2016 US Open Cup

2016 Meet the Underdogs: Three-time champ Pancyprian Freedoms seek to add to club’s rich US Open Cup history

May 10, 2016 by Jack Cumming

New York Pancyprian Freedoms 2015 Team Photo

With a rich history in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the New York Pancyprian-Freedoms go into the 103rd edition of the tournament hoping to add to it, starting out tomorrow by hosting the USL PDL’s New York Red Bulls U23s (7:30 p.m., Belson Stadium, Jamaica, NY).

Representing the Cosmopolitan Soccer League in this year’s competition, the Astoria-based neighborhood club has won the crown three times, in 1979, 1980, and 1982. They have also had recent success winning the USASA equivalent of the competition in 2008, 2010, and 2011. Given their experience in the tournament, look out for this Helenic underdog as a potential upset.

Though the Red Bulls bring a big name to the tournament, the Freedoms will look for their strong following and supporters to keep provide a difficult environment for their opponents.

In addition to packing their home ground at Belson Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University, the Pancyprian-Freedoms will look to strong team play in order to advance to the next round.

“We rely on team play rather than on individuals,” said Freedoms’ team manager George Halkadis. “We have vast experienced players, the majority of which have played NCAA Division I soccer, many of which have gone on to play overseas, in the MLS, and the NASL.”

USASA teams have had recent success in the U.S. Open Cup. Chula Vista FC advanced to the third round before being bested by USL’s Sacramento City FC, and PSA Elite advanced to the fourth round of the tournament before losing to the LA Galaxy.

The Pancyprian-Freedoms will look to their favorable draw with the hopes of being the amateur team to advance furthest in the tournament. They play the winner of NPSL’s Clarkstown SC Eagles and PDL’s Jersey Express, dodging a USL opponent in the second round.

“I see the bracket draw as favorable,” Halkadis said. “We have a very good chance of getting to the third round. Being the last amateur club in the competition is . We’ll be more than satisfied if we get to that point.”

NTX Rayados disqualified the night before 2016 US Open Cup set to begin

May 10, 2016 by Josh Hakala

The night before they were scheduled to host Corinthians FC of San Antonio in the opening round of the 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the North Texas Rayados learned that they had been disqualified.

According to North Texas player/coach Tito Salas, the reason given by the US Soccer Federation was because the Rayados did not participate in the North Texas Premier Soccer League this past season due to injuries and player availability. In order to be eligible to participate in the US Open Cup, teams must be active in a USSF-sanctioned league.

“It’s disappointing,” said Salas. “ moving forward with a positive attitude. We plan to stay active active year-round. We’ll learn from this.”

North Texas were planning to take part in their fifth straight US Open Cup, an open division record for the Modern Era, and were set to host a tournament game for the first time on Wednesday night.

The US Soccer Federation explained the decision in a statement:

U.S. Open Cup Policy 203(a) states in part: “Teams entering the Open Cup shall use their official league roster as their Open Cup roster.”

Having skipped playing in their league’s 2016 spring season, Rayados does not have any players currently registered with their league. With no existing league roster, the team has no eligible players for their 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup roster.

According to US Soccer spokesperson Neil Buethe, the issue was discovered during a roster check with the North Texas Soccer Association. North Texas was eligible to compete in the open division qualifying tournament in the fall because they were active in the North Texas Premier Soccer League at the time. When the team pulled out of the league’s spring season, that’s what led to the disqualification.

Unfortunately for Corinthians FC, according to Jon Arnold, the team had already arrived in Dallas for Wednesday’s game before they were alerted of the disqualification late Tuesday night.

With the decision, Corinthians FC gets a free pass into Round 2 where they will face the USL’s San Antonio FC at Toyota Field on May 18 at 8 p.m. ET.

Corinthians are happy to move on, but they expressed their sympathies to their disqualified opponents:

@loJicIVOK @usopencup @Ntxrayados Our sympathies to NTX Rayados for the manner in which this happened we hope to see you back next year

— Corinthians FC SA (@CorinthiansFCSA) May 11, 2016

2016 Meet the Underdogs: Aromas Cafe FC embrace their “5000-to-1” odds in US Open Cup debut

May 10, 2016 by Sean Maslin

A debutant in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, Aromas Café FC is breaking ground not just in the Charlottesville area but also in the D.C. Metro area. The club’s victory against the Aegean Hawks was a watershed moment for the D.C.-Metro area as the Hawks have represented the state association at the region qualifying tournament nine of the last 10 years. That Aromas had also defeated a Tartan Devils side who have gone undefeated in the Greater Pittsburgh soccer league for three seasons should speak to the level of play of the Charlottesville team.

“Those were two great opponents who have a lot of great soccer and playing against them have definitely helped us prepare for this tournament,” said Aromas Café FC player-coach David Deaton.

Café FC is by no means a new team. Prior to securing a sponsorship deal with Aromas Café, a local French bistro from the Charlottesville area, the team played under various names in the region for close to a decade. It is a team made up of former Division 1 soccer players, and players from countries as diverse as Croatia, Morocco, and Mexico.

One name that might be familiar to soccer supporters from the D.C. –Metro area would be Jake Van Yahres. Van Yahres, who scored two of the club’s three goals against the Hawks, played for both American University and Virginia Commonwealth University. He was also named second team All-District in 2005 and Second Team All Region in 2004 for Charlottesville High School.

Despite their different backgrounds and experience levels Deaton believes what makes this team special is their bond.

“We may have 5000-1 odds of winning but in the history of this tournament smaller sides have succeeded when they are highly organized, they have good management, and play with purpose,” said Deaton.

Deaton believes his club’s background and experience will also come into play against their next opponents, the Richmond Strikers (who were known as Chesterfield United until a club merger shortly before the tournament).

“We feel very good ,” said Deaton. “They have a lot of players who are currently playing Division 1 soccer. But many of our players have also played Division 1 and we have tested ourselves in recent friendlies. We have also had players who have had the opportunity to go pro. There is no doubt that they are a talented squad; but we believe with our bond and our passion that we have a chance to win.”

Watch a local news story on Aromas Cafe FC below

2016 Meet the Underdogs: CD Motagua brings New Orleans flavor back to US Open Cup

May 10, 2016 by Harrison Huntley

Over the last few years, CD Motagua of New Orleans has established themselves as one of the top soccer clubs in the state of Louisiana. Yet, an amateur team from Louisiana has never qualified for Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present).

Team representative Jonathan Rednour said that the team has had qualifying for the US Open Cup as their goal for the last few years.

“For the last five years, one of the main goals for our manager, and the boys, is to be more than just a local team. They want to push themselves,” said Rednour.

And push themselves they did. CD Motagua has won the International Soccer League Association of New Orleans (ISLANO) the last three years and the Louisiana Premier League the last two years. Unfortunately for the team, they’ve had a tough time trying to qualify for the Cup.

CD Motagua reached the USASA Region III tournament three times, which was one of the few paths open division teams had to qualify for the Open Cup prior to this year. Motagua fell short of the final twice, and in 2015, when they finally did win the regional tournament, the format had changed and last lost in the USASA national tournament. Finally, when the US Soccer Federation introduced its new open division qualifying tournament this year, they signed up and punched their ticket to the 103-year-old tournament.

“It’s been a journey for us, but one of our main goals is to get our guys out there and play on a national scale and put New Orleans and Louisiana on the map,” said Rednour. “We want to let people know that we got some great players down here.”

The club is the first amateur team from Louisiana to qualify in the Modern Era, but the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers of the A-League (Division 2) made a brief two-game appearance in 1997. That team was led by a young Trinidad & Tobago striker named Stern John.

For those unfamiliar with New Orleans, the area is home to a large Honduran population. Since its founding in 1984, the squad has featured several Hondurans from the area. The Honduran players continue to fill much of the roster, and with the Honduran influence, CD Motagua has hosted friendlies with several professional teams from the country.

At CD Motagua’s founding, it was owned by a group of brothers: the Serrano brothers, the Martinez brothers and the Diaz brothers. Today, the Martinez brothers mostly run the show, but Dr. John Hamide purchased part of the team in 2010. Since then, Rednour says the team has been able to do much more.

“When Dr. John Hamide came aboard, he was able to help fund the team, and push us to the next level where we could start traveling and be a part of .”

CD Motagua has seen several of its players go on to play for professional and international teams. Anthony Peters is the most recent one, who is now with Tulsa Roughnecks. Carlos Palacios is just one of a handful of the club’s former players that have gone on to play for the Honduran National team.

The club’s current roster is largely composed of former college or former professional players. Rednour said that when the Baton Rouge Capitals folded, many of the players began playing with Motagua. Add in some former players from New Orleans’ NPSL team, the Jesters, and the roster becomes quite competitive.

Speaking of the Baton Rouge Capitals, one of their old counterparts in the PDL will face CD Motagua in their opening match. Mississippi Brilla will be Motagua’s first opponent with the winner advancing to face OKC Energy FC.

2016 Meet the Underdogs: West Chester United finally ready for US Open Cup debut

May 10, 2016 by Michael Berton

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

A berth in the US Open Cup has been a long time coming for West Chester United.

A combination of losses and rule changes kept the amateur side from the Philadelphia area out of the Open Cup for four straight years—but all of that changed in 2016. For the first time in club history, West Chester United will play a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match when the club takes the field against Fredericksburg FC on Wednesday.

Initially founded in 2008 as an over-30 team, West Chester quickly rose to prominence in the United Soccer League of Pennsylvania–a league that features Open Cup winning teams like United German Hungarians and Ukrainian Nationals, among other storied teams such as Vereinigung Erzgebirge and Phoenix SC. A majors team was soon created, and now West Chester has an expansive youth program and an under-23 side that is aiming to play in the NPSL next season.

West Chester founder Vince D’Ambrosio had big plans for his club. “The idea was always to enter cups and win as many trophies as possible. That give us a lot of soccer to play, and the trophies attract many high-quality players.”

In such a historic and soccer-rich region of the country, a more cautious person may have had lesser expectations. Instead, coach Blaise Santangelo and his team defied caution and began to win trophies, specifically in USASA Open Cup competition.

United won its first Eastern Pennsylvania Open Cup championship in 2011. The club followed this up with another victory in 2012. A historic three-peat was achieved in 2013, and a fourth title was earned in 2014.

West Chester United and Salone FC battle for the ball in 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup qualifying. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

The organization earned its trophies, but it struggled to take the next step forward–qualifying for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. To do so, West Chester would have to win its region.

Fresh off its first Eastern PA Open Cup championship, United experienced USASA Region I play for the first time. That experience would prove short-lived, as United fell 3-1 to the Maryland Bays in the first round. In its second attempt a year later, West Chester hosted but lost to New Jersey side Icon FC.

After failing to qualify for the 2012 and 2013 editions of the Open Cup, a rule change for 2014 kept United out of the competition due to USASA changing its qualifying format. Another loss in its next qualifying attempt, again to the Maryland Bays, kept West Chester out of the 2015 tournament.

Things finally changed for West Chester in its next go-around. After winning its fourth-straight Eastern PA title, United got past FC Motown and Newtown Pride to win its first Region I championship. The club even went on to win the USASA National Championship. This time it was US Soccer’s turn to deny West Chester, as another rule change yet again modified the qualifying format.

“We lost four straight years, and then in the fifth year we finally won a regional game. We had our sights set on the Open Cup. We found out we weren’t getting an automatic bid prior to the USASA Open Cup finals. The guys were bummed,” Santangelo said.

The team pressed on, however. Under the new qualifying format, West Chester would have to win three games to get in. After beating two Philadelphia teams, United was prepared to play Southie FC out of Massachusetts. Another update came down from US Soccer, but this time it was to say that United had qualified for the 2016 US Open Cup.

West Chester United's Jason Ayoama celebrates a goal. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger — West Chester United’s Jason Ayoama celebrates a goal. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

“The guys were really stoked,” said Santangelo. “They were ready to go and confident to play Southie FC. But we were happy to hear the news. Our guys felt vindicated–we felt that we should have been in the tournament anyway.”

West Chester features players that are full-time college coaches. Some run youth programs. Others have jobs in marketing, sales and accounting. Some are even in medical school. Regardless of their situations, every United player is ready for this new opportunity. Whether it means taking off work or missing class, all of United’s players will be on the bus to Virginia on Wednesday.

“It’s a really big honor to be a part of this tournament,” Santangelo said. “All of our players made commitments to step away from their everyday lives.”

The opponent is Fredericksburg FC, a team in the National Premier Soccer League. Unlike West Chester, Fredericksburg’s roster features mostly college players. Santangelo knows that the team they will face will be young and good, but he is hoping that his squad’s experience together will be a factor that leads to victory.

In addition to just wanting to win the game in front of them, a massive opportunity looms if West Chester can advance to the second round. If they win, United will get to host the pro side from the USL, and Open Cup giant killers, Harrisburg City Islanders.

Santangelo said, “That would be the highest honor we could achieve as an amateur club. To host and to have Harrisburg come to our venue would be monumental. It is all very exciting, but we have to take care of business first.”

It may have taken five years and multiple heartbreaks before finally making the US Open Cup, but winning a game and hosting a pro team would more than make up for it.

2016 US Open Cup: Is third time the charm for PDL’s FC Tucson?

May 9, 2016 by Ted Prezelski

FC Tucson's Musa Morris battles with the University of Arizona's Zack Ben Said in a friendly on May 4. Photo: Dulce Santamaria Vega) — FC Tucson’s Musa Morris battles with the University of Arizona’s Zack Ben Said in a friendly on May 4. Photo: Dulce Santamaria Vega)

FC Tucson could say that they hope the third time in the US Open Cup is the charm, but they have already had eye-catching performances in past tournaments.

The team qualified for the 2013 US Open Cup after a strong debut season in the PDL. FC Tucson opened the tournament with a win against Phoenix FC, a USL side. In that match, they got an inspiring performance from Connor Bevans, who had just flown back to Tucson hours before to join his team after a family emergency and scored two goals in the waning moments of the match.

The team beat one more professional side, the now-defunct San Antonio Scorpions. That won FC Tucson the chance all PDL and amateur sides pray for in the Open Cup: the chance to play against an MLS team, facing off with the Houston Dynamo. But even though the match ended in a 2-0 loss, FC Tucson were one of only three PDL teams to make it that far that year.

They hoped to repeat that performance in 2015, but a surprisingly strong performance from amateur side Chula Vista FC knocked FC Tucson out of the tournament in the first round after an extra time loss.

Needless to say, FC Tucson coach Rick Schantz is hoping this year is more 2013 than 2015.

“Chula Vista created a template for us going into this year,” he said. “We can’t have the same mentality as we had with that game. This team is probably going to have four or five really good players and they will work extremely hard. They are probably going to be technically clean. It won’t be easy.

“We have to work on our discipline and not get too stretched out. We aren’t going to turn the game into a track meet.”

Edgar Reyna, FC Tucson’s longtime midfielder, played in both of the team’s previous Open Cup campaigns. He is hoping for a different attitude heading into this year’s first round matchup against San Nicolas.

“This year, we have to go game-by-game,” he said. “Last year, we were looking forward to the games in front. I thought we should have won that easily. Game-by-game, that’s how you have to approach the big tournaments.”

Reyna will be likely be joined in next Wednesday’s lineup by two Phoenix-area players who are standouts at Grand Canyon University: midfielder Musa Morris and forward Damian German. Both players scored in tune-up matches this past week against club teams from the University of Arizona and Arizona State. Tate Schmidt, a former RSL Academy player who started 13 matches for the University of Louisville, is also with the team. Interestingly, Schmidt’s brother Reid is a former FC Tucson player who played for Phoenix FC in that 2013 match.

University of Albany player Pedro Espindola, who scored five goals for FC Tucson in their PDL season last year, is expected to join the team in time for the Open Cup match as well.

Should FC Tucson win, they would face off with in-state rivals Arizona United SC of the USL.

PHOTO: FC Tucson’s Musa Morris battles with the University of Arizona’s Zack Ben Said in a friendly on May 4. (Credit: Dulce Santamaria Vega)

2016 Meet the Underdogs: APSL champ Boca Raton FC begin US Open Cup debut with rematch

May 6, 2016 by Marissa Blackman

Boca Raton FC is a relatively recent addition to the APSL (American Premier Soccer League). The APSL is a small league comprised of amateur clubs in Florida. Boca Raton FC is a completely amateur team boasting plenty of local high school and college talents in its roster.

The club first began competing in May of 2015. Within its first year of existence, the club earned two titles from two APSL competitions and broke APSL attendance records.

In the APSL’s most recent fall season, Boca ended on top of the table four points ahead of its closest contenders. The club achieved an undefeated record, consisting of five wins and two draws, and maintained a 2.57 goals per game average with 18 goals in seven games.

Although Boca Raton FC is in an amateur league, the club has plenty of professional connections. During preseason, the club scrimmaged against Ukrainian giants Shaktar Donetsk FC and local NASL club Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

Colby Burdette and Gustavo Bergmann are two players that opposing teams should certainly keep an eye on. Burdette, a local soccer star, has been a dynamic force for teams around the city since high school. The 22-year-old has scored a career total of 12 goals for Boca Raton in league play. Bergmann has made contributions to the club with a total of eight assists.

This team has continued its record of trendsetting in open cup qualification. The club claimed the single APSL spot in the US Open Cup. In fact, Boca is the only amateur club in the state of Florida to advance past the qualifying rounds.

To qualify for round one, Boca Raton FC defeated fellow APSL competitors Real Miami Club of Football and Uruguay Kendall FC back in the fall of 2015. Boca defeated Miami 2-1 to kick off the competition, but drew 1-1 with Uruguay Kendall FC in the second round. This led to a thrilling 5-4 penalty kick shootout that would ultimately clinch a spot in the Open Cup for Boca for the first time.

The Open Cup journey continues for the club in a round one game against NPSL club Miami Fusion FC on May 11 at the North Miami Athletic Stadium. If Boca Raton FC advances, they will make a trip to the Carolinas to compete in the next round against USL side Wilmington Hammerheads FC. In between the two matches, the Floridian club will face its first match of the summer APSL season.

The biggest factor that will impeded progression for Boca Raton FC within the Open Cup is a lack of familiarity with its opponents. Most of the competition Boca Raton has faced has been amateur APSL clubs that compete against each other multiple times per year. Fortunately, at least for the first few rounds, many clubs will be facing unfamiliar opposition.

As explained by Boca Raton managing partner Douglas Heizer, the club has a round one advantage in this regard.

“We played in the fall tournament,” said Heizer. “We won all the times we played them.”

Although Miami Fusion is a NPSL club, the team also fielded a team in the APSL last season. In a semifinal match, Boca beat Miami 4-0. At the end of the season, Boca Raton finished seven points ahead of Miami. Heizer feels thise bodes well for his team’s Open Cup debut.

Miami Fusion FC boasts a better record within the NPSL. The club finished the 2015 NPSL season at the top of the Sunshine Conference with a 2.50 goal per game average and and 8-1-1 record. In only 10 regular season Sunshine Conference matches, the club scored 25 goals. The club went on to be knocked out of the NPSL playoffs during the southern semifinals. With two teams that score so often, the round one matchup could become a last goal wins situation.

HIGHLIGHTS: Boca Raton FC played an exhibition game vs. New York Cosmos

If Boca Raton advances to round two and faces the Wilmington Hammerheads, it will be defense rather than goal-scoring ability that will be put to the test. The USL club seems to be very skilled at keeping opposition out of the net in the early part of the league season this season with five goals allowed in the first six games.

Despite being rich with talent around the state, amateur teams from Florida have not performed well in the US Open Cup historically. Just one amateur team from the Sunshine State in the Modern Era (1995-present) has won multiple games in a single tournament. Orlando City U23s — now Kraze United — are the only team to advance beyond the Second Round when they reached Round 4 in 2014.

Will Boca Raton FC be the next small club to make it far, challenging professional teams, in this edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup? The bottom line is that in its short history Boca Raton has proven more than capable of scoring goals, and, needless to say, the team with the most goals wins. The beauty of the Open Cup is that anything can happen. Only time will tell.

2016 Meet the Underdogs: Harpo’s FC coach confident ahead of US Open Cup run, “we could win the USL”

May 5, 2016 by Robert Wilson

Harpo's FC celebrates a league game against FC Denver at Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder, Colo. Photo: Harpo's FC — Harpo’s FC celebrates a league game against FC Denver at Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder, Colo. Photo: Harpo’s FC

Started in 1997 as a way for University of Colorado players and their friends to get more games, Harpo’s Tavern sponsored a soccer team and started the local legend.

Johnny Freeston was part of the old crew and is now the owner and the man behind Harpo’s FC and their focus on winning at higher and higher levels.

“Last year we weren’t ready for the US Open Cup,” Freeston said. “This year it is our number one priority.”

Last season, Harpo’s had an attention-grabbing run, defeating amateur side KC Athletics at home and the PDL’s BYU Cougars away before ultimately falling away at the USL’s Colorado Springs Switchbacks.

The Colorado Rapids have been accommodating hosts for Harpo’s FC and other regional amateur rivals during their Open Cup run and qualifying matches, offering the practice fields at Dicks Sporting Goods Park as a consistent home base.

Grateful but ambitious, Harpo’s FC have set a goal for this year’s Cup run: to play on the Dick’s Sporting Goods Field pitch, inside the stadium – where the Rapids play their MLS home matches – against the highest competition the region has to offer, the Rapids themselves.

This run would require the fearless group to win two games on the road: at Albuquerque Sol (PDL) and at Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL) in the month of May before being matched up with a NASL side or another side that has advanced this far. A win in this third round game would make a matchup of an amateur team vs. a top-division MLS team. Only five amateur clubs have knocked off an MLS team; Cal FC (2012), Michigan Bucks (2012, 2000), Dallas Roma (2006) and Chicago Shockers (2000) but Harpo’s owner Freeston repeatedly states that forcing this matchup is this year’s goal.

Harpo's FC celebrates their 2015 US Open Cup First Round win over KC Athletics. Photo: Richard Laeming Wheeler — Harpo’s FC celebrates their 2015 US Open Cup First Round win over KC Athletics. Photo: Richard Laeming Wheeler

There is no lack of confidence in this group. Head coach Steve Lepper, who grew up in Switzerland and came to the United States where he played soccer at Hope College (Division 3 school in Michigan) and played in the PDL for the now-defunct West Michigan Edge. He has coached at various clubs here in the States, and was the executive director at St. Vrain FC youth club in Longmont, Colo. for eight years and the Colorado Rapids U-23s. With his experience, Lapper is highly confident in the skills of the Harpo’s side.

“We think we could win the USL right now with the players we have,” says coach Lepper.

And Harpo’s does have an experienced and cohesive squad.

“We might be a pub team, we can’t train every day because of work and family, but on any given day we can hang with anyone,” said Freeston. “I desperately want to move up, I think all of our guys want to move up, our fans want us to move up and challenge ourselves at the highest level.”

The system that Lepper and Freeston have put together is a mixture of youth and experience, continuity mixed with constant competition. Lepper and Freeston have the ability to call upon 50-60 players at any given time, since they are not a professional team everyone has a job and a home life, but from that group the best 18 will suit up on match day.

This year’s squad returns almost all of their 2015 Open Cup starters including center forward Shane Wheeler, speedy frontman Dan Whittle, acrobatic goalkeeper Zac Gibbens, the team’s leading scorer/former Finnish pro Kyle Luetkehans, and offensive-minded wingback Sawyer Frank. Notable additions who will feature in this year’s Open Cup opener include Michael Ogletree, a veteran of MLS’ now-defunct Chivas USA, captain Dan Campbell, a D1 college player who has turned into one of the core players for both the outdoor side as well as the outstanding indoor side, as well as former USL Charlotte Eagles super-sub Chris Salvaggione.

Harpos' FC players battle for the ball in a league game against FC Denver. — Harpos’ FC players battle for the ball in a league game against FC Denver United. Photo: Richard Laeming Wheeler

2016 has begun in similar fashion to the previous year with Harpo’s FC dominating indoor Premier Arena Soccer League (PASL) play up until the final. Once again Harpo’s FC fell just short in the PASL final thriller to a Texas based club, this year it was RGV Devils in penalty kicks. The outdoor Colorado Amateur Soccer League (USSSA) Spring Season has recently kicked off and Harpo’s FC is in fine form, currently 3-0 with 12 goals scored and zero allowed in games vs. Union Jerez, Real Colorado and FC Denver United.

Last year, Harpo’s had to dethrone two-time defending USSSA champion Colorado Rovers to qualify for the Open Cup. This year, those two teams met again in the 2016 qualifying tournament. This year, Harpo’s did it again, by knocking off the Rovers 4-1 in the opening round. Harpo’s forward Daniel Whittle scored the opener before former MLS player Ritchie Kotschau equalized in the second half. The two Colorado Amateur Soccer League (CASL) rivals went into to overtime tied at one a piece. After 100 minutes of physical, back and forth soccer the rowdy Harpo’s support pushed the Boulder-based pub team past the exhausted Rovers with three knockout goals from captain Dan Campbell and well-traveled forward Chris Salvaggione to win 4-1.

In the next round, a 3-1 win over the Colorado Rush at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Field No. 8 would prove to be the game that clinched a spot in the tournament. Last year’s TheCup.us Player of the Round from the Preliminary Round, Kyle Luetkehans, scored the opener, followed by Dan Campbell before halftime and Sawyer Frank adding the insurance goal in the 81st minute.

Wednesday, May 11, when Harpo’s FC takes the field in Albuquerque, they will not be the unknown quantity they were last season, but with their depth and continued form, the coaches and players expect this to be their best year yet. Their dreams are big, but they have the plan to take it one step at a time, and one of the most important steps is: might as well have fun while you are doing it, because you never know when another upstart #bullshitpubteam (the hashtag they started) might come out of nowhere and take it all away.

Watch a promotional video of Harpo’s FC below

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

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.

2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup results

April 7, 2016 by Josh Hakala

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

Click on the scores below for match reports
All Times Eastern

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ROUND 1	AWAY TEAM	TIME	HOME TEAM	VENUE	A/V
May 11	Corinthians FC of San Antonio (NPSL)	W:L (Forfeit)	NTX Rayados (USASA)	N/A	N/A
May 11	Aromas Cafe (USASA)	2:1 (AET)	Richmond Strikers (NPSL)	Striker Park- Glen Allen, VA	NONE
May 11	Kraze United (NPSL)	0:1	The Villages SC (PDL)	The Villages Polo Field – The Villages, FL	VIDEO
May 11	West Chester United (USASA)	1:1 (8:7 PKs)	Fredericksburg FC (NPSL)	UMW Battleground Stadium – Fredericksburg, VA	VIDEO
May 11	Atlanta Silverbacks (NPSL)	0:2	Reading United AC (PDL)	John Gorski Stadium – West Lawn, PA	VIDEO
May 11	Jersey Express (PDL)	2:1	Clarkstown SC Eagles (NPSL)	Torne Valley Sports Complex – Hillburn, NY	NONE
May 11	Myrtle Beach Mutiny (NPSL)	2:3 (AET)	Charlotte Eagles (PDL)	Charlotte Christian School – Charlotte, NC	VIDEO
May 11	Boca Raton FC (USASA)	1:4 (AET)	Miami Fusion FC (NPSL)	Broward College South Campus – Pembroke Pines, FL	VIDEO
May 11	Cincinnati Dutch Lions (PDL)	0:1	Indy Eleven NPSL (NPSL)	Grand Park Championship Field – Westfield, IN	AUDIO
May 11	Lansdowne Bhoys FC (USASA)	2:1	Long Island Rough Riders (PDL)	St. Anthony’s High School – South Huntington, NY	AUDIO
May 11	NY Red Bulls U23s (PDL)	1:2	NY Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA)	Belson Stadium – Jamaica, NY	NONE
May 11	Detroit City FC (NPSL)	0:0 (4:3 PKs)	Michigan Bucks (PDL)	Oakland Univ. Soccer Field – Rochester, MI	NONE
May 11	Seacoast United Phantoms (PDL)	0:2	Southie FC (USASA)	Harry Della Russo Stadium – Rever, MA	NONE
May 11	AFC Cleveland (NPSL)	1:0	GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL)	Deering High School – Portland, ME	NONE
May 11	CD Motagua of New Orleans (USASA)	0:2	Mississippi Brilla (PDL)	Traceway Park – Clinton, MS	VIDEO
May 11	Des Moines Menace (PDL)	2:1	FC Wichita (NPSL)	Stryker Soccer Complex – Wichita, KS	VIDEO
May 11	Harpo’s FC (USSSA)	2:0	Albuquerque Sol FC (PDL)	St. Pius X High School – Albuquerque, NM	VIDEO
May 11	Burlingame Dragons (PDL)	1:3	Sacramento Gold (NPSL)	Capital Christian School – Sacramento, CA	NONE
May 11	Los Angeles Wolves (USASA)	W:L (forfeit)	Ventura County Fusion (PDL)	Ventura College Sportsplex – Ventura, CA	NONE
May 11	San Nicolas FC (USASA)	0:3	FC Tucson (PDL)	Kino North Stadium – Tucson, AZ	VIDEO
May 11	CD Aguiluchos USA (NPSL)	3:0	San Francisco City FC (USCS)	Beach Chalet No. 4 – San Francisco, CA	AUDIO
May 11	La Maquina (USASA)	2:0	Portland Timbers U23s (PDL)	Providence Park – Portland, OR	NONE
May 11	Outbreak FC (USASA)	1:3 (AET)	Seattle Sounders U23s (PDL)	Panther Stadium (Bonney Lake HS) – Bonney Lake, WA	NONE

ROUND 2	AWAY TEAM	TIME	HOME TEAM	VENUE	A/V
May 18	Indy Eleven NPSL (NPSL)	1:2	FC Cincinnati (USL)	Nippert Stadium – Cincinnati, OH	AUDIO
May 18	Charlotte Independence (USL)	2:0	Charlotte Eagles (PDL)	Charlotte Christian School – Charlotte, NC	VIDEO
May 18	Aromas Café FC (USASA)	0:4	Richmond Kickers (USL)	Richmond City Stadium – Richmond, VA	NONE
May 18	Miami Fusion FC (NPSL)	0:6	Wilmington Hammerheads (USL)	Legion Stadium – Wilmington, NC	NONE
May 18	Detroit City FC (NPSL)	1:1 (1:3 PKs)	Louisville City FC (USL)	Owsley B. Frazier Stadium – Louisville, KY	NONE
May 18	Southie FC (USASA)	0:7	Rochester Rhinos (USL)	Rhinos Stadium – Rochester, NY	NONE
May 18	Lansdowne Bhoys (USASA)	2:0	Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL)	Highmark Stadium – Pittsburgh, PA	NONE
May 18	Harrisburg City Islanders (USL)	2:0	West Chester United (USASA)	West Chester United Soccer Club – West Chester, PA	VIDEO
May 18	The Villages SC (PDL)	L:W (Forfeit)	Charleston Battery (USL)	MUSC Health Stadium – Charleston, SC	NONE
May 18	Reading United AC (PDL)	0:0 (1:4 PKs)	Chattanooga FC (NPSL)	Finley Stadium – Chattanooga, TN	VIDEO
May 18	AFC Cleveland (NPSL)	0:2	Saint Louis FC (USL)	World Wide Technology Soccer Park – Fenton, MO	AUDIO
May 18	Corinthians FC of San Antonio (NPSL)	1:3	San Antonio FC (USL)	Toyota Field – San Antonio, TX	NONE
May 18	Oklahoma City Energy (USL)	0:0 (10:9 PKs)	Mississippi Brilla (PDL)	Traceway Park – Clinton, MS	VIDEO
May 18	Tulsa Roughnecks (USL)	0:2	Des Moines Menace (PDL)	Valley Stadium – West Des Moines, IA	VIDEO
May 18	Sacramento Gold (NPSL)	0:2	La Maquina (USASA)	Westminster HS – Westminster, CA	NONE
May 18	Harpo’s FC (USSSA)	0:1	Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL)	Switchbacks Stadium – Colorado Springs, CO	NONE
May 18	Seattle Sounders U23s (PDL)	0:1	Kitsap Pumas (PDL)	Silverdale Stadium (Olympic HS) Bremerton, WA	NONE
May 18	CD Aguiluchos USA (NPSL)	0:5	Sacramento Republic (USL)	Bonney Field – Sacramento, CA
May 18	Arizona United SC (USL)	5:0	FC Tucson (PDL)	Kino North Stadium – Tucson, AZ	VIDEO
May 18	Orange County Blues (USL)	1:1 (2:4 PKs)	Los Angeles Wolves (USASA)	Banning HS Soccer Stadium – Wilmington, CA	TBA
May 19	Jersey Express (PDL)	1:0	NY Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA)	Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.) – Jamaica, NY	NONE
ROUND 3	AWAY TEAM	TIME	HOME TEAM	VENUE	A/V
June 1	Richmond Kickers (USL)	1:1 (0:2 PKs)	Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL)	Broward College South – Pembroke Pines, FL	NONE
June 1	Charleston Battery (USL)	1:2 (AET)	Jacksonville Armada (NASL)	Southern Oak Stadium – Jacksonville, FL	VIDEO
June 1	Lansdowne Bhoys (USASA)	0:2	Rochester Rhinos (USL)	Rhinos Stadium – Rochester, NY	NONE
June 1	Harrisburg City Islanders (USL)	2:1	Chattanooga FC (NPSL)	Finley Stadium – Chattanooga, TN	VIDEO
June 1	Jersey Express (PDL)	0:2	New York Cosmos (NASL)	Belson Stadium – Jamaica, NY	VIDEO
June 1	Charlotte Independence (USL)	0:5 (AET)	Carolina RailHawks (NASL)	WakeMed Soccer Park – Cary, NC	VIDEO
June 1	FC Cincinnati (USL)	0:1	Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL)	Al Lang Stadium – Tampa, FL	VIDEO
June 1	Louisville City (USL)	1:2	Indy Eleven (NASL)	Carroll Stadium – Indianapolis, IN	AUDIO
June 1	Minnesota United FC (NASL)	2:0	Saint Louis FC (USL)	World Wide Technology Park – Fenton, MO	VIDEO
June 1	Wilmington Hammerheads (USL)	2:1	Miami FC (NASL)	FIU Stadium – Miami, FL	VIDEO
June 1	Oklahoma City Energy (USL)	2:1 (AET)	Rayo OKC (NASL)	Yukon Miller Stadium – Yukon, OK	VIDEO
June 1	San Antonio FC (USL)	2:1	Des Moines Menace (PDL)	Valley Stadium – West Des Moines, IA	VIDEO
June 1	Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL)	3:0	Arizona United SC (USL)	Peoria Sports Complex – Peoria, AZ	NONE
June 1	Los Angeles Wolves (USASA)	0:2	La Maquina (USASA)	Westminster HS – Westminster, CA	NONE
June 1	Kitsap Pumas (PDL)	3:1	Sacramento Republic (USL)	Bonney Field – Sacramento, CA	AUDIO
ROUND 4	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM	VENUE	A/V
June 14	Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL)	0:1	Colorado Rapids (MLS)	Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, CO	AUDIO
June 14	Wilmington Hammerheads (USL)	2:2 (1:3 PKs)	Real Salt Lake (MLS)	Rio Tinto Stadium – Sandy, UT	VIDEO
June 14	San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)	0:2	Portland Timbers (MLS)	Providence Park – Portland, OR	VIDEO
June 14	La Maquina (USASA)	1:4 (AET)	Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)	StubHub Center – Carson, CA	VIDEO
June 15	Harrisburg City Islanders (USL)	2:3	Philadelphia Union (MLS)	Talen Energy Stadium – Chester, PA	VIDEO
June 15	Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL)	0:4	Columbus Crew (MLS)	Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium – Columbus, OH	VIDEO
June 15	Orlando City SC (MLS)	1:0	Jacksonville Armada (NASL)	Southern Oak Stadium – Jacksonville, FL	VIDEO
June 15	New York Red Bulls (MLS)	1:0	Rochester Rhinos (USL)	Rhinos Stadium – Rochester, NY	VIDEO
June 15	New York Cosmos (NASL)	1:0	New York City FC (MLS)	Fordham University – Bronx, NY	VIDEO
June 15	New England Revolution (MLS)	1:0 (AET)	Carolina RailHawks (NASL)	WakeMed Soccer Park – Cary, NC	VIDEO
June 15	Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL)	0:0(4:3 PKs)	DC United (MLS)	Maryland Soccerplex – Boyds, MD	VIDEO
June 15	Sporting Kansas City (MLS)	2:1 (AET)	Minnesota United (NASL)	National Sports Center – Blaine, MN	VIDEO
June 15	Indy Eleven (NASL)	1:1 (3:4 PKs)	Chicago Fire (MLS)	Toyota Park – Bridgeview, IL	VIDEO
June 15	Oklahoma City Energy (USL)	2:2 (5:6 PKs)	FC Dallas (MLS)	Westcott Field – Dallas, TX	NONE
June 15	San Antonio FC (USL)	0:4	Houston Dynamo (MLS)	BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, TX	VIDEO
June 15	Kitsap Pumas (PDL)	0:2	Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)	Starfire Sports Complex – Tukwila, WA	VIDEO
ROUND 5 (Rd of 16)	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM		A/V
June 28	Columbus Crew (MLS)	1:2	Chicago Fire (MLS)	Toyota Park – Bridgeview, IL	VIDEO
June 28	Seattle Sounders (MLS)	1:1 (4:1 PKs)	Real Salt Lake (MLS)	Rio Tinto Stadium – Sandy, UT	VIDEO
June 29	New York Red Bulls (MLS)	1:2	Philadelphia Union (MLS)	Talen Energy Stadium – Chester, PA	VIDEO
June 29	Sporting Kansas City (MLS)	1:3	Houston Dynamo (MLS)	BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, TX	VIDEO
June 29	New England Revolution (MLS)	3:2	New York Cosmos (NASL)	Belson Stadium – Jamaica, NY	VIDEO
June 29	Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL)	2:1 (AET)	Orlando City SC (MLS)	Camping World Stadium – Orlando, FL	NONE
June 29	Colorado Rapids (MLS)	1:2 (AET)	FC Dallas (MLS)	Toyota Stadium – Frisco, TX	VIDEO
June 29	Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)	1:0	Portland Timbers (MLS)	Providence Park – Portland, OR	VIDEO
Q-FINALS	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM		A/V
July 20	Philadelphia Union (MLS)	1:1 (2:4 PKs)	New England Revolution (MLS)	Soldiers Field – Boston, MA	VIDEO
July 20	FC Dallas (MLS)	1:0	Houston Dynamo (MLS)	BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, TX	VIDEO
July 20	Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL)	0:3	Chicago Fire (MLS)	Toyota Park – Bridgeview, IL	VIDEO
July 20	Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)	2:4	Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)	StubhHub Center Track Stadium – Carson, CA	VIDEO
SEMIFINALS	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM		A/V
Aug. 9	Chicago Fire (MLS)	1:3	New England Revolution (MLS)	Gillette Stadium – Foxborough, MA	ESPN2
Aug. 10	FC Dallas (MLS)	2:1 (AET)	Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)	StubHub Center – Carson, CA	ESPN2
FINAL	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM		A/V
Sept. 13	New England Revolution (MLS)	2:4	FC Dallas (MLS)	Toyota Stadium – Frisco, TX	ESPN2/Univision