Some of the best accomplishments, fun facts and upsets from the Quarterfinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
Colorado Rapids
2012 US Open Cup Fourth Round: Sporting KC gets better of MLS foe Colorado to reach Quarterfinals
Two weeks ago, a two-goal Sporting Kansas City lead in Colorado was not enough as the Rapids scored two for the draw in league play. On Tuesday evening, Sporting kept Colorado off the board and took the Fourth Round US Open Cup victory with an own goal and another Teal Bunbury strike. The hosts got […]
2012 US Open Cup Third Round: Colorado Rapids rush Tampa Bay Rowdies in return to the tournament
The Rapids fielded a full-strength side against the NASL’s Tampa Bay Rowdies and the tactic worked to full effect, as they came away with a 3-1 victory.
The Other US Opens and marketing the ‘US Soccer Majors’
TheCup.us will now refer to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, MLS Cup, MLS Supporters’ Shield, and CONCACAF Champions League as the ‘US Soccer Majors.’ It’s an effort to raise the profile of all the championships that teams in the U.S. play for, similar to the sports of golf and tennis.
Notable Semifinal matches in US Open Cup history
The very first Semifinal round of the US Open Cup (then called the National Challenge Cup) saw a pair of Brooklyn teams reach the Final. On April 18, the Brooklyn Field Club, which finished first in the National Association Football League, defeated New Bedford FC 2-1, on two goals by Hall of Famer Robert Millar, after Beckton had given the New Englanders a 1-0 lead. Both teams played much of the game with ten men each, after Clark of Brooklyn and Chadwick of New Bedford were sent off in the 35th minute for fighting.
2011 US Open Cup qualifying updates: MLS play-in tournament underway
For the fifth year in a row, Major League Soccer will conduct a play-in tournament to narrow the number of teams that enter the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Beginning on June 28, eight MLS clubs will join the 98th edition of the tournament in the third round, with the top six MLS teams based on the 2010 league standings automatically qualifying. The 10 remaining US-based clubs are left to fight for the last two spots.
2011 US Open Cup qualifying: Chicago Fire one win away from Open Cup after beating Rapids
Where there is smoke there is fire, or at least the Chicago Fire’s Jalil Anibaba. The rookie defender launched a 45 yard shot from the midst of a flare-induced haze just after the hour mark to give the hosts a 2-1 US Open Cup qualification victory over the reigning Major League Soccer champion Colorado Rapids Wednesday evening in Peoria, IL at Bradley University’s Shea Stadium.
Wolyniec scores twice (again) as New York Red Bulls beat Rapids to return to US Open Cup (Video)
They had to take the longest road to get there, but the New York Red Bulls have reached the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after defeating the Colorado Rapids 3-0 at Red Bull Arena. John Wolyniec scored a pair of goals for the second straight Open Cup play-in game, and Conor Chinn added a third as the Red Bulls eliminated the Rapids.
US Open Cup qualifying: Wells Thompson brace gives Rapids qualifying win over Wizards (Video)
In 74 career Major League Soccer matches, Wells Thompson has scored two goals. But on Tuesday night, the midfielder continued his successful scoring record in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches, scoring twice to lead the Colorado Rapids to a 2-1 comeback victory over the Kansas City Wizards in an MLS play-in game at Stanley H. Durwood Stadium on the campus of the University of Kansas City-Missouri.
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.