When one thinks of US Open Cup history, Cincinnati has never been the first city to come to mind. However, with ESPN shining the national spotlight on Nippert Stadium tonight for FC Cincinnati’s Fifth Round match against the Chicago Fire (MLS), one might be surprised to know that the Queen City’s Open Cup history started 87 years ago.
Cincinnati Kings
2011 US Open Cup qualifying (PDL Central): Real Colorado Foxes qualify; Chicago Fire Premier clinch via stoppage time goal to join MLS side
US Open Cup qualifying for the Premier Development League is already underway for 2011 as the season began on April 30. It is arguably the most exciting portion of the event for the league as the task of qualifying can be more daunting than the professional opponents awaiting them in the tournament proper. In the […]
Breakdown for 2011 USL PDL US Open Cup Qualifying: Central Conference
US Open Cup qualifying for the PDL Central Conference, the last conference to begin qualification play, opens with three games on May 14 and a fourth the following evening.
Notable upsets in the Second Round of the US Open Cup
The Mid-Michigan Bucks have always been one of the lower division troublemakers of the US Open Cup, and this match against the New England Revolution at Foxboro Stadium helped build that reputation. Goalkeeper Eric Pogue was the early hero for the Bucks, saving a Shaker Asad penalty kick in the 7th minute to keep the score 0-0. The Bucks stayed with the Revolution for 90 minutes using a high-tempo style of play and eventually sending the sparse crowd of 1,857 Revolution fans home disappointed.
Notable upsets in the First Round of the US Open Cup
The Professional Era’s greatest First Round upset came in 2008 when Hollywood United, the USASA Region IV qualifier from California, traveled to PGE Park in Portland Ore. and knocked out the Portland Timbers 3-2. Hollywood United trailed twice during the match, but each time they trailed, Matt Taylor would convert a penalty kick to tie the game back up. With the score level at 2-2, Earl Alexander scored a 90th minute goal to send United to the Second Round and left Portland fans stunned. It was only the second time in the Professional Era that a USASA team has defeated a USL First Division team, and the first time that a USASA team had upset a USL-1 team on the road.
2007 First Round: Bavarian SC upset Cincinnati to keep Kings winless in Open Cup play
Bavarian SC pulled off the upset of the First Round, knocking off the USL Second Division’s Cincinnati Kings 1-0 at Bavarian Soccer Park in Milwaukee, Wis. Bavarian becomes the first USASA team in the Professional Era (1995-present) to beat two professional teams in their club history. They knocked off the Reading Rage of the D3 Pro League (USL Second Division) in the Second Round of the 2003 tournament.