Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

El Paso Patriots

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

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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

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

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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.

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

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

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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)

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

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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.

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

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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

Breakdown for 2011 USL PDL US Open Cup Qualifying: Southern Conference

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PDL logoThe 2011 US Open Cup qualifying process for the Premier Development League begins April 30 when the Central Florida Kraze play host to Fort Lauderdale Schulz. The match marks the beginning of what is arguably the most intense opening to any league season, making it the most pressure-packed portion of the PDL schedule league-wide. The task of qualifying can be more daunting than the professional opponents awaiting them in the tournament proper.

In the upcoming 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.

Here is the Southern Conference portion of the four-part series of breakdowns:

Southern Conference Qualifying Breakdown

Mid South Division
Baton Rouge Capitals, Chivas El Paso Patriots, Laredo Heat, New Orleans Jesters, RGV Grandes FC, West Texas United Sockers

Previously an all-Texas group, the addition of the Baton Rouge Capitals and New Orleans Jesters marks the return of Lone Star State outsiders to the qualification process after a two-year absence.

Last year, Central Florida qualified for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

The bigger news for this division is how compact the nature of the qualification process will be as four of the six clubs will play all four of their designated matches within, at most, an 11-day span. The Capitals will play all four games in that period while their Louisiana counterparts will do the same in one fewer. The Chivas El Paso Patriots and West Texas United Sockers both will determine their fate during a stretch of nine days.

The only two clubs that will have the opportunity to relax and take their time in qualifying are the Laredo Heat and expansion side RGV Grandes. Both open the group’s fixture list May 13 at home as RGV plays host to El Paso and Laredo takes on West Texas. They also close out the campaign with RGV traveling to New Orleans May 28 and Laredo visiting Baton Rouge the following day.

But while the Louisiana duo are making a return to the group, the pair will not see one another during the qualifying process as each club will face their four Texas rivals, leaving the local derby for the rest of the season.

US Open Cup tournament history is extremely limited outside of El Paso, where the Patriots have appeared in the official bracket eight times through its storied past, which includes the 1995 US Open Cup Final. The only other appearance in the tournament proper among the six-team field was Laredo’s 2006 appearance.

El Paso and Laredo, historically, have been among the leaders in the qualifying process from the group with the Patriots boasting a 9-4-3 record over the past four years while the Heat were 7-5-4. The other three clubs, though, have respectable records for the past four years with New Orleans at 6-4-6, Baton Rouge at 5-7-4 and West Texas at an even 3-3-2 in its two-year history.

MID-SOUTH DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
Baton Rouge Capitals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
El Paso Patriots 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Laredo Heat 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
New Orleans Jesters 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Rio Grande Valley Grandes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
West Texas United Sockers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0

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


Southeast Division
Central Florida Kraze, FC Jax Destroyers, Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy, IMG Bradenton Academics, Mississippi Brilla, Nashville Metros

While it is one of four six-team groups across the PDL, the Southeast faction is completely unique in that the fixture schedule features two sub-groups of three playing home and away schedules as their qualifying matches. As the northern-most Floridian side, the expansion Jax Destroyers of Jacksonville have been paired up with the Nashville Metros and Mississippi Brilla in one half while the trio of the Bradenton Academics, Central Florida Kraze and second-year Fort Lauderdale Schulz are in the other.

Mississippi Brilla 2010
Can the Mississippi Brilla return to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after falling just short in last season? Photo: Mississippi Brilla

The threesomes are fairly comparable as both feature a pair of veteran clubs along with a third that is only in its first or second season in the league.

Mississippi, a qualifier in 2009, is the standout of the northern trio as the club boasts an 8-4-4 record in qualifying over the last four years. Although Nashville has not been in the tournament since 2003, the club has not exactly been a doormat over the last four years with a record of 5-7-4. A year ago, Brilla won the lone qualifier between the two by a 3-0 scoreline as they swept the four game season series en route to finishing the season unbeaten at 11-0-3.

The all-Florida trio is a little more balanced as Central Florida is 9-5-2 over the past four years in its qualification efforts and Bradenton is 8-4-4. The Kraze took the top spot a year ago for their third appearance in the tournament while Bradenton’s lone appearance came in 2008. Fort Lauderdale had a rough outing a year ago with four losses, including a 3-1 defeat to the Kraze and 1-0 to the Academics. Bradenton and Central Florida did not face one another head-to-head a year ago, but split the regular season series with a pair of 1-0 decisions.

SOUTHEAST DIVISION GP W L T PTS GF GA GF GD
Bradenton Academics 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Central Florida Kraze 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
FC Jax Destroyers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Mississippi Brilla 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0
Nashville Metros 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 +0

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 Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy at Central Florida Kraze 4:00
May 6 Central Florida Kraze at Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy 7:00
May 8 Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy at Bradenton Academics 5:30
May 12 Central Florida Kraze at Bradenton Academics 5:30
May 13 FC Jax Destroyers at Mississippi Brilla 8:00
May 15 FC Jax Destroyers at Nashville Metros 4:00
May 15 Bradenton Academics at Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy 6:00
May 19 Mississippi Brilla at FC Jax Destroyers 7:00
May 23 Nashville Metros at FC Jax Destroyers 7:00
May 26 Mississippi Brilla at Nashville Metros 8:00
May 28 Bradenton Academics at Central Florida Kraze 4:00
May 30 Nashville Metros at Mississippi Brilla 6:00


Here is a quick look at all of the eligible clubs with links to previews by conference (as available):

Central Conference (Coming Soon)

Great Lakes Division: Akron Summit Assault, Chicago Fire, Cincinnati Kings, Indiana Invaders, Michigan Bucks, River City Rovers
Heartland Division: Des Moines Menace, Kansas City Brass, Real Colorado Foxes, Springfield Demize, St Louis Lions

Eastern Conference (Coming Soon)

Mid Atlantic Division: Brooklyn Knights, Central Jersey Spartans, Jersey Express, Long Island Rough Riders, New Jersey Rangers, Ocean City Nor’easters, Reading United AC, Westchester Flames
Northeast Division: MPS Portland Phoenix, New Hampshire Phantoms, Vermont Voltage, Western Mass Pioneers
South Atlantic Division: Carolina Dynamo, Fredericksburg Hotspur, Northern Virginia Royals, Real Maryland Monarchs, Virginia Beach Piranhas, West Virginia Chaos

Southern Conference

Mid South Division: Baton Rouge Capitals, Chivas El Paso Patriots, Laredo Heat, New Orleans Jesters, RGV Grandes FC, West Texas United Sockers
Southeast Division: Central Florida Kraze, FC Jax Destroyers, Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy, IMG Bradenton Academics, Mississippi Brilla, Nashville Metros

Western Conference (Coming Soon)

Northwest Division: Kitsap Pumas, North Sound SeaWolves, Portland Timbers U23, Tacoma Tide, Washington Crossfire
Southwest Division: BYU Cougars, Fresno Fuego, LA Blues 23, Los Angeles Legends, Ogden Outlaws, Orange County Blue Star, Southern California Seahorses, Ventura County Fusion

Notable upsets in the First Round of the US Open Cup

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Hollywood United coach Ian Carrington celebrates his club’s upset win over the Portland Timbers. Photo: Allison Andrews
Hollywood United coach Ian Carrington celebrates his club’s upset win over the Portland Timbers. Photo: Allison Andrews

2008 – Hollywood United (USASA) 3, Portland Timbers (USL-1) 2
The Professional Era’s greatest First Round upset came in 2008 when Hollywood United, the USASA Region IV qualifier from California, traveled to PGE Park in Portland Ore. and knocked out the Portland Timbers 3-2. Hollywood United trailed twice during the match, but each time they trailed, Matt Taylor would convert a penalty kick to tie the game back up. With the score level at 2-2, Earl Alexander scored a 90th minute goal to send United to the Second Round and left Portland fans stunned. It was only the second time in the Professional Era that a USASA team has defeated a USL First Division team, and the first time that a USASA team had upset a USL-1 team on the road.

1997 – Bridgeport Italians (USASA) 3, Rhode Island Stingrays (D3 Pro) 2
With the USASA clubs reeling from losing “their” cup to the USISL and MLS, the amateur clubs of the USASA looked forward to proving to the higher level clubs that they still belonged. On this summer day in East Providence, Rhode Island, the Bridgeport Italians proved they did belong. Their opponents, the Rhode Island Stingrays, would eventually make the playoffs of the Third Division USL Pro League, but wound up seeing an early exit for themselves from the Cup. Marek Jurkonski, Pierre Venditti and Allen Zuniga scored for Bridgeport to give them a 3-2 win over the Stingrays. The Italians went on to lose a close 1-0 game to the Long Island Rough Riders in the next round, but they fulfilled the dream of every USASA club, they beat one of the “big boys”.

Other notable First Round upsets
1996 – San Jose Oaks (USASA) 3:2 California Jaguars (USISL Select)
1997 – Bridgeport Italians (USASA) 3:2 Rhode Island Stingrays (D3 Pro)
1997 – Mid Michigan Bucks (PDL) 3:2 Wilmington Hammerheads (D3 Pro)
1997 – Central Coast Roadrunners (PDL) 4:2 Albuquerque Geckos (D3 Pro)
1999 – United German Hungarians (USASA) 2:1 New Jersey Stallions (D3 Pro)
1999 – New York Freedoms (PDL) 3:1 Cape Cod Crusaders (D3 Pro)
1999 – Mid Michigan Bucks (PDL) 3:2 Austin Lone Stars (D3 Pro)
1999 – Spokane Shadow (PDL) 3:2 (aet) Chico Rooks (D3 Pro)
2002 – Raleigh CASL Elite (PDL) 5:2 Carolina Dynamo (PSL)
2002 – Des Moines Menace (PDL) 3:1 New Jersey Stallions (PSL)
2006 – Michigan Bucks (PDL) 2:0 Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2)
2007 – Ocean City Barons (PDL) 1:0 Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2)
2007 – Bavarian SC (USASA) 1:0 Cincinnati Kings (USL-2)
2007 – El Paso Patriots (PDL) 2:2 Miami FC (USL-1) (El Paso advance 4-3 on PKs)
2009 – Ocean City Barons (PDL) 3:0 Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2)

2009 Second Round recap: Thriller in Carolina, Barons are last amateur survivor

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2009 U.S. Open Cup Second Round
(Home team listed on right)
June 16
Real Maryland Monarchs 0:1 (aet) Ocean City Barons
Wilmington Hammerheads 3:3 Carolina RailHawks
Wilmington advance on PKs, 4-3
Cleveland City Stars 1:2 (aet) Rochester Rhinos
Western Mass Pioneers 0:0 Harrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg advances on PKs 4-3
Charleston Battery 1:0 Miami FC Blues
Chicago Fire (PDL) 0:4 Minnesota Thunder
El Paso Patriots 0:2 Austin Aztex
Portland Timbers 3:0 Sonoma County Sol
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Player of the Round: Kenny Bundy (Wilmington)
Things you should know about the Second Round
Notable upsets in the Second Round of the Open Cup

The Ocean City Barons and the Wilmington Hammerheads pulled off the lone upset of the US Open Cup Second Round. The Barons get a penalty kick in the 108th minute and JT Noone breaks a scoreless tie and Ocean City earns a date with DC United at the Maryland Soccerplex in Round 3. The Barons, based on the rest of the results, won the $10,000 prize money as the amateur team that has advanced the farthest in the tournament.

However, even with the drama of a PDL team earning a match with an MLS team, without question, the match of the Second Round was the Wilmington Hammerheads and the Carolina RailHawks. After finishing regulation tied 1-1, both teams scored a pair of goals in extra time, including a Hammerheads goal in stoppage time of the second overtime period to send the match into penalty kicks. Wilmington would win the PK shootout 4-3 and will move on to host the Chicago Fire of MLS.

2009 Second Round: Red cards abound as Aztex knock off eight-man El Paso Patriots

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Nelson Field – Austin, Texas | 8:30 p.m.

Match Reports: Austin, Austin Statesman, El Paso Times
2
FT
 0

Ryan McMahen (Kyle Brown) 45’
Ciaran O’Brien 48’
SENT OFF – Sullivan Silva 71’
      
71’ Jorge Muniz – SENT OFF
71’ Mario Garcia – SENT OFF
77’ Jonathan Camarena – SENT OFF

Despite losing two key players to injury just before kickoff, the Austin Aztex overcame the PDL’s El Paso Patriots 2-0 in their Second Round US Open Cup contest.

Just moments before the game was set to begin, AJ Godbolt and Yordany Alvarez, both in the starting lineup for Austin, were forced out of the game with sudden injuries. Godbolt pulled a hamstring and was replaced by Zack Pope, and Alvarez injured his foot, forcing Ciaran O’Brien into service.

Austin scored what turned out to be the winning goal just before halftime, when Kyle Brown sent a pass to a streaking Ryan McMahen, who easily converted to make it 1-0. Just minutes after the restart O’Brien made the most of his last minute start, sending a shot from 30 yards out to double Austin’s advantage.

Tensions flared in the 71st minute when an attempted bicycle kick by Austin’s Sullivan Silva led to a shoving match with El Paso defenders. When the dust settled, El Paso’s Jorge Muniz and Mario Garcia, as well as Silva, were given their marching orders. A few minutes later, a late tackle from El Paso’s Jonathan Camarena on Jeff Harwell earned him a straight red card, leaving El Paso with eight players.

Austin, in their inaugural season, will host the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer at Nelson Field in the Third Round on June 30.

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