Austin Aztex

2015 US Open Cup Round 4: Early, late goals propel Houston Dynamo over Austin Aztex, 2-0 (video)

June 17, 2015 by Justin Jerkins

Ricardo Clark of the Houston Dynamo scores the second goal of the game in second half stoppage time in a 2-0 win over the Austin Aztex. Photo: Houston Dynamo

UPDATE: The Round of 16 draw was conducted by the US Soccer Federation and it was determined that the Houston Dynamo will host the Colorado Rapids in the next round.

Following ninety nervy minutes at BBVA Compass Stadium, the Houston Dynamo emerged 2-0 victors Wednesday over USL side Austin Aztex in the fourth round of the US Open Cup.

Houston’s Leonel Miranda opened his scoring account in the 24th minute with a cool finish past charging Aztex goalkeeper Devin Perales. Ricardo Clark delivered the dagger in the 92nd minute to put Austin away for good.

It was a fairly even match between the two sides in front of an announced 4,041 in attendance on a rainy night as Austin’s first-choice lineup ran toe-to-toe against a Dynamo squad featuring only one regular starter — center back Raul Rodriguez. The rest of Houston’s team consisted of youth and fringe players fighting for minutes against the first string.

“As much as we made the changes, we wanted to advance as well,” said Houston coach Owen Coyle. “It’s important we know that we have that strength and depth.”

It was Austin that began the match in control, searching for ways through a staunch Houston defense that saw the returns of left back Corey Ashe and central defender AJ Cochran — both of which have struggled to see the field in league play.

As the Aztex sought to deliver the perfect long-ball into the box, the Dynamo began to look threatening, with the clever runs of Alex and Rob Lovejoy turning Austin defenders. In response, the Aztex settled into the counter attack, allowing Kris Tyrpak to run the ball and find open players.

It wasn’t until the 24th minute that Austin were dealt a blow when Houston’s Alex played in a ball to Miranda, who calmly slotted past a charging Perales.

“He’s one of the players that should believe he should be on the team,” Coyle said. “I’m pleased for him on a personal level to get that goal.”

Austin tried to respond late in the first half, with Tyrpak and forward Sainey Touray finding charging runs into the box, but unable to find a final touch to beat Dynamo keeper Joe Willis.

Houston dominated the game early in the second half, using Miranda and Alex to twist Aztex defenders. Austin defenders Michael Ambrose and Max Gunderson continued to find ways to be in the right places and unleash another Austin counter-attack, usually led by Tyrpak.

Gradually, the game began to take on a physical nature with cards and fouls flying for both teams. This did damage to the rhythm that Austin needed for their counter-attack and it ran out of energy well into the second half.

Tyrpak’s 69th minute substitution for Brendan King nearly spelled the end of Austin’s decisive attack.

One final chance for Austin came in the 74th minute when a routine defensive clearance resulted in miscommunication between Ashe and Cochran, springing Aztex forward Trevin Caesar free on goal. A challenging shot forced Willis to make a fingertip save, flicking the ball into the crossbar and over the net.

Houston were able to disrupt the Austin attack just enough for the remainder of the game before subbing on starter Ricardo Clark in the 84th minute.

Clark found an opening, assisted by Mauro Manotas (another player to receive his first minutes for Houston), and delivered a curl past Perales to make it 2-0 and snuff out Austin’s chances of advancement.

For Miranda, his game-winning goal was a particularly special one.

“I’m very happy and excited to get the opportunity,” Miranda said. “I’ve been yearning for not only the opportunity to play but to score.”

With that, Miranda may have earned a role on the Dynamo’s first team entering a tough summer that will see many International absences.

Houston won’t have to wait very long to learn what the next Open Cup phase holds as it will learn on Thursday the draw for US Open Cup opponents in the Round of 16.

FULL MATCH REPLAY: AUSTIN AZTEX AT HOUSTON DYNAMO

2015 US Open Cup Round 3: Austin Aztex take sting out of San Antonio Scorpions, 2-0

May 29, 2015 by Chris Hockman

A Texas Hill Country derby was in store for fans in the Third Round of the US Open Cup and it was the Austin Aztex who advanced following a tense 2-0 win over the San Antonio Scorpions at Toyota Field.

Michael Ambrose and Trevin Cesar scored for Austin in the victory, which will play on the road against the Houston Dynamo of MLS in the Fourth Round.

The match got off to an even start with both sides looking to assert themselves. This created a tight midfield battle with chances rare in the early stages.

Guaraci Oliviera tried to liven up the match as he found space 25 yards out and shot. The swerve caught out Daryl Sattler who just got enough on it to send it out for a corner.

San Antonio may have had plenty of the ball but they just struggled to do anything with it, with Austin giving away plenty of fouls which broke up the flow for the Scorpions. The best chance for the Scorpions came in the 18th minute as a through ball for Billy Forbes forced Devin Perales off his line, only for Forbes to send his effort just wide.

After a lengthy lull in the match the Scorpions seemed to have control and in the 29th minute they had another opportunity. It came from a free kick as the cross came in to Zourab Tsiskaridze but he sent his header wide of goal.

The best chance on the latter stages came after a poor backpass allowed Eric Hassli a chance but he sent his effort wide of goal. San Antonio manager, Alen Marcina was obviously not happy as he brought on Rafael Castillo and Stephen DeRoux at halftime in an effort to get back into the match.

Those changes did not work as Austin hit the lead early in the second half thanks to back to back corners, which created confusion. The ball spilled out for Ambrose who hit it powerfully back past Sattler to open the scoring.

There was a great opportunity for the Scorpions on the hour mark as the ball was squared for a rushing Castillo. His powerful shot came from the edge of the area, but it was well-saved low by Devin Perales, which allowed Austin to clear.

Castillo was again set up after some neat work from Stephen DeRoux down the left. His square ball caught out the Austin defense, allowing him to shoot powerfully but Perales got down well and made the save.

After the Scorpions had a shout for a penalty denied in the 76th minute, Austin found their second thanks to a counter. The Aztex worked the ball up to Julio Cuero who sent the ball back for Cesar who made no mistake, sealing the win.

The Scorpions thought they had a goal in the 81st minute as the ball was in the back of the net but the goal was disallowed as two Scorpions players were caught by an offside trap.
With that as the last chance, the Aztex advanced to a smattering of boos from a frustrated San Antonio crowd.

The frustration boiled over afterward as San Antonio’s DeRoux and Julius James were given post-match red cards. Obviously, since the Scorpions are eliminated, those one-game bans will take effect the next time those players participate in the tournament.

2015 US Open Cup Round 2: Austin Aztex of USL dispatch old rivals Laredo Heat, 2-0

May 24, 2015 by Zach Smith

A small delay and muggy weather didn’t stop the Austin Aztex as they made quick work of some old rivals Wednesday night in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The Aztex scored a goal in each half, and advanced to the Third Round of the 102nd edition of the US Open Cup for the first time as a professional team with a 2-0 win over the Laredo Heat of the USL’s Premier Development League (PDL). They’ll go on the road to face defending NASL champions San Antonio Scorpions in the next round.

Austin head coach Paul Dalglish said he made eight changes from Saturday’s 3-2 USL regular season loss to Arizona United SC.

“When you’ve scored, you’re in front and with the pace we’ve got in the wide forward areas we were just counter attacking and waiting to hit them on the counter,” Dalglish said. “We wanted to be expansive and the only thing in cup competitions is winning the game, and we did that.”

Laredo came out of the gates on the attack, pushing the tempo and trying to get in behind the compressed Austin defense. Three times early in the first half, the Heat were caught offside.

Austin turned the tide as the clock ticked toward halftime. Austin defender Max Gunderson found forward Andres Cuero on the right side of the box, and it was an easy chip of the Heat keeper to take a one-goal lead.

Laredo didn’t give up though. After winning a corner, Jesus “Chuy” Cortes whipped a ball into a box filled with Heat players, but despite getting three good headers, none had enough power to beat Austin goalkeeper Devin Perales.

Even though the Heat came out with purpose in the second half, Austin slowed the game down and seemed content with a one goal lead.

Laredo had other ideas, and went in hard on a few challenges. After picking up a yellow card in the first half, Laredo defender Adam Butler was subbed out in the second half after a challenge that looked like it should’ve been a second yellow.

“The rivalry is historical between the two organizations,” Dalglish said. “It’s a cup competition, so you’ve got to leave everything on the field. They wanted to try and win the game, and sometimes emotions spill over, but we want it to be competitive.”

Austin finally capitalized on the counter, and with just two Heat defenders behind the ball, Trevin Caesar squared a ball in front of goal for an easy tap in for Brian Fekete to double the score. The small crowd chanted ‘Dos A Cero.’

The Aztex will travel to San Antonio for their Third Round match with the Scorpions on May 27, who they beat 4-1 in the final game of the preseason.

Dalglish said not only is it important to keep advancing further in the Open Cup, especially in the club’s first full professional season, but the NASL side will be looking to get back at Austin for blowing them out in March.

“They’ll be looking for revenge,” Dalglish said. “And with it being a local derby, I imagine we’ll play a much stronger lineup. That will be a big one to try and win for Central Texas bragging rights.”

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: North Texas Rayados equalizes three times, stuns Austin Aztex in PK thriller (video)

May 16, 2014 by Lanny Short

In a rematch of the 2013 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the North Texas Rayados of the USASA traveled south to take on the PDL’s Austin Aztex, hoping to avenge last year’s 2-0 opening round loss.

Unlike most Hollywood films, the sequel was far better than the original by a wide margin as the Rayados fell behind three times, and equalized each time, including the third time in second half stoppage time. In the extra session, North Texas finally took the lead in the 118th minute, but before the celebration could begin, Austin gave them a taste of their own medicine, equalizing in the final minute of extra time to force penalty kicks.

North Texas won the PK shootout to advance to Round 2 for the first time in club history. They have earned themselves another road game as they will travel to San Antonio to take on the NASL’s Scorpions in Round 3 on May 28.

This was the second match for the host Aztex in 2013 after opening their season last Saturday with a convincing win over the Houston Dutch Lions. They came into their Open Cup debut without Devin Cook Perales, who had been sent off in last year’s Open Cup game against the Wilmington Hammerheads and was forced to serve his suspension. The game would be a homecoming of sorts, as former Aztex Super-20 midfielder Shane Dockery who would be playing for the visitors, along with Richland College teammates Flavio Guzman and Jamie Lovegrove.

As the match got underway, the Rayandos suffered a setback when Javan Toledo had to be replaced by Fernando Garza after the starting midfielder sprained his ankle in the 6th minute. The Aztex tried to take advantage of the replacement and nearly scored in the 8th minute when Adam Black narrowly missed his shot off to the right of the goal.

In the 22nd minute, Aztex striker Sito Seoane’s shot was saved by Rayados keeper Raul Herrera. Three minutes later, Seoane found a way to produce a goal, as he delivered a corner kick to the head of Adam Black who put the Aztex up 1-0.

To their credit, the Rayados were able to pick themselves up and press hard for the equalizer which nearly came in the 34th minute when Raul Rodriguez’s free-kick was saved by Aztex keeper John Kaschak. The match started to get a bit chippy as the visitors continued attacking. In the 41st minute, Austin’s Chuy Cortez and North Texas’ Kevin Ellis were booked for some off-the-ball pushing and shoving.

The visitors would get their equalizer in the 43rd minute when Fernando Garza would burst through on the Aztex goal and slot his shot into the net between the goal post and Kaschak’s outstretched foot. The Rayados nearly took the lead deep into first half stoppage time, but Kaschak came up with another big stop on Garza’s attempt on goal.

As the second half got underway, there was more hard play in the midfield. Reece Wilson of North Texas and Austin’s Kalen Ryden were each booked for committing hard challenges. Aztex head coach Manuel Buentello decided a larger attacker was needed so he took off smaller striker Cortez for the larger Tucker Hume in the 53rd minute. The substitution changed the momentum for the home side and they took the lead in the 57th minute when Tony Rocha hit a through pass for Seoane and the forward was able to score. Less than 10 minutes later, Austin nearly added to their lead when Hume had his header on goal saved by Herrera.

They would regret not scoring when the Rayandos equalized again in the 67th minute. Wilson would take advantage of a defensive mistake by Aztex winger Josh Alcala and break through on goal to easily slot home past Kaschak.

In the 71st minute, the Aztex’s Jeff Harwell was brought on for Alcala and the Rayados’ Eduardo Cortez came on for Luis Salas. The substitutions caused a bit of confusion in the Rayado’s defense in the 79th minute. Harwell was able to get through them and hit a pass for Tucker Hume to power home to put the Aztex back into the lead 3-2.

Just when it looked like the Eberly’s Army home fans would be celebrating the victory, an incredible stroke of bad luck twisted the match in a new direction. In the 88th minute, Aztex midfielder Jacob Powell made a hard challenge and although he came up with the ball, the referee ruled he had made the tackle with his studs up and over the ball. Powell was shown a straight red card for the foul and the Aztex were reduced to 10 men. Although they tried to bunker in and hold on for the end of the match, just as the final whistle was about to blow, the North Texas equalized. Shane Dockery got behind the Aztex defense and found himself one-on-one with keeper Kaschak whom he easily beat and rolled the ball into the empty net.

As the match went into extra time, both sides would have their opportunities to score in the first half, though neither side came close to hitting the goal. It was the Rayados who broke the tie in the second half of extra time when midfielder Fernando Garza gave North Texas their first lead of the game at 4-3. To the hosts’ credit, they did not quit and in the final minute of the stoppage time, Harwell sent the game into penalty kicks when he poked home a loose ball that the Rayados defense failed to clear.

Compared to the 120 minutes that proceeded it, the penalty kick shootout was a bit anti-climactic as the Aztex had one of their spot kicks saved and one bounce off the post. The Rayados made all of their attempts to send themselves through to the next round and off to San Antonio to face the Scorpions.

Aztex coach Manuel Buentello, who took over for Paul Dalglish this season, could only shake his head and curse the bad luck that had befallen his team. Rayados player-coach Tito Salas has his team in position to make a run in the tournament, but no matter what happens in San Antonio on May 28, the club can be proud of being a part of one of the most exciting games in recent Open Cup history.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

2013 US Open Cup Second Round: Wilmington Hammerheads net first road win 2-0 in Austin with Aztex aid

May 22, 2013 by Gerald Barnhart

Having beaten MLS clubs in the past, the Wilmington Hammerheads came into Tuesday’s contest with the PDL Austin Aztex fully focused after an embarrassing 4-0 home loss to amateur Cal FC a year ago in the Second Round and used some help from the hosts for a 2-0 win, moving on to a Third Round showdown with the Portland Timbers.

Troy Hernandez posted the shutout in his debut for Wilmington, making a few important saves in the early going and eliminating any potential nerves.

Things became a lot easier in the 23rd minute when his counterpart, Devin Cook, was sent off for taking down Steven Perry on a breakaway. Richard Isberner converted the subsequent penalty and the Hammerheads controlled from that point.

They were unable to find the back of the net themselves, however, with an own goal providing the insurance in the 68th minute. A failed clearance on a free kick led to Juan Cruz putting the ball in his own goal.

The victory was the first in tournament history away from home for the Hammerheads against all opposition, having come into the match 0-5-1 with a PK victory. It is a complete contrast to their 13-5-0 record at home.

2013 US Open Cup First Round: Austin Aztex blanks NTX Rayados despite playing down a man

May 15, 2013 by Chris Hockman

The 100th edition of the US Open Cup had its first round on Tuesday and Austin Aztex won their first US Open Cup game since the squad’s rebirth thanks to a 3-0 win against amateurs NTX Rayados despite playing with 10 men for a majority of the contest.

Andres Cuero scored in the first half and Tony Rocha added one in the second half for the Aztex while the team benefitted from a Rayados own goal in the first half.

Austin will play the Wilmington Hammerheads in the second round on May 21 at House Park in Austin.

It was all Austin in the early going but the USL PDL team that opened its season on Saturday could not find a final touch to put the ball in right away.

In the third minute Austin’s Kris Tyrpak got the ball on the right of the box and hit a powerful shot in space that came back off the crossbar allowing North Texas to clear safely.

North Texas had a chance in the 10th minute as Victor Pinal broke free but timed his run poorly as he was flagged off for an offside.

Austin took the lead in the 14th minute after a shot from Chuy Cortez was saved but the Rayados failed to clear, which allowed Cuero to sneak the ball in. North Texas’ Raul Herrera made the save after it crossed the line.

Cortez nearly had a goal of his own as the roles were reversed with Cuero on the edge of the box volleying across for Cortez before shooting over the bar.

Later, Austin’s Aaron Guillen was shown a straight red card for contact with Herrera, who rolled around theatrically. To the referee’s credit Herrera was also shown a yellow for simulation.

The Aztex replaced Cortez with Walker Hume to cover Guillen’s position at the center defense in an effort to keep their passage into the second round safe.

Austin doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute as Tyrpak’s shot was redirected by Clifford Spencer into the back of his own net.

The second half started nervously with neither side really taking charge in what was an end-to-end period that produced little in a final product.

Austin had the first chance of the second half after a fluid series of passes allowed Tyrpak space in the box but he went wide of the post with his shot.

After the opening ten minutes of the half, North Texas saw plenty of the ball, but the closest it got was a solid shot from Alberto Rodriguez that could only find Austin keeper Josh Mikolewicz’s hands.

Austin looked content with a two-goal lead and a man disadvantage as they held off the Rayados and operated on the counter.

In the 72nd minute, Cuero ran at goal from the right and had a powerful low shot blocked away by Herrera over the crossbar.

Austin had a corner that almost went in off the foot of Rocha, but the ball was pushed out before the same happened again on the resulting corner. North Texas was able to recover in the scramble and clear the ball.

North Texas had a good chance in the 77th minute as Reese Wilson got through and saw his initial effort saved before the rebound was cleared by Zach Pope.

Austin added a third in the 85th minute as Rocha’s footwork bamboozled the Rayados defense before squeezing it through Herrera.

Herrera came to the rescue in stoppage time to prevent a fourth as Max Gunderson made a superb run and crossed for Jacob Powell but quick work from the keeper allowed him to make the stop.

Meet the 16 Premier Development League teams entering the 2013 US Open Cup

March 5, 2013 by Josh Hakala

Michigan Bucks vs. Chicago Fire - 2012 Third Round — The Michigan Bucks upset their second Major League Soccer team last year, knocking off the Chicago Fire 3-2 in extra time. Will we see another PDL team claim an MLS victim this year? Photo: Dave McCauley | Michigan Bucks

Shortly after the United States Soccer Federation announced the format for the 100th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the United Soccer Leagues confirmed which Premier Development League teams would enter the competition. As reported by TheCup.us in January, the PDL will have 16 entries into the 2013 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the second consecutive year.

Last year the US Soccer Federation expanded the Open Cup field to include all US-based Major League Soccer teams and increased the number of amateur teams to a Modern Pro Era-record 32. The upcoming tournament, the 100th consecutive running of the Open Cup, follows a similar format, and will include two addition amateur clubs, bringing the total to 34.

With the date of the 2013 tournament moved earlier in the month of May for the second year in a row, the PDL has decided to base their entries on the previous season’s results once again. The Central, Southern and Western conferences will each submit the top two American-based clubs from each division, while the Eastern Conference, which is made up of three divisions, will be represented by four teams. The Ocean City Nor’easters, who finished with the conference’s best record (13-3-0), the team with the second best record in Ocean City’s division, Reading United, the South-Atlantic Division champion Carolina Dynamo, and the GPS Portland Phoenix who finished one point behind the Canadian-based Ottawa fury in the Northeast Division.

A dozen clubs are making a return appearance in the event, including 10 that were in the tournament this past year. Four sides will be making their US Open Cup debuts in 2013. The foursome is comprised of the River City Rovers, Ocala Stampede, FC Tucson and Seattle Sounders U-23s.

All of the PDL teams will begin play in Round 1 on May 14, and the amateur team (PDL, NPSL, USASA, USCS, USSSA) that advances the furthest this year will receive $15,000 (up from $10,000 last year).

Here are the teams that will be taking part in the 2013 US Open Cup (read about the changes to the 2013 tournament here):

Central Conference

Michigan Bucks
1st place in Great Lakes Division (13-1-2)
Record 10th appearance, 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 12-8-1 (0-1 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012

The Bucks will make their record 10th appearance in the US Open Cup and are the league’s most successful team in the tournament. With a record 12 Open Cup wins, 9 of them against professional opponents, they bring the strongest resume of any amateur team in the country. Last year, they bolstered their reputation as giant killers with their second win in franchise history over a Major League Soccer team, defeating the Chicago Fire 3-2 in extra time. Combined with their 1-0 road win over the New England Revolution in 2000, they are the only amateur team to defeat multiple MLS teams.

Bucks vs. NE Revs - 2000 — As you can see, not very many people were on hand to see the Michigan Bucks upset the New England Revolution in Foxboro back in 2000. Photo: Tony Biscaia | RevsNet

Last year, they crushed Jersey Shore Boca (USASA) 6-0, before upsetting the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL Pro) 1-0 on the road in Round 2. In the Third Round they defeated the Chicago Fire at home in just the fourth Open Cup game in history to be played indoors. In Round 4, their Cinderella story came to an end in front of their home fans (this time outdoors at Oakland University) by another unlikely team, the USL Pro’s Dayton Dutch Lions who converted a penalty kick in extra time to win the game 2-1.

River City Rovers
3rd place in the Great Lakes Division (7-7-2)
1st appearance in the US Open Cup

The Louisville, Kentucky-based River City Rovers have qualified for the tournament for the first time, benefiting from the fact that Forest City London, the team who finished in second place in the division, are Canadian and are not eligible for the Open Cup. Forest City finished with a 7-5-4 record, two points ahead of River City, and made an improbably run through the PDL playoffs to win the championship. River City had a chance to overtake Forest City for the last playoff spot, but they lost their season finale to the Michigan Bucks 4-0.

River City becomes the first Kentucky-based club since 1993 to qualify for the Open Cup. That year, the Louisville Alliance reached the Regional Semifinals before falling to Milwaukee’s Bavarian SC, 2-0.

Real Colorado Foxes
2nd place in the Heartland Division (8-4-4)
3rd appearance in the US Open Cup, 3rd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 1-2-0
Last appearance: 2012

The Real Colorado Foxes (no relationship with the Colorado Foxes who took part in the 1995 US Open Cup), have qualified for the third year in a row as the second place team in the Heartland Division (Division champion Thunder Bay Chill are from Canada). The Foxes won their first-ever tournament game in 2011 when they defeated USASA’s DV8 Defenders from San Jose, Calif. 5-0. Then after being eliminated by fellow PDL side Kitsap Pumas the next round, they suffered another defeat at the hands of an amateur team, losing 3-1 to the KC Athletics (USASA) at home.

Des Moines Menace
3rd place in the Heartland Division (8-5-3)
7th appearance in the US Open Cup , 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 7-6-1 (1-0 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012

The Des Moines Menace are back in the competition for the second year in a row, making their seventh all-time appearance. Only the Michigan Bucks (10) have qualified for the Open Cup more times among PDL teams. They enter the tournament as a 3rd place team because the Heartland Division champion, Thunder Bay Chill, are based in Canada.

Aside from their consistent success in the league, the Menace are best known for their back-to-back cup runs in 2005 and 2006 when they four professional teams in two years, only to fall to the Kansas City Wizards (Sporting Kansas City) both years on the road. Last year, they picked up their first Open Cup victory since 2006 with a 3-1 extra time road win over the NPSL’s Milwaukee Bavarians, only to fall to the NASL’s (2nd Division) Minnesota Stars 2-0 in Round 2. The Menace are tied with the Ocean City Nor’easters for second place among PDL teams with 4 professional team upsets (Michigan Bucks have 9). According to TheCup.us records, the Menace are the only Iowa-based team (aside from the Iowa Menace who qualified out of the USASA in 2011) to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Professional Era, and even before that, there are no records of any Iowa team qualifying (records incomplete).

Eastern Conference

Ocean City Nor’easters
1st place in the Mid-Atlantic Division (13-3-0)
6th appearance in the US Open Cup (5th as PDL)
All-time Open Cup record: 7-5-0 (6-4-0 as PDL)
Last appearance: 2009

kevin-curran-vs-boyzz-kuhmalo-dcu-barons — The Ocean City Nor'easters (shown here as the Ocean City Barons in 2009 against DC United) have upset four professional teams in their club history. Only the Michigan Bucks have more with nine. | Photo: Bill Pellegrino, Ocean City FC

Ocean City ranks right near the top along with the Menace and the Bucks as one of the best teams in the PDL, and are back in the Open Cup thanks to last season’s division title, their first since 2004. Despite only winning two division titles since they joined the league back in 2003, they are 87-40-37, which is the sixth best record during that span. The Nor’easters qualified as the team in the Eastern Conference with the best record (13-3-0).

Reading United AC
2nd place in the Mid-Atlantic Division (11-2-3)
7th appearance in the US Open Cup (5th as PDL), record 5th straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 1-6-0 (1-4-0 as PDL)
Last appearance: 2012

web-Reading-NYGAA-GlennRiegel — Reading United are back in the US Open Cup for a fifth straight year, a Modern Pro Era record for an amateur team. Photo: Glenn Riegel / Reading United AC

For the first time in the Modern Professional Era, an amateur team will be making their fifth straight appearance in the US Open Cup. Reading United will attempt to put the past behind them, as the tournament has not been kind to United. Last year’s 2-1 home win over four-time Open Cup champion New York Greek American Atlas, was their first tournament win in franchise history. They would lose in the next round, 2-1 to the Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium. Reading has their friendly rivals, Ocean City, to thank for keeping their streak alive. The Nor’easters, by virtue of finishing with the Eastern Conference’s best record, earned a berth, leaving the second place team, Reading, as the Mid-Atlantic’s representative.

GPS Portland Phoenix
2nd place in Northeast Division (10-4-2)
2nd appearance in the US Open Cup, 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 0-1-0
Last appearance: 2012

In just their fourth season in the PDL, GPS Portland Phoenix will make their second straight appearance in the US Open Cup, finishing behind the Canadian-based Ottawa Fury in the Northeast Division. The Phoenix had a chance to win the division, but they finished scoreless against Seacoast United when they needed a win to overtake the Fury. Last year, Portland lost their first-ever Open Cup game 3-2 to the Brooklyn Italians of the USASA. They found themselves behind 3-0 until Blaike Woodruff scored a pair of late goals but it wasn’t enough as the they fell to the two-time tournament champions.

Carolina Dynamo
1st place in the South Atlantic Division (11-1-4)
10th appearance in the US Open Cup (5th as PDL), 3rd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 10-9-0 (5-4-0 as PDL)
Last appearance: 2012

The Carolina Dynamo with their rich history dating back to 1993, will make their 10th appearance in the tournament this year, and their 5th as a PDL side. This is the third year in a row for the Dynamo as they will attempt to avoid their third straight one-and-done. Last year, they were eliminated by the Aegean Hawks from the DC-area 3-1. It was an impressive year for the Dynamo in the league as they only lost one game (11-1-4), and made a playoff run that took them all the way to the championship game, where they lost 2-1 to Forest City London. They will try to re-live their glory days this year, with their greatest moment coming in 2006 when they upset the Richmond Kickers (Div. 3) and the Seattle Sounders (Div. 2) to become the third PDL team (now there have been four) to advance beyond the Third Round. They would eventually fall in the ‘Battle of the Dynamo’, losing 4-2 to Houston of MLS in Round 4.

Laredo Heat
1st place in the Mid South Division (10-3-3)
3rd appearance in the US Open Cup, 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 1-1-1 (0-1 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012

web-SA-LAR2-RobinJerstad — The Laredo Heat advanced to the Second Round of the 2012 US Open Cup, but lost to the San Antonio Scorpions, 2-0. Photo: Robin Jerstad | San Antonio Scorpions

The Laredo Heat are back in the Open Cup for a second straight year, and just the third time in franchise history. Three trips to the tournament in a decade is a surprising number for one of the best teams in the PDL. The 2007 league champion, and a three-time runner-up, the Heat qualified for the Open Cup for the first time back in 2006 when they nearly eliminated Dallas Roma FC in the first round before Roma began their historic run to the Fourth Round. Last year, the Heat returned, winning their first-ever Open Cup game, 4-2 over fellow Texas amateur club ASC New Stars (USASA) in extra time. They hit the road in Round 2 and lost 2-0 to the NASL’s San Antonio Scorpions. This is a PDL team that has qualified for the league playoffs nine years in a row, and have only failed to qualify once, during their inaugural season in 2004. Single-elimination tournaments are nothing new to them, so this tournament could suit them well.

Austin Aztex
2nd place in the Mid South Division (9-5-2)
2nd appearance in the US Open Cup
All-time Open Cup record: 0-0-1 (0-1 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2008

After starting as a PDL franchise in 2008 (and qualifying for the US Open Cup), the Austin Aztex launched a professional team the following year and made two more Open Cup appearances. The franchise was moved to Orlando to form Orlando City SC, but in 2012, the Aztex franchise was revived in Austin as a PDL franchise. Their first season back was a successful one, finishing in second place behind the Laredo Heat. The only Open Cup game the Aztex PDL team played was in 2008 when they took the Atlanta Silverbacks (Div. 2) to penalty kicks, but lost the shootout 5-4.

Ocala Stampede
1st place in the Southeast Division (11-3-2)
1st appearance in the US Open Cup
All-time Open Cup record: N/A
Last appearance: N/A

The Stampede are one of four clubs who are taking part in their first Open Cup as they were an overwhelming success in their inaugural season in the PDL. Ocala, which is located in Central Florida, just northwest of Orlando, won the Southeast Division title with an 11-3-2 record, which was the best record in the conference. They will join the nearby Orlando City U-23s in the tournament.

Orlando City U-23s
2nd place in the Southeast Division (8-3-5)
6th appearance in the US Open Cup, 4th straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 0-5-0
Last appearance: 2012

Orlando City U-23s are back for their fourth straight Open Cup appearance and their sixth overall berth. In 2013, they will attempt to do something the previous five teams editions of the club have failed to do: win a game. Last year was the first year under the current team name. Prior to that, they were known as the Central Florida Kraze and made four trips to the competition before the team was bought by Orlando City after the 2011 season. Last year, they fell to Jacksonville United 2-1 after letting a 1-0 lead in the second half slip away. Jacksonville was awarded an 82nd minute penalty kick and then scored the game-winner in the 89th minute to seal Orlando’s doom.

Seattle Sounders U-23s
1st place in the Northwest Division (11-2-3)
1st appearance in the US Open Cup
All-time Open Cup record: N/A
Last appearance: N/A

No matter what they are called, the Seattle Sounders U-23s are making their first Open Cup appearance in franchise history. The club was originally known as Tacoma FC, but never qualified from 2006-2011. Last year, the team re-branded as the Seattle Sounders U-23s and enjoyed immediate success. They won the Northwest Division championship and reached the final four in the PDL playoffs.

Portland Timbers U-23s
2nd place in the Northwest Division (10-4-2)
2nd appearance in the US Open Cup, 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 0-1-0
Last appearance: 2012

After enjoying success in their first three years as a PDL franchise, including the 2010 league championship, the Portland Timbers U-23s qualified for the US Open Cup for the first time last year. They lost their first game to a USASA side, PSA Elite, 3-1 in front of their home fans, but they will have a chance to redeem themselves with their second straight berth in 2013.

Ventura County Fusion
1st place in the Southwest Division (12-2-2)
4th appearance in the US Open Cup (4th straight)
All-time Open Cup record: 3-2-1 (0-1 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012

The Ventura County Fusion qualified for the Open Cup for the first time back in 2010 and were one-and-done to the USASA’s Arizona Sahuaros. Each year after that, they have improved on the previous year’s performance. In 2011, they won a single game before being eliminated by the Los Angeles Blues (USL Pro). Last year, they won two games, including a revenge win over the Blues in Round 2. They nearly knocked off an MLS team, but were unable to overcome an early goal by Chivas USA, and lost 1-0. If the pattern continues, will the Fusion reach Round 4 this year?

FC Tucson
2nd place in the Southwest Division (9-3-4)
1st appearance in the US Open Cup
All-time Open Cup record: N/A
Last appearance: N/A

FC Tucson became another first-year team to punch their ticket to the Open Cup after a successful inaugural season. They edged out the Fresno Fuego for second place and will be the first Arizona-based club to reach the tournament since the Arizona Sahuaros took part in 2010.

Source: 2013 US Open Cup to feature 16 Premier Development League teams

January 14, 2012 by Josh Hakala

This was confirmed this yAccording to sources at the United Soccer Leagues’ annual general meeting in Tampa, Fla., the Premier Development League will have 16 entries into the 2013 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the second consecutive year.

Last year the US Soccer Federation expanded the Open Cup field to include all US-based Major League Soccer teams and increased the number of amateur teams to a Modern Pro Era-record 32. The upcoming tournament, the 100th consecutive running of the Open Cup, appears to be following a similar format, but the official announcement is yet to be made.

With the date of the 2013 tournament expected to be earlier for the second year in a row, the PDL has decided to base their entries on the previous season’s results once again. The official announcement came nearly a year ago exactly with two berths, with one exception, going to each division.

According to sources, here are the teams that will be taking part in the 2013 US Open Cup (we will be updating with brief summaries of each team’s tournament history):

Bucks-Fire 2012 3rd Round — Last year, the Michigan Bucks upset Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire 3-2 in extra time indoors at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Mich.

Des Moines Menace
3rd place in the Heartland Division (8-5-3)
7th appearance in the US Open Cup , 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 7-6-1 (1-0 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012The Des Moines Menace are back in the competition for the second year in a row, making their seventh all-time appearance. Only the Michigan Bucks (10) have qualified for the Open Cup more times among PDL teams. They enter the tournament as a 3rd place team because the Heartland Division champion, Thunder Bay Chill, are based in Canada.

Eastern Conference

Ocean City Nor’easters
1st place in the Mid-Atlantic Division (13-3-0)
6th appearance in the US Open Cup (5th as PDL)
All-time Open Cup record: 7-5-0 (6-4-0 as PDL)
Last appearance: 2009

The Nor’easters are back in the tournament as another PDL team with a giant killer reputation. This is their first appearance since 2009, when they defeated two Division 3 professional teams to reach the Third Round where they lost a close 2-0 decision to Major League Soccer’s DC United on the road. Only the Michigan Bucks (12) and the Des Moines Menace (7) have more Open Cup wins as a PDL team than the Nor’easters (6), who were known as the Barons the last time they entered the competition. The Bucks are also the only team with more professional team upsets in the tournament (9) than the Nor’easters (4). Ocean City ranks right near the top along with the Menace and the Bucks as one of the best teams in the PDL, and are back in the Open Cup thanks to last season’s division title, their first since 2004. Despite only winning two division titles since they joined the league back in 2003, they are 87-40-37, which is the sixth best record during that span. The Nor’easters qualified as the team in the Eastern Conference with the best record (13-3-0).