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Mexico SC

Things you should know about the First Round of the US Open Cup

September 1, 2009 by Josh Hakala

David Geno and the Seattle Sounders Under-23s celebrate one of the club's five goals in a 5-1 win over Doxa Italia in the First Round of the 2013 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Coulter | SoundersPhotos.com
David Geno and the Seattle Sounders Under-23s celebrate one of the club's five goals in a 5-1 win over Doxa Italia in the First Round of the 2013 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Coulter | SoundersPhotos.com
David Geno and the Seattle Sounders Under-23s celebrate one of the club’s five goals in a 5-1 win over Doxa Italia in the First Round of the 2013 US Open Cup. Photo: Chris Coulter | SoundersPhotos.com

A total of 40 clubs took part in the first Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (then known as the National Challenge Cup) tournament in 1913/14, a majority of whom came from the Northeast region of the country.

In 2008, the Seattle Sounders USL franchise became the first club in the Modern Era to advance to the Semifinals in consecutive seasons after beginning play in the First Round.

Since 1996, only five teams have advanced to the Semifinals after beginning play in the First Round. The Charleston Battery (2008), Carolina RailHawks (2007), San Francisco Bay Seals (1997) and the Seattle Sounders who did it twice in 2007 and 2008. San Francisco remain as the only third division club to advance to the final four (after beginning in Round 1) during that span.

Since 1995, an Open Division Local team has failed to advance past the First Round only three times (1995, 1998, 2002). Uruguay SC from Florida made the Second Round in back-to-back years (2000, 2001), and Mexico SC (Fresno, CA) joined them in 2000. Dallas Roma FC advanced in consecutive seasons in 2005 and 2006 and Bavarian SC (Milwaukee, WI) moved on to the next round in 2003 and 2007. From 2008-2010, only one USASA club survived the opening round each year (Hollywood United – 2008, Sonoma County Sol – 2009, Arizona Sahuaros – 2010). After the tournament expanded in 2012, it has become more common.

In 1999, the Wilmington Hammerheads saw two players score hat tricks in their First Round match. Ryan Walker and Luke Griffith both scored three times in Wilmington’s 8-1 rout of Los Lobos, a USASA team from Oklahoma.

The Atlanta Silverbacks (USL First Division, Div. 2 pro) embarrassed Azzurri, an Open Division Local club from North Texas, 10-0 in the First Round of the 2007 tournament. It was the biggest route in the Modern Era, topping the Chicago Stingers’ (USL D3 Pro) 8-0 win over SAC Wisla (USASA) in 1997.

2007 marked the first year that all non-MLS teams began the tournament in the First Round. It was also the first year that any Division 2 pro teams started in Round 1.

In 2013, David Geno of the Seattle Sounders U-23s (USL League Two) became the first player from an Open Division team to score four goals in one game, and just the 10th player from any division to pull off the feat. He did this in Seattle’s 5-1 home win over Doxa Italia, and he scored all four of his goals in the first half.

The First Round in 2013 marked the first time that four different players scored a hat trick in the same round. Prior to that year, no more than two players had ever done it in the same round in the Modern Era (1995-present).  David Geno of the Sounders U23s scored four against Doxa Italia (USASA), while Hakan Ilhan (Carolina Dynamo), Kwadwo Poku (Georgia Revolution) and Argjent Duka (Icon FC) each scored a trio of goals in their respective games.

The attendance record for the First Round of the US Open Cup (Modern Era) is 5,816, when the Arizona Sahuaros (D3 Pro League) hosted the San Gabriel Valley Highlanders (PDL) at Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona on June 12, 1998.

The record for highest average attendance in the First Round (Modern Era) is 1,247, but there were only four games scheduled that year (and one of them was forfeited).

The record for the biggest Second Round in the Modern Era is 2017 when there were 28 games played.

Updated after the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Filed Under: US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: Argjent Duka, Arizona Sahuaros, Atlanta Silverbacks, Azzurri, Bavarian SC, Carolina Dynamo, Carolina RailHawks, Charleston Battery, Chicago Stingers, Dallas Roma FC, David Geno, Georgia Revolution, Hakan Ilhan, Hollywood United, Icon FC, Kwadwo Poku, Los Lobos, Luke Griffith, Mexico SC, Milford International, Reggae Boyz FC, Ryan Walker, SAC Wisla, Salinas Valley Samba, San Francisco Bay Seals, Seattle Sounders U23s, Seattle Sounders USL, Sonoma County Sol, Things You Should Know, Uruguay SC, Wilmington Hammerheads

Notable upsets in the First Round of the US Open Cup

September 1, 2009 by Aaron Stollar

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)

Filed Under: US Open Cup, US Open Cup History Tagged With: Albuquerque Geckos, Austin Lone Stars, Bavarian SC, Bridgeport Italians, California Jaguars, Cape Cod Crusaders, Carolina Dynamo, Central Coast Roadrunners, Chico Rooks, Cincinnati Kings, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Des Moines Menace, El Paso Patriots, Hollywood United, Mexico SC, Miami FC, Michigan Bucks, New Jersey Stallions, New York Freedoms, Ocean City Barons/South Jersey Barons, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Portland Timbers, Raleigh CASL Elite, Rhode Island Stingrays, San Gabriel Valley Highlanders, San Jose Oaks, Spokane Shadow, Things You Should Know, United German Hungarians, Wilmington Hammerheads

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