The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters.
2014 Third Round
2014 US Open Cup Round 3 review: 16 teams, including 3 amateurs, earn Fourth Round dates with Major League Soccer
The Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup took place on May 28 and 29 with 16 games on the schedule. NASL entered the fray in this round, with all 32 competitors hoping for a chance to take on an MLS side in Round 4.
2014 US Open Cup Round 3: Arizona United wins battle of USL PRO expansion teams, 2-1 over Oklahoma City Energy
Arizona United SC has only been a USL PRO franchise for about two months. But it secured the most important win in club history to date on Wednesday night in the U.S. Open Cup third round, and earned the right to go after an even bigger victory in a few weeks.
2014 US Open Cup Round 3: Pittsburgh Riverhounds win another OT battle with RWB Adria
For the second year in a row, Chicago’s RWB Adria traveled to Pittsburgh’s Highmark Stadium and took the home team to extra time. And for the second year in a row, the Riverhounds survived and advanced.
2014 US Open Cup Round 3: Orlando City SC calm Tampa Bay Rowdies to earn rematch with Colorado Rapids
In a showdown of central Florida foes, the future MLS side Orlando City of USL Pro dominated from the opening and cruised to a 4-1 victory over the NASL’s Tampa Bay Rowdies.
2014 US Open Cup Round 3: Sacramento Republic dominate shorthanded Fresno Fuego, 6-0 (video)
Sacramento Republic FC managed to post the largest margin of victory so far in the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 6-0 win over Fresno Fuego Wednesday night at Cosumnes River College.
2014 US Open Cup Round 3: PSA Elite last remaining USASA club after PK upset of LA Galaxy II
For the second time this year, PSA Elite advance to the next round by way of penalty kicks against a Los Angeles-based USL club, downing LA Galaxy II from the spot after a scoreless draw.
2014 US Open Cup Round 3: Laredo Heat stun Fort Lauderdale Strikers with stoppage time penalty kick (video)
With the game tied at 2-2 in the finals minute of stoppage time, Orlando Bayona coolly put a penalty kick past veteran Oka Nikolov to give the Laredo Heat of the Premier Development League a 3-2 win over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League.
2014 US Open Cup Round 3: Indy Eleven treat big home crowd to win over Dayton Dutch Lions in Open Cup debut (video)
Expansion NASL club Indy Eleven exorcised nearly two months worth of demons Wednesday night, brushing aside USL PRO side Dayton Dutch Lions 5-2 in front of 9,181 fans at Michael A. Carroll Stadium to earn a historic first US Open Cup win in club history.
2014 US Open Cup Round 3: Orlando City U-23s upset Charleston Battery in record-breaking PK shootout (video)
Orlando City U-23s became the first amateur team in Open Cup history to defeat the Charleston Battery at home, advancing Wednesday night via a Modern Professional Era record 14-round shootout after 120 minutes of play ended in a 2-2 draw.