The 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup resumes with eight matches across Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
The Round of 16/Fifth Round features five MLS vs USL-Championship matchups and one all USL-Championship match. The lone Third Division club remaining in the competition is NYCFC II from MLS NEXT Pro.
It’s guaranteed at least one lower division team reaches the quarterfinals for the 7th year in a row and the 15 of the last 16 tournaments.
The winners of the Round of 16 will advance to the Quarterfinals which will take place the week of July 9-10. When the draw for the Quarterfinals takes place, the eight remaining teams will be divided into two groups of four.
You can find the schedule and results for the Round of 16 and the goalscoring leaders here. You can find a review of every Round 1 game HERE and the Round 2 games HERE and the Round 3 games HERE.and the Round 4 games HERE.
TheCup.us will have reporters at every Round 4 game and will be providing live updates on X (Twitter), @USOpenCup.
As a reminder all Round of 16 matches stream for free on US Soccer’s website. TheCup.us will have the live video embedded in one YouTube playlist for your convenience once the links are live.
The YouTube playlist is here
A full round preview is below with video links and detailed info on each team’s 2024 US Open Cup run and history throughout the years.
TUESDAY, MAY 21
Charleston Battery (USL-C)
vs.
Atlanta United FC (MLS)
Patriot’s Point Soccer Stadium – Mount Pleasant, SC
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
LIVE VIDEO (YouTube)
Open Cup Pedigree
The early years are where Charleston had the most success in the Open Cup. Between 1999-2009 the Battery reached the Quarterfinals three times, the Semifinals twice, and the Final in 2008. Since 2011, after they dropped to Division 3 status, the Battery has never made it past their third game in any single tournament, Charleston reached the Quarterfinals in 2010 with a penalty tiebreaker win over the Chicago Fire after a 0-0 draw. Charleston was at Division 3 level at the time.
Outside of their 2019 title win, Atlanta United’s Open Cup history has been rather ordinary, as they’ve been eliminated after two games in three of their five previous appearances, and in 2023 they were upset by Memphis 901 FC in their opening game. The last time Atlanta reached the Quarterfinals they did so by defeating the Columbus Crew 3-2 in 2019.
Atlanta United and Charleston have met three previous times in Open Cup play, all at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, GA and each time going the way of the MLS club. The first meeting came in 2017 in the Fourth Round, Charleston jumped out to a 2-1 halftime lead only to see Atlanta come back and win it on a Brandon Vasquez goal in the 72nd minute. The clubs tangled again in the Fourth Round in 2018 but it wasn’t as close, as Atlanta came away with a 3-0 win. Finally in Atlanta’s title run of 2019 the teams meet again in round four in a game Charleston was originally slated to host. Bad weather left the field at MUSC Health Stadium unplayable on June 11, so the game was moved to Fifth Third Bank Stadium on June 13 and played behind closed doors. After 90 of 1-1 play, Brandon Vasquez struck twice in extra time to give Atlanta a 3-1 victory.
Season Form
After finishing 6-21-7 in the 2022 season, Charleston stormed back in 2023, finishing third in the Eastern Conference and reaching the USL Championship title game. In 2024, the Battery show no signs of slowing down, leading the USL Championship in goals with 25 and sitting atop the East with an 8-0-3 record. Charleston has a 17-game unbeaten streak over all competitions dating back to a 2-1 league loss to Miami FC last Oct. 7. One of the Battery’s key additions for 2024 is striker MD Myers, who won the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot with 19 goals in 28 games with NYCFC II. Also adding to the goal total is Nick Markanich, who scored four in a 6-0 win over Las Vegas Lights on April 27, and leads the league with 12.
For Atlanta, Greek striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, acquired from Celtic FC before the 2023 season, emerged as the clubs’ new goal scoring threat, finishing second in MLS with 17 goals in 2023. Paired with league-leading assist man Thiago Almada (19 assists), Atlanta scored 66 goals over 30 games, just one behind league-leading Columbus. Atlanta is off to a slow start to the 2024 season, sitting at 3-6-4 and 1-4-4 since the beginning of April. Giakoumakis currently leads the team in goal scoring with 5, and Brooks Lennon is on top with 4 assists.
How they got here
Both teams began this year’s tournament in the Fourth Round against USL League One opposition. Atlanta had an easy time with Charlotte Independence winning 3-0 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, GA. After a scoreless first half Nick Firmino put United up 2-0 with a brace, and Daniel Rios closed out the scoring near the end of the game. Charleston had a more difficult time putting away South Georgia Tormenta 3-2 in extra time. With the Battery up 2-1 on a pair of MD Myers goals, Tormenta drew level in the 83rd minute, Just as the game appeared headed to penalties, Myers scored in the 120th minute to complete his hat-trick and push Charleston onward. Myers finished tied for second in voting for TheCup.us Player of the Round, falling just one first place vote shy of winning the award.
Open Cup in Atlanta
Atlanta’s involvement in the Open Cup goes back to 1979. With enough clubs from the South showing interest, the field was split into four regions, Region I (East), Region II (Midwest), Region III (South) & Region IV (West), with the winner of each region getting a spot in the National Semifinals. Atlanta was represented early on in the final four with Atlanta Wolves (1980) and Datagraphics (1981), but teams from the city were never able to reach the Final. The Atlanta Silverbacks were the first pro team to represent Atlanta but could only make it to the Quarterfinals in 2014. Finally in 2019 Atlanta United not only reached the Final but also won the city’s first Open Cup championship.
Open Cup in Charleston
The Charleston Battery is more or less THE representative of Open Cup history in Charleston or South Carolina. According to TheCup.us records, no South Carolina teams entered the tournament prior to the Modern Era (1995-present). And only a small handful of clubs have qualified as pro teams or through Open Division qualifying in the past 20 years, most recently SCU Heat and South Carolina United FC. Pro clubs Greenville Lions (2001-2002) and Greenville Triumph (Current) have also made appearances.
Atlanta United FC (MLS)
6th US Open Cup appearance (2017-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 9-4-0
Away: 2-2-0
vs. Div. 2: 4-2-0
Best finish: 2019 US Open Cup champions
Charleston Battery (USL-C)
23rd US Open Cup appearance (1999-2002, 2004-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 37-19-7 (4-3 PKs)
Home: 29-7-5 (2-3 PKs)
vs. MLS: 7-15-4 (2-2 PKs)
Best finish: Runner-Up (2008)
NYCFC II (MLSNP)
vs.
New Mexico United (USL-C)
Belson Stadium – Queens, NY
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
LIVE VIDEO (YouTube)
Open Cup Pedigree
New Mexico’s best Open Cup performance came in their initial appearance in 2019, reaching the Quarterfinals by knocking off USL championship rivals Phoenix Rising and Colorado Springs Switchbacks, then upsetting the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas before falling to Minnesota United in the Quarterfinals. NMU have never played an Open Cup game against a Division 3 opponent,
In their first ever Open Cup appearance, NYCFC II are setting the bar high if they ever compete in the tournament again. Not only are they the first MLS reserve team to reach the Round of 16, but they also join San Francisco Bay Seals (1997), Richmond Kickers (2011), and Union Omaha (2022), as the only Division 3 clubs who have had an Open Cup run of 5 games. NYCFC II will also look to join those teams as the only ones from the third tier to reach the Quarterfinals in the Modern Era (1995-present).
Season Form
New head coach Eric Quill begins his first full season with the club, having taken over from Zach Prince at mid-season last year, and he has off to a great start in 2024. Their 6-2-1 record is good for second in the Western Conference despite a -1 goal difference. All of their wins have been by one goal while their two losses to Charleston and Tampa Bay have a combined 7-0 scoreline.
NMU have won five of their last six games, and like NYCFC II did not have a league game this past weekend and should be well rested. Greg Hurst leads the team with four goals scored, and nine players have one assist each.
NYCFC II’s scheduled game with Toronto FC II on May 17 was postponed to a later date in order to allow the Baby Blues to focus on the Open Cup game. This leaves NYCFC II at 3-3-2 in MLS NEXT Pro play, putting them squarely at mid-table in the Eastern Conference. Jonathan Shore currently leads the team with four goals and Ronald Arevalo tops the assists chart with three.
How they got here
In the Third Round a pesky Lubbock Matadors hung with New Mexico United for 58 minutes, then in the blink of an eye were down 3-0 when Harry Swartz, Daniel Bruce and Mukwelle Akale all scored in the span of four minutes for New Mexico on their way to a 3-1 victory.
In the Fourth Round, New Mexico pulled off the unexpected, knocking off MLS Western Conference leader Real Salt Lake 4-2. Zico Bailey opened the scoring with goals in the 17th and 19th minutes, earning him TheCup.us’ Player of the Round award. After trading goals in the first half, RSL closed the gap to one just after halftime, but Jacobo Reyes slammed the door shut with his 85th minute goal
In the opening round, NYCFC II. Taylor Calheira, Andrew Baiera and Maximo Carrizo shared the scoring duties and NYCFC outshot FC Motown 34-4 in their 3-0 victory. The Second Round proved a bit more challenging with the reserve version of the Hudson River Derby against New York Red Bulls II. NYCFC II jumped out to a 3-1 halftime lead through a pair of goals from Jonathan Jimenez and a single from Malachi Jones. Red Bulls II mounted a comeback, scoring right after halftime, and seeing Julian Hall’s PK attempt saved in the 64th minute. Jimenez put the cap on his hat trick with a successful PK in the 87th minute to give the Baby Blues a 4-2 win over the Baby Bulls. Jimenez was the runner-up for TheCup.us Player of the Round award. The win gave NYCFC II something their MLS club had never done, a victory over the Red Bulls in the Open Cup. NYCFC is 0-3 against their rivals in the competition.
NYCFC II’s Third Round 3-2 extra time win over Hartford Athletic was a back-and-forth affair that turned chaotic at the end. After playing to a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes, Taylor Calheira’s scored his second goal just minutes after Hartford took the lead in extra time. Maximo Carrizo scored what would be the winner in the 109th minute, then at the end of extra time two players from Hartford and one from NYCFC II were sent off.
In the Fourth Round NYCFC II hosted the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, and despite being outshot 14-6 Jonathan Jiminez’s fourth goal of the tournament was enough for a 1-0 win.
Open Cup in New Mexico
The state of New Mexico doesn’t have a deep Open Cup history, but the greatest success the state has seen came in 1991 when the New Mexico Chiles of the SISL (Southwest Independent Soccer League, now todays USL) reached the semifinals where they fell to SISL league-mate Richardson Rockets 1-0.
Open Cup in New York City
New York City teams are the Kings of the Open Cup, as the Five Boroughs possess almost as many Open Cup crowns (25) as the next three cities/regions combined (Los Angeles 10, Eastern Pennsylvania 10, St, Louis 10). The first 15 years NYC did not do much winning. After Brooklyn Field Club won the inaugural championship in 1914, the next title wasn’t won until Robins Dry Dock took the title in 1921. The New York Nationals (1928) and Hakoah All Stars (1929) managed to win titles before the Fall River Marksmen and St. Louis’ Stix, Baer & Fuller dominated the 1930s. During the 1960s NYC took control of the Cup, with titles won by New York Hungaria (1962) Ukrainian SC (1965) and a three-peat by Greek American AA (1967-1696). The Greeks managed to win a fourth title in 1974 while Maccabee AC were winning their five. The early 1980s saw NYC rise again, as the Brooklyn Dodgers (Later Brooklyn Italians) in 1979, New York Pancyprian Freedoms (1980, 1982 and 1983) and AO Krete (1984) won titles over a span of six years. The Brooklyn Itlaians would win their second Cup in 1991, making them the fifth club in the city with two or more titles. That would also be the last Open Cup championship for the city with no New York-based club even reaching the Final since then.
New Mexico United (USL-C)
4th US Open Cup appearance (2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 7-3-2 (2-0 PK)
Away: 2-3-2 (2-0 PK)
vs. Div. 3: 0-0-0
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2019)
NYCFC II (MLSNP)
1st US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 4-0-0
Home: 2-0-0
vs. Div. 2: 1-0-0
Best finish: N/A
Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
vs.
FC Tulsa (USL-C)
Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, KS
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
LIVE VIDEO (YouTube)
Open Cup Pedigree
Open Cup success for FC Tulsa has been hard to come by. Three of their last four appearances have ended after one game, and Tulsa’s only “win” over another pro team in five tries was a PK shootout win over San Antonio FC in 2017 after a 0-0 draw.. Tulsa is 0-2 against MLS clubs in the Open Cup, both losses coming from FC Dallas in 2017 and 2022.
Initially known as the Kansas City Wiz and Kansas City Wizards, Sporting KC, along with the Chicago Fire and Seattle Sounders, are on the cusp of joining Bethlehem Steel, Maccabee AC and the Fall River Marksmen as five-time Open Cup champions. After a slow first few years, KC hit their stride in the Open Cup, and since 2002 they’ve never gone more than two years between reaching at least the Quarterfinals. Sporting is also 7-2-3 against Division 2 opponents, with their last outright loss coming to the Minnesota Thunder in the 2005 Quarterfinals.
Season Form
Unlike many of the USL Championship clubs still alive in the Open Cup, Tulsa still have the services of their leading goal scorer from 2023, Philip Goodrum. Departing is assists leader and No. 2 goal scorer Marcus Epps (Hartford Athletic). To try and fill that hole Tulsa brought in Stefan Stojanovic, who scored 10 times for Philadelphia Union II in MLS NEXT Pro last season. Also new are goalkeepers Michael Creek and Joey Roggeveen, who have split the netminding duties left behind by Michael Nelson (free agent). Tulsa is currently 2-3-4 in league play and are 1-1-3 in their last five league games. Stojanovic leads the team with three goals, and Arthur Rogers, Blaine Ferri and Justin Portillo share the assist lead with two apiece.
Sporting bid adieu to two club legends, Graham Zusi and Roger Espinoza, although Espinoza played with the Des Moines Menace in their Second Round loss to Union Omaha. Other core players such as Alan Pulido, Johnny Russell, Andreu Fontàs and goalkeeper Tim Melia are all in their mid-30s. SKC is off to a terrible start to the 2024 season, currently in 13th in the Western Conference with a 2-6-5 record and only San Jose below them, Sporting’s last league win came on March 30, a 3-1 victory over Toronto FC. Erik Thommy (4), William Agada (3), and Alan Pulido (3) have accounted for 10 of the club’s 21 goals this year. Memo Rodriguez’s four assists lead the team.
How they got here
Tulsa entered this year’s tournament in the Third Round, where they handed the Northern Colorado Hailstorm a 2-1 defeat. Diogo Pacheco and Milo Yosef delivered goals in the first half and Tulsa held off an attempted comeback from the USL League One side.
In the Fourth Round, Tulsa slogged out a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in a game where neither team’s offense could seem to get going. In the 88th minute, Phillip Goodrum gave Tulsa their first Open Cup road win after six straight losses. It would also be the first time Tulsa advanced to the Round of 16 in eight tries.
In their rematch from the 2022 Quarterfinals, Sporting Kansas City narrowly avoided a penalty shootout with Union Omaha, snatching a 2-1 win at the end of extra time. Omaha held a 1-0 lead at halftime, but Marinos Tzionis equalized for SKC just after the break. The teams battled through over 70 more minutes of scoreless play and just as it looked like a penalty shootout was necessary, Alan Pulido snuck a shot by Omaha goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu from the top of the penalty area to give Sporting the win.
Open Cup in Tulsa
Tulsa got its start in the Open Cup in 1973, when Tulsa International lost 5-0 to the Denver Kickers, but Tulsa avenged that loss with a win over Denver in 1974. The ’74 run ended via forfeit to Pepsi Cola of St. Louis. While the original NASL avoided the Open Cup during its existence, in 1983 the Tulsa Roughnecks showed interest in entering. While it was too late to join the 1983 tournament, plans were made for 1984. Unfortunately, the league folded before that could happen, and Tulsa’s Open Cup plans had to be scrapped. Tulsa would pop up again in 1991 when the Tulsa Renegades joined five other SISL (later to become today’s USL) clubs in a qualifying tournament for a spot in the Region III Finals. In the Modern Era, USASA club Los Lobos qualified from 1997-1999 but were one and done each time. More recently Tulsa Athletic have qualified six times and pulled off a 1-0 upset of FC Tulsa in 2023, earning a game versus Sporting Kansas City.
Open Cup in Kansas City
Outside of Sporting Kansas City there isn’t much Open Cup history for the city. A team called Best’s Internationals was to play in the 1970 Open Cup but wound up forfeiting to the Denver Kickers. Various other teams took part in the Open Cup in the 80s & 90s but never had any success outside a team called Udinese that reached the Region II Final in 1988.
FC Tulsa (USL-C)
8th US Open Cup appearance (2015-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 5-7-1 (1-0 PK)
Away: 1-6-0
vs. MLS: 0-2-0
Best finish: Fourth Round (2017)
Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
24th US Open Cup appearance (1996-1998, 200-2006, 2008-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 33-16-7 (4-3 PK)
Home: 24-7-2 (2-0 PK)
vs. Div. 2 : 7-2-3 (1-2 PK)
Best finish: Champions (2004, 2012, 2015, 2017)
Sacramento Republic FC (USL-C)
vs.
San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Heart Health Park – Sacramento, CA
Kickoff: 10 p.m. ET
LIVE VIDEO (YouTube)
Open Cup Pedigree
San Jose are one of eight current MLS clubs to have never reached the Open Cup Final, although the rest of the clubs on that list have 31 combined Open Cup appearances to San Jose’s 18. In fact, the Earthquakes have only reached the Semifinals twice in their history (2004, 2017). Since the club returned to San Jose in 2008, the club have exited the Open Cup after one or two games seven out 10 times.
Sacramento has been the most consistent USL Championship club in recent years, having advanced to a third game in all but one of their eight previous appearances. They are also the last non-MLS club to reach the Final, having done so in 2022. Despite falling short in the 2022 Final, club legend Rodrigo Lopez was voted TheCup.us Player of the Tournament. Sacramento holds a remarkable 18-2-1 (1-1 PK) record in home Open Cup games, including a 14-game unbeaten streak stretching from 2017-2023.
Season Form
Perhaps San Jose’s biggest offseason addition was Norwegian forward Amahl Pellegrino, who led Norway’s Eliteserien in goal scoring in 2022 and 2023 with Bodø/Glimt. San Jose also recently acquired 23-year-old midfielder Hernan Lopez from Argentina’s Godoy Cruz for a club record $6 million transfer fee. San Jose are currently in last place in the Western Conference at 3-10-1, with a league worst 33 goals allowed. An upset of Los Angeles FC on May 4 kicked off a four-game run where the Quakes went 2-2-0, scoring eight goals in that span. Pellegrino leads the team with four goals, while Cristian Espinoza is fourth in MLS with eight assists.
Sacramento is starting the 2024 season in first place at 5-0-5, the only unbeaten club remaining in the USL-C Western Conference. Their six goals allowed is tied with Orange County and Detroit City for the fewest in the league. New acquisition Trevor Amann is currently among the top 5 goal scorers in the young USL Championship season with six. Ammann set the USL League One goal scoring mark in 2023 with 23 as a member of the Northern Colorado Hailstorm. Goalkeeper Danny Vitiello has four shutouts in his eight games played.
How they got here
San Jose survived the battle of Bay Area clubs in the Fourth Round, knocking off Oakland Roots 1-0 on the strength of Ousseni Bouda’s goal in the 76th minute.
Sacramento added yet another win to their impressive home Open Cup record with a 2-0 win over league rivals Monterey Bay FC in the Fourth Round. Kieran Phillips scored a few minutes after a Monterey own goal to set the final score before halftime. For the rest of the game 2022 Player of the Round winner goalkeeper Danny Vitiello kept Monterey off the board with several clearances and big saves.
Open Cup in San Jose
Clubs from San Jose began entering the Open Cup in 1969 when the San Jose Latinos took part in Northern California qualifying. San Jose Portuguese were the first team to have any real success, reaching the Quarterfinals in 1973. Larger success eluded San Jose clubs until 1992 when the San Jose Oaks defeated Vasco da Game of Bridgeport, CT 2-1 for the city’s first Open Cup title.
Open Cup in Sacramento – Sacramento Republic is the lone club in the city that has had any real impact on the Open Cup. The Sacramento Knights (2004) and Sacramento Gold (2013 & 2016) have made appearances in the Modern Era but made no impact.
San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
19th US Open Cup appearance (1997, 1998, 200-2005, 2012-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 17-14-8 (4-4 PK)
Away: 7-9-5 (3-2 PK)
vs. Div. 2: 10-3-2 (2-0 PK)
Best finish: Semifinals (2004, 2017)
Sacramento Republic FC (USL-C)
8th US Open Cup appearance (2014-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 21-7-2 (1-1 PK)
Home: 19-2-1 (1-0 PK)
vs. MLS: 4-6-2 (1-1 PK)
Best finish: Runner-Up (2022)
Los Angeles FC (MLS)
vs.
Loudoun United FC (USL-C)
BMO Stadium – Los Angeles, CA
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET
LIVE VIDEO (YouTube)
Open Cup Pedigree – Loudoun’s debut in the Open Cup last year was a bit of a bright spot in their lackluster season, reaching the Fourth Round to face the Columbus Crew after defeating North Carolina FC (USL-1) and Flower City Union (NISA).
LAFC made a splash in their inaugural Open Cup appearance in 2018, reaching the Semifinals where they were ousted by the Houston Dynamo on penalties after a 3-3 draw. Since then, a Quarterfinal finish in 2019 is the deepest LAFC has gone, getting eliminated by “El Trafico” rivals LA Galaxy in 2022 & 2023.
Season Form – Top goal scorers Zach Ryan and Kalil ElMedkhar return, but Loudoun have overhauled their midfield with new arrivals Tommy McCabe, Keegan Tingey and Drew Skundrich. Loudoun are currently 3-6-2 in league play and recently broke a five-game winless streak with a 3-0 win over Monterey Bay FC. Zach Ryan leads with three goals and Kwame Awuah is top in assists with the same number.
Last year’s MLS Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga has picked up where he left off in 2023, netting six goals so far in 2024. Missing from the LAFC roster is Carlos Vela, who currently is a free agent. With the departure of Maxime Crépeau (Portland Timbers) and John McCarthy (LA Galaxy), Los Angeles will have a new face in goal in Hugo Lloris, who spent the last 11 seasons at Tottenham Hotspur.
LAFC dropped from 3rd to 5th in the Western Conference since the last round with a 6-4-3 record. Denis Bouanga is picking up where he left off last year, leading the team with eight goals, and is the assists leader with five. LAFC will be without manager Steve Cherunolo, who was sent off in the last round just before halftime against Las Vegas.
How they got here
Loudoun advanced to the Fourth Round via penalties after going scoreless over 120 minutes with the Richmond Kickers. Loudoun made all five of their penalty attempts and goalkeeper Dane Jacomen saved Richmond’s final attempt.
LAFC kicked off their tournament in the Fourth Round, putting away a game Las Vegas lights 3-1. After the teams traded goals early in the second half, Cristian Olivera came through with a pair of scores in the 70th minute and stoppage time.
Open Cup in Washington D.C.
Heurich Brewers were the first club in the Open Cup from the Northern Virginia/Washington D.C. area, entering Maryland qualifying for the 1936 tournament. D,C. teams would begin to enter more regularly in the 1960s and 1970s with Central Valet and Aurora SC gaining some success. In the 1980s Club Espana and Fairfax Spartans rose to prominence, ending with Espana winning the Open Cup in 1987 over Seattle’s Mitre Eagles on penalties after a 0-0 draw. Spartans would reach the Quarterfinals in 1988, 1991 & 1992. In the Modern Era, of course, there is D.C. United, winner of three Open Cup titles (1996, 2008 & 2013) and two other Finals appearances (1997 & 2009)
Open Cup in Los Angeles
Outside of New York City (25 titles), Los Angeles has the most Open Cup championships with 10, tied with Philadelphia/Bethlehem and St. Louis. After the LA Scots and McIlwaine Canvasbacks attempted Open Cup debuts in 1952 & 1953 respectively were scuttled due to financial reasons, LA got into the action in 1954 with a full blown qualifying tournament featuring 15 teams. Southern California clubs would immediately become contenders as Danish American SC.
Reached the Final in 1955, and teams from the area reached the Final from 1958-1961 with the Los Angeles Kickers winning the first title for L.A. in 1958 and again in 1964. Other clubs such as Armenian SC and Orange County SC (not related to the current USL Championship club) also made Finals appearances in the 1960s. One the 1970s came around, a new dynasty arose from the southland, Maccabee AC. Maccabee would win the Open Cup record-tying five times (1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981) and reach the Finals twice more in 1980 and 1982. In the Modern Era, the LA Galaxy added to the cities pedigree with two more titles in 2001 and 2005.
Loudoun United FC (USL-C)
2nd US Open Cup appearance (2023)
Overall: 3-1-1 (1-0 PK)
Away: 1-0-1 (1-0 PK)
vs. MLS: 0-1-0
Best finish: Fourth Round (2023)
Los Angeles FC (MLS)
5th US Open Cup appearance (2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 8-3-2 (1-1 PK)
Home: 6-2-0
vs. Div. 2: 4-0-1 (1-0 PK)
Best finish: Semifinals (2018)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 22
Indy Eleven (USL-C)
vs.
Detroit City FC (USL-C)
Michael A. Carroll Stadium (IUPUI) – Indianapolis, IN
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
LIVE VIDEO (YouTube)
Open Cup Pedigree
Open Cup success has been elusive for Indy Eleven, in eight previous appearances the club has lost in their opening game four times and was eliminated in their second game the other four times. They’ve only played Division 2 opposition one other time before this tournament, a 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in 2019.
Detroit City’s one notable appearance in the open Cup came in 2022, when the club upset the Columbus Crew 2-1. Five of their previous six appearances ended after one or two games. DCFC is the first Michigan team to reach the Round of 16 since the Flint City Bucks of USL League Two (then known as the Michigan Bucks of the Premier Development League) did it in 2012.
Season Form
One thing Detroit needs to improve is boosting their offensive output, which produced a league low 30 goals last season. The return of Maxi Rodriguez and the addition of Victor Bererra (Chicago Fire II) and Elvis Amoh (Hartford Athletic) hope to correct that problem. Detroit City got off to a hot start in 2024, winning their first five games., but have cooled off a bit with two draws and a loss in their last three games, scoring just one goal in that span.
Indy are currently 5-4-2, winning their last four after a rough stretch in April when they played three in a row against the top three clubs in the Eastern Conference, Detroit City (2-1 loss), Louisville City (5-3 loss) and Charleston (4-2 loss). Aususatine Williams and Jack Blake share the team lead with five goals apiece, and Aedan Stanley leads with six assists.
How they got here
Detroit defeated arch-rivals Michigan Stars 1-0 in the Third Round, but it wasn’t easy. Despite out-shooting the Stars 22-6, DCFC didn’t get the winning goal until three minutes into second half stoppage time through Maxi Rodriguez. With the win, DCFC became the first Michigan team to reach the Round of 16 since the Flint City Bucks (then known as the Michigan Bucks) did it in 2012.
Detroit then became just the sixth lower division club to eliminate the defending Open Cup Champion, knocking off the Houston Dynamo on penalties after a 3-3 draw. DCFC fought back from a 2-0 deficit, and Maxi Rodriguez’s goal with six minutes remaining sent the game into extra time at 3-3. After a scoreless 30 minutes, the teams engaged in a penalty shootout which saw both clubs make 9 of their first ten shots. For the 11th attempt it was goalkeeper vs, goalkeeper. Houston’s Andrew Tarbell missed his attempt, and DCFC’s Carlos Salanda (a finalist for TheCup.us Player of the Round) made his to complete the upset.
Indy Eleven opened its 2024 tournament with a 1-0 win over Chicago Fire II of MLS NEXT Pro. Douglas Martinez scored the lone goal in the 6th minute, and goalkeeper Yannik Oettl (who was a finalist for TheCup.us Player of the Round) kept Chicago out of his goal with 11 saves from 22 shots faced.
Before the Fourth Round news broke that the city of Indianapolis had been in conversations with Major League Soccer (MLS) about bringing an expansion franchise to the market, causing plans for “Eleven Park”, including a brand new 20,000 seat stadium for the USL side, to be halted while the city discusses details of a different plan, tailored to a potential new MLS club, with an unnamed group of investors. Despite the drama, Indy Eleven proceeded to eliminate San Antonio FC 2-0 on the strength of goals from Augustine Williams and Jack Blake in the first ten minutes.
Open Cup in Detroit
Detroit’s involvement in the Open Cup goes back to the very first tournament in 1914 when Packard FC & Roses FC accepted invitations from the USFA. By 1917 Caledonia FC became the first Motor City club to reach the Quarterfinals. Packard, Roses and Caledonia would reach the Semifinals in the early 1920s, and in 1927 Holley Carburetor took Detroit to the Final. During the 1920s Michigan became one of the top regions for clubs entering the Open Cup, often having over 20+ clubs enter. After a lull in the 1930s. Chrysler FC emerged as a serious contender in the West, reaching the Final in 1941. Unfortunately, a controversy involving a disputed Open Cup game versus Chicago’s Sparta A & BA caused club officials to disband the team. Detroit became one of the hardest hit regions during World War II, losing many players to fight in the war and to government defense jobs. Post WWII Detroit never truly regained its status for producing Open Cup contenders, with St. Andrew Scots and Carpathia Kickers occasionally making waves in the 1950s & 1960s. In 1982 Iraqi SC reached the Semifinals, but the region stayed pretty quiet until the Modern Era when the nearby Michigan Bucks emerged as one of the new upset darlings of the Open Cup, upsetting the New England Revolution on the road in 2000, and then knocking off the Chicago Fire at home in 2012. While the Bucks have since moved to the city of Flint, the Bucks remain the only amateur club to upset multiple MLS teams in the Modern Era..
Open Cup in Indianapolis
Indianapolis first had a team in Open Cup play in the 1933 edition, when Indianapolis SC lost to the Cincinnati Kickers 3-2 in the Second Round of the Ohio qualifying tournament. Indianapolis SC tried again in the 1935 tournament, losing to the Kickers once again, 4-2.
Indianapolis has hosted four different Open Cup Finals as a neutral venue. First in 1990 when Chicago’s AAC Eagles defeated the Brooklyn Italians 2-1. In 1992 and 1993 Indy was the Finals host when the San Jose Oaks defeated Vasco da Gama (CT) 2-1 and CD Mexico (now El Farolito) bested United German Hungarians (Philadelphia area) 5-0. Finally in 1997 when the Dallas Burn (FC Dallas) won the cup over D.C. United on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Detroit City FC (USL-C)
7th US Open Cup appearance (2014-2019, 2022-2023)
Overall: 4-3-6 (3-3 PK)
Away: 0-2-3 (2-1 PK)
vs. Div. 2: 0-1-1 (0-1 PK)
Best finish: Fourth Round (2022)
Indy Eleven (USL-C)
9th US Open Cup appearance (2014-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 6-7-1 (0-1 PK)
Home: 5-2-0
vs. Div. 2: 1-1-0
Best finish: Fourth Round (2014, 2016)
Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL-C)
vs.
FC Dallas (MLS)
Al Lang Stadium – St. Petersburg, FL
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
LIVE VIDEO (YouTube)
Open Cup Pedigree
For much of their Open Cup history FC Dallas has been one of the most successful MLS clubs, having reached at least the Quarterfinals 16 times, reaching the Final four times, and winning the Cup in 1997 and 2016. The 16 Quarterfinal appearances are the second-most in the history of the tournament (dating back to 1913). Since the 2016 title, Dallas reached the quarters in 2017 followed by three consecutive exits after two games and a 2-0 loss to Nashville SC in their opening game last year. Against Division 2 opponents, Dallas are 21-2-2 all time, their last loss being a 2-1 defeat to New Mexico United in 2019.
The Rowdies’ Open Cup history is the opposite of their league success, having only advanced past a second game once in 12 tournaments. They are 0-4 against Division 2 opponents, and their lone bright spot is a 1-0 upset of the Seattle Sounders in 2013, ending Seattle’s chance of possibly becoming the first club to win four straight Open Cup titles and ending their all-time record 22-game unbeaten streak in the Open Cup. When playing MLS sides, the Rowdies are a dismal 1-5-0, their only win being the previously mentioned victory over the Sounders.
Season Form
FC Dallas are off to a rough start in 2024, sitting near the bottom in the Western Conference with a 3-6-3 record, although they are unbeaten in their last three games.. To help boost the offense Dallas acquired Croatian forward Petar Musa from Benfica for a club-record $9.7 million transfer fee in the offseason. Musa currently leads the team with five goals.
The Rowdies are off to a good start in the 2024 season, and stopped a two game loss streak with a 5-0 thrashing of FC Tulsa on May 18, putting Tampa at 4-2-4. Manuel Arteaga and Cal Jennings sit among the league goal scoring leaders with eight and seven goals respectively..
How they got here
Dallas eased Memphis 901 Fc 1-0 in the Fourth Round. Logan Farrington’s first goal as a professional in the 73rd minute was all that was needed for Dallas to move on.
For the Rowdies it was a bit more complicated. Hosting league rivals Birmingham Legion, Tampa seemed to be in full control, going up 4-0 when Cal Jennings completed his hat trick in the 79th minute. Three minutes later Birmingham began the unthinkable when Enzo Martinez scored what looked to be a harmless consolation goal. Kobe Hernández-Foster added another just six minutes later, and by the time Tyler Pasher scored in the 3rd and 6th minutes of stoppage time, The stunned Rowdies were preparing for extra time. The Rowdies ruined the comeback story when Manuel Arteaga scored twice in extra time to secure an unbelievable 6-4 win. It was just the 9th game in the Modern Era to produce 10 or more goals in a game.
Open Cup in Tampa/St. Petersburg
Clubs from the Tampa/St. Petersburg area began Open Cup play in 1979 and had an immediate impact. H. Brooks Dodge Chargers reached the Semifinals that first year. Soon another area team would rise to the top, The St. Petersburg Kickers Quarterfinal appearances in 1986 and 1987 led to the Kickers breaking through in 1989, winning the Open Cup over Greek American Atlas 2-1 in extra time. The Kickers returned to the Semifinals in 1993 & 1994, but in ‘94 the Kickers were forced to forfeit their game versus Milwaukee’s Bavarian SC due to a conflict with the match date and World Cup tickets most of the team had purchased ahead of time. Besides the Rowdies in the Modern Era, the Tampa Bay Mutiny (MLS) didn’t have a very notable Open Cup history, reaching the Quarterfinals just twice (1996, 1997) when there were far fewer clubs involved.
Open Cup in Dallas
The first entry from Dallas in the Open Cup came in 1949 when Alpine Sportswear dipped their toe into Open Cup waters and were swiftly dispatched 5-0 by Zenthroefer Furs of St. Louis. Afterwards Dallas clubs limited themselves to the National Amateur Cup until the mid-1980s. In 1985, Mean Green (founded by alumni of North Texas State University) reached the Semifinals and established themselves as a serious contender, reaching the Semis again in 1987 and 1988. FC Dallas (no connection to the MLS team) of the Lone Star Soccer Association made deep runs in 1989 (Quarterfinals) and 1990 (Semifinals). The Richardson/Dallas Rockets of the USISL (now USL) reached the Final in 1991, Semifinals in 1992, and the Quarterfinals in 1993 and 1994. In the Modern Era, the most notable moment outside of FC Dallas is Dallas Roma FC. In 2006 Roma became the first USASA club to eliminate an MLS team, taking out Chivas USA on penalties after a 0-0 draw. More recently, NTX Rayados qualified from the Open Division a record nine consecutive times from 2012-2020. NTX Rayados Meet the Underdogs: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2013
FC Dallas (MLS)
25th US Open Cup appearance (1996-2008, 2011-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 37-21-6 (5-1 PK)
Away: 14-14-2 (2-0 PK)
vs. Div. 2: 21-2-2 (2-0 PK)
Best finish: Champions (1997, 2016)
Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL-C)
12th US Open Cup appearance (2010, 2012-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 10-11-0
Home: 7-2-0
vs. MLS: 1-5-0
Best finish: Fourth Round (2013, 2016)
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
vs.
Phoenix Rising FC (USL-C)
Starfire Sports Complex – Tukwila, WA
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET
LIVE VIDEO (YouTube)
Open Cup Pedigree
With the advantage of a later starting point in this year’s tournament, Phoenix have advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time ever. The deepest Phoenix have previously gone is the final 32 in 2014 and 2022. Phoenix have never faced the Sounders in the Open Cup, and have only faced an MLS team once, a 2-1 loss to the LA Galaxy in the 2014 Fourth Round back when the club was known as Arizona United.
Like Sporting Kansas City, Seattle is entering this year’s Open Cup looking to make history, as they are one championship away from joining Bethlehem Steel, Maccabee AC and the Fall River Marksmen as five time Cup champions. Historically Seattle haven’t played many Division 2 clubs in the Open Cup, with two of their last three encounters ending in defeat to the Tampa Bay Rowdies 2013 and Sacramento Republic in 2018, The loss to the Rowdies stopped a record 22-game unbeaten run in the Open Cup, and prevented Seattle from a possible fourth straight Open Cup title.
The last five Open Cup tournaments haven’t been very successful for the Sounders, going “one-and-done” three times, and the other two lasting just two games. Seattle has actually had four teams in the Open Cup over the years. Besides the MLS club there have been Sounders 2 reserve team (USL) in 2015, Seattle Sounders Selects (PDL/USL-2) in 2001, and Seattle Sounders U-23s (PDL/USL-2) in 2013, 2016 and 2017
How they got here
Both Seattle and Phoenix started the tournament in the Fourth Round and had to do extra work to advance to the Round of 16. Phoenix traveled cross-county to Cary, NC to face North Carolina FC. Juan Carlos Azocar, a last-minute addition to the Rising lineup, put the visitors ahead 1-0 in the 9th minute. 71 minutes later NCFC equalized and the clubs played an extra 30 minutes. In the 111th minute Giulio Doratiotto, who had come on as a sub just before extra time, put Phoenix ahead for good.
Seattle had a bit more work on their plate in eliminating Louisville City FC in front of a Seattle-friendly crowd at Starfire Soccer Complex. Up 2-0 midway through the second half on goals from Paul Rothrock and Danny Musovski, Louisville clawed their way back. After a successful penalty kick from Sean Totsch in the 67th minute, Jorge Gonzalez pulled Louisville level in the 89th minute. After 30 minutes of scoreless extra time, goalkeeper Andrew Thomas stepped up in the penalty tiebreaker, saving three attempts from Louisville before converting a PK of his own to win the shootout 5-4.
Season Form
During the offseason Seattle acquired Pedro de la Vega, a touted 23-year old Argentine youth international. So far in 2024, Seattle is off to a slow start, sitting just outside the Western Conference playoff cut-off at 4-6-5, and are 1-1-3 in their last five games. Veteran Raul Ruidiaz has seven goals and Albert Rusnak leads with four assists.
Phoenix will have to try and match last year’s success without leading goal scorer Danny Trejo (19 goals), who has since moved on to Polish club Korona Kielce. Early on it looks as if Phoenix has found a new goal scorer in Remi Cabral, who had played the previous three seasons with LA Galaxy II and Colorado Rapids II. Cabral has accounted for six of Phoenix’s 13 goals thus far as the club sits in 5th place in the West with a 4-4-3 record, and 2-0-2 in their last four games.
Open Cup in Seattle
Seattle first appeared in the 1965 US Open Cup when the Hungarian SC took part in Northern California qualifying and won their first game 3-2 over San Francisco’s AAC Teutonia. In 1968 Washington had enough teams enter to have its own qualifying tournament. In 1970 Leif Erickson Vikings became the first Seattle club to reach the Quarterfinals, losing to Croatia SC of Los Angeles 6-4 over two legs. The Croatian SC/Mitre Eagles would reach the Quarterfinals in 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1986 before finally reaching the Final in 1987 where they fell to Washington D.C.’s Club Espana on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Open Cup in Arizona
Arizona’s only notable pre-Modern Era Open Cup appearance came in 1979 when Croatia SC of Tempe lost to San Francisco AC 3-1 in the Quarterfinals. It was Croatia’s only game in the tourney due to no other clubs from Arizona entering and a lack of other teams from the west region. The most notable clubs of the Modern Era are FC Tucson with six appearances, most recently in 2022, and Sporting AZ FC / Arizona Sahuaros who made seven appearances between 1998 and 2018 and have the dubious honor of being scored upon a Modern Era record six times by Mugurel Dimitru in a 9-2 loss to the San Diego Flash (A-League) in 1999.
Phoenix Rising FC (USL-C)
9th US Open Cup appearance (2014-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 8-6-2 (0-2 PK)
Away: 4-2-1 (0-1 PK)
vs. MLS: 0-1-0
Best finish: Fourth Round (2014, 2022)
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
26th US Open Cup appearance (1995-1997, 1999-2003, 2005-2019, 2022, 2023)
Overall: 37-18-8 (5-3 PK) | 22-7-6 (4-2 PK) as MLS
Home: 29-4-4 (3-1 PK) | 18-2-3 (2-1 PK) as MLS
vs. Div. 2: 5-3-3 (2-1 PK) | 4-2-1 (1-0 PK) as MLS
Best finish: Champions (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014)
