 2006.

That year, the Croatians traveled to Iowa to face the PDL’s Des Moines Menace, falling 4-1 in the qualifying round. Willan scored the Eagles’ lone goal on a penalty kick in the 72nd minute after the home team had scored the first three goals of the night.

His only other Open Cup appearance came during his time with the Milwaukee Rampage of the A-League, a 2-1 home loss to the Orlando Nighthawks in a second-round match in 1998. Willan played six years with his hometown team before ending his outdoor career with the Minnesota Thunder in 2003 – he also played six seasons indoors, three each with the Detroit Rockers and Milwaukee Wave.

2011-12 Croatian Eagles results

Wisconsin Major League

Oct. 2 Milwaukee Kickers 1-0 W
Oct. 9 Milwaukee Sport Club 4-0 W
Oct. 16 at Madison United 2-1 W
Nov. 6 at Bavarian SC 1-1 T
Nov. 12 Club Latino 7-0 W
Nov. 13 Milwaukee Brewers FC 9-0 W
Nov. 20 United Serbians 2-2 T
April 29 at Milwaukee Brewers FC 6-0 W

Wisconsin Open Cup

Oct. 23 Semifinal – Bavarian SC 2-1 W
Oct. 30 Final – Milwaukee Kickers 2-2 T
(Croatian Eagles advance 5-4 on PKs)

USASA Region II Open Cup

April 14 Quarterfinal – RWB Adria (Ill.) 2-0 W
April 15 Semifinal – AAC Eagles (Ill.) 2-0 W

While Willan grew up playing for Milwaukee Sport Club, one of the Croatians’ rivals in the ethnic-dominated Milwaukee soccer scene, he said he started training with and playing for the Eagles between pro seasons about 13 years ago. He hasn’t left yet.

“There’s a lot of quality history to the club,” Willan said of the Croatians, who also played in the National Challenge Cup – which was later re-named the U.S. Open Cup – in 1943 and ’45.

“The club is quality, the organization from top to bottom, they just take a little more pride than some other clubs. And the players get treated well for the amateur level – that’s a big part of it. For me, seeing the professional side of it, you know this club is not far off from treating their players the same way. … You feel comfortable at the club.”

And despite his age, Willan still feels comfortable in his attacking midfield role in the Croatians’ 4-5-1 formation.

“He still has the drive, and he brings a really nice settling presence to the team when he’s on the field,” Eagles manager Alex Toth said of Willan. “He was considering retiring (during the winter), but he still has that drive and he’s a huge asset for us. That experience and the way he strikes the ball, his vision, it works well.”

Willan acknowledges that he’s had to adjust his style as he’s gotten older.

“Let’s face it, most sports nowadays are a bigger, better, faster type of thing. For me, it’s a way of thinking, it’s a different style. I think I’ve changed,” he said. “Speed of play is such a huge part of soccer. … I think it’s a matter of being smarter and reading things and angles.”

He’s also become a leader for a team with a diverse roster of young and old. Willan wears the captain’s armband and refers to himself as a “mini-adviser” for Toth, while “still trying to lead by example – but sometimes the body doesn’t agree with that.”

What hasn’t changed is his commitment, to train and stay fit and to compete at the highest level possible. “I’ve got to say, at the age of 40, I’ve got no problem getting fired up,” he said with an edge of excitement in his voice. “There’s still a lot of passion.”

He’s especially fired up about playing Fire Premier. Not because he wants one more shot at playing a pro team – the winner will face the Dayton Dutch Lions of USL Pro in the second round on May 22 – but because he loves to match wits against new opponents and thinks that this Croatian Eagles team could surprise some people.

“At this age, I have nothing really personal to shoot for,” Willan said, “but I’m involved with a team and we can do things, stuff that’s not expected of us. As long as I’ve been around, I’m not going to say this is the best team I’ve played with, but there’s a lot of depth to this team and a lot of balance, and balance meaning the experience, the youth, and college players coming and filling voids that we had.”

MORE: Check out the rest of the 2012 Meet the USASA series

Meet the first-ever US Club Soccer team in the US Open Cup: Stanislaus United Turlock Express

May 14, 2012 by Robert Jonas

For the first time in the long history of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a team from U.S. Club Soccer has qualified for the tournament proper. Based in the vast central valley of California, Stanislaus United Turlock Express defeated the Bay Area Ambassadors in a play-in game by a score of 3-0 to secure their ticket to the big dance. Up next for the Express is a date with the Fresno Fuego of the PDL this Tuesday.

Founded in the early 2000s as an organization dedicated to making high-level organized soccer available to the less well heeled in its community, the Express offered mainly the children of agricultural workers and other related fields an opportunity to play futsal, or indoor soccer. One of the chief architects of the club was current technical director of soccer Antonio Reis, who recognized that vastness of the talent in his community and wanted to provide them an avenue to perhaps play professionally.

“We have a community based club that caters to the local kids. We don’t charge to play, so many of our players stay with us a long time, even after returning from going to college.”

Reis is proud of all the players that have come through his system, and he embraces the father figure role he takes on for many of his former and current players.

“They are all my sons and they are all very good. Some of the kids have been with me since they were 7 years old. Many kids grew up in our club playing futsal, and some have gone on to play in Fiji, and Mexico, and in Germany. Today, many of our kids travel throughout our area and to the Bay to play with other clubs and in tougher leagues.”

A deep appreciation for the success of the Express warms Reis, and he is quick to point out that despite the minimal coaching and training resources the club can provide, the players have grown into a tight knit group of young adults.

“They are all a big part of our local culture. We have the clown, the leader, the serious guy, the excitable guy, we have all of that. But what makes us good is the teamwork and the overall belief the kids have for one another.”

Reis may often refer to his players as kids, but the team that will play in this week’s Cup match against Fresno Fuego has a maturity built from age and experience. The bulk of the current team won a U-18 California state title four years ago, and the nucleus of the side knows what it means to be successful. The team captain is Gerardo Ramirez, who Reis credits as the cohesive force that keeps the young group of men together as a unified squad.

“Ramirez is the leader and keeps the spirit high and he helps out the guys when they make mistakes. He helps keep a nice atmosphere around the guys and they are all great friends.”

The team’s goalkeeper, Javier Rosales, was instrumental in the Express weathering an opening match salvo from the Ambassadors, and still being able to regroup for the historic win. A long time member of the club, Reis marvels at how far Rosales has come despite the long odds of success.

“He has been very good for us. Sometimes we wish he had better days, and sometimes he saves our butt. We try to have excellent coaching at all levels, but we don’t have enough to really train these guys completely. He is definitely a hard worker and is doing great with the limited amount of goalkeeping coaching we can provide.”

Reis leads the team into training four times a week, and is often flooded with requests from local players wanting to join the club. Part of that enthusiasm to represent the Express comes from the low fees to play, but much of it is a product of that familial environment that Reis has instilled in the club. From youth teams on up to the senior U.S. Club Soccer team, players don’t often stray from the opportunity to play the game they love. And even with the odds clearly stacked against his team this Tuesday, Reis knows his players will enjoy every moment of their US Open Cup experience.

“I think we will provide a nice game. Our players are very excited to play Fresno. Now, we aren’t going in there thinking we can kick their butts, but we also don’t think we are going to get out butts kicked!”

Robert Jonas writes for Centerline Soccer and you can follow him on Twitter @RobertJonas.

MORE: Check out the rest of the 2012 Meet the USASA series

2012 Meet The USASA: ASC New Stars from Houston, TX

May 14, 2012 by Gerald Barnhart

A year later, and a year wiser. Though the club, founded in1974, boasts a great amount of experience, it is not quite so cliché when it comes to the ASC New Stars of Houston, Texas. More importantly for the club, the format and draw of the tournament was a lot kinder a year later.

“We played against a great team in the final and won the championship, I think the difference was experience we all had as a team from previous years over our opponent,” said head coach Majid Savadkoohi.

The third generation took Aria Soccer Club to new heights, reaching the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament for the third time in five years and finally claiming the elusive USASA Region III championship. But it is upsets in the Open Cup that makes the amateur teams memorable, and that has been a difficult task courtesy of the draws the team has faced.

As Region III runners-up in 2008, the New Stars were sent to South Carolina., where they were blanked 3-0 by the second division’s Charleston Battery. Last year, it was a trip to Orlando, Fla. where they lost 4-0 to eventual season and playoff champion Orlando City of the third division USL Pro.

This year if the club is successful, the New Stars would likely play three rounds in-state before having to leave Texas, possibly four. ASC were drawn against a Premier Development League power in the Laredo Heat, a club with which ASC has great familiarity with, and have a second round contest awaiting them with North American Soccer League expansion club San Antonio Scorpions. An upset against the second-tier pro club would most likely net them a match against either the hometown Houston Dynamo or their MLS rival FC Dallas, though the pairings have not been announced for the Third Round yet.

That is a nice bit of karma for the previous travel. They were even the hosts of the Region III tournament a few weeks ago as well.

“Since we don’t have to travel out of state and some of players have friends or relatives – and also some former ASC players that are playing for Laredo now – makes us feel more close to home,” said Savadhoohi. “I think we are going to do better this year.”

A former ASC player they may face come Tuesday night is Emmanuel Frias. Frias, who has played for ASC off and on before joining the Heat, saw action between the posts on six occasions for Laredo during the regular season last year, boasting a nice 0.386 goals-against average for a 3-1-1 record and four shutouts. He went on to start all four playoff matches, leading the Heat to the PDL championship before falling, 1-0 in the Final to the Kitsap Pumas. They will not, however, see Edward Estrada, who played for the New Stars at the 2010 Region III tournament. Estrada played 12 games in defense for the Heat last year with four more appearances in the playoffs, including three starts, but has moved to the IMG Academy in Bradenton where he is playing for the Academics in the PDL.

“Laredo Heat is a great team, I have a lot of respect for the players, coaches and management; and I think this will be a great game. We have a very good relationship with all of them, and I think it will be a friendly atmosphere in the game on Tuesday,” he added, concluding that, “We have to remember we have to think one game at a time and you know in cup games each game is a Final.”

The humble Savadkoohi has plenty to be proud about with his club, though, too. The New Stars went into the Region III tournament as favorites. Veteran star Alex Bolan, who notched four goals and an assist in the 2011 Region III tournament, last year had 17 goals in the local HFA Premier League this season. In this year’s regional tournament, though, it was George Sangira, who scored once in the 2011 event, who had the winning touch, scoring five goals over the course of the championship run.

Savadkoohi said that all of his players had outstanding performances throughout the tournament, but “in the final match George Sangira was the player of the game.” He went on to say that his eight new players had performed well, including 19 year-old goalkeeper Jason Taffet, who allowed just two goals in the group phase, including a 2-0 shutout in the final over fellow Open Cup qualifier North Texas Rayados. The win in the championship game punches their ticket to the USASA Nationals which are being held in Bridgeview, Ill this summer.

Always extending his thanks to the players for their dedication and hard work, as well as the club’s co-founder and General Manager Tom Khalili, it is Savadkoohi that is the mastermind behind the success of the third generation, which appears to be transitioning to the fourth with the sizable injection of new talent.

“In 2003, after the previous coach retired, I became the head coach of the only premier team ASC had in the Houston Football Association,” said Savadkoohi a year ago. “I kept three players from his team and brought in young players ages 17-21 to build basically a new team, and changed the name to New Stars to fit the team’s character, which was made up of young and new players.”

That is when the domination of the HFA began. The New Stars have won the title now all eight years as well as claiming numerous cup titles.

To continue to challenge the team, the New Stars have had to step onto a more regional and national stage. The first time was in 2008 with limited success. After skipping the regional event in 2009, they returned in 2010 only to finish winless in group play. That made the 2011 Region III tournament about reclamation.

“After last year’s extreme disappointment we came into this year with redemption on our mind,” said Savadkoohi during the 2011 Region III tournament. “We just keep building positive momentum after each win along with improved chemistry and purpose.”

This year, it is all about looking forward.

MORE: History of ASC New Stars (2011 Meet the USASA)

MORE: Check out the rest of the 2012 Meet the USASA series

2012 US Open Cup First Round matches unveiled for May 15; Second Round pairings set

May 1, 2012 by Gerald Barnhart

MORE: 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup bracket

UPDATE: Cal FC (USASA Region IV) will play Kitsap Pumas and PSA Elite (USASA Region IV) will play Portland Timbers U23s in the First Round.

The United States Soccer Federation unveiled the draw for the First and Second Rounds of the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Tuesday in Chicago. The 32 First Round clubs will play in 13 states Tuesday May 15 with two contests each in California, Pennsylvania and Texas. The Second Round is set for Tuesday May 22.

Nineteen states will be represented in the opening round of the competition. California will have at least five and Texas four with the USASA Region IV tournament featuring seven California clubs and one from Texas yet to play. New York will have three representatives with two each hailing from Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The two clubs coming out of the Region IV tournament are among the three contests not yet set, though they will be heading to Portland and Kitsap. The third is the match between Ventura County Fusion (PDL) and Fullerton Rangers (NPSL).

The two games scheduled for Pennsylvania will see clubs from New York coming in for the First Round while the California and Texas matches will be in-state showdowns. Also featuring an in-state contest is Florida.

ENTRANTS-MAP-2012 — Click on the map for expanded view (With all the added teams this year, it's a little crowded)

Texas’ two games have some interesting storylines with ASC New Stars (USASA) not having to travel out of state after being sent to South Carolina in 2008 and Florida in 2011. Their host, the PDL Laredo Heat, are making only their second appearance, but looking for redemption after losing at home in an upset by USASA’s Dallas Roma in penalties after a 2-2 draw. The El Paso Patriots, finalists in 1995, are familiar with the role of host, having played at home in 14 of their 18 matches in the tournament.

First Round Matches – Tuesday, May 15 (with notes of interest)

1. Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) at GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL)
Memorial Field, Deering High School; Portland, Maine – 8 p.m. ET
While TheCup.us does not have a record of every game of the last 98 years of the US Open Cup (most of them, but not all) and there is no record of a team from Maine participating in the US Open Cup. The Italians are a two-time Open Cup champion (1979, 1991).

2. N.Y. Greek American Atlas (USASA) at Reading United AC (PDL)
Shirk Stadium, Albright College; Reading, Pa. – 7 p.m. ET
The Greeks are a four-time US Open Cup champion (1967-69, 1974) and are back in the tournament for the first time since 2005. Reading United, who are making their fourth straight tournament appearance and sixth overall, are looking for their first Open Cup victory. United has also not left the state of Pennsylvania for an Open Cup game since 2003.

3. Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) at FC Sonic (NPSL)
Ulrich Sports Complex, Lehigh University; Bethlehem, Pa. – 7:05 p.m. ET
Long Island returns to the Keystone State for the first time since losing to the Harrisburg City Islanders in the Second Round of the 2010 tournament. This match marks the first time in the Modern Pro Era (1995-present) that the city of Bethlehem, PA, home of the five-time tournament champion Bethlehem Steel, has hosted an Open Cup game.

4. Jersey Shore Boca (USASA) at Michigan Bucks (PDL)
Ultimate Soccer; Pontiac, Mich. – 7:30 p.m. ET
Since 2000, the Bucks have hosted all but one game (6 of 7 games) against non-MLS opposition (Richmond Kickers, 2007). They have also never lost to an amateur club.

5. Carolina Dynamo (PDL) at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (USASA)
Maryland Soccerplex Stadium; Boyds, Md. – 7:30 p.m. ET
The Dynamo are on the road for only the third time in 10 games since Macpherson Stadium opened in 2002. It is the first home game for the Hawks in three appearances.

6. Jacksonville United (NPSL) at Orlando City U-23s (PDL)
Seminole Soccer Complex; Sanford, Fla. – 7 p.m. ET
Orlando, formerly the Central Florida Kraze, are making their third straight appearance in the Open Cup and are still seeking their first tournament win against the defending NPSL champion, who has a number of players from Lynch’s Irish Pub, a 3-time Open Cup qualifier.

7. Mississippi Brilla FC (PDL) at Georgia Revolution (NPSL)
RYSA Soccerplex; Conyers, Ga. – 7:30 p.m. ET
In the First Round’s battle of the two most inexperienced teams, Mississippi lost in their only Open Cup appearance in 2009 (vs. USL First Division’s Austin Aztex) and the Revolution are making their debut.

8. Croatian Eagles (USASA) at Chicago Fire PDL (PDL)
Toyota Park Practice Field; Bridgeview, Ill. – 6 p.m. CT
Surprisingly the Fire have had only two home game in their 10 Open Cup matches, playing on the road for the last four since hosting Bavarian SC in the First Round of 2009. Chicago and Wisconsin clubs have met six times in the Modern Pro Era, with Chicago teams leading the series split with 3 wins each (Milwaukee clubs are 2-2-0 vs. Chicago clubs).

9. Des Moines Menace (PDL) at Milwaukee Bavarians (NPSL)
Bavarian Soccer Park; Glendale, Wis. – 7 p.m. CT
Home field is a consolation prize for the organization that had it’s USASA club miss out on Open Cup qualifying because the state association lost their paperwork last year. Now, the Bavarians’ NPSL team are in the tournament for the first time, hoping to carry on the Milwaukee club’s tradition against the Des Moines Menace, one of the elite PDL teams. This game marks the first road game for the Menace against an equal or lesser division opponent, including a 2003 loss, 2-1, to the USASA’s Bavarian SC in sudden death overtime.

10. KC Athletics (USASA) at Real Colorado Foxes (PDL)
Colorado School of Mines Soccer Stadium; Golden, Colo. – 7 p.m. MT
The Athletics are back in the tournament for the second time in three years, while Real Colorado are making their second straight appearance, having won in their debut last year at home against DV8 Defenders from the USASA, before losing at the Kitsap Pumas in Round 2.

11. ASC New Stars (USASA) at Laredo Heat (PDL)
Texas A&M International University; Laredo, Texas – 8:15 p.m. CT
ASC New Stars are making their second appearance in a row and their third in the last five years and will shoot for their first tournament win in their first game against an amateur opponent. Laredo hasn’t qualified since making their debut in 2006, when they nearly kept the historic run of Dallas Roma FC from ever happening. They were eliminated by the USASA club (who moved on to become the first USASA club to upset an MLS club) in penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw.

12. NTX Rayados (USASA) at El Paso Patriots (PDL)
Patriots Stadium; El Paso, Texas – 8 p.m. MT
The Rayados, making their first appearance in the tournament out of USASA’s Region III will face a club with a rich history in the competition at multiple levels. The Patriots were a professional team from their founding in 1991 until 2004 when they joined the PDL. During their time as a PDL club, they have qualified five times and have moved beyond the opening round three times, including a penalty kick upset of the USL First Division’s Miami FC in 2007.

13. Fresno Fuego (PDL) at Stanislaus United Turlock Express (US Club Soccer)
Academica Fields; Turlock, Calif. – 7 p.m. PT
The Fuego have been one of the better PDL teams over the last decade, but have only qualified once. They accomplished that in their inaugural season in 2003, and what a run it was, winning three games, upsetting two professional teams (Utah Blitzz of the PSL and the El Paso Patriots of the A-League) before falling 3-1 to the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center. The Fuego are one of just three PDL teams to ever reach beyond the Third Round (Carolina Dynamo, Des Moines Menace). They will face off against the Stanislaus United Turlock Express (no relation to the Stanislaus United Cruisers who qualified in 2000), who are the first US Club Soccer team to compete in the Open Cup.

14. Ventura County Fusion (PDL) vs. Fullerton Rangers (NPSL)
Santa Ana Stadium; – Santa Ana, Calif. – 7 p.m. PT
This is the third straight Open Cup appearance for the Fusion, who have hosted all three of their tournament games at Ventura College. The Rangers emerged from the NPSL qualifying tournament to make their first appearance in their inaugural season.

15. PSA Elite (USASA) at Portland Timbers U-23s (PDL)
Jeld-Wen Field; Portland, Ore. – 7:30 p.m. PT
The Timbers PDL square are making their first appearance in the US Open Cup after missing out last year despite finishing qualifying with an undefeated record (3-0-1). Rather than going through a tiebreaker, they decided to have the Kitsap Pumas and the Timbers U23s use their regular season game on double as a play-in game. Kitsap Pumas won the game 3-2. PSA Elite are making their first appearance in the tournament after emerging from the USASA Region IV tournament.

16. Cal FC (USASA) at Kitsap Pumas (PDL)
Bremerton Memorial Stadium; Bremerton, Wash. – 7:15 p.m. PT
This is the fourth consecutive year that Kitsap will kick off the tournament at home. USASA Region IV qualifier Cal FC are led by a mix of young players and former professional players and their manager, former US international Eric Wynalda.

SECOND ROUND– Tuesday, May 22

17. Jersey Shore Boca (USASA)/Michigan Bucks (PDL) Winner at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO): Chartiers Valley Stadium; Bridgeville, Pa.; 7 p.m. ET

18. Long Island Rough Riders (PDL)/FC Sonic (NPSL) Winner at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO): Skyline Sports Complex; Harrisburg, Pa.; 7 p.m. ET

19. Cal FC (USASA)/Kitsap Pumas (PDL) Winner at Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO): Legion Sports Complex; Wilmington, N.C.; 7 p.m. ET

20. PSA Elite (USASA)/Portland Timbers U-23s (PDL) Winner at Carolina RailHawks (NASL): WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.; 7:07 p.m. ET

21. Fresno Fuego (PDL)/Stanislaus United Turlock Express (US Club Soccer) Winner at Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL): Lockhart Stadium; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; 7:30 p.m. ET

22. K.C. Athletics (USASA)/Real Colorado Foxes (PDL) Winner at Orlando City Soccer Club (USL PRO): Seminole Soccer Complex; Sanford, Fla.; 7:30 p.m. ET

23. N.Y. Greek Americans (USASA)/Reading United AC (PDL) Winner at Charleston Battery (USL PRO): Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C.; 7:30 p.m. ET

24. Brooklyn Italians (NPSL)/GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL) Winner at Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO): Sahlen’s Stadium; Rochester, N.Y.; 7:35 p.m. ET

25. Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Jacksonville United (NPSL): Patton Park; Jacksonville, Fla.; 7 p.m. ET
OR
Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Orlando City U-23s (PDL): Seminole Soccer Complex; Sanford, Fla.; 1 p.m. ET

26. Carolina Dynamo (PDL) at Richmond Kickers (USL PRO): Richmond City Stadium; Richmond, Va.; 7 p.m. ET
OR

Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (USASA): Maryland SportsPlex Stadium; Boyds, Md.; 7:30 p.m. ET

27. Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) at Georgia Revolution (NPSL): RYSA Soccerplex; Conyers, Ga.; 7:30 p.m. ET
OR
Mississippi Brilla FC (PDL) at Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL): Atlanta Silverbacks Park; Atlanta, Ga.; 7:30 p.m. ET

28. ASC New Stars (USASA)/Laredo Heat (PDL) Winner at San Antonio Scorpions (NASL): Heroes Stadium; San Antonio, Texas; 7:30 p.m. CT

29. Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) at Chicago Fire PDL (PDL): Toyota Park Practice Field; Bridgeview, Ill.; 6 p.m. CT
OR
Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) vs. Croatian Eagles (USASA): TBD

30. Minnesota Stars FC (NASL) at Des Moines Menace (PDL): Valley Stadium; Des Moines, Iowa; 7:30 p.m. CT
OR
Minnesota Stars FC (NASL) at Milwaukee Bavarians (NPSL): Bavarian Soccer Park; Glendale, Wis.; 7 p.m. CT

31. Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO) at NTX Rayados (USASA): Richland College; Dallas, Texas; 8 p.m. CT
OR
Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO) at El Paso Patriots (PDL): Patriots Stadium; El Paso, Texas; 8 p.m. MT

32. Ventura County Fusion (PDL)/Fullerton Rangers (NPSL) Winner at Los Angeles Blues (USL PRO): Titan Stadium, Cal-State Fullerton; Fullerton, Calif.; 7:30 p.m. PT

–

2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup field (so far)

April 11, 2012 by Josh Hakala

A record 64 teams will take part in the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup this year, with a new format announced by the United States Soccer Federation. The 99th edition of the tournament will kick off on May 15, and below is the list of all the teams that have qualified so far:

Major League Soccer (Division 1 – 16 teams)
All 16 US-based MLS teams automatically qualify and will begin play in Round 3 (May 29)

Chicago Fire
Chivas USA
Colorado Rapids
Columbus Crew
DC United
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo
Los Angeles Galaxy
New England Revolution
New York Red Bulls
Philadelphia Union
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders
Sporting Kansas City

North American Soccer League (Division II – 6 teams)
All 6 US-based NASL teams automatically qualified and will begin play in Round 2 (May 22)

Atlanta Silverbacks
Carolina RailHawks
Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Minnesota Stars FC
San Antonio Scorpions
Tampa Bay Rowdies

USL Pro (Division III – 10 teams)
All 10 US-based USL Pro teams automatically qualified and will begin play in Round 2 (May 22)

Charleston Battery
Charlotte Eagles
Dayton Dutch Lions
Harrisburg City Islanders
Los Angeles Blues
Orlando City
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Richmond Kickers
Rochester Rhinos
Wilmington Hammerheads

Premier Development League (Amateur – 16 teams)
16 PDL teams were selected for the 2012 tournament based on 2011 league results and will begin play in Round 1 (May 15)

Carolina Dynamo
Chicago Fire PDL
Des Moines Menace
El Paso Patriots
Fresno Fuego
Kitsap Pumas
Laredo Heat
Long Island Rough Riders
Michigan Bucks
Mississippi Brilla
MPS Portland Phoenix
Orlando City U23s
Portland Timbers U23s
Reading United AC
Real Colorado Foxes
Ventura County Fusion

United States Adult Soccer Association (Amateur – 9 teams)
9 USASA teams (3 from Region I, 2 each from Region II, III, IV) will begin play in Round 1 (May 15)

USASA Region I (3 teams)

Round 1
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA) 3:1 West Chester United Predators (East PA) [+] Recap
NY Greek American Atlas (East NY) 2:0 Battery Park Gunners (MA) [+] Recap

Semifinals [+] Recap
Jersey Shore Boca (NJ) 0:2 NY Greek American Atlas (East NY)
Maryland Bays (MD) 0:2 Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks (DC/VA)
NY Greek American Atlas & Aegean Hawks qualify for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Third Place Match (April 29)
Maryland Bays (MD) vs. Jersey Shore Boca (NJ) – FORFEIT
Maryland Bays forfeit – Jersey Shore Boca qualify for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

USASA Region II (2 teams)
Redmond Center in Bensenville, Ill. – April 14/15, 2012

First Round – April 14 – [+] Recap
AAC Eagles (IL) 7:1 Ann Arbor FC Elite (MI)
Croatian Eagles (WI) 2:0 RWB Adria (IL)
Cincy Saints (OH South) 2:10 KC Athletics (KS)
KC Athletics qualify for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Final – April 15 [+] Recap
Croatian Eagles (WI) 2:0 AAC Eagles (IL)
Croatian Eagles qualify for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

USASA Region III (2 teams) [+] PREVIEW

Check out the standings and the schedule below for more information …

2012 USASA Region III US Open Cup qualifying tournament

GROUP A	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GD
ASC New Stars (TXS)	2	0	1	7	9	2	+7
Galveston Pirate SC (TXS)	2	1	0	6	7	6	+1
FC Rahr (NTX)	1	2	0	3	4	8	-4
Greenville Eagles (SC)	0	2	1	1	2	6	-4

GROUP B	W	L	T	PTS	GF	GA	GD
NTX Rayados (NTX)	2	1	0	6	8	9	-1
Royal Eagles (FL)	2	1	0	6	7	8	-1
Boston Avenue AC (OK)	1	2	0	3	7	7	+0
Barracudas (TXS)	1	2	0	3	8	6	+2

Friday, April 27 – 8 p.m. CT

Group A
ASC New Stars (TXS) 3:1 Galveston Pirate SC (TXS)
FC Rahr (NTX) 2:0 Greenville Eagles (SC)

Group B
Royal Eagles (FL) 2:0 Barracudas (TX)
NTX Rayados (NTX) 2:1 Boston Avenue AC (OK)

Saturday, April 28 – 10 a.m. CT

Group A
Greenville Eagles (SC) 1:3 Galveston Pirate SC (TXS)
ASC New Stars (TXS) 5:0 FC Rahr (NTX)

Group B
Royal Eagles (FL) 0:4 NTX Rayados (NTX)
Barracudas (TX) 0:2 Boston Avenue AC (OK)

Saturday, April 28 – 8 p.m. CT

Group A
FC Rahr (NTX) 2:3 Galveston Pirate SC (TXS)
Greenville Lions (SC) 1:1 ASC New Stars (TXS)

Group B
Boston Avenue AC (OK) 4:5 Royal Eagles (FL)
NTX Rayados (NTX) 2:8 Barracudas (TX)

Sunday, April 29 – 10 a.m. CT
ASC New Stars vs. NTX Rayados
Both group winners qualify for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

USASA Region IV (2 teams)
Cal Football Club (California South)
Doxa Italia (California South)
DV8 Defenders (California North)
EP Elite (New Mexico)
The Internationalists (California South)
OC Crew (California South)
Pittsburg Galaxy FC (ANSL)
PSA Elite (California South)

May 4-6 – Ontario, CA – Preview coming soon

National Premier Soccer League (Amateur – 6 teams)
6 US-based NPSL clubs will enter the 2012 tournament in Round 1 (May 15). Five of them are based on 2011 league results, while the Fullerton Rangers entered based on a preseason qualifying tournament.

Jacksonville United (Defending NPSL champions)
Brooklyn Italians (Northeast-Atlantic Conference champions)
Milwaukee Bavarians (Midwest Conference champions)
Georgia Revolution (Southeast Conference co-champion)
FC Sonic (Northeast-Keystone Conference runner-up)*
Fullerton Rangers (Winner of NPSL Western Conference qualifying tournament – DETAILS)
* Erie Admirals won the Northeast-Keystone Conference, but declined to participate. FC Sonic finished 2nd and accepted berth.

Play-In Match (NPSL vs. US Club Soccer – 1 team)
The winner of this play-in match (April 28) will earn the final spot in the 2012 tournament and will begin play in Round 1

Stanislaus United Turlock Express 3:0 Bay Area Ambassadors
April 28 – Richmond High School – Richmond, Calif. – 5 p.m. PT
Stanislaus United Turlock Express qualifies for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2012 US Club Soccer Open Cup qualifying tournament

Northern California
March 31: Pacific Los Gatos Storm 4:1 Sacramento United Legend
April 1: Stanislaus United Turlock Express 3:1 Pacific Los Gatos Storm
April 7: Stanislaus United Turlock Express 1:0 Sacramento United Legend

Southern California
April 15: Zicuiran vs. Napoli
*Zicuiran withdraws from the competition, Napoli advances to the Final

US Club Soccer Final
April 22: Stanislaus United Turlock Express 5:2 Napoli [+] Recap
Stanislaus United advances to an US Open Cup play-in match vs. Bay Area Ambassadors on April 28

NPSL announces four of 6.5 US Open Cup berths for 2012 tournament

February 8, 2012 by Gerald Barnhart

The National Premier Soccer League, the fourth tier of American soccer, announced Tuesday that four of its 2011 conference champions have been selected as entrants for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Allotted by US Soccer with a total of 6.5 berths, the league’s remaining two guaranteed spots will come out of the western conference with the third team, the half-berth, facing the yet to be determined sole selection from US Club Soccer in a play-in contest.

The winners of the Southeast Division, Jacksonville United, will be joined by the Northeast Division’s Atlantic Conference champion, Brooklyn Italians, the Midwest winner Milwaukee Bavarians and the Erie Admirals, who claimed the Northeast’s Keystone Conference title.

The NPSL Western Conference teams will conduct qualifying during the month of March, however, no details of the format have been announced.

Jacksonville United (6-4-0) tied Georgia (5-2-3) for the Southeast Division title last year but won the tiebreaker to advance to the NPSL Final Four, where they beat the Erie Admirals 4-2 in the semifinals and Hollywood United 3-2 in the final.

The Midwest champion Bavarians (8-2-2) are the Under-23 team from Bavarian SC, a club that has been one of the most successful amateur teams during the Modern Pro Era of the Open Cup and date back to 1929.

Brooklyn went 7-2-1 win the Northeast Division’s Atlantic Conference last summer then lost to Erie in the divisional final. The Admirals (10-1-1) have moved into the new Great Lakes Conference of the Midwest Division.

As for the West, San Diego is the top returning team this season, going 10-3-1 to finish on top of the Southwest Flight in the regular season before being upset by the Sacramento Gold 2-1 in the divisional semifinals. Meanwhile, Hollywood United (11-2-1) are not returning to the league in 2012.

Last year, the NPSL received four Open Cup berths: the Italians, Chattanooga FC, Madison 56ers and Hollywood United represented the league.

The 56ers beat Illinois amateur side AAC Eagles 4-0 before losing to the PDL’s Chicago Fire Premier 2-0 in the Second Round; Brooklyn dropped a 2-1 decision to amateur entry New York Pancyprian-Freedoms; Chattanooga took USL PRO club Pittsburgh Riverhounds to extra time before a 3-2 loss; and Hollywood United lost to USL PRO team Los Angeles Blues 3-1.

Before 2011, NPSL teams advanced to the Open Cup through US Adult Soccer Association regional qualifying. Five teams joined the 56ers in advancing to the Second Round: the Sacramento Knights (2004), Salinas Valley Samba (2005), Sonoma County Sol (2006 and ‘09) and the Arizona Sahuaros (2010).

USSF announces monumental format changes to 2012 US Open Cup

January 11, 2012 by Josh Hakala

UPDATE (4/26/12): TheCup.us has learned the fee structure for hosting games. All hosts will pay the USSF 15% of any gross receipts over $100,000. In addition, in Round 3, the hosts must pay the federation a $12,000 fee in advance, which increases in to $18,000 in Round 4, and $25,000 in the Quarterfinals.

The United States Soccer Federation has announced sweeping changes to the 99th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, many of which confirm reports by TheCup.us. The competition will feature a Modern Professional Era (1995-present) record 64 teams, including every US-based professional club in the American soccer pyramid from Major League Soccer (16 teams), the North American Soccer League (6 teams), and USL PRO (10 teams). The remaining 32 spots will be filled by amateur clubs from the Premier Development League (16 teams), United States Adult Soccer Association (9 teams), National Premier Soccer League (6.5 teams), and US Club Soccer (0.5 team). An NPSL club will square off with a representative from US Club Soccer for a spot in the 2012 competition.

As reported by TheCup.us last week, another significant change is the elimination of the sealed bidding process for determining the host team for each round through the quarterfinals. This year, each team can apply to host each round and if both teams’ venues meet USSF’s standards, and pay the federation 15% of the gross gate receipts, then they will conduct a blind draw to determine the host. In the past, in addition to meeting USSF venue standards, teams would have to submit a financial bid, and the team that bid the most was awarded the home game. That process, a sometimes controversial method profiled in depth recently by TheCup.us, will remain in effect for just the Semifinals and the Final this year.

“USL is thrilled with the modifications made to the tournament format and structure for 2012,” said USL President Tim Holt. “Certainly, the greater level of participation by professional and amateur teams alike will attract the most attention and deservedly so; yet, just as importantly as the tournament expansion are the reforms to the determination of which teams host in each round. This will favorably impact competitive equity and expose this special tournament to a greater variety of markets.”

Another change for 2012 will be the dates for the competition, which will start earlier and will be much more condensed than in previous years as to minimize fixture congestion, and conflicts with the CONCACAF Champions League. The match dates for the Open Cup remain scheduled for Tuesday nights to avoid conflicts with weekend-heavy league schedules. The qualifying deadline is April 29, which only really applies to the USASA, which is the only organization who still has not solidified it’s entries into this year’s tournament.

As was reported by TheCup.us, the first four rounds of the 2012 Open Cup will be fast and furious with each stage taking place on consecutive weeks. The tournament will begin on May 15, the earliest the Open Cup has begun in the Modern Pro Era, with the 32 amateur clubs (also a Modern Pro Era record) matching up in geographic fashion. The teams will be separated, like in recent years, into groups of four, with no teams from the same qualifying pool sharing a group. The winners of those games will move on to Round 2 the following week, May 22, where the 16 NASL and USL PRO clubs will enter. The week after that, on May 29, Major League Soccer will take on the Second Round winners as the Seattle Sounders will begin their quest to win an unprecedented fourth straight Open Cup title. With the number of teams, a fourth round will added and will take place June 5. The Cup hasn’t had a fourth round since a four-year run from 2003-06.

Three weeks later, the tournament will hold the Quarterfinals on June 26, followed by the Semifinals on July 10, and the Open Cup Final on either August 7 or 8. Holding the championship game in early August will mark the earliest it has been held since 1994 when Greek American AC (San Francisco) defeated Bavarian SC (Milwaukee) 3-0 on July 30.

It was not part of US Soccer’s original announcement, but was revealed in the 2012 US Open Cup handbook acquired by TheCup.us, the Third Round, Fourth Round and Quarterfinals will require a hosting fee, in addition to paying 15% of any gross gate receipts over $100,000. If both teams in a particular matchup are interested in hosting, they must meet USSF’s venue standards, and submit a check for the hosting fee for that particular round. Round 3, when Major League Soccer joins the competition, will require a fee of $12,000, which increases to $18,000 in Round 4, and then to $25,000 for the Quarterfinals. If both teams do that, then a blind draw will determine who hosts with the winner having their check deposited and the loser having their check sent back.

“Playing the tournament within a tighter period will keep the Open Cup continuously in the consciousness of American soccer fans through the summer as well as allow PDL and other amateur teams to remain intact if they were to pull off what would be a remarkable run to the Final,” said Holt, who also serves as the co-chair of the Open Cup committee. “We applaud US Soccer Federation leadership for endorsing and enabling these changes which will help further raise the credibility, visibility, and relevance of the competition. Our USL PRO and PDL teams once again look forward to matching up against the other best soccer teams in the United States this summer.”h

With the earlier schedule, this makes it impossible for amateur clubs that depend on college players like the PDL, NPSL and US Club Soccer to hold qualifying, so as previously reported by TheCup.us, the PDL teams that will take part will be the 2011 division winners, and the runners-up. If any of the teams aren’t US-based, then the next eligible club will be taken. The list of teams who will compete for the PDL are as follows:

Central Conference
Michigan Bucks – 1st place in Great Lakes Division – record 9th appearance (9-7-1 all-time), last appearance: 2008
Chicago Fire PDL – 2nd place in Great Lakes Division – 5th appearance (6-4-0), 3rd straight appearance
Des Moines Menace – 2nd place in Heartland Division* – 6th appearance (6-5-1, 1-0 in PKs) – Last appearance: 2010
Real Colorado Foxes – 3rd place in Heartland Division * – 2nd appearance (1-1-0), 2nd straight appearance
*Canadian club Thunder Bay finished 1st

Eastern Conference
Long Island Rough Riders – 1st place in Mid Atlantic Division – 5th appearance, 3rd as a PDL team (3-5-0 all-time, 1-2-0 as a PDL team) … Last appearance: 2010
Reading United AC – 2nd place in Mid Atlantic Division … 6th appearance, 4th as a PDL team (0-5-0 all-time, 0-3-0 as a PDL team) … 4th straight appearance (tied for the amateur record)
MPS Portland Phoenix – 1st place in Northeast Division … 1st appearance
Carolina Dynamo – 1st place in South Atlantic Division … 8th appearance, 3rd as a PDL team (10-8-0 all-time, 5-3-0 as a PDL team) … 2nd straight appearance

Southern Conference
Laredo Heat – 1st place in Mid South Division … 2nd appearance (0-0-1, 0-1 in PKs … lost to Dallas Roma FC in 2006, who went on to make their magical run) … last appearance: 2006
El Paso Patriots – 2nd place in Mid South Division … 10th appearance, 5th as a PDL team (8-7-3, 1-2 in PKs all-time, 2-3-2, 1-1 in PKs as a PDL team) … 2nd straight appearance
Mississippi Brilla – 1st place in Southeast Division … 2nd appearance (0-1-0) … last appearance: 2009
Orlando City U23s (previously Central Florida Kraze) – 2nd place Southeast Division … 5th appearance (0-4-0) … 3rd straight appearance

Western Conference
Kitsap Pumas – 1st place in Northwest Division…. 4th appearance (2-3-1, 1-0 in PKs), 4th straight appearance (Amateur record) … have qualified in every year of their existence
Portland Timbers U23s – 4th place in Northwest Division* … 1st appearance
Fresno Fuego – 1st Southwest Division … 2nd appearance (3-1-0) … last appearance: 2003 (advanced to the Fourth Round and lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy. 1 of only 3 PDL teams to ever advance beyond the Third Round)
Ventura County Fusion – 2nd Southwest Division … 3rd appearance (1-1-1, 0-1 in PKs), 3rd straight appearance
*Canadian clubs Victoria Highlanders and Vancouver Whitecaps U23s were 2nd & 3rd

The entries for the NPSL will be determined at the league annual general meeting currently being held at the NSCAA convention in Kansas City. The entry for US Club Soccer is unknown at this time.

“US Soccer is excited about the changes made to the US Open Cup,” said USSF spokesperson Neil Beuthe. “In recent years, an increasing number of teams have shown a greater commitment to participate and win the tournament, which definitely played a factor in these changes. By having professional teams and a larger field from the amateur ranks allows for more opportunities for some intriguing match-ups throughout the competition. We hope these changes will create more overall interest and excitement.”

The prize money remains the same for 2012, with the winner taking home $100,000, the runner-up receiving $50,000 and the three teams that advances the furthest among Division 2, Division 3 and amateur clubs will be awarded $10,000 each.