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El Paso Patriots

US Open Cup history: A final four with teams without a title game appearance is rare

August 6, 2019 by Chuck Nolan Jr.

Madison Kennels and Sparta A&BA battle in the 1929 National Challenge Cup Semifinals. Newspaper archive: St. Louis Post Dispatch

The 2019 US Open Cup Semifinals offer up a fresh and unique field of potential champions. Not only have none of the remaining teams ever won a US Open Cup championship, but none of them have ever been to a Final either. This is just the second time this has happened since MLS joined the competition in 1996, and it’s just the 10th time in the 106-year history of the tournament that fans are not only guaranteed a first-time champion, but none of the semifinalists have even reached a Final before.

We take a look back at the previous nine Semifinals that featured teams all seeking their first Open Cup title.

1920 National Challenge Cup
Robins Dry Dock (New York, NY) vs. Fore River FC (Quincy, MA)
Ben Miller FC (St. Louis, MO) vs. Packard FC (Detroit, MI)

It’s no real surprise the 1920 Semifinals lacked teams with Finals experience, for many reasons. For the 1920 edition, there were many teams returning to the competition after a two-year absence. World War I enlistments had greatly reduced the field of teams for the 1918 and 1919 tournaments, as many teams had to suspend operations due to a lack of players. Detroit’s Packard FC was one of those clubs, having participated in the National Challenge Cup from 1915-17, the club skipped the 1917-18 and 1918-19 competitions. Packard had achieved moderate success in their previous cup runs, but never got as far as the Third Round.

Fore River avoided the fate of many clubs and were able to field a team through the war since it’s home base of Quincy, Mass. was home to several shipyards, becoming an important employer during the war years. The Quincy shipbuilders had reached the Quarterfinals in 1919, where they fell to eventual runners-up Paterson FC (New Jersey) 2-1, in a replay of their scoreless draw.

Jimmy Miller of Ben Miller FC (Date unknown)
Jimmy Miller of Ben Miller FC (Date unknown)

The 1920 tournament was just the second for Robins Dry Dock, as the team was put together at the start of the 1918-19 season. The Robins club also contributed to the inexperience of the Semifinals by eliminating the Fall River Rovers (4-0 in Round 4) and Bethlehem Steel (1-0 AET in Quarterfinals). Bethlehem had appeared in the previous five Cup finals, while Fall River joined the Steelmen in the title game from 1915-17. The elimination of these two powerhouses greatly increased the chance of new clubs reaching the final in 1920.

 

The final piece of the puzzle was the Ben Miller FC from St. Louis. 1920 was the first year that clubs from St. Louis entered the tournament, leading to the Gateway City becoming a dominant force in the national tournament for the next 17 years.

In the Semifinals, Fore River overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit to stage a dramatic 2-1 win over Robins, with Tommy Underwood and Jack Kershaw each scoring in the final 15 minutes. Ben Miller reached its maiden cup final with a 4-2 win over Packard FC. Rube Potee and Larry Riley each scored twice for the Millers. In the Final, at Handlan’s Park in St. Louis, Ben Miller and Fore River traded goals in the first half, Hap Marre for the home team and Kershaw for the visitors. Future National Soccer Hall of Famer Jimmy Dunn scored what proved to be the winning goal in the 63rd minute, giving St. Louis the National Challenge Cup crown in their debut year.

1920 National Challenge Cup Semifinals

April 10, 1920
Coats Field – Pawtucket, RI

Fore River Rovers 2:1 Robins Dry Dock

Robins: Harry Ratican – 45’
Fore River: Tommy Underwood (Farquar) – 75’
Fore River – Jack Kershaw (Underwood) – 85’

April 25, 1920
Federal League Park – St. Louis, MO

Ben Miller FC 4:2 Packard FC

Ben Miller: Rube Potee (PK) – 8’
Ben Miller: Larry Riley (Rooney) – 10’
Packard: Mercer – 30’
Packard: John Hunter – 43′
Ben Miller: Larry Riley (Rooney) – 68’
Ben Miller: Rube Potee – 2nd Half

1920 National Challenge Cup Final

May 9, 1920
Handlan’s Park – St. Louis, MO

Ben Miller FC 2:1 Fore River Rovers

Ben Miller: Hap Marre 22′ (Potee)
Fore River: Jack Kershaw 37′
Ben Miller: Jimmy Dunn 63′ (Potee)

***********************************

1925 National Challenge Cup Semifinals
Abbot Worsted (Fore Village, MA) vs. Shawsheen Indians (Andover, MA)
Thistles FC (Cleveland, OH) vs. Canadian Club (Chicago, IL)

The 1925 National Challenge Cup Eastern Final. Newspaper archive: Boston Globe
The 1925 National Challenge Cup Eastern Final. Newspaper archive: Boston Globe

If there ever was a tournament of underdogs, it was the 1925 National Challenge Cup. Not because of any overachieving clubs, but rather a lack of heavyweights in the field. Frustrated with how the tournament was being run, the owners of the American Soccer League teams decided to boycott the 1925 competition. One concern raised by the owners was the fact that their clubs were forced to play early round games against amateur clubs, in which the gate receipts sometimes did not cover the cost of travel if the ASL teams were drawn away. Perhaps the biggest issue for the owners was the 33 1/3% cut the USFA took from the gate receipts from each cup game. The four professional clubs from St. Louis also joined in the boycott, leaving the 1925 National Challenge Cup devoid of all the major contenders.

Abbot Worsted, sponsored by the Abbot Worsted Yarn Company of Fore Village, MA was easily the most experienced team among the semifinalists. Worsted reached the semifinals in 1922, and notched quarterfinal appearances in 1923 and 1924. The Shawsheen Indians of Andover, MA were a familiar opponent for Worsted, as the clubs met in the first round in 1924. After a 3-3 draw, Worsted eliminated Shawsheen two weeks later in the replay, 3-1. A year later, it was Shawsheen’s turn, as the Indians took a 2-0 lead through goals from Peter Purden and Alex Carrie in each half. Worsted’s Dan Cummings scored with two minutes remaining, but it was too late to catch the winners.

Chicago’s Canadian Club and Cleveland’s Thistles FC had a closer affair at DePaul Field in the Windy City. Thistles’ Swede Johnson scored in the 40th minute, but the Canadians answered two minutes later through a Bob Hannah penalty kick. With eight minutes remaining, Joe Phillips put the Canadians on top for good, 2-1.

Played at Mark’s Stadium, home of the boycotting Fall River Marksmen, the 1925 Cup Final was a dismal affair at the gate. Only 2,300 turned up, with a reported 953 paid. In contrast, the Boston Wonder Workers of the ASL and St. Louis’ Ben Miller FC played a three-game “American Professional Soccer Championship” series that drew 18,000 fans over three games. Back in Fall River, with goals from Edmund Smith, Peter Purden and Alex Carrie, Shawsheen lifted the Dewar trophy for the only time.

The new champs then achieved their overall goal of being included in the American Soccer League, but their story would not have a happy ending. The team struggled in league play, and in mid-season the teams’ backers, the American Woolen Company, pulled their support after company owner William Wood died. The team finished 10th out of 12 teams in the 1925-26 season and ceased operations in March of 1926.

1925 National Challenge Cup Semifinals

March 22, 1925
DePaul Field – Chicago, IL

Canadian Club 2:1 Thistles FC

Thistles: Swede Johnson 40′
Canadian Club: Bob Hannah 42′ (PK)
Canadian Club: Joe Phillips 82’

April 4, 1925
Balmoral Park  – Andover, MA

Shawsheen Indians 2:1 Abbot Worsted

Shawsheen: Peter Purden 17’ (PK)
Shawsheen: Alex Carrie (2nd half)
Abbot Worsted: Dan Cummings 88’

1925 National Challenge Cup Final

April 19, 1925
Mark’s Stadium, Tiverton, RI

Shawsheen Indians 3:0 Canadian Club

Shawsheen: Edmund Smith (Blyth) 35′
Shawsheen: Peter Purden (PK) 41′
Shawsheen: Alex Carrie 50′

Madison Kennels and Sparta A&BA battle in the 1929 National Challenge Cup Semifinals. Newspaper archive: St. Louis Post Dispatch
Madison Kennels and Sparta A&BA battle in the 1929 National Challenge Cup Semifinals. Newspaper archive: St. Louis Post Dispatch

1929 National Challenge Cup Semifinals
Sparta A & BA (Chicago, IL) vs. Madison Kennels (St. Louis, MO)
New York Giants (New York, NY) vs. Hakoah All Stars (New York, NY)

Just four years after the ASL and St. Louis pro clubs skipped the 1925 National Challenge Cup, the ASL once again skipped the competition. This time the St. Louis pro clubs did not join.

The rift began when the ASL owners looked to break away from the United States Soccer Football Association. In 1927, the league came under scrutiny from FIFA for poaching players from Great Britain, and the ASL owners did not agree with the limitations set by the USFA to satisfy FIFA. In retaliation, the ASL forbid its teams from entering the 1929 National Challenge Cup, but Bethlehem Steel, Newark Skeeters and the New York Giants broke ranks with the league and entered the Cup anyway. The ASL suspended the three teams, and in turn the USFA suspended the ASL. The three renegade teams joined five teams from the Southern New York Soccer Association’s Eastern Soccer League, while the remaining ASL clubs played on as an outlaw league. With that said, the previous two Cup champions, Fall River Marksmen (1927) and New York Nationals (1928) were out of the running for the 1929 title.

However, Bethlehem Steel wouldn’t be one of the teams representing the ESL in the semifinals, having been eliminated by the New York Giants in the Quarterfinals.  The Giants’ semifinal opponents were the Hakoah All Stars, also of the ESL. Hakoah was founded in the fall of 1928 by several former players from Hakoah Vienna. The Austrian club came to the United States for a tour in 1926, and several of the players decided to stay in the United States. Several of those players played for the Giants from 1926-28 before forming their own team. In front of 12,000 fans at Brooklyn’s Dexter Park, a 78th minute goal from Hungarian international Josef Eisenhoffer was just enough for Hakoah to edge the Giants and earn a sport in the Final.

In the Western final, two new teams from familiar locations squared off. St. Louis’ Madison Kennels were a “new” club in the St. Louis Pro League for the 1928-29 season, having changed sponsors when the Morgan Haulers were sold to new owners. Madison knocked off 1926 Cup champions Ben Miller FC in the first round and made their way to the semifinals as the latest threat from St. Louis. Their opponents were Sparta Athletic and Benevolent Association (A & BA for short). Founded in 1915 by Czech immigrants, the club made their debut in the Cup in 1922, and by 1927 became one of the strongest clubs in the west.

The game at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis featured 11 goals in total. Madison took a quick 2-0 lead in the first ten minutes, and by halftime held a 4-2 advantage. Sparta and Madison alternated goals in the second half until the score was 5-4, but Madison eventually pulled away with two late goals for a 7-4 victory. Madison’s Buddy Grennon had a hat trick and assisted on two other goals.

The 1929 Final made history on many levels. It was the first Final to be scheduled for multiple games, a best-of-three format replacing the single game championship. The tournament’s attendance record also fell, as an estimated 15,000 (13,937 paid) fans witnessed the first game at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis, setting a new mark for soccer in that city.  Madison held off Hakoah for most of the game, but in the 80th minute Josef Eisenhoffer broke through for the first score. Two minutes later, Siegfried Wortmann doubled Hakoah’s lead for a 2-0 win in the first leg.

A week later, 21,583 fans packed Dexter Park in Brooklyn for the second leg, an Open Cup Final attendance record that would stand until the 2010 Final in Seattle which saw a crowd of 31,311. Madison proved no match for Hakoah, as future US National Team manager Erno Schwarz, Max Gruenwald and Austrian international Mortiz Haeusler provided the home side with a 3-0 win and a National Challenge Cup title. The Hakoah squad would stay together until the collapse of the original ASL in the summer of 1933, but never reach the heights of an Open Cup championship again.

1929 National Challenge Cup Semifinals

March 17, 1929
Sportsman’s Park – St. Louis, MO

Madison Kennels 7:4 Sparta A & BA

Madison: Dinty Moore (Hanson) 1’
Madison: Johnny Worden (Oster) 8’
Sparta: Joe Kratochvil (Karbec) 18’
Madison: Buddy Grennon (Flavin) 1st half
Madison: Buddy Grennon (Hanson) 31’
Sparta: Adolph Berger (PK) 44’
Sparta: Adolph Berger (Karbec) 65′
Madison: Charley Oster (Grennon) 2nd half
Sparta: Charley Oster (Own goal) 2nd half
Madison: Eddie Flavin (Grennon) 2nd half
Madison: Buddy Grennon (Flavin) 88’

March 24, 1929
Dexter Park – Brooklyn, NY

Hakoah All Stars 1:0 New York Giants

Hakoah: Josef Eisenhoffer 78’

1929 National Challenge Cup Final

First Leg
March 31, 1929
Sportsman’s Park – St. Louis, MO

Madison Kennels 0:2 Hakoah All Stars

Hakoah: Josef Eisenhoffer (Nicholsburger) 80′
Hakoah: Siegfried Wortmann 82′

Second Leg
April 7, 1929
Dexter Park – Brooklyn, NY

Hakoah All Stars 3:0 Madison Kennels

Hakoah: Erno Schwarz (Gruenwald) 22′
Hakoah: Max Gruenwald (Haeusler) 50′
Hakoah: Moritz Haeusler (Gruenwald) 70’

***********************************

1941 National Open Cup Semifinals
German Hungarian SC (New York, NY) vs. Pawtucket SC (Pawtucket, RI)
Chrysler (Detroit, MI) vs. Gallatin-Dunlevy (Pittsburgh, PA)

By 1941, the landscape of American soccer had changed drastically. Ravaged by the effects of the Great Depression, the American Soccer League was forced to fold in the spring of 1933 and re-emerge as a semi-pro circuit by the fall. Teams from Philadelphia and Baltimore joined the league, and the New England teams had their own division with a separate schedule. Former cup champions such as Bethlehem Steel, Fall River Marksmen and New York Nationals faded away into history.

After the Stix, Baer & Fuller dynasty ended in 1938, St. Louis’ dominance of the Cup came to an abrupt halt and wouldn’t re-emerge until the 1950s. Teams from Detroit, Chicago and Western Pennsylvania filled the void in the west. With World War II looming on the horizon, only 71 clubs put their names in the hat, and the entry total would not surpass 100 clubs again until 1947. No teams from St. Louis even entered the 1941 Open Cup. On top of this, Philadelphia’s Passon SC was the only non-New England ASL club to enter, meaning none of the ASL teams that made Finals appearances in the past five years were in contention.

With most of the ASL clubs out of the competition, the door was open for teams from the German American Soccer League (GASL). The German Hungarian SC made their way to the Semifinals to represent the GASL and found themselves opposing the top club in the New England division of the ASL, Pawtucket FC. The New York amateurs proved to be no match for Pawtucket, as the ASL pros took the first leg 3-0 at Pawtucket and left Starlight Park in the Bronx with a 5-1 win in the second leg for an 8-1 aggregate victory.

In the Western half of the semifinals, Western Pennsylvania’s Gallatin-Dunlevy was making the most of an unusual partnership. At the start of the 1940-41 season, the managers of the two clubs agreed to combine their teams in order to field a contender in both cup and league play. Gallatin reached the National Amateur Cup final in 1939, but neither club had seen much success in the Open Cup. Detroit’s Chrysler SC had been participating in the Cup since 1934 but had only recently found success, reaching the Quarterfinals in 1940. Chrysler prevailed in convincing fashion over two legs, a 3-1 win at Bridgeville, Pa. followed by a 2-0 triumph at home. Having failed in their bid to win a league or cup championship, Gallatin and Dunlevy went their separate ways the following season.

The Pawtucket-Chrysler final turned out to be one of the more thrilling championships in the history of the Cup. Pawtucket won the first leg at home 4-2 on May 5. In the second leg a week later in Detroit, Chrysler held a 3-0 lead in the second half, and just as Detroit looks to claim its first Open cup title, Ed Valentine scored for Pawtucket to even the aggregate score at 5-5. Pawtucket dominated the 30 minutes of extra time, scoring three goals to push the aggregate to 8-5 to claim the Open Cup. Chrysler would only last one more season, disbanding after a lengthy and bitter controversy with Chicago’s Sparta A & BA in the 1942 tournament.

1941 National Open Cup Semifinals

Eastern Final – First Leg
April 13, 1941
Coats Field – Pawtucket, RI

Pawtucket Rangers 3:0 German Hungarian SC

Pawtucket: Ed Valentine – 1st half
Pawtucket: Dave McEwan (Florie) – 67’
Pawtucket: Walter Dick – 86’

Eastern Final – Second Leg

April 20, 1941
Starlight Park – Bronx, NY

German Hungarian SC 1:5 Pawtucket Rangers

German Hungarian: Eddie Zbuchalski
Pawtucket: Ed Valentine
Pawtucket: Ed Valentine
Pawtucket: Mino Rebello
Pawtucket: Walter Dick

Pawtucket Rangers advance on 8-1 aggregate

Western Final – First Leg

April 6, 1941
Charleroi Stadium – Bridgeville, PA

Gallatin-Dunlevy 1:3 Chrysler FC

Chrysler: Tony Barra (Campbell) 20′
Gallatin-Dunlevy: Charley Lyons (Chislagi) – 23’
Chrysler: George Borg – 53′
Chrysler: Neil Campbell – 88′

Western Final – Second Leg

April 13, 1941
Chrysler Field – Detroit, MI

Chrysler FC 2:0 Gallatin-Dunlevy

Chrysler: John Lenard – 40′
Chrysler: Neil Campbell (Borg) – 81′

Chrysler FC advance on 5-1 aggregate

 

1941 National Challenge Cup Final

First Leg
May 4, 1941
Coats Field – Pawtucket, RI

Pawtucket Rangers 4:2 Chrysler SC

Pawtucket: Mike Souza – 3′
Chrysler: Tommy Ferrans (PK) – 1st Half
Pawtucket: Ed Valentine (Florie) – 1st Half
Pawtucket: Walter Dick – 1st Half
Chrysler: Tony Barra – 2nd Half
Pawtucket: Dave McEwan – 2nd Half

Second Leg
May 11, 1941
Chrysler Field – Detroit, MI

Chrysler S.C. 3:4 (AET) Pawtucket Rangers
(3-1 FT, aggregate 5-5 after full time)

Chrysler: Neil Campbell (Molly) – 1st Half
Chrysler: John Lenard (Molly) – 2nd Half
Chrysler: Tony Barra – 2nd Half
Pawtucket: Ed Valentine (McEwan) – 90’
Pawtucket: Dave McEwan (Anderson) – 97′
Pawtucket: Tommy Florie (Quinn) – 114’
Pawtucket: Dave McEwan – 119′

Pawtucket Rangers win National Challenge Cup 8-5 aggregate

***********************************

1958 National Challenge Cup Semifinals
UASC Lions (Chicago, IL) vs. Los Angeles Kickers (Los Angeles, CA)
Pompei SC (Baltimore, MD.) vs. Beadling (Beadling, PA)

Like the other Semifinals detailed so far, the 1958 National Open Cup final four featured four teams who had little previous success in the tournament or were newcomers to the competition. In addition to that, three of the heavyweight Cup contenders, Eintracht, Kutis and Harmarville, were eliminated ahead of the semis.

A scene from the 1958 National Open Cup Final between the Los Angeles Kickers and Pompei SC of Baltimore. Newspaper archive: Baltimore Sun
A scene from the 1958 National Open Cup Final between the Los Angeles Kickers and Pompei SC of Baltimore. Newspaper archive: Baltimore Sun

The Los Angeles Kickers got their start in 1951, but the teams from the state of California did not see Open cup action until 1954. The exclusion of California clubs in the cup prior to 1954 was largely a matter of travel costs, as commercial air travel was still in its infancy, and traveling to the west coast by train would take too much time. The LA Scots (1952) and McIlwaine Canvasbacks (1953) each had intentions of making their cup debuts before 1954, but both withdrew for financial reasons. In 1954, both Los Angeles and San Francisco held qualifying tournaments with the winners playing for a spot in the Semifinals. The Kickers dismantled AAC Teutonia 13-2 over two legs to reach the 1958 Semifinals.

The UASC Lions (Ukrainian American Soccer Club) were also a relatively new club, having been founded in 1949. The Lions cleared the path to its maiden semifinal berth by upsetting Kutis SC (St. Louis) 4-3 on aggregate over two legs in the Quarterfinals. In the matchup with the Kickers in Los Angeles, the Lions wilted in the 90 degree heat and fell 3-0. Future US international Willie Carson, Future US international and Hall of Famer Al Zerhusen and Pete Rumohr scored for Los Angeles.

Pompei SC began as the Baltimore Rockets in 1953 as a new American Soccer League club and changed its name to Pompei for the 1957-58 season. As the Rockets, the team found no real Open Cup success, but with the new name came new fortunes. Pompei outlasted perennial favorite Sport Club Eintracht (New York, NY) in a 9-8 aggregate Quarterfinal win. The second leg would go down as perhaps the longest game in US Open Cup history, as the teams played 180 minutes in an attempt to earn a semifinal berth. Bob Swinski put the game to rest with a 177th minute goal for Pompei.

MORE: 1958 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Baltimore’s Pompei SC wins one of the longest, greatest Cup games of all-time

By far the longest tenured of the four clubs was Beadling, having been founded in 1898. While Beadling only had two quarterfinal appearances (1951 & 1955) in the years leading up to 1958, the club won the 1954 National Amateur Cup and were runners-up in the 1958 edition. Their path to the final four was opened up by an early round upset of by Rochester’s Redmonds SC over 1956 Cup champion Harmarville. Wins over Buffalo’s Simon Pure and Detroit’s Ukrainian SC led to a two leg affair with Pompei. The first leg went Beadling’s way, as two goals from Jerry Bressanelli cancelled Bob Lezenski’s 11th minute goal for Pompei in a 2-1 win. In the return game in Baltimore, the home club came out on top 3-1 on two goals in each half from Ray Surrock, and an additional score from Ed DeFonso. George Watson converted a penalty for Beadling in the first half. It was the first finals appearance by a Baltimore team since 1940, when Baltimore SC and Chicago’s Sparta A & BA infamously could not decide a winner when the clubs could not come to terms on a tiebreaking third game.

In the final at Kirk Avenue Stadium in Baltimore, 4,500 fans witnessed Pompei and the LA Kickers battle into extra time to determine a winner. Willie Carson drew first blood for the Kickers in the 8th minute, but just eight minutes later Joe “JoJo” DeFonso scored what sounds like a bicycle kick to tie the score. The Baltimore Sun described DeFonso’s goal as “a boot over his head with his back to the goal.” Neither team could score for the remaining 74 minutes, as each team’s leading scorers Al Zerhusen (Kickers) and Larry Surrock (Pompei) failed to find the net.  With ten minutes remaining in extra time Willie Carson struck again, pouncing on a rebound from a blocked shot to drive home the winning goal.

Pompei would go on to make one more quarterfinal appearance in 1960, but wound up folding early in the 1960-61 season. The Kickers would go on to win another Open Cup title in 1964 as the LA Kickers-Victoria after merging with the Victoria Soccer Club. The UASC Lions, Beadling and LA Kickers (now LA Soccer Club) are all still around today.

1958 National Open Cup Semifinals

Eastern Final – First Leg
May 4, 1958
Beadling, PA

Beadling 2:1 Pompei SC

Pompei: Bob Lezenski – 11′
Beadling: Jerry Beressanelli – 2nd Half
Beadling: Jerry Beressanelli – 2nd Half

Eastern Final – Second Leg
May 18, 1958
Kahler’s Park – Baltimore, MD

Pompei SC 3:1 Beadling

Pompei: Ray Surock – 33’
Beadling: George Watson (PK) – 1st Half
Pompei: Ed DeFonso (Cross) – 2nd Half
Pompei: Ray Surock – 78’

Western Final
April 20, 1958
Sentinel Field – Los Angeles, CA

LA Kickers 3:0 UASC Lions SC

Kickers: Willie Carson (Zerhusen) – 1st Half
Kickers: Pete Rumohr (Tyrell) – 2nd Half
Kickers: Al Zerhusen – 2nd Half

1958 National Open Cup Final

June 8, 1958
Kirk Avenue Stadium – Baltimore, MD

Pompei SC 1:2 (AET) LA Kickers

Kickers: Willie Carson – 8’
Pompei: Joe DeFonso – 16’
Kickers: Willie Carson – 110’

 

New York Hota from 1971

1971 National Open Cup Semifinals
Hamm’s (St. Louis, MO) vs. Yugoslav American SC (Los Angeles, CA)
Danube Swabian (Cleveland, OH) vs. New York Hota (New York, NY)

By 1971, the American soccer landscape had changed yet again. The North American Soccer League was in it’s fourth season, but despite pressure from the US Soccer Federation, the NASL clubs were not entering the Open Cup. By 1971, the ASL, which was down to five teams, had moved to a spring/summer schedule a few seasons prior. As a result, almost none of the ASL teams entered the cup because many of their players were cup-tied with clubs they played for in the fall/winter months.

One major difference separated this semifinal field from all the others covered here: Only one of the two semifinals games were played. The western half of the semifinals came down to Hamm’s of St. Louis and the Yugoslav American SC of Los Angeles. The game was set to be played in Los Angeles, and the controversy arose due to a change the USSF made during the offseason. Previously, it was up to the hosts to pay for the visiting team’s travel and lodging, and the change was made that required the visiting team to handle their own expenses or offer a guarantee, or the visiting team could offer a travel guarantee to host the match. The Hamm’s club took issue with this, and after going back and forth with the USSF, failed to appear at Rancho Cienega Stadium in Los Angeles on May 2, forfeiting the match to Yugoslav American.

New York Hota’s path to the Semifinals also featured a bit of controversy. In their 4-1 quarterfinal win over Taunton Sport, the Massachusetts side protested the eligibility of several of Hota’s players. Manager Gordon Bradley and five other players had played for the NASL’s New York Cosmos the day before in their season opener in St. Louis, then flew to Fall River, Mass. for the Open Cup game the next day. Taunton argued that the players could not be registered with two separate teams, thus making them ineligible. Hota argued that had the Open Cup not been behind schedule, the conflict would have been avoided.

The USSF ruled in favor of Hota and they were off to face another surprise semifinal entrant, Danube Swabian of Cleveland, who had upset the Ukrainian Nationals in the Quarterfinals with a 2-1 extra time win. The game was originally set to be played in Cleveland, but for unknown reasons was switched to Franklin Square. New York held a 2-0 lead on goals from John Delano and Karl Minor before Paulo Ramos scored for Swabian in the 75th minute. Five minutes later, Cosmos player Ceyhan Yazar put the game away for Hota by converting a penalty kick. The Clevelanders also protested the eligibility of the Cosmos players, to no avail.

The Final at Rancho Cienega Stadium in Los Angeles proved to be a wild affair and remains the highest-scoring Open Cup Final in history. The Yugoslavs opened the scoring through Jose Bergitas but was soon answered by Paul Delano of Hota. Bergitas scored once again for a 2-1 lead, but Hota drew level before halftime on a Horst Kneissl goal. Felipe Ruvalcaba put the Yugoslavs back in front in the 60th minute on a free kick, but with less than a minute remaining Karl Minor scored for Hota to send the game into extra time.

Two minutes into the extra session Randy Mitrovic put Hota ahead 4-3, and Minor netted his second to extend the lead to 5-3. Bergitas got his third goal of the game to give the Yugoslavs a glimmer of hope, but Kneissl put the game to rest with his second of the game for a 6-4 Hota victory.

1971 National Open Cup Semifinals

Eastern Final
May 3, 1971
Park Stadium – Franklin Square, NY

NY Hota 3:1 Danube Swabian

Hota: John Delano – 14′
Hota: Karl Minor – 66′
Hota: Ceyhan Yazar (PK) – 80′
Danube: Paulo Ramos – 75′

Western Final
May 2, 1971
Rancho Cienega Stadium – Los Angeles, CA

Yugoslav American SC vs. Hamm’s

Hamm’s forfeit, failed to appear

Hamm’s did not show for game against San Pedro because of no travel guarantee (for a traveling party of 18) to Hamm.

Yugoslav American refused a $2000 bid by Hamm’s to play in St. Louis

1971 National Open Cup Final
May 16, 1971
Rancho Cienega Stadium – Los Angeles, CA

Yugoslav American SC 4:6 (AET) NY Hota

Yugoslav: Jose Bergitas – 1st Half
Hota: Paul Delano – 1st Half
Yugoslav: Jose Bergitas – 1st Half
Hota: Horst Kneissl – 1st Half
Yugoslav: Felipe Ruvalcaba – 60’
Hota: Karl Minor – 90’
Hota: Randy Mitrovic – 92’
Hota: Karl Minor – Extra Time
Yugoslav: Jose Bergitas – Extra Time
Hota: Horst Kneissl – Extra Time

***********************************

1987 National Open Cup Semifinals
Mean Green (Dallas, TX) vs. Club Espana (Washington D.C.)
Mitre Eagles (Seattle, WA) vs. Busch Under-22 SC (St. Louis, MO)

By 1987, the Open Cup had been contested exclusively by amateur and semi-pro clubs for almost 15 years. The ASL folded in 1983 and the NASL followed in 1984, although the teams for each league began to skip the tournament in the early 1970s. Clubs from “non-traditional” areas of the nation such as Texas, Florida, and Washington rose to prominence in the Open Cup. Another new twist was that the USSF had begun to play all of its cup semifinals and finals on one central location, and for a few years that would be the St. Louis Soccer Park in Fenton, Missouri.

This semifinal field included teams that had gone deep in the tournament before. The Mitre Eagles of Seattle, whose roster included a mix of former Settle Sounders and University of Washington players, made a few deep runs in the Open Cup prior to 1987. Starting with a quarterfinal appearance in 1982 when the team was known as Croatian SC. The Eagles followed up with quarterfinal runs in 1983, 1985 and 1986. Finally, in 1987, the team finally won the Region IV title with a 2-1 extra time win over San Francisco’s Greek American AC.

The Eagles opponents were another team that had some Open Cup success, sort of. The Busch Seniors Soccer Club had the bad luck to have to qualify from the same state as the powerful Kutis SC, who had made finals appearances in 1983, 1985 and 1986. The lone gap in that run was stopped by Busch with a 5-0 win in the Missouri qualifying final, although Busch fell in the national quarterfinals to eventual Open Cup runners-up Croatian SC of Chicago. In 1987, Busch would stop Kutis once again in the Missouri final, but it wasn’t the Seniors who took the honors, but Busch’s Under-22 team. The Seniors squad fell in the second round of qualifying, but the Busch-22s kept going. After nudging past Milwaukee Sport Club on penalties in the quarterfinals to set a date with the Mitre Eagles.

The game was a high-scoring, extra time affair, in which Busch tied the game on Steve Trittschuh’s 85th minute goal. They would rally from a 4-2 deficit in extra time to tie the game in the 118th minute on Kevin Hundelt’s second goal of the game. A minute later, John Klein scored his second goal of the game to send the Eagles to the Open Cup Final.

The other semifinal featured Mean Green a team from just outside of Dallas, who took their name from the University of North Texas, where many of the players played college soccer. The Mean Green started as an independent club in 1984 before joining the Lone Star Soccer Alliance in 1987. The team mad an immediate impact, winning the National Amateur Cup in 1984, and reaching the semifinals of the Open Cup in 1985.

Opposing them was Washington, D.C.’s Club Espana, the 1985 National Amateur cup champions and a team that had already made plans to join the third version of the American Soccer League in 1988 as the Washington Diplomats. The contest was all Espana, as two goals from Richard Burks and another from Fernando Iturbe sent the future pros to the final with a 3-0 win.

Despite coming from opposite sides of the country, Club Espana and Mitre Eagles were quite familiar with each other. The two teams previously met in the 1985 National Amateur Cup final that Espana won 2-1. In a nod to the club’s future, Espana wore their Washington Diplomats shirts for the game. Each team finished down a man as Abdulwhad Al-Khaldi (Espana) and Stephen Englebrick (Eagles) were sent off in the 54th minute. The teams pushed through regulation and extra time without a goal, the 75th edition of the Open Cup Final would be the first to finish scoreless, as well as the first final to be decided on penalty kicks. Espana only needed to convert on their first three shots, as the Eagles missed each of their attempts.

1987 National Open Cup Semifinals

June 20, 1987
St. Louis Soccer Park – Fenton, MO

Club Espana 3:0 Mean Green

Espana: Fernando Iturbe – 11′
Espana: Richard Burke (PK) – 55′
Espana: Richard Burke (PK) – 84’

Mitre Eagles 5:4 (AET) Busch U-22s

Eagles: John Klein – 1st Half
Eagles: Eddie Kruger – 1st Half
Busch: Unknown goalscorer – 1st Half
Busch: Steve Trittschuh – 85′
Eagles: Peter Klein – Extra Time
Eagles: Andy Churlin – Extra Time
Busch: Kevin Hundelt
Busch: Kevin Hundelt – 118’
Eagles: John Klein – 119’

*other goal times not available

1987 National Open Cup Final

June 21, 1987
St. Louis Soccer Park – Fenton, MO

Club Espana 0:0 (AET) Mitre Eagles

Club Espana wins National Open Cup, 3-0 on penalty kicks

 

1995 US Open Cup champions: Richmond Kickers
After playing the El Paso Patriots to a 1-1 draw, the Richmond Kickers captured the 1995 US Open Cup title by defeating the Patriots on penalty kicks 4-2. Photo: Richmond Kickers

1995 US Open Cup Semifinals
El Paso Patriots (El Paso, TX) vs. Seattle Sounders (Seattle, WA)
Richmond Kickers (Richmond, VA) vs. Chicago Stingers (Chicago, IL)

1996 US Open Cup Semifinals
Dallas Burn (Dallas, TX) vs. D.C. United (Washington D.C.)
Rochester Raging Rhinos (Rochester, NY) vs. Colorado Rapids (Denver, CO)

In 1995 and 1996 the US Open Cup underwent perhaps the most drastic change in its history. For the first time since 1973, teams from the top two professional leagues in the country entered the competition. For its entire existence, none of the NASL teams ever took part in the Open Cup, and the last confirmed entry of an American Soccer League club was in 1973.  Starting in 1991, teams from the newly-founded Southwest Independent Soccer League (later to become the USISL, and then the United Soccer Leagues), although teams from the American Professional Soccer League continued to skip the tournament until 1995.

With Major League Soccer’s debut season coming in 1996, the APSL (a Division 2 pro league known as the A-League at this point) entered the Open Cup in 1995, ready to clash with the up and coming USISL (Division 3 pro). All four quarterfinal matchups were A-League vs. USISL affairs, and the USISL emerged victorious in three of the games. For all four clubs it wasn’t just their debut in the semifinals, but their debut in the Open Cup as a whole.  The first contest took place on July 30 as the USISL’s El Paso Patriots played host to the Seattle Sounders, the last remaining A-League club. Playing in 103 degree heat, the Patriots’ Gabino Amparan scored the lone goal in the 36th minute to sweep away the Sounders and earn a spot in the final. A week later in Richmond, the amateur Richmond Kickers of the USISL Premier League (which later became the Premier Development League, and currently known as USL League Two), played host to the professional Chicago Stingers, both members of the USISL but in separate leagues.

Players from D.C. United celebrate the club's 1996 US Open Cup championship.
Players from D.C. United celebrate the club’s 1996 US Open Cup championship.

The Kickers got off to a quick start with an opening minute goal from Brian Kamler, but Chicago answered ten minutes later through Don D’Ambra. The Stingers went into halftime with a 2-1 lead thanks to a 38th minute penalty kick from Steve Morris. Ben Crawley and Scott Snyder struck for two quick goals for Richmond midway through the second half for a 3-2 lead, but Chicago tied the game yet again when D’Ambra scores his second in the 88th minute. With extra time looming, Richmond’s Rob Ukrop was brought down in the penalty area in the 89th minute, and Crawley stepped up for his second goal of the game to put an end to a wild semifinal. The 1995 final in El Paso was a tight affair. Rob Ukrop put Richmond ahead in the first half, and Gabino Amparan scored late in the game for El Paso to force extra time. After a scoreless extra time, the Kickers won the penalty shootout as goalkeeper Jeff Causey saved the final two penalty kick attempts from the Patriots.

In 1996, it was time for Major League Soccer to make its Open Cup debut. Only four MLS teams entered, all entering in the Quarterfinals. However, the Colorado Rapids made an impromptu debut when they replaced the A-League’s Colorado Foxes, who were forced to withdraw when five of their starters were called up to the Jamaican National Team for World Cup qualifying. Kansas City, Dallas and D.C. United advanced to the Semifinals, but Tampa Bay fell 4-3 in extra time to the new sensation of American soccer: the A-League’s Rochester Raging Rhinos. The Rhinos drew the Colorado Rapids and wound up blowing by their MLS competition. Two goals from Doug Miller and another from Lenin Steenkamp sent 12,179 at Frontier Field in Rochester home happy. On the other side of the bracket, D.C. United only needed a pair of goals from Jaime Moreno to overcome the Dallas Burn, 2-0.

In the Final on October 30, D.C. United put an end to the Rhinos’ fairytale run 3-0 behind behind goals from Raul Diaz Arce, Eddie Pope and Moreno. D.C. United would appear in four more Open Cup finals, but their next title wouldn’t come until 2008. The Rhinos would make another cinderella run in 1999, knocking off four MLS teams to become the only non-MLS club to win the Open Cup since 1996.

1995 US Open Cup Semifinals

July 30, 1995
Dudley Field – El Paso, TX

El Paso Patriots 1:0 Seattle Sounders

El Paso: Gabino Amparan (Lorenzo Baeza) – 36’

August 4, 1995
Univ. of Richmond Stadium – Richmond, VA

Richmond Kickers 4:3 Chicago Stingers

Richmond: Brian Kamler (Scott Synder) – 1’
Chicago: Don D’Ambra (Unassisted) – 11’
Chicago: Steve Morris (PK) – 30’
Richmond: Ben Crawley (Assist?) – 64’
Richmoond: Scott Snyder (Assist?) – 69’
Chicago: Don D’Ambra (Steve Morris) – 88’
Richmond: Ben Crawley (PK) – 89’

1995 US Open Cup Final

August 27, 1995
SISD Student Activities Complex – El Paso, TX

El Paso Patriots 1:1 (AET) Richmond Kickers

Richmond: Rob Ukrop (Leigh Cowlishaw) – 49’
El Paso: Gabino Amparan (Sal Mercado) – 80’

Richmond wins US Open Cup, 4-2 on penalty kicks

***********************************

1996 US Open Cup Semifinals

October 12, 1996
Frontier Field – Rochester, NY

Rochester Ragin’ Rhinos 3:0 Colorado Rapids

Rochester: Lenin Steenkamp (Hector Marinaro) – 32’
Rochester: Doug Miller (Henry Gutierrez) – 56’
Rochester: Doug Miller (Hector Marinaro) – 85’

October 27, 1996
Cotton Bowl – Dallas, TX

Dallas Burn 0:2 D.C. United

D.C. United: Jaime Moreno (Marco Etcheverry) – 12’
D.C. United: Jaime Moreno (Unassisted) – 82’

1996 US Open Cup Final

October 30, 1996
RFK Stadium – Washington, D.C.

D.C. United 3:0 Rochester Ragin’ Rhinos

D.C. United: Raul Diaz Arce (Unassisted) – 45’
D.C. United: Eddie Pope (Tony Sanneh) – 63’
D.C. United: Jaime Moreno (Tony Sanneh) – 89′

 

Filed Under: 2019 US Open Cup, Feature - History, Feature - Main, US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: Abbot Worsted, Beadling, Ben Miller FC, Busch SC, Canadian Club, Chicago Stingers, Chrysler SC, Club Espana, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, Dallas Burn, Danube Swabian, El Paso Patriots, FC Dallas, Fore River FC, Gallatin Dunlevy, German Hungarian SC, Hakoah All Stars, Hamm’s, Los Angeles Kickers, Madison Kennels, Mean Green, Mitre Eagles, New York Giants, New York Hota, Packard FC, Pawtucket SC, Pompei SC, Richmond Kickers, Robins Dry Dock, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Seattle Sounders USL, Shawsheen Indians, Sparta, Thistles FC, UASC Lions, US Open Cup History, Yugoslav American SC

VIDEO: Amateur side Richmond Kickers win 1995 US Open Cup Final over El Paso Patriots

March 8, 2018 by Josh Hakala

1995 US Open Cup champions: Richmond Kickers
1995 US Open Cup champions: Richmond Kickers
After playing the El Paso Patriots to a 1-1 draw, the Richmond Kickers captured the 1995 US Open Cup title by defeating the Patriots on penalty kicks 4-2. Photo: Richmond Kickers

When the Richmond Kickers won the 1995 US Open Cup as an amateur team, it was one of the great underdog stories in the tournament’s long history. They defeated three professional teams, including the USISL Pro League’s El Paso Patriots in penalty kicks in the Final to become the first Virginia-based team to lift the trophy.

Very few US Open Cup games have ever been broadcast on television, but the 1995 US Open Cup Final was televised on the Prime Network and there are very few people who have a copy of it today. Luckily, a VHS tape was found by one of the 1995 Kickers players and the team digitized the entire game this week and posted it to YouTube (WATCH THE ENTIRE GAME BELOW)

This tournament marks the beginning of what TheCup.us calls the “Modern Era”. When the 1995 US Open Cup began, it signaled the return of professional teams to the tournament. Since the competition began in 1913, professional and amateur teams had always competed on the same field to crown the United States’ champion in the sport of soccer. However, the number of pro teams that entered the tournament had reached an all-time low from the 1970s through the mid-1990s. With the North American Soccer League declining to enter, there were very few pro teams left and only a handful of them entered during this era.

In 1995, the A-League (Division 2) entered four teams (Atlanta Ruckus, Colorado Foxes, New York Centaurs, Seattle Sounders), and the USISL Pro League (Division 3) entered seven (Chicago Stingers, Connecticut Wolves, El Paso Patriots, Everett BigFoot, San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles, and the Tampa Bay Cyclones).

Just five amateur teams took part. The four USASA regional Open Cup champions: Spartans SC (Washington D.C.) from Region I, AAC Eagles (Chicago, Ill.) from Region II, McCormick Kickers (St. Petersburg, Fla) from Region III, and Flamengo SC (Sandy, Utah) from Region IV.

The fifth amateur team was the Richmond Kickers from the USISL Premier League, which would later evolve into what is now the Premier Development League (PDL).

The Kickers, featuring a number of future pros including goalkeeper Jeff Causey, Rob Ukrop, Mike Clark, Richie Williams, Brian Kamler, Todd Yeagley and current long-time head coach Leigh Cowlishaw, won four games and upset three professional teams to lift the trophy.

After dispatching a shorthanded Spartans SC team in Round 1 by a score of 6-1, they upset the Atlanta Ruckus (A-League) 2-1 with goals from Rob Ukrop and Scott Snyder to advance to the Semifinals. In the final four, they won a thriller over USISL Pro League side Chicago Stingers, 4-3. Chicago’s Don D’Ambra scored an 88th minute equalizer, his second of the game and the game at the University of Richmond Stadium seemed destined for extra time, but a penalty kick was called in the 89th minute and Richmond’s Ben Crawley scored to send the Kickers to the championship game.

In the 1995 US Open Cup Final, the Kickers had to travel on the road for the first time to play in 90-degree Texas heat as they took on the El Paso Patriots of the USISL Pro League. After a scoreless first half, Rob Ukrop opened the scoring a few minutes into the second half only to see Gabino Amparan equalize for the Patriots late in the game. The match would move on to penalty kicks where the Kickers would prevail 4-2.

Watch the entire broadcast below:

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 1995 US Open Cup, El Paso Patriots, Richmond Kickers

Things you should know about the Second Round of the US Open Cup (Modern Era)

May 17, 2016 by Josh Hakala

Kiley Couch of Dallas Roma FC (left) challenges for the ball against Romario of Miami FC during their Second Round match during the 2006 US Open Cup. Photo: Dallas Roma FC

 

FC Cincinnati fans cheer on their team during a Second Round match in the 2018 US Open Cup against Detroit City FC. Photo: Brett Hansbauer | 4th Floor Creative
FC Cincinnati fans cheer on their team during a Second Round match in the 2018 US Open Cup against Detroit City FC. Photo: Brett Hansbauer | 4th Floor Creative

In 2002, no team below the Second Division advanced beyond the Second Round.

The Modern Era (1995-present) record for single-game attendance is held by FC Cincinnati when they had an announced attendance of 12,790 at Nippert Stadium (University of Cincinnati) when they defeated AFC Cleveland (NPSL) 1-0 in extra time on May 17, 2017. The record for average attendance in the Second Round is 3,019 (16 games) from the 2001 tournament.

The El Paso Patriots recorded the biggest rout in the Second Round since 1995, defeating the Arizona Sahuaros 9-1 in 1998. Kirk Wilson scored three times to lead the Patriots. Matching the eight-goal margin, the most lopsided shutout came in 2001 when DC United of MLS trampled the New Jersey Stallions of the D3 Pro League 8-0.

Kiley Couch of Dallas Roma FC (left) challenges for the ball against Romario of Miami FC during their Second Round match during the 2006 US Open Cup. Photo: Dallas Roma FC
Kiley Couch of Dallas Roma FC (left) challenges for the ball against Romario of Miami FC during their Second Round match during the 2006 US Open Cup. Photo: Dallas Roma FC

From 1996-2013, only three Open Division Local clubs won Second Round games. Bavarian SC defeated the Reading Rage (D-3 Pro League) 1-0 in the Second Round of 2003. Dallas Roma FC became the first USASA team to defeat a second division team when they eliminated Miami FC (USL First Division) 1-0 in 2006. Cal FC traveled across the country and upset the Wilmington Hammerheads of USL Pro (Div. 3 pro) 4-0 to reach Round 3 in 2013. However, in 2014, that mark was blown out of the water, as a record five Open Division Local teams reached the Third Round: New York Greek American Atlas (Region I), RWB Adria (Region II), North Texas Rayados (Region III), Des Moines Menace (Region II), and PSA Elite (Region IV) who advanced after the San Diego Flash forfeited. The reason for this increase was due, in large part, to the change in format which saw an increase to 80 teams, and an abbreviated opening round (8 games). Of this group, only RWB Adria and PSA Elite began in the First Round, so the rest of the teams only had to win one game.

Open Division teams winning Second Round games doesn’t happen often, but it’s not unheard of during the Modern Era. 41 USL League Two (formerly PDL) teams have made it to the Third Round in the Modern Era. The Flint City Bucks (formerly Michigan Bucks) have done it more than anyone else, advancing to Round 3 six times. 19 Open Division Local teams have reached the Third Round. The NPSL has had nine teams win Second Round games, with four of them all coming in 2018: Brooklyn Italians (2014), Chattanooga FC (2014, 2015, 2016), Elm City Express (2018), Miami United (2018), FC Wichita (2018), Jacksonville Armada (2018), Orange County FC (2019).

The US Soccer Federation increased the number of teams to 80 in 2014, creating the largest Second Round in the Modern Era (and quite possibly of all time) with 24 games on the schedule. One of the games was forfeited, and one was moved to May 13, leaving a record 22 games to be played on May 14. That record was broken as the tournament continued to expand in 2017 when there were 26 games played, and then again in 2022 when 31 games were on the schedule.

In 2013, a record four Open Division clubs advanced to Round 3. The following year, due to a change in format and an increase in amateur entries, 12 amateur clubs reached the Third Round, which remains a Modern Era record.

1997: Central Coast Roadrunners
1999: Mid-Michigan Bucks
2000: Mid-Michigan Bucks, Chicago Sockers
2001: Seattle Sounders Select
2003: Mid-Michigan Bucks, Fresno Fuego
2004: Chicago Fire Reserves, Cape Cod Crusaders, Boulder Rapids Reserves, Carolina Dynamo
2005: Ocean City Barons, Des Moines Menace
2006: Michigan Bucks, Des Moines Menace, Carolina Dynamo
2009: Ocean City Barons
2011: Chicago Fire PDL, Kitsap Pumas
2012: Michigan Bucks, Ventura County Fusion,
2013: Des Moines Menace, FC Tucson, Ocean City Nor’easters, Reading United AC
2014: Reading United AC, New York Greek American Atlas SC, RWB Adria, Orlando City U23s, Brooklyn Italians, Laredo Heat, North Texas Rayados, Fresno Fuego, PSA Elite, Baltimore Bohemians, Chattanooga FC, Des Moines Menace
2015: Chattanooga FC, Chula Vista FC, Jersey Express, PSA Elite, Ventura County Fusion
2016: Chattanooga FC, Des Moines Menace, Jersey Express, Kitsap Pumas, La Maquina, Lansdowne Bhoys FC, Los Angeles Wolves FC
2017: Chicago FC United, Christos FC, GPS Omens, Los Angeles Wolves FC, Michigan Bucks, Reading United AC
2018: Elm City Express, FC Golden State Force, FC Wichita, Jacksonville Armada FC, Miami United, Mississippi Brilla FC, NTX Rayados, Ocean City Nor’easters, Sporting AZ FC
2019: Florida Soccer Soldiers, Orange County FC

Updated after 2019 US Open Cup

Filed Under: US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: Arizona Sahuaros, Bavarian SC, Boulder Rapids Reserves, Cape Cod Crusaders, Carolina Dynamo, Central Coast Roadrunners, Chicago Fire PDL, Chicago Sockers, Dallas Roma FC, DC United, Des Moines Menace, El Paso Patriots, Fresno Fuego, Kirk Wilson, Miami FC, Michigan Bucks, New Jersey Stallions, Ocean City Barons/South Jersey Barons, Reading Rage, Seattle Sounders Select, Tampa Bay Mutiny, Things You Should Know, Worcester Wildfire

Notable upsets in the Third Round of the US Open Cup

May 22, 2014 by Josh Hakala

The Michigan Bucks upset the Chicago Fire of MLS in 2012 Third Round. Photo: Kelly Haapala
The Michigan Bucks upset the Chicago Fire of MLS in 2012 Third Round. Photo: Kelly Haapala

MORE: Things you should know about the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

2006 – Dallas Roma FC (USASA) 0:0 Chivas USA (MLS)
(Dallas advances 4-2 in PKs)

For all of you who ever wanted the #16 seed to win in the NCAA basketball tournament, we hope you are soccer fans.

Dallas Roma FC, from the North Texas Premier Soccer Association, made history defeating Chivas USA of Major League Soccer on penalties, after playing to a 0-0 draw after extra time. Not only did they defeat their second straight professional opponent in the US Open Cup, they became the first USASA club to eliminate a team from Major League Soccer in the US Open Cup. Chivas was dealt a major blow when their leading scorer, Ante Razov, was sent off in the 57th minute for a reckless foul on Roma defender Todd Paulette. Soon after, Chivas head coach Bob Bradley sent in more of his regular starters, Jason Hernandez, Tim Regan and Juan Francisco Palencia.

The Roma defense, named TheCup.us Players of the Round for their win vs. Miami FC, held firm yet again against the Chivas attack, holding the scoreless draw through 120 minutes, at times keeping all 11 players in their own end in extra time.

Roma had a few chances in the second half as well, most notably Dominic Schell hitting the crossbar after Mark Rowland’s shot was knocked away by Chivas goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Chivas took the first spot kick in the penalty session, and Juan Francisco Palencia saw his attempt saved by Jessie Llamas. Roma’s Matt Clark and Mark Rowland converted the next kicks, as Sacha Kljestan for Chivas. Fortunes turned Roma’s way when Llamas came through again and saved Jesse Marsch’s kick, and Brad Flanagan scored for Roma to make it 3-1. After Claudio Suarez made it 3-2, Dominic Schell stepped up and put Roma in the history books. Previously, the closest a USASA side has come to defeating an MLS club was in 2000, when Florida’s Uruguay SC fell to the Tampa Bay Mutiny 1-0 in extra time.

1997 – Chicago Stingers (D3 Pro) 2:1 Colorado Rapids (MLS)
1997 – San Francisco Bay Seals (D3 Pro) 2:1 Kansas City Wizards (MLS)

The Modern Era of the Open Cup was still young, and Rochester caused a stir in ’96 with their amazing run to the final.

The San Francisco Bay Seals and Chicago Stingers were determined to top that, and top it they did.

Each team made their way to the third round, no small feat in itself. Both clubs defeated A-League sides in the second round, and now stepped up to face the daunting challenge of Major League Soccer. The Seals were first, taking on the Kansas City Wizards on July 24.

As if being the underdog wasn’t motivation enough, Seals forward Marquis White had something to prove of his own. White was dropped in 1996 by the New England Revolution, and he was eager to prove that he could play at the highest level. White didn’t waste any time, scoring in the very first minute of the game, taking a pass from Chris Davini and racing past the Wizards defenders and goalkeeper Chris Snitko for the goal. On the other end, the Seals defense kept the Kansas City forwards stifled and frustrated, but the Wizards eventually equalized in the 39th minute with a Frank Klopas goal.

Marquis White then stepped up a second time, taking another Davini pass home for the game-winning goal in the 55th minute, setting off celebrations at Negoesco Fiield once the final whistle blew. “I knew I could play, and this proves it” said an ecstatic White after the game. The Seals, as a team, also proved they could play, defeating the San Jose Clash in the quarterfinals to move on to the semifinals, eventually losing a close game to DC United 2-1.

Six days later, the Chicago Stingers took their turn at giant killing, knocking off the Colorado Rapids 2-1 in front of 4,730 fans at Chicago’s Forest View Park. Misfortune started early for Colorado, as the Rapids goalkeeper Paul Grafer was sent off after 17 minutes. The Stingers then took control, as Matt Hamnett and Chris Jahr scores goals before and after halftime to take a lead they would never surrender. Chris Henderson pulled one back for Colorado, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the upstart Stingers. Chicago were eventually overwhelmed by the Dallas Burn in the next round, 4-1, but the Seals and Stingers proved that the Open Cup would never be an easy walk for any MLS team.

2012 – Cal FC (USASA – 4th Div.) 1:0 (AET) Portland Timbers (MLS)

2012 – Michigan Bucks (PDL – 4th Div.) 3:2 (AET) Chicago Fire (MLS)

The Third Round of the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup was one of the craziest rounds in tournament history. 16 Major League Soccer teams joined the competition and only eight of them survived to play in Round 4. The two biggest stunners came from the Michigan Bucks (PDL) and newcomers Cal FC (USASA).

14 of the 16 games were played on Tuesday, May 29 and among those were the Michigan Bucks hosting four-time champion Chicago Fire indoors at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Mich. It was just the 4th US Open Cup game ever played indoors and the Bucks upset the Fire 3-2 in extra time.

The Bucks struck first just nine minutes into the match when Tommy Catalano received a pass from star veteran Kenny Uzoigwe to put the home team up 1-0. The Fire would equalize on a goal from Corben Bone in the 28th minute and take the lead in the 58th minute thanks to Frederico Puppo and it looked like the MLS team was going to take control, as they so often do in these underdog scenarios, but today wasn’t their day as a cross from Crnkic found the head of Nate Boyden in the box to tie the match at 2-2. The match would go into extra time and after play resumed, the Bucks wasted no time in putting the pressure on the Fire. What proved to be the eventual game-winning goal came just three minutes in when Crnkic ripped a shot toward the net. The goalkeeper got a hand on it but it wasn’t enough to keep it out as the Bucks would go on to win 3-2 to become the first amateur club in the Modern Era to defeat two MLS teams (They upset the New England Revolution back in 2000).[+]FULL MATCH RECAP

After seven MLS teams were eliminated on Tuesday, what could possibly be in store for the following day? It would turn out to be arguably the biggest upset of the Modern Era (1995-present).

Cal FC, led by their manager former US international Eric Wynalda, traveled from Southern California up to Portland, Ore. and upset the Portland Timbers 1-0 in extra time. After 90 minutes of scoreless soccer, Artur Aghasyan streaked down the middle of the field, easily beating a lopsided offside trap, collected a well placed through ball and calmly chipped goalkeeper Troy Perkins. It was the only goal they would need to become the first USASA team to defeat a Major League Soccer team (Dallas Roma FC in 2006 eliminated Chivas USA in a penalty kick shootout). A USASA team defeating a MLS team was rare enough, but there had only been four previous USASA teams that had advanced far enough to even play against the top division. In those four games, none of the USASA teams even scored a goal. They were also just the fifth amateur team to eliminate a MLS sidse, and the 12th USASA team to eliminate a pro team of any kind. [+]FULL MATCH RECAP

Other upsets in the Third Round
1997 – Long Island Rough Riders (A-League) 4:1 New England Revolution (MLS)
1998 – Nashville Metros (A-League) 3:1 Kansas City Wizards (MLS)
1999 – Rochester Raging Rhinos (A-League) 1:0 Chicago Fire (MLS)
1999 – Staten Island Vipers (A-League) 3:2 MetroStars (MLS)
1999 – Charleston Battery (A-League) 4:3 DC United (MLS)
2003 – Fresno Fuego (PDL) 5:2 El Paso Patriots (A-League)
2003 – Wilmington Hammerheads (PSL) 2:1 Atlanta Silverbacks (A-League)
2006 – Wilmington Hammerheads (USL-2) 2:1 Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1)
2007 – Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) 1:0 DC United (MLS)
2007 – Richmond Kickers (USL-2) 1:0 Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)
2007 – Carolina RailHawks (USL-1) 1:0 Chicago Fire (MLS)
2007 – Charleston Battery (USL-1) 1:0 (aet) Houston Dynamo (MLS)
2007 – Seattle Sounders (USL-1) 3:1 Chivas USA (MLS)
2008 – Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) 2:0 New York Red Bulls (MLS)
2008 – Seattle Sounders (USL-1) 2:0 Chivas USA (MLS)
2009 – Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) 2:1 (aet) New England Revolution (MLS)
2009 – Rochester Rhinos (USL-1) 1:1 Columbus Crew (MLS) (Rochester advance 5-3 in PKs)
2009 – Wilmington Hammerheads (USL-2) 1:0 Chicago Fire (MLS)
2009 – Charleston Battery (USL-1) 3:1 Chivas USA (MLS)
2010 – Charleston Battery (USL-2) 0:0 Chicago Fire (MLS) (Charleston advance 3-0 in PKs)
2011 – Richmond Kickers (USL Pro – 3rd Div.) 2:1 Columbus Crew (MLS)
2012 – Harrisburg City Islanders (USL Pro – 3rd Div.) 3:3 (4:3 PKs) New England Revolution (MLS)
2012 – Carolina RailHawks (NASL – 2nd Div.) 2:1 Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)
2012 – Dayton Dutch Lions (USL Pro – 3rd Div.) 2:1 Columbus Crew (MLS)
2012 – Charlotte Eagles (USL Pro – 3rd Div.) 2:0 FC Dallas (MLS)
2012 – San Antonio Scorpions (NASL – 2nd Div.) 1:0 Houston Dynamo (MLS)
2012 – Minnesota Stars FC (NASL – 2nd Div.) 3:1 Real Salt Lake (MLS)
2013 – Orlando City SC (USL Pro – 3rd Div.) 3:1 Colorado Rapids (MLS)
2013 – Charleston Battery (USL Pro – 3rd Div.) 1:0 San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
2013 – Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL – 2nd Div.) 1:0 Seattle Sounders (MLS)
2014 – Orlando City U23s (PDL – 4th Div.) 2:2 (12:11 PKs) Charleston Battery (USL PRO – 3rd Div.)
2014 – Laredo Heat (PDL – 4th Div.) 3:2 Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL – 2nd Div.)
2014 – PSA Elite (USASA – 4th Div.) 0:0 (3:1 PKs) Los Angeles Galaxy II (USL PRO – 3rd Div.)
2015 – Richmond Kickers (USL – 3rd Div.) 3:0 Jacksonville Armada (NASL – 2nd Div.)
2015 – Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL – 3rd Div.) 1:0 Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL – 2nd Div.)
2015 – Charlotte Independence (USL – 3rd Div.) 1:0 Carolina RailHawks (NASL – 2nd Div.)
2015 – Charleston Battery (USL – 3rd Div.) 3:2 Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL – 2nd Div.)
2015 – Louisville City FC (USL – 3rd Div.) 2:0 (AET) Indy Eleven (NASL – 2nd Div.)
2015 – Saint Louis FC (USL – 3rd Div.) 1:1 (3:1 PKs) Minnesota United FC (NASL – 2nd Div.)
2015 – Austin Aztex (USL – 3rd Div.) 2:0 San Antonio Scorpions (NASL – 2nd Div.)
2016 – Wilmington Hammerheads (USL – 3rd Div.) 2:1 Miami FC (NASL – 2nd Div.)
2016 – Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL – 3rd Div.) 2:1 (AET) Rayo OKC (NASL)
2016 – Kitsap Pumas (PDL – Open Div.) 3:1 Sacramento Republic (USL – 3rd Div.)
2017 – None
2018 – FC Golden State Force (PDL – Open Div.) 2:1 Las Vegas Lights (USL – 2nd Div.)

Filed Under: US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, Charleston Battery, Chicago Fire MLS, Chicago Stingers, Chivas USA, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Dallas Roma FC, DC United, El Paso Patriots, Fresno Fuego, Harrisburg City Islanders, Houston Dynamo, Long Island Rough Riders, Los Angeles Galaxy, Nashville Metros, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls/Metrostars, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Rhinos, San Francisco Bay Seals, Seattle Sounders USL, Sporting Kansas City/Kansas City Wizards, Staten Island Vipers, Things You Should Know, Wilmington Hammerheads

2012 US Open Cup Second Round: Charlotte Eagles win in El Paso thanks to own goal

May 23, 2012 by Jose M. Romero

EL PASO, Texas – An own goal, or so it was explained, by an El Paso Patriots defender from in front of the goal mouth in the 72nd minute helped the Charlotte Eagles of USL Pro to a win 1-0 over the El Paso Patriots of the PDL in U.S. Open Cup second-round play on a hot night in west Texas Tuesday.

The Eagles’ Nate Thornton was originally awarded the goal, with an assist from defender Scott Jones, who sent in a ball to the box that was deflected into the net amid a lot of traffic.

But Thornton was the first to admit he didn’t score, and he credited midfielder Milton Blanco with making a strong run and whipping the ball in.

“I’ll take it.  I made the run, but it was definitely an own goal,” Thornton said with a grin. “Hard to deal with. The (El Paso) guy couldn’t clear it out and it just hit off the wrong side of his head.”

Charlotte won for the second time in Open Cup play history at El Paso in two meetings, and advanced to play at FC Dallas next week in the Third Round. The Eagles must fly home and then drive down to Orlando for a league match this weekend, then turn around and fly to Dallas-Fort Worth soon after that.

The key, Eagles coach Mark Steffens said, was his team going to a 4-4-2 from a 4-3-3 early in the second half. The Patriots had the majority of the scoring chances in the first half and looked poised to get a win at home, but the Eagles made the most of one of the few opportunities they had.

“I thought the two guys up front gave us a little bit more pressure on the other guys on El Paso,” Steffens said. “Created a few more chances for us. We really didn’t bring our ‘A’ game, but guys fought hard and pulled out a win.”

Edgar Mendoza’s shot in the 32nd minute was tipped away just in time by Charlotte goalkeeper Clint Irwin. That came after three other quality looks for the Patriots.

The Eagles were better in the second half. Forward Mauricio Salles had one of his two good shots hit the cross bar and roll away.

The Patriots tried to rally for an equalizer, but Irwin turned back headers by forward Michael Griego in the 86th and 89th minutes.

“We dominated in the first few minutes until the end,” midfielder Sergio Villasenor said. “It was a shame the way they scored. The ball came in from the side and it was an own goal. That was the only good play they had, but that’s soccer. Tough loss at home.”

The Eagles are hoping to get some injured starters back soon to bolster their lineup against FC Dallas.

“Against Dallas, we’ll get a scouting report and I think we’ll probably just sit in a little bit, defend, try to counterattack,” Steffens said.

SCORING:
CHAR- Daniel Campos (own goal) 72′

BOOKINGS:
CHAR- Milton Blanco 40′ (caution, tactical foul)
CHAR- Joe Kabwe 43′ (caution, rough play)
ELP- Adrian Moreno 75′ (caution, tactical foul)
ELP- Ernesto Bolivar 82′ (caution, rough play)
ELP- David Salas 84′ (tactical foul)

Referee: Mark DeClouet
Weather: 90 degrees, clear

Jose Romero is a freelance sports journalist from Phoenix who is always looking for a game of any kind to watch. He’s a former Seattle Sounders beat writer who has written about soccer regularly since late 2008. You can follow him on Twitter @RomeroJoseM

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, 2012 Second Round, 2012 US Open Cup, Charlotte Eagles, El Paso Patriots

2012 US Open Cup First Round: El Paso Patriots down North Texas Rayados, 3-1, to advance

May 16, 2012 by Gerald Barnhart

El Paso Patriots News Release

Naoyas Aizawa sandwiched an assist between two goals, and while it wasn’t quite a feast for the El Paso Patriots, a 3-1 win over the North Texas Rayados was satisfying enough to whet their appetite for more in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

They’ll get all they can handle next Tuesday, May 22nd, when the Charlotte Eagles of the USL Pro division come calling.

Until then, Patriots’ fans can feel satisfied after watching Aizawa and fellow forwards David Salas and Michael Griego take bite after bite of the North Texas defense.

If there was disappointment, it was in squandered opportunities for more offense. Consistent in possession and dominant in midfield, El Paso found itself on the Rayados’ doorstep time-after-time Tuesday night, only to be turned away by the solid goalkeeping of Raul Herrera or by its own errant shots.

Griego has only been able to practice with the team twice, once again donning his hometown side’s jersey after completing the season as coach of his own young club team. The rust showed at times Tuesday night, but so did the solid positioning and passing.

Perhaps it was head coach Hugo Samano’s decision to go at North Texas with a 3-4-3 lineup, but it always seems El Paso’s offensive anemia is cured by the transfusion Griego brings. A team that scored only twice in its first two Premier Development League games suddenly scores three times.

It has been the same the last few years, as well.

Aizawa had a lot to do with the end result Tuesday, but Griego’s presence as a holding forward provides a fulcrum on which the rest of El Paso’s offense swings.

It was that solid build-up and some hard work on the wings by Aizawa’s fellow former CF Indios teammate, Sergio Villasenor, that put El Paso on the board in the 26th minute.

From Griego to Villasenor to the nimble feet of Salas to Aizawa, the Patriots danced into the Rayados area; Aizawa taking the final few steps that got him past his marker and got Herrera diving for the shot the forward didn’t take until the goalie was in the dirt.

As pretty as the first goal was, the second may have been the ugliest Griego has scored in his Patriots career. Stretching North Texas on the counter, Aizawa lasered a beautiful cross from the right wing. Griego only clipped the ball. Perhaps Herrera was surprised the ball actually kept moving…but it did, all the way into the net in the 61st minute.

Halftime substitute Raul Rodriguez got Rayados on the board in the 78th minute, blasting a 22-yard direct kick bomb past the Patriots’ wall and goalie Victor Rodriguez.

But as North Texas pushed for the equalizer, El Paso’s counterattack finished the game. No dancing from Aizawa this time, only a 20-yard blast from the top of the box that beat Herrera in the 84th.

The Patriots will hit the road this weekend for a pair of PDL away games against arch-rival Laredo Friday and Austin Saturday before returning home next Tuesday for the Open Cup’s second round against Charlotte.

After that much road food, the Patriots can only hope the home cooking is just as good next week.

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2012 First Round, 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, 2012 US Open Cup, El Paso Patriots, NTX Rayados

Report: PDL selects 16 entries for 2012 US Open Cup; No qualification matches

December 16, 2011 by Gerald Barnhart

Update: USL confirmed the following report with its official announcement.

TheCup.us has learned from multiple sources that the Premier Development League, the amateur division of United Soccer Leagues, will receive 16 berths for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The expanded number of berths will be dispersed, with one exception, to the top two clubs from the 2011 standings in each division.

The news, coming from the USL Annual General Meeting being held currently in Clearwater, FL, is further confirmation of TheCup.us’ earlier report about upcoming changes for the tournament which will see an expansion of teams from 40 to 64 and an accelerated schedule that shifts the calendar too close to the start of the PDL season for the league to continue utilizing its four-match qualification format used since 1997. The report also noted that the expansion revolved around the inclusion of all Major League Soccer teams.

The one alteration to the PDL’s two-berth format, a total of four per conference, is in the Eastern Conference, which consists of three divisions. Based on the number of teams per division, the Mid Atlantic (9 teams last year) will receive two berths while the Northeast (5 teams) and South Atlantic (6 teams) will each receive one spot in the tournament.

With the USL AGM in the midst of planning the 2012 season, the final composition of clubs set to play next season has not been announced. Reading United AC and reigning PDL champion Kitsap Pumas are headed to a fourth consecutive appearance in the tournament, matching a record for consecutive entries from an amateur flight league set by Mexico SC (Fresno, CA) of the USASA.  The Michigan Bucks are adding a league-record ninth appearance to their ledger. The Portland Timbers U23s and the MPS Portland Phoenix (Maine) are the only two teams who will make their debut in the 2012 tournament.

The 16 PDL clubs are expected to enter the 2012 competition in the opening round, along with 16 other amateur clubs, according to an earlier report. The distribution of the remaining amateur teams, between the USASA, NPSL and possibly US Club Soccer, has yet to be unveiled.

2012 PDL Entries – Based on 2011 Standings (official 2012 alignment unknown)

Central Conference
Michigan Bucks – 1st place in Great Lakes Division – record 9th appearance (9-7-1 all-time), last appearance: 2008
Chicago Fire PDL – 2nd place in Great Lakes Division – 5th appearance (6-4-0), 3rd straight appearance
Des Moines Menace – 2nd place in Heartland Division* – 6th appearance (6-5-1, 1-0 in PKs) – Last appearance: 2010
Real Colorado Foxes – 3rd place in Heartland Division * – 2nd appearance (1-1-0), 2nd straight appearance
*Canadian club Thunder Bay finished 1st

Eastern Conference
Long Island Rough Riders – 1st place in Mid Atlantic Division – 5th appearance, 3rd as a PDL team (3-5-0 all-time, 1-2-0 as a PDL team) …  Last appearance: 2010
Reading United AC – 2nd place in Mid Atlantic Division … 6th appearance, 4th as a PDL team (0-5-0 all-time, 0-3-0 as a PDL team) … 4th straight appearance (tied for the amateur record)
MPS Portland Phoenix – 1st place in Northeast Division … 1st appearance
Carolina Dynamo – 1st place in South Atlantic Division … 8th appearance, 3rd as a PDL team (10-8-0 all-time, 5-3-0 as a PDL team) … 2nd straight appearance

Southern Conference
Laredo Heat – 1st place in Mid South Division … 2nd appearance (0-0-1, 0-1 in PKs … lost to Dallas Roma FC in 2006, who went on to make their magical run) … last appearance: 2006
El Paso Patriots – 2nd place in Mid South Division … 10th appearance, 5th as a PDL team (8-7-3, 1-2 in PKs all-time, 2-3-2, 1-1 in PKs as a PDL team) … 2nd straight appearance
Mississippi Brilla – 1st place in Southeast Division … 2nd appearance (0-1-0) … last appearance: 2009
Orlando City U23s (previously Central Florida Kraze) – 2nd place Southeast Division … 5th appearance (0-4-0) … 3rd straight appearance

Western Conference
Kitsap Pumas – 1st place in Northwest Division…. 4th appearance (2-3-1, 1-0 in PKs), 4th straight appearance (Amateur record) … have qualified in every year of their existence
Portland Timbers U23s – 4th place in Northwest Division* … 1st appearance
Fresno Fuego – 1st Southwest Division … 2nd appearance (3-1-0) … last appearance: 2003 (advanced to the Fourth Round and lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy. 1 of only 3 PDL teams to ever advance beyond the Third Round)
Ventura County Fusion – 2nd Southwest Division … 3rd appearance (1-1-1, 0-1 in PKs), 3rd straight appearance
*Canadian clubs Victoria Highlanders and Vancouver Whitecaps U23s were 2nd & 3rd

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Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, 2012 US Open Cup, Carolina Dynamo, Central Florida Kraze, Chicago Fire PDL, Des Moines Menace, El Paso Patriots, Fresno Fuego, Kitsap Pumas, Laredo Heat, Long Island Rough Riders, Michigan Bucks, Mississippi Brilla, MPS Portland Phoenix, PDL, Portland Timbers U23s, Reading United AC, Real Colorado Foxes, Ventura County Fusion

2011 US Open Cup Seattle Sounders bracket preview: Real Colorado Foxes at Kitsap Pumas

June 20, 2011 by Gerald Barnhart

SECOND ROUND

Real Colorado Foxes at Kitsap Pumas
Bremerton Memorial Stadium – Bremerton, Wash. – 10 p.m.
Broadcast: Audio (KMAS)

THIRD ROUND

Real Colorado Foxes / Kitsap Pumas at Seattle Sounders
June 29, 10 p.m. ET  Starfire Sports Stadium; Tukwila, Wash.

Real Colorado Foxes

Founded in 2008, the PDL team was created by the Real Colorado youth soccer club, which already operated a W-League team. The Foxes were successful, reaching the postseason in its debut 2009 PDL campaign. The nickname is a tribute to the Colorado Foxes that won back-to-back titles (1992-93) as they reached three straight finals (1994) in the A-League. The Foxes were coached in the late 80’s and early 90’s by Lorne Donaldson, the President of Real Colorado and GM/Assistant Coach of the PDL team.

Path to Open Cup:
In the end, the Foxes needed a little help despite finishing with four victories in their campaign as the Des Moines Menace, the only club they didn’t play, kept pace with a 3-0 start themselves. Thankfully, Kansas City shocked their long-time rivals 2-1, sending Real Colorado through. The Foxes opened at home with a pair of wins against the same Brass side. They posted a 4-1 win with Kyle Christensen putting in a pair for the first win. Joey Madison set up the first two and had the game-winner in the second game as the club held off a late rally for a 3-2 victory. On the road, Taylor Kemp rallied the Foxes to a 3-1 win in Springfield with a goal and an assist while Julian Donaldson was the hero in the finale with both strikes in a 2-1 win at St Louis.

First Round: Real Colorado Foxes (PDL) 5:0 DV8 Defenders (USASA)

The Colorado club had a fairly easy go of it in their tournament debut in the First Round Tuesday with three goals from Taylor Kemp, Isaiah Schafer and Kyle Christensen before the break for a commanding advantage. Sterling Copeland and Craig Thompson made it five different goal scorers on the night. Recap [+]

League form: The Foxes were idle this week in league play and are 7-0-1 in the PDL Heartland Division.

Open Cup History:
First appearance in the tournament. PRO ERA RECORD: 1-0-0 overall

Kitsap Pumas

Founded in 2009 by a former co-owner of the USL Seattle Sounders, the Pumas have been a dominant force playing as a professional side in the PDL, reaching the postseason in its first two years.

Path to Open Cup:
For the third consecutive year it was a neck-and-neck race with Portland. This year’s berth came down to a complete deadlock on all tiebreakers, however, with the two sides having played to a scoreless draw in their lone meeting. Instead of using a lottery, the two clubs and league office agreed to use an unprecedented ‘fifth match’ to serve as the tiebreaker as they were scheduled to meet in the regular season the Friday after qualifying concluded. Kitsap opened with a 3-0 victory at home versus Crossfire with Warlen Silva providing a goal and assist. A week later they played to the stalemate against the Timbers. On the final qualifying weekend the Pumas won 6-1 at Tacoma with Matt Friesen scoring twice, They finished with Friesen scoring in a 1-0 win at North Sound, leaving them vulnerable to Portland’s result, however, the Timbers only managed a 2-0 win later that night, creating the table deadlock.  In the tiebreaker match Kitsap jumped to a two-goal lead via Robbie Christner and Nik Besagno only to see Portland fight back in a thriller. A Brent Richards goal cut the deficit, but Christner added a second in the 66th to restore the lead before Brian Burke was sent off, allowing the hosts to make a late charge in hopes of penalties only to come up short, 3-2.

First Round: Kitsap Pumas (PDL) 0:0 (6:5 in PKs) El Paso Patriots (PDL)

The Pumas battled with host El Paso in the hot Texas summer to a scoreless stalemate over 120 minutes in the First Round Tuesday. Penalties to break the tie also went into extra time as the match needed nine rounds to decide a winner with Kitsap coming out on top 6-5. Recap [+]

League form: The Pumas returned to league action Friday with a 4-1 win over visiting Abbotsford. Brian Burke tallied to give the lead to Kitsap, who saw goalkeeping star Zach Lubin from Tuesday sent off in the 72nd. Abbotsford then leveled before the Pumas tallied two unanswered from Nick Besagno and Matt Friesen shorthanded. The team is 8-0-1 in the PDL Northwest Division.

Open Cup History:
The Pumas have yet to miss the tournament in three years of play, making them the first PDL team to qualify in each of their first three years. Only two other teams have accomplished that They’ve been haunted by the senior Portland Timbers club who have knocked them out twice as a member of the second division. They were blanked 3-0 in the first round of the 2009 tournament and downed 4-1 last year in the second round with Nik Besagno scoring the team’s lone goal. They opened with a 4-2 overtime win against the Bay Area Ambassadors (USASA/NPSL).
PRO ERA RECORDS: 2-2-0 overall | 1-0-0 vs. Amateur Teams (0-0-0 vs. PDL)

Seattle Sounders

How They Qualified: Automatic entrant from top six MLS finish in 2010.

This Month in MLS: The Sounders played their third match of the month Saturday in Toronto, edging the hosts on a 90th free kick from Fredy Montero after playing nearly the entire second half down a man after Jhon Kennedy Hurtado’s send-off. They are now returning home for two more league matches June 23 versus New York and June 26 against New England before playing in the Third Round. Seattle opened the month with a scoreless draw in Chicago June 4 with Keller in goal and played a 2-2 stalemate at home against Northwest rival Vancouver Whitecaps June 11. Seattle saw the Whitecaps steal the draw after the Sounders had rallied to take the lead on goals from Mauro Rosales and Osvaldo Alonso in a wild finish.
Last Five: W-D-D-W-L | Season Record: 6-4-7 (3-2-3 Home), Third in Western Conference, Third Overall.

Open Cup History: Sounders FC set out to become a force in the Open Cup during their 2009 inaugural year, and did just that, becoming the first expansion team since Chicago Fire in 1998 to take the Cup, winning 2-1 against DC United. They then turned around and made more history in 2010, as they became the first team since the New York Pancyprian Freedoms in 1982 and 1983 to win back-to-back Open Cups, taking the Columbus Crew 2-1 in the Final. Seattle has earned both titles, only playing non-MLS opposition twice (defeating the Portland Timbers in the Third Round both years), marking the first time the team has played a non-first or second division side. A matchup against the Kitsap Pumas would have additional intrigue, as the Pumas are the continuation of the USL Seattle Sounders, and both teams share deep bloodlines.
PRO ERA RECORDS: 7-0-1 (1-0 in PKs) overall | 2-0-0 vs. Non-MLS Teams (0-0-0 vs. PDL)

Note: A USL team also called the Seattle Sounders made 12 Open Cup appearances from 1995-2008 and made history with back-to-back trips to the Semifinals in 2007 and 2008. The USL franchise’s history is officially not recognized by the MLS franchise.

FIRST ROUND

DV8 Defenders (USASA-No. CA) 0:5 Real Colorado Foxes (PDL)
Shea Stadium – Highlands Ranch, Colo. – 9 p.m.
Recap [+]

Kitsap Pumas (PDL) 0:0 (6:5 in PKs) Chivas El Paso Patriots (PDL)
Patriots Stadium – El Paso, Texas – 10 p.m.
Recap [+]

ELIMINATED TEAMS

DV8 Defenders

Founded in 1997, the San Francisco Bay area club plays in the local Peninsula Soccer League, where the team has won several championships, including a perfect 2006-07 campaign in the PSL. || Meet the USASA Feature [+]
Path to Open Cup:
The Defenders opened the Region IV tournament with a 9-0 victory over the CV Eagles and the following morning they blanked SF Italian SC 2-0. Needing a draw against Metro FC, who could also win the group, the Defenders drew level with seconds remaining on a controversial penalty call, earning a 2-2 draw and the US Open Cup berth. In the Region IV Final, DV8 took the early lead but saw Doxa Italia level with 15 minutes left as the two would go to a penalty shootout in which Doxa Italia took the title 4-1.

June News Updates:
Played a friendly versus San Jose Earthquakes June 8, falling 2-0 but had two penalty kick saves to keep it close… The Defenders have been primarily idle in June after finishing fourth in the Peninsula Soccer League’s Majors Division that ended in April. The club’s other team, DV8 Elite, finished second in the same league.

Open Cup History:
First appearance in the tournament.

Chivas El Paso Patriots

One of the oldest clubs in USL, the Patriots were founded in 1989 and have played at all levels of USL. It left the professional second division flight to enter the PDL and immediately found success, finishing first in the division in the first two years and reaching the league final in 2005. The club, however, has missed the playoffs four of the last five seasons. The club took on its Chivas branding following a formal affiliation agreement with the Guadalajara club signed prior to the 2010 season.

Path to Open Cup:
The Patriots swept through qualifying and were one of the first teams to clinch a berth. The club opened at RGV with a 2-1 win, coming from behind on goals from Victor Olivarez and Ariel Chavez. The following night in Laredo, Rodrigo Morin scored a critical strike in the 80th minute for a 1-0 win. El Paso’s victory 3-1 win over New Orleans in the next match, in which Morin provided a goal and assist, sealed the berth courtesy of their head-to-head tiebreaker result versus Laredo. For good measure though, Morin capped the sweep with the lone goal in the 1-0 finale against Baton Rouge as Jorge Muniz posted a second clean sheet.

June News Updates:
The Patriots returned home for a 1-0 win June 11 against West Texas on a fourth minute Omar Tena goal, holding on after a 41st minute Enrique Cervantes send-off with a shutout from Jorge Muniz… The Patriots suffered their second loss on the trip, falling 6-2 to RGV Grandes June 4 with Rodrigo Morin, who was also sent off at the end of the match, and Jorge Arjona scoring… Handed their second loss of the campaign June 3 at Laredo, falling 3-0 in first match they have been shutout in through seven games despite playing with man advantage for 60 minutes.

Open Cup History:
The Patriots were among the first professional teams to enter the tournament to kick off the Pro Era in 1995. The club upset second division Colorado Foxes, 2-0, and Seattle Sounders, 1-0, en route to the championship game. The Patriots were the last non-MLS club to host the Open Cup Final (excluding neutral sites), but were unable to hoist the trophy, falling in penalties 4-2 after playing to a 1-1 draw against the PDL Richmond Kickers. The Foxes avenged their upset the following year by knocking El Paso out, 5-1, in the second round. The club became the victim of an upset themselves while playing in the second division, falling 5-2 in 2003 to the PDL Fresno Fuego in the third round. As a PDL team themselves though, the Patriots upset second division Miami FC via penalties after a 2-2 first round draw in 2007. El Paso topped USASA entrant Arizona Suahauros, 2-1, to open the 2009 tournament, but were knocked out, 2-0, by the second division Austin Aztex (now Orlando City SC).
PRO ERA RECORDS: 8-7-2 (1-1 in PKs) overall | 4-1 vs. Amateur Teams (1-1 vs. PDL)

Filed Under: US Open Cup History Tagged With: 2011 First Round, 2011 US Open Cup, DV8 Defenders, El Paso Patriots, Kitsap Pumas, Preview, Real Colorado Foxes

2011 US Open Cup Round 1: Backup GK help Kitsap Pumas edge El Paso Patriots in PKs

June 15, 2011 by Steve Clare | Prost Amerika

kitsap pumas logo

Kitsap Pumas logoKitsap Pumas advanced to the second round of the US Open Cup after beating Chivas El Paso Patriots on a penalty shoot out.

The Bremerton side played 120 scoreless minutes in temperatures of over 90 degrees in Texas and kept the home side out despite goalkeeper Zac Lubin making his season debut.

They will host the Real Colorado Foxes next Tuesday at the Memorial Stadium with the winners on schedule for an MLS opponent.

Forward Brian Burke scored the final penalty in a shoot out in which the Pumas had trailed after an earlyRobbie Christner miss.

Taylor Hyde, Stephen Mohn, David Gray, Elliott Fauske and Nik Besagno also netted for the Pumas.

A jubilant Pumas head coach Pete Fewing said:

“Brian Burke is a good finisher. I’m glad he took the last one. I had the first seven lined up before hand. Then I had to improvise. Normally Nik Besagno doesn’t doesn’t like to take penalties. I’m so proud of him. I’m so proud of them. We resolved not to make any excuses about getting up early and the heat and flying.

I’m so proud of the guys’ effort. Zac Lubin came up huge in the second half. He made great back to back saves. The guys did a great job.”

Penalties List:

Chivas El Paso Patriots
5:6 Kitsap Pumas
1. Enrique Cervantes – goal
2. Mike Griego – miss
3. Francisco De Anda – goal
4. Hugo Samano – miss
5. Rodrigo Morin – goal
6. Omar Tena – miss
7. Christian Landa – goal
8. Diego Briseno – goal
9. Ariel Chavez – save
1. Robbie Christener – miss
2. Taylor Hyde – miss
3. Stephen Mohn – goal
4. David Gray – goal
5. Elliot Fauske – goal
6. Chris Andre miss
7. Mark Lee – goal
8. Nik Besagno – goal
9. Brian Burke – goal

Diego Briseno was starting his first game in goal this season for El Paso Patriots and Zac Lubin started in goal for the Pumas in his first game following the late withdrawal of Bryan Meredith with a foot injury.

Pumas had the better of the early running. A Stephen Mohn throw-in was headed over the bar by Nik Besagno inside two minutes. Ten minutes later Daniel Scott headed a David Gray free kick wide.

Pumas kept up the pressure and had nine corners in the first quarter hour.

Kitsap were handed a perfect chance with a penalty in the 22nd minute awarded for a foul on Nik Besagno but free kick expert Matt Friesen hit the post and the ball bounced to safety.

Scott provided Robbie Christner with a chance he fired wide and Chivas’ Jorge Orona was taken off for an extended period in 34 minutes as the last ten minutes of the first half beckoned.

Three minutes before the interval, debutant Briseno dived at full length to deny Friesen from the top of the penalty box

After dominating the half though, the Pumas couldn’t ball in the net.

HALF TIME

The first chance of the second half came when Cameron Hepple was fouled by the left corner of box and from 30 yards out, Friesen drove the free kick which was saved by Briseno at his left post.

Briseno gathered a Gray shot easily on 62 and Gray drove high over the El Paso bar ten minutes later.

With just eight minutes left, the game was heading towards extra time despite Friesen glancing a header just wide of the post.

Patriots finished the 90 minutes stronger and a Hugo Samano header floated high over the Kitsap bar with seconds to go until extra time. Just after that, Mike Griego failed to get sufficient connection on a header to trouble Zac Lubin.

END OF REGULATION TIME

Briseno tipped a Friesen effort out seven minutes into the first half of extra time but there was danger at the other end and Pumas full back Mark Lee had to be alert to clear the danger while Pumas substitute Elliot Fauske tried his luck from over 40 yards to no avail.

Rookie goalkeeper Lubin saved the Pumas with a sensational fingertip save from Rodrigo Morin and then prevented a rebound in a moment he will remember for a long time.

He saved again from Morin four minutes before the end of extra time as penalties loomed and the chance for one of the two rookie keepers to be a hero.

Mike Griego headed the last chance over for the Patriots and penalties loomed, but not before Benjamin Vazquez was red carded for a foul on Burke.

The game went to penalties and despite trailing after Robbie Christner missed the first one, the Pumas stormed through to the next round.

RECAP: El Paso Times

Kitsap Pumas: Zac Lubin, Daniel Scott, Mark Lee, Steven Mohn, Taylor Hyde; Matt Friesen, Nik Besagno (Elliot Fauske), Cameron Hepple (Chris Andre), David Gray; Tye Perdido (Brian Burke 63), Robbie Christner,

Substitutes: Dustyn Brim, Warlen Silva

Chivas El Paso: N/A

Special thanks to Steve Clare of Prost Amerika. Follow him on Twitter @ProstSoccer.

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2011 First Round, 2011 US Open Cup, El Paso Patriots, Kitsap Pumas

2011 US Open Cup qualifying (PDL South): El Paso Patriots qualify, Central Florida Kraze repeats as entrant

May 21, 2011 by Tavio Palazzolo

PDL South logoUS 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 off 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 2011 edition of the tournament, the PDL will be represented by a record nine clubs after seven consecutive years with eight representatives. With nine berths available, the league will send one from each division based on four league contests that will double as qualification matches – a format long established by the parent United Soccer Leagues.

The Southern Conference has undergone a massive overhaul from last year, including many new additions, as well as a few losses. One of those losses was the DFW Tornados, last year’s Mid-South representative and the last remaining USL franchise from its humble indoor beginnings back in 1986. Teams to watch for are the El Paso Patriots (who have qualified every odd-numbered year since 2001) and the Central Florida Kraze (last year’s Southeast representative). They have qualified three times each from the PDL. Ten other teams will be looking to earn their own opportunity to fight for the US Open Cup as one of two representatives from the South.

Here is the how the Southern Conference is currently shaping up:

Mid-South Division
Final Results

The Chivas El Paso Patriots (as they are known this year) have qualified for their ninth US Open Cup (fourth as a member of the PDL) after defeating the Baton Rouge Capitals 1-0. With that, they finished with a perfect 4-0 record, and have continued their streak in qualifying for the US Open Cup every other year since 2001.

MID-SOUTH DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
Chivas El Paso Patriots 4 4 0 0 12 7 2 7 +5
Laredo Heat 4 3 1 0 9 6 3 6 +3
New Orleans Jesters 4 2 2 0 6 5 6 5 -1
West Texas United Sockers 4 2 2 0 6 5 6 5 -1
Baton Rouge Capitals 4 1 3 0 3 2 4 2 -2
Rio Grande Valley Grandes 4 0 4 0 0 2 6 2 -4

Top team qualifies for the U.S. Open Cup

Clinched Open Cup berth – Eliminated from contention

Note: Columns on the far right are for tiebreaker purposes

USL Premier Development League tiebreakers

(1) Head-to-head record based on total points in Open Cup qualifiers

(2) Total wins in Open Cup qualifying games

(3) Goal difference (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(4) Goals scored (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(5) Lottery conducted by the USL

All times Eastern

May 13 Chivas El Paso Patriots 2:1 Rio Grande Valley Grandes 9:00
May 13 West Texas United Sockers 1:2 Laredo Heat 9:15
May 14 West Texas United Sockers 2:1 Rio Grande Valley Grandes 9:00
May 14 Chivas El Paso Patriots 1:0 Laredo Heat 9:15
May 19 Baton Rouge Capitals 1:2 West Texas United Sockers 8:30
May 19 New Orleans Jesters 1:3 Chivas El Paso Patriots 10:00
May 21 New Orleans Jesters 2:0 West Texas United Sockers 8:30
May 21 Baton Rouge Capitals 0:1 Chivas El Paso Patriots 10:00
May 27 Rio Grande Valley Grandes 0:1 Baton Rouge Capitals 8:00
May 27 Laredo Heat 3:1 New Orleans Jesters 8:00
May 28 Rio Grande Valley Grandes 0:1 New Orleans Jesters 8:00
May 29 Laredo Heat 1:0 Baton Rouge Capitals 8:00

Southeast Division
Final Results

The Central Florida Kraze didn’t have the easy road to the US Open Cup that they thought they did. The Mississippi Brilla are matching and beating the Kraze’s efforts, with three wins of their own. And what wins they are. Their last two results have been 5-0 wins against FC Jax Destroyers and the Nashville Metros – both on the road. Each had one home game left on the holiday weekend that would determine their fate. The Kraze fired the opening salvo Saturday evening with three second half goals from three different players to maximize their potential in the table from the match with a 3-0 victory against central Florida rival IMG Bradenton Academics. Central Florida, perfect at 4-0, took the advantage in tiebreakers, moving ahead of Brilla by one in goal differential and goals scored, but had to wait for Mississippi’s Monday finale at home versus Nashville to see if it holds up. With Brilla leading 2-1 late in the match it looked as though Mississippi was heading to the tournament – then disaster. A 90th minute Nashville strike leveled terms at 2-2 and when the final whistle blew moments later, Central Florida got the news that the Kraze had qualified for the second consecutive year.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
Central Florida Kraze 4 4 0 0 12 10 1 10 +9
Mississippi Brilla 4 3 0 1 10 15 3 11 +8
Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. 4 1 2 1 4 5 7 5 -2
FC Jax Destroyers 4 1 2 1 4 5 10 5 -3
Nashville Metros 4 0 2 2 2 4 11 4 -5
IMG Bradenton Academics 4 0 3 1 1 3 10 3 -7

Top team qualifies for the U.S. Open Cup

Clinched Open Cup berth – Eliminated from contention

Note: Columns on the far right are for tiebreaker purposes

USL Premier Development League tiebreakers

(1) Head-to-head record based on total points in Open Cup qualifiers

(2) Total wins in Open Cup qualifying games

(3) Goal difference (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(4) Goals scored (+/- 3 goals maximum for each USOC qualifier)

(5) Lottery conducted by the USL

All times Eastern

April 30 Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. 0:1 Central Florida Kraze 4:00
May 6 Central Florida Kraze 3:1 Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. 7:00
May 8 Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. 1:0 Bradenton Academics 5:30
May 12 Central Florida Kraze 3:0 Bradenton Academics 5:30
May 13 FC Jax Destroyers 1:3 Mississippi Brilla 8:00
May 15 Bradenton Academics 3:3 Ft. Lauderdale Schulz Acad. 6:00
May 15 FC Jax Destroyers 2:0 Nashville Metros 8:00
May 19 Mississippi Brilla 5:0 FC Jax Destroyers 7:00
May 23 Nashville Metros 2:2 FC Jax Destroyers 7:00
May 26 Mississippi Brilla 5:0 Nashville Metros 8:00
May 28 Bradenton Academics 0:3 Central Florida Kraze 7:00
May 30 Nashville Metros 2:2 Mississippi Brilla 6:00

Filed Under: US Open Cup Tagged With: 2011 PDL Qualifying, 2011 US Open Cup qualifying, 2011 USOC Qualifying, Baton Rouge Capitals, Bradenton Academics, Central Florida Kraze, El Paso Patriots, FC Jax Destroyers, Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy, Laredo Heat, Mississippi Brilla, Nashville Metros, New Orleans Jesters, PDL, Rio Grande Valley Grandes, West Texas United Sockers

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