FC Baltimore Christos

NPSL Mid-Atlantic Conference currently ineligible for 2020 US Open Cup

May 13, 2019 by Jake Sillick

A scene from the first half of the First Round match between West Chester United and FC Baltimore Christos in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: @finchamphoto

The National Premier Soccer League’s (NPSL) Mid-Atlantic Conference is not playing enough games this season to be eligible for the 2020 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. All five teams in that conference will not be able to enter next year’s US Open Cup as the schedule currently stands.

The five teams in the conference include 2018 entry FC Baltimore Christos, Northern Virginia United, Virginia Beach City FC, FC Frederick, and Charlottesville Alliance FC. They would have to add more matches to the schedule in order to become eligible.

To enter the US Open Cup, clubs must be part of a sanctioned league by US Soccer or an affiliate organization. US Soccer defines a league as having at least 4 teams and each team playing a schedule of at least 10 matches. This is fully defined in Section 202 (a) of the US Open Cup policy.

To enter the Open Cup, a team must be an outdoor soccer team based in the United States and a regular playing member in good standing competing in an ongoing league competition of an Organization Member of the Federation, with said league competition and Organization Member also in good standing with the Federation. Such league competition must be regularly scheduled (i.e. not infrequent) each year and formatted such that member teams play games against fellow members, with only these results (i.e. league matches) used to determine a set of standings or ranking table. The league competition must consist of at least four (4) teams, with each playing at least ten (10) league matches (excluding any pre-season and/or post-season playoff or cup matches) each calendar year.

As of publication, the current schedule consists of eight matches for each of the five teams in the Mid-Atlantic Conference.

The NPSL Mid-Atlantic Conference decided on a balanced, double round robin schedule for each of its teams. A balanced schedule is not required by US Soccer or the NPSL. There are three conferences that play an unbalanced schedule in the NPSL. The other ten conferences play a balanced, double round robin schedule.

NPSL Conferences not playing a double round robin schedule:

Northwest Conference (5 teams, 10 matches per team, 2 opponents twice, 2 opponents three times)
Keystone Conference (9 teams, 10 matches per team, 6 opponents once, 2 opponents twice)
Golden Gate Conference (8 teams, 11 matches per team, 3 opponents once, 4 opponents twice)

NPSL was reached for comment on this and released the following statement:

“The 2019 Mid-Atlantic Conference schedule is not yet finalized. The NPSL is aware of the U.S. Open Cup rules, and will abide by them so the teams are eligible for the 2020 tournament.”

According to the NPSL, the schedules are in the process of being altered and an announcement will be made when it’s finalized. A league spokesman told TheCup.us that the process of altering a schedule once the season is already under way is rare, but not unprecedented.

As long as each team in that conference plays two more games in the regular season, they will be eligible for the 2020 US Open Cup.

2019 US Open Cup Round 1: West Chester United extends road unbeaten streak with PK win over FC Baltimore Christos

May 8, 2019 by Renny Thomas

FC Baltimore Christos (NPSL) and West Chester United battle for the ball during their First Round 2019 US Open Cup match. Photo: Matt Ralph | Brotherly Game

On a picturesque Tuesday evening at Homewood Field on the campus of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, it took penalty kicks to decide the first round matchup between FC Baltimore Christos (NPSL) and West Chester United SC (USL of Pennsylvania). In the end, United edged the home team in penalties, 5-4 after a 1-1 draw and advanced to the Second Round of the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The Predators advanced in the tournament away from home, marking the fifth straight game (including qualifying) that they have survived a knockout game away from home.

West Chester struck first and very early into the match, with an early headed goal from Troy Amspacher to the far post, assisted by midfielder Andreas Bartosinski. That goal put the Predators up 1-0, which gave them the lead and the momentum that they carried through until the halftime break.

As kickoff began in the second half, the sense of urgency seemed to rise for Baltimore, as the home team began to raise their tempo and put United on their back foot. The pressure eventually paid off in the 56th minute, as the home side equalized off of a booming shot from distance by defender Jake Dengler (setup by a pass from midfielder Eddy Rodriguez) that deflected off the keeper and into the back of the net.

It was a slog from the opening whistle to the final PK, but @WCUSC edged out @fcbaltimore1729 from the spot to move on to the 2nd Round & @bhmlegion.#USOC2019 | ? Game Highlights ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/xBZVEWkhCu

— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) May 8, 2019

Once the two teams were on even terms on the scoreboard, the rest of regulation and extra time were characterized by missed opportunities and a lack of touch in the final third. The two sides combined for 29 shots and nine shots on goal but only one goal a piece to show for it.

As the game went to a penalty kick shootout, the two teams remained deadlocked through the first five rounds, with the score tied at four a piece. Each team failed to convert on their sixth attempts on goal. After United’s Samuel Phelps slotted home his attempt to put his team up 5-4, Baltimore’s Charles Pulliam skied his attempt over the crossbar, to give West Chester the victory.

With the victory, West Chester United will move on to the second round of the US Open Cup competition, where they will go on the road for the sixth game in a row (including qualifying) to take on Birmingham Legion FC on May 15 at 8 p.m. at the BBVA Compass Field in Birmingham, Ala.