Preview

The 103rd edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup kicks off today with 22 games taking place across the country. It was originally 23 games but late Tuesday evening, the North Texas Rayados were informed that they were disqualified.

Below, you will find links to our coverage on TheCup.us, as well as previews from all 22 games, including video and audio links where available. You can get all the latest updates from every game through Twitter, using the hashtag #USOC2016. Use that same hashtag on Instagram to share your US Open Cup-related photos.

#USOC2016 coverage:
* 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup schedule, results (video/audio links)
* 2016 US Open Cup bracket (TheCup.us)
* 2016 Meet the Underdogs series
* USSF’s new US Open Cup qualifying tournament has challenges to address after year one
* 2016 US Open Cup: Motor City rematch headlines most intriguing First Round games
* MLS-owned USL teams no longer eligible for 2016 US Open Cup, confirms USSF
* One is enough: NPSL champion New York Cosmos B withdraws from 2016 US Open Cup

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Aromas Café (USASA) at Richmond Strikers (NPSL)
Striker Park, Glen Allen, VA – 5 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner plays at the Richmond Kickers (USL) on May 18

Aromas Cafe Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Richmond Strikers Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

The first match of the evening features an intra-state matchup as Virginia teams Aromas Café, of Crozet, and the Richmond Strikers face off in Glen Allen, VA. This marks a high-water moment for Virginia soccer, as Aromas Café are the first USASA DC/VA team to qualify for the tournament not named the Aegean Hawks since 1996 (Mo’s Sport Shop).

Aromas got to this point by securing a 3-1 win over Tartan Devils Oak Avalon in the First Round of US Open Cup qualifying. The Tartan Devils were undefeated in the last two seasons of the Greater Pittsburgh Soccer League, but were bested by the USASA side from Crozet. In the Second Round of the tournament, the first-year entry from Virginia defeated the Aegean Hawks 3-1 to put themselves into the 103rd edition of the US Open Cup. Playing on the same field that he played his high school ball, Jake Van Yahres scored a pair of goals, and was involved in the third goal to lead the way to the club’s first Open Cup berth.

The Richmond Strikers are also making their Open Cup debut with a team name that is less than a month old. In April, Chesterfield United merged with the Richmond Strikers and took the club’s name. The Strikers qualified with a second place finish in the Mid-Atlantic Conference with a 5-2-3 record. They finished tied with Virginia Beach City FC for second place, but they won the tiebreaker to clinch a spot in the Open Cup. Their run in the NPSL playoffs was short-lived, falling 4-2 to New York Athletic Club in the opening round.

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: AROMAS CAFE FC

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Kraze United (NPSL) at The Villages SC (PDL)
The Villages Polo Field; The Villages, FL – 5 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (BELOW)
Winner plays at the Charleston Battery (USL)

Kraze United Open Cup records
Overall: 1-6-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 0-4-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Amateur: 1-2-0
Last entry: 2013 (Lost to Wilmington Hammerheads in Round 1)
Best finish: 2014 Fourth Round (Lost 3-0 at Portland Timber of MLS)

The Villages SC Open Cup records
Overall: 1-2-1 (0-1 PKs) |Home: 0-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 1-0-1 (0-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Draw 1-1, Lost 5-3 in PK shootout at Chattanooga FC of NPSL)
Best finish: 2015 Second Round (Lost 2-1 at Orlando City SC of USL Pro)

LIVE VIDEO: KRAZE UNITED AT THE VILLAGES SC

A Florida battle will be brewing in the First Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup as two teams with new identities will square off. Kraze United (formerly the Orlando City U23s of the PDL) will be taking on The Villages SC (formerly Ocala Stampede) for the right to take on USL’s Charleston Battery in the Second Round of the tournament.

Kraze United have qualified for this tournament due to the awarding of an NPSL at-large spot given this tournament cycle, finishing in 10th place in the South region. After six Open Cup appearances without a win, United (then Orlando City U23s) finally tasted victory in their last tournament entry in 2014. They defeated Jacksonville United of the NPSL 2-1, followed by a stunning 12-11 PK shootout win against the Battery, in the longest penalty kick shootout in the Modern Era (14 rounds).

Meanwhile, The Villages SC are back in the tournament for the fourth year in a row, but are riding a three-game losing streak. Last year, they lost a 5-3 PK shootout to Chattanooga FC.

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West Chester United (USASA) At Fredericksburg FC (NPSL)
UMW Battleground Stadium – Fredericksburg, VA – 5:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner hosts Harrisburg City Islanders (USL) on May 18

West Chester United Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: First Entry
Best finish: First Entry

Fredericksburg FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-1-0 | Home: 0-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 6-1 vs. Richmond Kickers of USL in Round 2)
Best finish: 2014 Second Round (Lost 6-1 vs. Richmond Kickers of USL)

Another USASA Open Division vs. NPSL battle moves the action to Virginia as Fredericksburg FC takes on West Chester United.

After four years of falling just short, West Chester United have finally qualified for their first US Open Cup and will face a Fredericksburg FC side who are making their second appearance in the tournament.

United, the defending USASA Werner Fricker Open Cup champions, punched their ticket with a pair of wins over Philadelphia-area teams (Junior Lone Star and Salone FC) in the open division qualifying tournament.

Under the name RVA FC, Fredericksburg FC lost their only Open Cup game 6-1 to the USL’s Richmond Kickers in 2014. They qualified for this year’s tournament by finishing as Mid-Atlantic Conference champions. FFC would fall in the Regional Semifinals of the NPSL playoffs, 1-0 to the Clarkstown SC Eagles, 1-0.

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: WEST CHESTER UNITED

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Atlanta Silverbacks (NPSL) at Reading United AC (PDL)
John Gorski Stadium; West Lawn, PA – 7 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (BELOW)
Winner plays at Chattanooga FC (NPSL) on May 18

Atlanta Silverbacks* Open Cup records
*The professional team with the same name folded
Overall: 0-1-0 | Away: 0-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: 2009 (Lost 2-0 at Charleston Battery of USL-1 in Round 1)
Best finish: 2009 Round 1

Reading United AC Open Cup records
AS PDL: 5-7-0 | Home: 5-2-0 | Away: 0-5-0 | vs. Amateur: 4-2-0
OVERALL: 5-9-0 | Home: 5-2-0 | Away: 0-7-0 | vs. Amateur: 4-1-0
Last entry: 2014, 1-0 home win vs. Maryland Bays, 3-0 home loss vs. Harrisburg City Islanders
Best finish: Third Round (2013, 2014)

LIVE VIDEO: ATLANTA SILVERBACKS AT READING UNITED AC

With the arrival of an MLS expansion side in Atlanta, the Silverbacks are “officially” no more. However, an amateur team (backed by local club United Futbol Academy and A+ Sports Management Group) has taken up the team name left behind the old NASL team (They were previously named the Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves). They even field a women’s team in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL). There’s still bitterness and resentment among former Silverbacks supporters in Atlanta, so look for this born-again group to be serious about carrying on the legacy of their predecessors.

The Silverbacks Reserves finished 8-2-0 last year, good for second in the Southeast Conference, which got them into the postseason. Their season would end in the conference final, falling to top seed Chattanooga FC 3-0.

Standing in their way is a well-seasoned Reading United team making a Modern Era record eighth straight US Open Cup appearance as an amateur side, all of them as a member of the Premier Development League (PDL). They’ve also won their last four Open Cup opening matches, so they won’t be just happy being in the tournament. They were barely able to keep their Open Cup streak going as they missed the PDL playoffs last year after finishing tied for third (8-3-3) in the Mid-Atlantic Division. They lost out on a tiebreaker with fellow Open Cup entry Jersey Express.

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Jersey Express (PDL) At Clarkstown SC Eagles (NPSL)
Torne Valley Sports Complex; Hillburn, NY – 7 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner plays winner of NY Pancyprian Freedoms/NY Red Bulls U23s

Jersey Express Open Cup records
Overall: 2-2-0 | Home: 2-1-0 | Away: 0-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 1-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-0 at NY Cosmos of NASL in Round 3)
Best finish: 2015 Third Round  (Lost 3-0 at NY Cosmos of NASL)

Clarkstown SC Eagles Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Yet another chapter in the long running rivalry between New Jersey and New York will be written on Wednesday when Jersey Express take on their former in-state team, Clarkstown SC Eagles. For Clarkstown their first US Open Cup match could well be a difficult one against a Jersey Express side who has done well in the early rounds of the competition in the past.

Jersey Express are making their third straight Open Cup appearance and have fond memories of last year’s run. They shut out four-time Open Cup champion New York Greek Americans, 3-0, followed by a 1-0 upset of the USL’s New York Red Bulls 2. Their run would come to an end at the hands of the New York Cosmos (NASL), 3-0. Jersey finished the PDL season with an 8-3-3 record, tied with Reading United in the Mid-Atlantic Division, but they advanced to the postseason by way of a tiebreaker. They would advance to the Eastern Conference Final where they lost to the New York Red Bulls U23s.

The Clarktown Eagles won the Keystone Conference regular season championship with a 7-2-1 record. The Eagles advanced to the NPSL Regional Finals before falling to eventual champion New York Cosmos B, 2-0.

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Myrtle Beach Mutiny (NPSL) at Charlotte Eagles (PDL)
Charlotte Eagles School; Charlotte, NC – 7 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (BELOW)
Charlotte Independence (USL) at Charlotte Eagles OR
Myrtle Beach Mutiny at Charlotte Independence (USL) on May 18

Myrtle Beach Mutiny Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: First Entry
Best finish: First Entry

Charlotte Eagles Open Cup records
Overall*: 10-12-0 | Home: 5-2-0 | Away: 5-10-0 | vs. Amateur: 8-1-0
Last entry: 2014 (AS USL TEAM: Lost 2-0 at Carolina RailHawks of NASL in Round 3)
Best finish: 2012 Quarterfinals (Lost 2-1 at Chivas USA of MLS)
* 1st US Open Cup appearance as amateur club

LIVE VIDEO: MYRTLE BEACH MUTINY AT CHARLOTTE EAGLES

Myrtle Beach Mutiny are making their first ever US Open Cup appearance after being founded in 2010 by Norwegian Trym Hogner, who sold the team to Coast FA, a local non-profit youth soccer organization. The South Carolina side should feel pretty confident heading into their first competitive match of 2016. They won the 2015 NPSL South Atlantic title and will look to carry that momentum into their first Open Cup experience. However, this is also a team that will likely be short on depth. The club’s website lists just 10 outfield players and two goalkeepers.

Myrtle Beach find themselves matched up against a very experienced Charlotte Eagles team, though this particular side is making their first appearance as an amateur team out of the PDL. In the past, the Eagles carried the USL banner into the Open Cup with them. Their best run came in 2012 when current MLS goalkeeper Clint Irwin first made a name for himself by helping his side win three straight road games, including a 2-0 win over MLS side FC Dallas, before ultimately falling to Chivas USA 2-1 in the Quarterfinals. Don’t be surprised if this group wins a game or two; they are the reigning PDL South Atlantic Division Champions and were one of two undefeated PDL teams (the other being Kitsap Pumas).

This North Carolina vs. South Carolina matchup should offer plenty of intrigue, especially with another Charlotte-based side (Charlotte Independence) waiting in the next round.

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Boca Raton FC (USASA) at Miami Fusion FC (NPSL)
Broward College South Campus; Pembroke Pines, FL – 7 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (BELOW)
Winner plays at Wilmington Hammerheads (USL) on May 18

Boca Raton FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: First Entry
Best finish: First Entry

Miami Fusion FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: First Entry
Best finish: First Entry

LIVE VIDEO: BOCA RATON FC AT MIAMI FUSION FC

US Open Cup first-timers Boca Raton FC will be wishing they could’ve started this game months ago. The reigning American Premier Soccer League (APSL) champions beat league rivals Real Miami CF in a thrilling 2-1 extra time victory. Shadi Harb scored first in the 95^th minute, only to see Real Miami equalize in the 119^th minute. But Boca Raton’s Gabe Taboada wasn’t interested in going to penalty kicks and scored the game winner just moments later.

Their reward is another Miami-based side (there are so many these days). As you can guess by the name, this team was inspired by the former MLS expansion team that featured Carlos Valderrama among its ranks when it existed between 1998 and 2001. The Fusion have already played one NPSL game this season, defeating Miami United 5-0.

The Fusion won the Sunshine Conference regular season title with a 8-1-1 record, but they were one-and-done in the NPSL playoffs, losing 1-0 to Chattanooga FC.

These two teams squared off in the fall tournament, and according to Douglas Heizer from Boca Raton FC, they won each time they played.

The winner of this one takes a trip up north to North Carolina to take on the Wilmington Hammerheads.

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: BOCA RATON FC

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Cincinnati Dutch Lions (PDL) At Indy Eleven NPSL (NPSL)
Grand Park Championship Field; Westfield, IN – 7 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE AUDIO (BELOW)
Winner plays at FC Cincinnati (USL) on May 18

Cincinnati Dutch Lions Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Indy Eleven NPSL Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

LIVE AUDIO: CINCINNATI DUTCH LIONS AT INDY ELEVEN NPSL

The formerly Indy Fire may have found their affiliate that works as they make their first-ever US Open Cup appearance under their new name, affiliated with Indy Eleven of the NASL. That allowed Indy to have a strong season in the NPSL last year under the name Indiana Fire. The club’s 7-2-3 record was just enough to sneak into the NPSL playoffs, finishing fourth in the very competitive Midwest Division. They made the most of their playoff run, upsetting No. 1 seed Madison 56ers and No. 3 seed AFC Cleveland before falling in the NPSL Semifinals to Chattanooga FC.

The Dutch Lions finished last season with an 8-5-1 which was good for second place in the South Atlantic Division. They lost their opening round playoff game, falling to division rival Charlotte Eagles 3-2.

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Lansdowne Bhoys FC (USASA) at Long Island Rough Riders (PDL)
St. Anthony’s High School; South Huntington, NY – 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE AUDIO (BELOW)
Winner plays at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL) on May 18

Lansdowne Bhoys FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: First Entry
Best finish: First Entry

Long Island Rough Riders Open Cup records
AS PDL: 3-4-0 | Home: 2-1-0 | Away: 1-3-0 | vs. Amateur: 3-0-0
OVERALL: 5-7-0 | Home: 3-2-0 | Away: 2-5-0 | vs. Amateur: 4-2-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 vs. Real Monarchs of USL in Round 2)
Best finish: 1997 Quarterfinals (as A-League team: Lost 1-0 ASDET vs. Metrostars of MLS)

LIVE AUDIO: LANSDOWNE BHOYS FC AT LONG ISLAND ROUGH RIDERS

Yonkers-based Lansdowne Bhoys are making their first-ever US Open Cup appearance, but don’t expect them to be afraid of the big stage. They currently find themselves one point ahead of fabled New York side Pancyprian Freedoms in the first division of the historic Cosmopolitan Soccer League. The Bhoys also won their Open Cup qualifiers handily, defeating Newtown Pride FC 3-0 in Round 1 before cruising to a 5-0 win over Worchester FC (Mass.) in the next round.

They’ll get a much bigger test this time as they take on a Long Island Rough Riders club making its eighth appearance all time. The Rough Riders have also won their last three Open Cup opening matches, including an impressive 3-1 win over Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) last year. This one should be close, though Long Island may be reeling just a bit from their 3-1 Eastern Conference first round loss against Jersey Express in the PDL playoffs.

The winner of this one will make the trek to western Pennsylvania to face the USL’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: LANSDOWNE BHOYS FC

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NY Red Bulls U23s (PDL) at NY Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA)
Belson Stadium; Jamaica, NY – 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Jersey Express/Clarkstown SC Eagles plays at Pancyprian Freedoms
OR NY Red Bulls U23s plays at Clarkstown
OR Jersey Express plays at NY Red Bulls U23s on May 18

NY Red Bulls U23s Open Cup records
Overall: 1-2-0 | Home: 1-0-0 | Away: 0-2-0
Last entry: 2014 as NPSL (Lost 3-1 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds of USL in Round 2)
Best finish: 2014 Second Round (Lost 3-1 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds of USL)

NY Pancyprian Freedoms Open Cup records
Overall (Modern Era): 3-4-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 2-0-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 1-4-0
Last entry: 2011, 2-1 win vs. Brooklyn Italians, 0-0 draw (lost 6-5 on PKs) vs. FC New York
Best finish: Champions (1980, 1982, 1983)

We highlighted this matchup in our list of first round games to watch for a reason.

The Red Bulls won the 2015 NPSL title, but then left the league to join the PDL. In their first season in the new league, they finished as Mid-Atlantic Division Champions with a 9-2-3 record. Although they lost in the PDL Final, the fact that they made it that far in their first season should give them some confidence going into this tournament.

Their opponents are no strangers to this tournament. NY Pancyprian Freedoms won the US Open Cup three times in the early 80s and even had some successful runs in old versions of the CONCACAF Champions League. These days, the Freedoms play in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League and are making their first appearance since 2011. This is their sixth appearance in the Modern Era.

Both teams will have one eye on the Jersey Express-Clarkstown SC Eagles matchup as the next round will feature the winners of both games.

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: NY PANCYPRIAN FREEDOMS

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Detroit City FC (NPSL) at Michigan Bucks (PDL)
Oakland Univ. Soccer Field; Rochester, MI – 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner will play at Louisville City FC (USL) on May 18

Detroit City FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-1-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 0-0-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 0-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-1-1 (0-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-0 at Michigan Bucks of PDL in Round 1)
Best finish: First Round (2014, 2015)

Michigan Bucks Open Cup records
Overall: 13-11-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 9-8-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 4-3-0 | vs. Amateur: 4-2-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-0 vs. Portland Timbers 2 of USL in Round 2)
Best finish: 2012 Fourth Round (Lost 2-1 in OT vs. Dayton Dutch Lions of USL Pro)

Few would argue this is the most compelling matchup of the First Round as two Metro Detroit rivals will square off for the second year in a row as the Michigan Bucks will host Detroit City FC. Last year, the Bucks had no trouble with City, winning 3-0 in front of a crowd dominated by DCFC fans despite playing at the Bucks’ home stadium in Pontiac, Mich.

The Bucks (11-1-2) qualified as Great Lakes Division champions, but they were eliminated in the Conference Finals by eventual champion K-W United, 3-1. They feature the Open Cup’s most impressive amateur resume, with numerous records including most wins (13), most wins over professional teams (9), and holding the distinction as the only amateur club to defeat two MLS teams (New England Revolution in 2000, Chicago Fire in 2012).

City finished 8-2-2, two points behind Midwest Region champion Madison 56ers. DCFC were one-and-done in the playoffs, losing to AFC Cleveland in the Regional Semifinals, 2-1.

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Seacoast United Phantoms (PDL) at Southie FC (USASA)
Harry Della Russo Stadium; Rever, MA – 8 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner plays at Rochester Rhinos (USL) on May 18

Seacoast United Phantoms Open Cup records
AS PDL: 1-1-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 1-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 1-0-0
OVERALL: 3-4-0 | Home: 2-1-0 | Away: 1-3-0 | vs. Amateur: 3-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Tulsa Roughnecks of USL in Round 2)
Best finish: Third Round (2003, 2006)

Southie FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: First Entry
Best finish: First Entry

Seacoast United made their first appearance as a PDL team in last year’s tournament and managed to beat amateur side GPS Massachusetts in Round 1, only to be ousted in the next round by the USL’s Tulsa Roughnecks. The Phantoms finished second in the Northeast Division of the PDL and lost in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs against fellow Open Cup qualifiers GPS Portland Phoenix in a 2-1 overtime thriller.

Once again, the Portsmouth, New Hampshire side find themselves paired with an amateur club from Massachusettes; this time it’s Southie FC. Southie FC come to us from the Boston suburb of Tynsboro. They won their first round qualifier against Battery Park Gunners, despite both teams going down to 10 men on a double red in the 20th minute of the game. Their next qualifier was much more comfortable as they defeated GPS Omens by a score of 4-0, with UMASS-Amherst product Chris Stoker supplying the assist on three of the four goals.

The winner of this one heads over to New York to take on the USL’s Rochester Rhinos in the next round.

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AFC Cleveland (NPSL) at GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL)
Deering High School; Portland, ME – 8 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner plays at Saint Louis FC (USL) on May 18

AFC Cleveland Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home” 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: First Entry
Best finish: First Entry

GPS Portland Phoenix Open Cup records
Overall: 1-3-0 | Home: 1-2-0 | Away: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 1-0 in OT vs. FC Lehigh Valley United Sonic of NPSL)
Best finish: 2013 Second Round (Lost 1-0 at Rochester Rhinos of USL)

AFC Cleveland are making their first-ever appearance in the US Open Cup, but it’s not the first time they’ve qualified. They were invited back in 2013, but were forced to decline due to a  lack of player availability. The club has a solid reputation at the youth levels and they’ll be anxious to show what the adults can do after they made it to the NPSL regional final last season before falling to Indiana Fire 3-1.

Their opponents certainly have plenty of experience of the tournament. GPS Portland Phoenix made history in 2012 as the first team from Maine to ever enter the tournament. They qualified in 2013 and 2014 until falling short of qualifying in 2015. In 2013, they earned their first Open Cup win, defeating Massachusetts amateur side Mass Premier Soccer by a score of 2-0.

The winner of this game will be “rewarded” with a trip to St. Louis, Missouri to take on the USL’s Saint Louis FC in the next round.

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CD Motagua of New Orleans (USASA) at Mississippi Brilla (PDL)
Traceway Park; Clinton, MS – 8 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: VIDEO
Winner plays at Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL) on May 18

CD Motagua of New Orleans Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Mississippi Brilla Open Cup records
Overall: 0-2-0 | Away: 0-2-0
Last entry: 2012 – Lost 1-0 in the First Round to the Georgia Revolution of the NPSL.
Best finish: First Round (2009, 2012)

LIVE VIDEO: CD MOTAGUA OF NOLA AT MISSISSIPPI BRILLA

Two-time defending Louisana Premier League champions CD Motagua of New Orleans have already made history by becoming the first amateur team from Louisiana to qualify for the Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present).

But they’ll look to stake their claim as a regional power when they face fellow Southern side Mississippi Brilla in the first round.

Only having to play one qualifying game to get into the tournament, a 5-2 win over Queen City United FC, little is known about the 22-year-old side other than that they sport a distinctively Honduran flavor on their roster.

In contrast, the PDL’s Brilla look the more notable of the two sides, having won the PDL Mid South Division championship in 2015 with a 6-3-3 record.

In their two previous Open Cup appearances (2009, 2012) they were shutout on the road. Mississippi are seeking their first-ever Open Cup win in what also will be their first-ever home game on Wednesday.

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: CD MOTAGUA OF NEW ORLEANS

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Des Moines Menace (PDL) At FC Wichita (NPSL)
Stryker Soccer Complex, Wichita, KS 8:05PM (EST)
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (BELOW)
Winner will host Tulsa Roughnecks (USL) on May 18

Des Moines Menace Open Cup records
Overall: 10-8-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 6-3-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 4-5-0 | vs. Amateur: 5-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-1 in OT at Saint Louis FC of USL in Round 2)
Best finish: 2005 Fourth Round (Lost 6-1 at KC Wizards of MLS)

FC Wichita Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

LIVE VIDEO: DES MOINES MENACE AT FC WICHITA

It was their debut season in 2015 for FC Wichita in the NPSL and it was an incredible first season as they won their conference after a strong season with an 11-3-0 record. Team officials claim FC Wichita is the first club from the city to qualify for the US Open Cup and they will have their hands full for their tournament debut.

They will face off with the Des Moines Meance. Few amateur teams have a better Open Cup resume than the Menace. Their 10 wins in the tournament is second only to the Michigan Bucks and only the Bucks (9) have more pro team upsets than the Menace (6). They qualified by winning another Heartland Division title with an 11-2-1 record. Only one team had fewer goals allowed than Des Moines’ seven they let in during the 14-game regular season.

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Harpos FC (USSSA) at Albuquerque Sol FC (PDL)
St. Pius X High School; Albuquerque NM – 8:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: VIDEO
Winner hosts Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL) on May 18

Harpos FC Open Cup records
Overall: 1-1-1 | Away: 0-1-1 | vs. Amateur: 1-0-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-1 at Colorado Springs Switchbacks of USL in Round 2)
Best finish: 2015 Second Round (Lost 2-1 at Colorado Switchbacks of USL)

Albuquerque Sol FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

LIVE VIDEO: HARPO’S FC AT ALBUQUERQUE SOL

After a strong three-game run to the Second Round in 2015, the sole United States Specialty Sports Association entry Harpo’s FC are back for the second consecutive year.

The Boulder, Col.-based side defeated two in-state teams in the open division qualifying tournament, scoring seven goals and allowing just two to book their ticket back to the tournament. They will have a tough First Round opponent in first-time qualifier Albuquerque Sol FC from the PDL.

In just their second season as a PDL franchise, the Sol finished second in the Mountain Division with an 8-3-3 record to qualify for the Open Cup. There hasn’t been a New Mexico team in the tournament since 1997 when the A-League’s Albuquerque Geckos were one-and-done in their only tournament appearance.

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: HARPO’S FC

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Burlingame Dragons (PDL) at Sacramento Gold (NPSL)
Capital Christian High School, Sacramento, CA – 10:00pm ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner plays the winner of the Portland Timbers U-23 and La Maquina FC on May 18

Sacramento Gold Open Cup records
Overall: 0-1-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2013 (Lost 3-2 at Portland Timbers U23s of PDL in Round 1)
Best finish: 2013 First Round

Burlingame Dragons Open Cup records
Overall: 0-1-0 | Away: 0-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-1 in OT at Sonoma County Sol of NPSL in Round 1)
Best finish: 2015 First Round (Lost 2-1 in OT at Sonoma County Sol of NPSL)

Traditionally strong NPSL side Sacramento Gold will have its hands full when it hosts defending PDL Southwest Division champion Burlingame Dragons at Capital Christian High School.

The Dragons are already 2-0 in their PDL season after strong wins last Friday and Sunday, respectively and expect to make an early run in the Open Cup after a heartbreaking loss to fellow Bay Area side Sonoma County Sol last year in the club’s tournament debut.

Meanwhile, the 2010 NPSL national champion Gold are making their first appearance in the tournament in three years and are already off to a 5-2 start that has seen them score 13 goals in their first four home games.

Both sides are looking for their first win in the competition.

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Los Angeles Wolves (USASA) at Ventura County Fusion (PDL)
Ventura College Sportsplex; Ventura, CA – 10 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner plays at Orange County Blues (USL) on May 18

Los Angeles Wolves Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Ventura County Fusion Open Cup records
Overall: 6-5-2 | Home: 3-3-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 3-2-0 | vs. Amateur: 4-1-2 (1-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-1 vs. PSA Elite of USASA in Round 3)
Best finish: Third Round (2012, 2015)

An Open Cup juggernaut meets an upstart in this Southern Californian clash.

The Los Angeles Wolves had a great season last year. They finished the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) with a 20-0-1 record, was runner-up in the league playoffs and knocked off tournament darling Cal FC in Open Cup qualifying. For their first-ever tournament game, they face one of the PDL’s most successful Open Cup teams in Ventura County Fusion.

The Fusion fell one point short of winning the Southwest Division title. The team that won the division, Burlingame Dragons, were their opening round opponent in the playoffs and the Dragons prevailed, 1-0. The Fusion are making their seventh consecutive appearance in the tournament, the second longest streak among amateur clubs in the Modern Era. Ventura has won its last five opening games in the tournament, also a Modern Era record, en route to a 6-5-2 record that has seen them qualify for the Third Round twice (2012, 2015).

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: LOS ANGELES WOLVES FC

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San Nicolas FC (USASA) at FC Tucson (PDL)
Capital Christian High School; Sacramento, CA – 10 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO
Winner plays the winner of the Portland Timbers U-23 and La Maquina FC on May 18

San Nicolas FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

FC Tucson Open Cup records
Overall: 1-2-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 1-1-0 | Away: 0-1-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Amateur: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-1 in OT vs. Chula Vista FC of USASA in Round 1)
Best finish: 2013 Third Round (Lost 2-0 at Houston Dynamo of MLS)

FC Tucson could say that they hope the third time in the US Open Cup is the charm, but they have already had eye-catching performances in past tournaments.

The team qualified for the 2013 US Open Cup after a strong debut season in the PDL. FC Tucson opened the tournament with a win against Phoenix FC, a USL side. In that match, they got an inspiring performance from Connor Bevans, who had just flown back to Tucson hours before to join his team after a family emergency and scored two goals in the waning moments of the match.

The team beat one more professional side, the now-defunct San Antonio Scorpions. That won FC Tucson the chance all PDL and amateur sides pray for in the Open Cup: the chance to play against an MLS team, facing off with the Houston Dynamo. But even though the match ended in a 2-0 loss, FC Tucson were one of only three PDL teams to make it that far that year.

They hoped to repeat that performance in 2015, but a surprisingly strong performance from amateur side Chula Vista FC knocked FC Tucson out of the tournament in the first round after an extra time loss.

San Nicolas is taking part in their first US Open Cup but they bring a strong resume from the United Premier Soccer League. They won the league title by defeating fellow Open Cup qualifier LA Wolves FC in the championship game. They have also been a finalist in the prestigious Las Vegas Silver Mug tournament, winning the competition three years in a row (2011-13)  and losing in penalty kicks in 2014. They feature a number of experienced players, headlined by former Chivas USA, Cuban international Maykel Galindo.

You can read more about each club at the links below.

PREVIEW: FC TUCSON

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: SAN NICOLAS FC

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CD Aguiluchos USA (NPSL) at San Francisco City FC (USCS)
Beach Chalet No. 4; San Francisco, CA – 10 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE AUDIO (BELOW)
Winner plays at Sacramento Republic FC (USL) on May 18

CD Aguiluchos USA Open Cup records
Overall: 0-1-0 | Away: 0-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-1 at Ventura County Fusion of PDL in Round 1)
Best finish: 2014 First Round (Lost 2-1 at Ventura County Fusion of PDL)

San Francisco City Open Cup records
Overall: 0-1-0 | Home: 0-1-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-1 vs. Cal FC of USASA in Prelim. Round)
Best finish: 2015 Preliminary Round (Lost 2-1 vs. Cal FC of USASA)

LIVE AUDIO: CD AGUILUCHOS USA AT SAN FRANCISCO CITY FC

A pair of Bay Area squads are looking for their first Open Cup wins Wednesday when San Francisco City hosts CD Aguiluchos USA.

The Oakland-based visitors, who represent the Bay Area Salvadorian community, feature a strong side packed with Salvadorian ex-pats.

San Francisco enters the tournament as the only US Club Soccer squad, but have made the jump to the PDL since qualifying.

City added a huge piece in the offseason when they picked up former Sacramento Republic FC striker Adnan Gabeljic, who quit fully professional soccer to pursue a degree in engineering in San Francisco, but decided not to give the game up for good.

Should City win, Gabeljic could be back at his old stomping grounds in Bonney Field, as the winner of this game will travel to the capital of California to take on the Republic.

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: SAN FRANCISCO CITY FC

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La Maquina FC (USASA) at Portland Timbers U23s (PDL) 
Providence Park; Portland, OR – 10:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: TBA
Winner hosts winner of Burlingame Dragons / Sacramento Gold on May 18

La Maquina FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Portland Timbers U23s Open Cup records
Overall: 1-3-0 | Home: 1-3-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 1-1-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 3-2 vs. Arizona United SC of USL Pro in Round 1)
Best finish: 2013 Second Round (Lost 1-0 vs. Charleston Battery of USL Pro)

Newcomers La Maquina of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) will likely come into their first-ever US Open Cup match well-rested. In December, during the UPSL playoffs, they were involved in a post-game brawl against fellow Open Cup qualifier San Nicolas which resulted in La Maquina getting banned for the entire spring season. The talented squad finished 16-5-0 in the winter season, which was good for second place behind the LA Wolves.

They entered the open division qualifying tournament and defeated the summer season’s Southeast Division champion Strikers FC 3-2, which earned them what turned out to be a “Win & You’re In” match against Chula Vista FC, who made some noise last year with an upset of Arizona United (USL). La Maquina cruised past them 4-0 as Edgar Orozco dished out three assists, including two of them to former Chivas de Guadalajara player Edwin Borboa.

They will have to travel far for their Open Cup debut, as the Portland Timbers U23s welcome them to Providence Park. The Timbers qualified for the tournament with a second place finish (6-2-4) in the Northwest Division. They would fall to the Sounders U23s in the Western Conference opener 4-1.

This will mark the fourth time in the last five years that the Timbers PDL side has qualified for the tournament. Although out of their three previous appearance, they have only managed one win (vs. Sacramento Gold of NPSL in 2013 First Round).

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Outbreak SC (USASA) at Seattle Sounders U23s (PDL)
Panther Stadium (Bonney Lake HS); Bonney Lake, WA – 10:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner plays at Kitsap Pumas (PDL) on May 18

Outbreak SC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Seattle Sounders U23s Open Cup records
Overall: 1-1-0 | Home: 1-0-0 | Away: 0-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 1-0-0
Last entry: 2013 (Lost 3-0 at Charlotte Eagles of USL Pro in Round 2)
Best finish: 2013 Second Round (Lost 3-0 at Charlotte Eagles of USL Pro)

The Seattle Sounders U23s are back in the US Open Cup for the first time since making their debut in 2013. That year, after crushing Southern California club Doxa Italia, they had to make a cross-country trip to take on the Charlotte Eagles. They would fall 3-0. But they are back after winning the very competitive Northwest Division with a 7-4-1 record and advancing to the National Semifinals where they lost to eventual champion K-W United 1-0.

Outbreak SC will make the long trip to Washington from Southern California for their first Open Cup game. The So Cal Premier League club finished in second place in the majors division last season and used that momentum to pick up two wins in the open division qualifying tournament. They blew past Buena Park FC in Round 1, followed up by an exciting 4-3 extra time win over the San Pedro Monsters that clinched them a spot in the tournament. This is a true amateur team, but one that’s filled with talent. You can read more about them below.

MEET THE UNDERDOGS: OUTBREAK SC

The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Semifinals feature a pair of intriguing games. At Sporting Park, Sporting Kansas City hosts Real Salt Lake in one of Major League Soccer’s budding rivalries, and just outside of Philadelphia, the Union host the Chicago Fire in a battle of two teams trying to save their season.

The last four teams standing in the 102nd edition of the tournament all come into Wednesday’s matches hoping to make different levels of history. With a win, the Chicago Fire will tie the tournament’s all-time record with a seventh championship game appearance. Meanwhile, Sporting Kansas City are aiming for a third title game appearance where they are 2-0 in Finals. The remaining two teams, Philadelphia and Salt Lake, are seeking their first Open Cup titles.

All of the games will feature online video broadcasts through YouTube.com. We’ll have all the video available here on our Live Scores page where you can also use the #USOC2015 Twitter hashtag to join the conversation and get all the latest updates about the tournament.

Check out our previews of all three games below (video will be added when it’s posted):

MORE LINKS:

USSF takes over US Open Cup’s amateur qualifying

Roger Espinoza of Sporting KC suspended two US Open Cup games for punching Houston Dynamo’s Brad Davis (video)

Who has qualified for 2016 US Open Cup? 10 PDL, 8 NPSL teams are in so far

How it happened: Why the Philadelphia Union, New York Red Bulls US Open Cup match is now at 4 p.m. on July 21

Not up for the Cup: Why so few amateur Cascadian clubs enter the US Open Cup

LIVE UPDATES/SCORES (with video)

2015 US Open Cup bracket

2015 US Open Cup Schedule/Results

2015 Meet the Underdogs series

2015 stat leaders (Goals/Assists/Points)

TheCup.us Player of the Round winners

The First Cup series (1913/14)

TheCup.us 2.0 launches | The origin of TheCup.us

Twitter (#USOC2015) | Facebook | Flickr | Reddit

The annual highlight of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is when the United States’ top division, Major League Soccer joins the competition. This year’s Fourth Round has 16 matches across Tuesday and Wednesday with all but one contest featuring MLS teams facing a lower division team. The lone game that doesn’t feature an underdog matchup is no dissappointment either as the defending champion Seattle Sounders will host their arch rivals to the south, the Portland Timbers.

Most of the games will be streamed online in some form and you’ll find all of the links down this page. You can also follow all the action via Twitter using the hashtag #USOC2015.

One thing that requires clarification: the bracket that you see on TheCup.us does not reflect the matchups for Round 5. The Fifth Round draw is scheduled for June 18.

Scroll down for previews of Wednesday’s games and click on the Schedule/Results link for match reports from Tuesday’s games.

MORE LINKS:

LIVE SCORES: Round 4 Day 2 (with video)

Notable upsets and things you should know about Round 4

2015 US Open Cup bracket

2015 US Open Cup Schedule/Results

2015 Meet the Underdogs series

2015 stat leaders

Dane Kelly of Charleston Battery wins TheCup.us Player of the Round | Past winners

The First Cup series (1913/14)

TheCup.us 2.0 launches | The origin of TheCup.us

Twitter (#USOC2015) | Facebook | Flickr | Reddit

Aside from the championship game, one could argue the Fourth Round, when all US-based Major League Soccer teams enter the competition, is the highlight of the tournament. If that’s true, then that would make the Third Round, the second most important round because every winner earns a date with a MLS team.

There’s so much on the line with all 15 games on Wednesday night with North American Soccer League (NASL) clubs making their first appearance in the 102nd edition of the US Open Cup.

The Third Round begins early with a 4 p.m. Eastern Time (1 p.m. Pacific Time) kick off for the Seattle Sounders 2 hosting the Portland Timbers 2.

You can follow all the Round 2 action tonight on Twitter with the hashtag #USOC2015.

MORE LINKS:
Things you should know about Round 3
Notable upsets in Round 3 (Modern Era)
2015 US Open Cup bracket
2015 US Open Cup Schedule/Results
2015 Meet the Underdogs series
2015 stat leaders
Alberto Diaz of Chula Vista wins TheCup.us Player of the Round | Past winners
The First Cup series (1913/14)
TheCup.us 2.0 launches | The origin of TheCup.us
Twitter (#USOC2015) | Facebook | Flickr | Reddit

A brief look at all 15 of Wednesday’s games are below the live video:

More video:

LIVE VIDEO: Jacksonville Armada at Richmond Kickers
LIVE VIDEO: Jersey Express at New York Cosmos

LIVE VIDEO: Oklahaoma City Energy at Tulsa Roughnecks

LIVE VIDEO: Atlanta Silverbacks at Chattanooga FC

LIVE VIDEO: Colorado Springs Switchbacks at Real Monarchs

LIVE VIDEO: Minnesota United at Saint Louis FC

LIVE VIDEO: Tampa Bay Rowdies at Pittsburgh Riverhounds

LIVE VIDEO: Fort Lauderdale Strikers at Charleston Battery

LIVE VIDEO: PSA Elite at Ventura County Fusion

LIVE VIDEO: Chula Vista FC at Sacramento Republic

Portland Timbers 2 (USL) at Seattle Sounders 2 (USL)
Starfire Sports Complex; Tukwila, WA – 4 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (SEE BELOW)
Winner plays at Real Salt Lake (MLS) on June 17

Portland Timbers 2 Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | Away: 1-0-0 | vs. Div. 3: 0-0-0
Last entry: First entry (2015)
Best finish: First entry (2015)

Seattle Sounders 2 Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | Home: 1-0-0 | vs. Div. 3: 0-0-0
Last entry: First entry (2015)
Best finish: First entry (2015)

LIVE VIDEO: Timbers 2 at Sounders 2

By Randall Hauk

S2T2 is not a new robotic character from the upcoming addition to the Star Wars films.

Instead, it is shorthand for Wednesday’s battle between Seattle Sounders 2 and Portland Timbers 2 in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The two USL sides are natural-born rivals, as just the latest in a series of franchises that have shared the “Seattle Sounders” and “Portland Timbers” identities. The rivalry dates back to 1975, when the Portland Timbers were founded to join the NASL. The parent clubs of the two midweek cup combatants revived the franchises in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) and have enjoyed a heated resumption of antipathy toward one another since they both joined MLS.

If that’s not enough for these two newly-founded teams, perhaps the contempt that comes with familiarity will provide some assistance. The two met just Friday night in the league debut of the rivalry, with visiting S2 snatching an 2-0 win at Portland’s Merlo Field before 3,000-plus fans.

It was the first time T2 had lost at home all season, while also S2’s first road win of their inaugural season.

Seattle will be looking to take a decisive early lead in this Cascadia rivalry by dispatching Portland from the tournament. S2 also claimed victory in the debut fixture of the fledgling rivalry, using an 88th minute Giuliano Frano goal to complete a 2-1 comeback victory in mid-April league action.

Timbers 2 would certainly love to exact a measure of revenge on Seattle by breaking S2’s own unblemished home record and advancing at their host’s expense.

Portland reached the Third Round of Open Cup action on the strength of a 2-0 road victory over the PDL’s Michigan Bucks. Seth Casiple provided service for both goals, setting-up Kharlton Belmar for the game-winner and Fatawu Safiu for the injury-time clincher.

Belmar is currently tied for third on the USL goal-scoring leaders list with five goals.

Among the several players deadlocked at five goals in that scoring race is Seattle forward Andy Craven, who got his fifth Friday night at the expense of T2. Like Belmar, Craven also collected a goal in his club’s second-round victory last week, when he chipped Kitsap Pumas SC keeper Matt Grosey in midfield and then casually collected the ball to finish the scoring in S2’s 4-2 overtime win.

Pablo Rossi, though, was the big story for S2’s second-round win, getting two goals on the night, including the game-winner from a direct free kick just a few minutes into overtime.

Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon at Starfire Stadium (4,500 seat capacity). The early fixture was scheduled to avoid conflict with the Wednesday night MLS match between Seattle Sounders FC and Colorado Rapids.

Rochester Rhinos (USL) at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL)
Skyline Sports Complex – Harrisburg, PA – 7 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner plays at Philadelphia Union (MLS) on June 16

Rochester Rhinos Open Cup records
Overall: 33-16-5 (3-2 PKs) | Away: 3-9-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 8-0-1 (1-0)
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-1 at New England Revolution of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 1999 US Open Cup champions

Harrisburg City Islanders Open Cup records
Overall: 15-7-3 (2-1 PKs) | Home: 10-1-3 (2-1 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 0-1-2 (1-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 3-1 in OT at Philadelphia Union of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012)

By Michael Berton

As the only USL team to win the US Open Cup since MLS teams started competing, the Rochester Rhinos know a thing or two about giant slaying. Before getting a shot at an MLS team in the 2015 tournament, they’ll have to get past the Harrisburg City Islanders first.

Rochester won the Open Cup in 1999—the last non-MLS team to win the tournament. Since then, they have registered more upsets and now hold an overall 32-16-5 record in the Open Cup. Rochester has found success in league play this year as well. They are currently undefeated at 6-0-4, which is good for first in the USL Eastern Conference. In the last round, the Rhinos avoided an upset of their own by beating the NPSL’s Greater Binghamton FC Thunder 1-0.

The Harrisburg City Islanders won’t be easy to beat however. After a slow start in league play, the City Islanders have won three games in a row to move up to fifth in the Eastern Conference. During that run, they also beat Reading United 3-0 in Round Two of the Open Cup.

Harrisburg is also no stranger to Open Cup success. They have eliminated five MLS teams since their Open Cup debut in 2007 and have reached the Quarterfinals four times (2007, 2009, 2010, and 2012), which ranks just behind the Rhinos who have five round of eight appearances in their history. Last year they made it to Round 4, where they fell to the Philadelphia Union in overtime 3-1.

The Union will be the opponent for the winner of this match-up. That game will take place in Philadelphia on June 16.

Jacksonville Armada (NASL) at Richmond Kickers (USL)
Richmond City Stadium; Richmond, VA – 7 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO
Winner will host Columbus Crew (MLS) on June 17

Jacksonville Armada Open Cup records
Overall: N/A (First entry)
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Richmond Kickers Open Cup records
Overall: 27-14-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 21-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 3-2-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 3-2 vs. New England Revolution of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 1995 US Open Cup champions

By Scott Wyant

Wednesday’s Third Round matchup in the US Open Cup between the Richmond Kickers and Jacksonville Armada FC will feature something old and something new.

Richmond has participated in 17 US Open Cups to date, finishing as tournament champions in 1995. On the other side Jacksonville Armada FC in its inaugural season will be participating in its first Open Cup match in Richmond at City Stadium.

The Kickers will be playing its second game in the tournament when they welcome the NASL side on Wednesday. Richmond bested NPSL club Virginia Beach City FC 2-0 last Wednesday, getting goals from Nate Shiffman and Jason Yeisley.

Jacksonville will be playing its first match in the tournament after receiving a double-bye into Round 3. The NASL club is off to a hot start in league play at 3-3-1 and sits fourth in the table. In league play Jacksonville has scored 12 goals the third highest team total in NASL action. Five different players account for all 12 goals, with Jemal Johnson and Alhassane Keita leading the way at three goals apiece. Jacksonville Armada FC also has a major asset in goal, with veteran goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo having the fifth best goals against average (1.33) in the NASL.

At 4-2-4 the Kickers are fourth in USL’s Eastern Conference. Richmond has been tough to score on as well as their trio of talented goalkeepers boast a combined 1.10 goals against average in league play.

The USL side also possesses a versatile attack, with four players providing multiple goals in league action. Veteran Matthew Delicate’s five goals is the third best total in the USL.

Whichever side takes Wednesday’s contest in Richmond will play host to MLS side, Columbus Crew on June 17.

Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL)
Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, PA – 7 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO
Winner will host DC United (MLS) on June 17

Tampa Bay Rowdies Open Cup records
Overall: 4-4-0 | Away: 3-3-0 | vs. Div. 3: 1-1-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 4-1 at Orlando City SC of USL PRO in Round 3)
Best finish: 2013 Fourth Round (Lost 2-0 at Portland Timbers of MLS)

Pittsburgh Riverhounds Open Cup records
Overall: 8-10-3 (1-2 PKs) | Home: 6-2-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 1-3-1 (0-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-1 at Chicago Fire of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2001 Quarterfinals (Lost 3-2 in OT at Chicago Fire of MLS)

LIVE VIDEO: Tampa Bay Rowdies at Pittsburgh Riverhounds

By John Krysinsky

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Tampa Bay Rowdies will meet in a USL-vs-NASL clash in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup at Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

The Riverhounds advanced in the Open Cup with a 3-0 win over the West Virginia Chaos in the second round last week, thanks to goals by Rob Vincent, Lebo Moloto and Kevin Kerr.  Vincent and Moloto’s goals came 36 seconds apart beginning in the 9th minute.

Vincent (six goals, four assists) and Kerr (four goals, four assists) have led one of the highest scoring teams in the USL. The Riverhounds have scored 19 goals in nine matches. On Saturday, Pittsburgh (3-3-3 USL record) earned its first road win of the year in USL action, holding on to defeat the Richmond Kickers, 2-1 at City Stadium.

The Rowdies, who haven’t played since May 16, are unbeaten in their last four NASL matches, last securing a 1-0 win over the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.  Through seven games, the Rowdies sit in second place in the NASL, with Minnesota, trailing the undefeated New York Cosmos.  The Rowdies feature a balanced attack (Martin Nunez and Maicon Santos lead team with two goals each) as Georgi Hristov is the key set up man in the midfield, with a team high three assists.  With three clean sheets, the Rowdies will likely present a stingy defense that will look to thwart the quick strike capability of the Riverhounds.

The Riverhounds boast two former Rowdies on their current roster, Jamaican international goalkeeper Ryan Thompson and defender Willie Hunt.

At stake for both teams, will be an opportunity to host a Fourth Round match against Major League Soccer’s DC United, the 2013 Open Cup Champs.

Vincent, who grew up watching the FA Cup in his home country of England, in his third year playing for Pittsburgh, said that he looks forward to Open Cup competition.

“I love it.  It gives the smaller teams a chance to play against the bigger clubs,” said Vincent. “It’s a great format. We definitely want to make a run of it. We want to play MLS teams. We want to go as a far as we can,” said Vincent.

Rowdies coach Thomas Rongen coached DC United to the MLS Cup in 1999.  The Riverhounds are coached by USL Hall of Famer Mark Steffens, who is in his first year in Pittsburgh, having previously won over 200 games for the Charlotte Eagles, leading them to the USL finals nine different times.

Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) at Chattanooga FC (NPSL) 
Findley Stadium; Chattanooga, TN – 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (SEE BELOW)
Winner will play at New York Red Bulls (MLS) on June 16

Atlanta Silverbacks Open Cup records
Overall: 10-10-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 5-6-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. Amateur: 5-3-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 3-1 vs. Chicago Fire of MLS in Quarterfinals)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (1995, 2014)

Chattanooga FC Open Cup records
Overall: 1-2-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 0-1-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 1-1-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 5-0 vs. Atlanta Silverbacks of NASL in Round 3)
Best finish: 2014 Fourth Round (Lost 5-0 vs. Atlanta Silverbacks of NASL)

LIVE VIDEO: Atlanta Silverbacks at Chattanooga FC

By David Walker

In a rematch of last year’s Third Round match, the Atlanta Silverbacks make the two hour drive up I-75 to face amateur upstarts Chattanooga FC at Finley Stadium. This time Atlanta makes the trip without Eric Wynalda, whose role as Technical Director ended after last season, and instead bring MLS Cup Finalist and Martin O’Neil disciple Gary Smith.

Atlanta’s season so far has been a story of draws. Five on the season against one win and two losses see them seventh out of 11 in the second division NASL. No individual player has more than two goals so far, with forwards Kyle Porter and Shaka Bangura, along with midfielder Jonathan Okafor getting the bulk of minutes and more than half the goals in attack.

Former Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Steward Ceus has shared duties with local product CJ Cochran, who is from nearby Alpharetta and was a standout player at Georgia State. With only eight goals conceded in the first eight games, Atlanta is tied for third in that category in the NASL.

There aren’t many Open Cup bright spots in the Silverbacks’ history books, but that changed last year with a run to the Quarterfinals. They are hoping to build on that after reaching the round of eight for the first time since 1995 when they were known as the Atlanta Ruckus in the A-League. After back-to-back wins over MLS teams (Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids) they fell short against the Chicago Fire 3-1. If they can improve on that finish, they would be the first Georgia team to reach the final four since 1981 (Datagraphics).

Last year’s NPSL runners-up Chattanooga are perfect for 2015, sporting a 3-0 in the South Region and a goal differential of plus-9 (10 scored, 1 conceded). In the Cup, CFC have defeated Ocala Stampede of the PDL and, for the second year running, professional side Wilmington Hammerheads of USL Pro.

Chattanooga are once again anchored by two Englishmen, leading scorer Luke Winter and goalkeeper Gregory Hartley, both of whom have been named Player of the Round by TheCup.US. Hartley earned the honor by shutting down Ocala Stampede in a shootout in this year’s first round; Winter was named in the 2nd Round of last year’s tournament after scoring a brace against Wilmington.

Charlotte Independence (USL) at Carolina RailHawks (NASL)
WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, NC – 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner will play at New England Revolution (MLS) on June 17.

Charlotte Independence Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Div. 2: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A
Best finish: N/A

Carolina RailHawks Open Cup records
Overall: 15-6-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 15-3-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 5-1-1 (0-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 5-2 vs. FC Dallas of MLS in Quarterfinals)
Best finish: 2007 Semifinals (Lost 2-1 in OT at New England Revolution of MLS)

By Zach Hall

It’s only been a few months since these teams last played each other in a preseason friendly, a 1-0 win for the Independence, but fate and the proximity to one another has brought them back together for a Round 3 US Open Cup match up. The winner will move on to play the New England Revolution and the possibility of going up against big time US National Team players like Jermaine Jones, Lee Nguyen and Juan Agudelo.

The two North Carolina teams come into tournament play with similar regular season results – the Railhawks are sitting on 10 points in eight games and the Independence have nine points on the same amount. Both are coming off of weekend matches they can be happy with – the Railhawks topped Ft. Lauderdale Strikers 1-0 and Charlotte traveled to Charleston and played to a 1-1 draw after going down a man late in the game.

The Railhawks have always taken the US Open Cup seriously and have played spoiler to many top flight teams in the past; beating both Chivas USA and the LA Galaxy last year before falling in the Quaterfinals to FC Dallas. This year should be no different for the team from the Triangle, as they’ll look to fell their newest in-state rival in Charlotte. The RailHawks kept several key players from their cup run last year, but they’re also relying on several new players into the fold that have found success in Cary – defender Wes Knight and midfielder Neil Hlavaty are new signings to the club and also lead the team in minutes played this season. One player leading the club so far this season is not a stranger at all to the Railhawk team – midfielder Tiyi Shipalane has three goals and three assists in his eight games played this season. Shipalane is no stranger to the tournament either, having played at the amateur level with the Michigan Bucks and also winning TheCup.us Lower Division Player of the Tournament in 2013 while with Carolina.

There are a few Charlotte players that Railhawks fans should be familiar with too. Brothers Enzo and Alex Martinez both saw time with the NASL side in the past two years before signing with their hometown club in Charlotte during the 2015 preseason. Enzo has already opened his Open Cup account with a goal and an assist in Charlotte’s 4-1 victory over Upward Stars FC of the NPSL last week. Against the Stars, head coach Mike Jefferies opted to use mostly rotation and backup players to start the game, but against higher competition and no game this upcoming weekend, more usual starters could be used against the RailHawks. The home side doesn’t have that luxury unfortunately, with an away trip to Jacksonville on the horizon Saturday and the perceived lower competition of playing a USL side midweek, longtime Railhawks coach Conor Clarke could give players like Shiplane, Knight and Hlavaty a rest and instead give bench players like Chris Nurse, Blake Wagner and Dzenan Catic the start on Wednesday.

Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL) at Charleston Battery (USL)
Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, SC – 7:30 p.m. ET
Stadium Journey review: Blackbaud Stadium
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (SEE BELOW)
If Charleston wins … they host Orlando City SC (MLS) on June 16
If Ft. Lauderdale wins … they play at Orlando City SC (MLS) on June 16

Fort Lauderdale Strikers Open Cup records
Overall: 6-7-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 0-4-1 | vs. Div. 3: 0-0-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 3-2 vs. Laredo Heat of PDL in Third Round)
Best finish: Third Round (2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014)

Charleston Battery Open Cup records
Overall: 27-13-5 (3-2 PKs) | Home: 22-6-4 (2-2 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 5-0-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-2, 12-11 in PKs vs. Orlando City U23s of PDL in Round 3)
Best finish: 2008 Runner-Up

LIVE VIDEO: Fort Lauderdale Strikers at Charleston Battery

By Corbin Ensminger

The Charleston Battery can’t afford to get tired now. They will host the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the NASL on Wednesday in the Third Round of the US Open Cup, and it will be the fifth game in 13 days for the home team. One of those games was a Second Round cup meeting with Miami United of the National Premier Soccer League. which they won 1-0, but struggled to put the game away. They also lost one of their most dangerous scorers in Heviel Cordoves who was sent off after shoving a Miami player late in the second half.

Goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper was a late scratch from Charleston’s roster for Saturday’s game against the Charlotte Independence, so it remains to be seen if he will play Wednesday. Coach Mike Anhaeuser said the starting keeper aggravated an injury and it was not worth the risk. If he can’t go, expect to see Kevin Corby, who has made two starts this season.

Charleston, which is in second place in the USL Eastern Conference, has to play Wilmington at home on Saturday, so it’s another short week for the Battery. The team has always taken the Cup seriously, but Anhaeuser will have to figure out how to have fresh players for both games.

Fort Lauderdale sits in ninth place in the 11-team NASL with a record of 2-1-4. Their last win came on April 25 against the Ottawa Fury, and this is their first game in the tournament as NASL teams entered this round. MLS teams will enter in the Fourth Round, and the winner of Wednesday’s game will play Orlando City SC.

The Strikers’ leading scorers are Jose Angulo and Leo Moura, who have two goals apiece. Despite their poor record, the team has only given up eight goals compared to the seven they have scored. The Strikers are long overdue for a run in the Open Cup. They have been upset three times by amateur clubs and have never advanced beyond the Third Round. Last year, they were one-and-done after losing at home to the PDL’s Laredo Heat, 3-2.

Louisville City FC (USL) at Indy Eleven (NASL)
Carroll Stadium; Indianapolis, IN – 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner will play at Chicago Fire (MLS) on June 16

Louisville City FC Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | Away: 1-0-0 | vs. Div. 2: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Indy Eleven Open Cup records
Overall: 1-1-0 | Home: 1-0-0 | vs. Div. 3: 1-0-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-1 in OT at Columbus Crew of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2014 Fourth Round (Lost 2-1 in OT at Columbus Crew of MLS)

By Brandon Gee

As the nine US-based NASL clubs join the 3rd Round of the Open Cup, it allows the tournament to fill in the map of teams involved. The emphasis on pushing the geographic rivalries across leagues is a special facet of the competition. In the case of the NASL’s Indy Eleven, they’ll get to face the USL upstarts Louisville City FC, who play only a two hour drive south on I-65.

Though an expansion side, Louisville City is currently exceeding many preseason expectations. The boys from bourbon country are sitting at 3rd in the USL’s Eastern Conference with 16pts and a 4-1-4 record. The club boasts a +10 goal differential and ranks 2nd in the USL with only seven goals allowed.

This past Sunday saw City head to face their King’s Cup rivals in St. Louis. In a match plagued with rain and lightning that was bad enough to delay the match in the second half, City would tie the match at 2 in the 75th minute on a Matt Fondy goal only to see Louisville get the lead back two minutes later with a penalty kick. Shortly after, Nate Polak tied the game up again off a free kick. Now, Louisville will have to play in front of a crowd at Carroll Stadium that is consistently atop the attendance rankings of the lower divisions.

Louisville City earned the trip to Indianapolis with a 1-0 win over the NPSL’s Lansing United. City’s Charlie Adams scored the game winner in the 48th minute as he received a short pass from Magnus Rasmussen’s corner kick and put it past the Lansing keeper due to a deflection off a United forward.

Meanwhile, the Indy Eleven come into Open Cup play on a three-match losing streak for a current record of 1-3-3, all but ensuring a finish near the bottom of the table in the NASL’s short 10-game spring season.

In their last league match on Saturday, the Eleven traveled to face Ottawa Fury FC. Though losing the match off an Ottawa goal in the 88th minute while a scoreless draw seemed to be in the making was disheartening, perhaps the more concerning outcome of the match is the injury to the Eleven’s leading scorer Sergio Peña. So far, the club has only said it’s a lower leg injury and further evaluation is being done. It remains to be seen if he’ll be okay to play on Wednesday.

There were a couple positives for the Eleven, though, as both their Captain Greg Janicki returned from injury and goalkeeper Kristian Nicht returned from his stint with the Montreal Impact for the Ottawa match. The team also announced the signing of University of Pennsylvania and Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL) standout forward Duke Lacroix who may have a chance to see some minutes on Wednesday.

This match will be the Eleven’s third Open Cup match ever. Last year’s 3rd round saw the boys in blue easily handle the Dayton Dutch Lions 5-2, with a hat trick from Blake Smith, in front of a near sellout crowd at Carroll. Indy would then travel to Akron, Ohio and FirstEnergy Stadium to face MLS’ Columbus Crew. The Crew would lose two players to red cards, but escaped with the 2-1 win after Indy’s Brad Ring took Ethan Finlay down in the box in the 2nd OT period, with Jairo Arrieta putting the PK in for the win.

Another factor in the Eleven’s corner would be President & GM Peter Wilt. Wilt’s history of success in the Open Cup with MLS’ Chicago Fire is unprecedented in the modern era and he remains one of the biggest boosters of the tournament. Last week saw the 4-time winner take a roadtrip with an Eleven assistant coach up to Lansing to scout the Louisville City-Lansing United match himself. Then there’s the fact that with the regional draw of MLS teams, if the Eleven win, Wilt will have the opportunity to take his Indy team into Chicago to take on his old club.

Wednesday night will be first time these clubs have ever played each other in an actual competition. There was a preseason match back in March where Louisville won 2-1 at the University of Indianapolis. As Louisville aims to continue its stretch of competitive soccer and is gunning for an upset over the struggling NASL side.

Jersey Express (PDL) at New York Cosmos (NASL)
Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.); Queens, NY – 7:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: LIVE VIDEO
If New York wins … they host New York City FC (MLS) on June 16
If Jersey wins … they play at New York City FC (MLS) on June 16

Jersey Express Open Cup records
Overall: 2-1-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Div. 2: 0-0-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 4-2 at Brooklyn Italians of NPSL in Round 1)
Best finish: N/A (Winless prior to 2015)

New York Cosmos Open Cup records
Overall: 2-1-0 | Home: 2-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 1-0-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-1 in OT at Philadelphia Union of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: 2014 Fifth Round (Lost 2-1 in OT at Philadelphia Union of MLS)

By Brian Venard

On Wednesday evening, the New York Cosmos will be looking to continue what has been an impressive start to their third season, when they host PDL side Jersey Express in the Third Round of the US Open Cup.

While the Cosmos will be playing their first cup match this season, the Express have been competing since the First Round. The Express have not had easy competition to this point, playing against four-time cup champion New York Greek American SC and the USL’s New York Red Bulls 2. While the odds have been stacked against them, Jersey Express has played quite well in both games, dominating the Greek Americans 3-0 and sliding by Red Bulls 2 by a score of 1-0. Shockingly enough, these two wins were the side’s first victories in franchise history. As one of the only two PDL sides (and five amateur teams) left in the tournament, the other being the Ventura County Fusion, there is certainly some pressure on them to succeed, and if the Express want to continue to succeed, they will need to have another star performance by Brayan Martinez, whose quality corner led his side to victory against Red Bulls 2.

The star-studded New York Cosmos, unlike the Express, have high expectations for their cup run this season. Led by Spanish forward Raul, the NASL side is looking to continue their undefeated campaign by brushing aside their opponents. After eight games in the league, the Cosmos are yet to lose a match, winning five and drawing three. The team has put up solid performances in each and every match. Their recent signing of Raul has definitely been a contributing factor, but it is by no means a one man show. Both Leonardo Fernandes and Carlos Mendes have been putting up consistent performances as well.

While the Cosmos are clearly the better side on paper in this matchup, the Open Cup is notorious for surprises and big upsets, and there is some potential of that Wednesday night at Belson Stadium.

Minnesota United FC (NASL) at Saint Louis FC (USL)
St. Louis Soccer Park; Fenton, MO – 8 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (SEE BELOW)
Winner will play at Sporting Kansas City (MLS) on June 16

Minnesota United FC Open Cup records
Overall: 4-4-0 | Away: 3-2-0 | vs. Div. 3: 0-0-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-0 at Sporting KC of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: Fourth Round (2012, 2014)

Saint Louis FC Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | N/A (First entry)
Last entry: N/A
Best finish: N/A

LIVE VIDEO: Minnesota United at Saint Louis FC

By Matthew DeWitt

Wednesday’s Third Round game will end with one team making a repeat trip to Kansas City for a first game against MLS opponents.

A week after the USL side finished off the Des Moines Menace in extra time, Saint Louis FC will have stiffer competition when Minnesota United FC comes to Fenton, Mo., for Round 3.

Minnesota United FC has been on a tear in the North American Soccer League. The Loons are coming into the contest on a three-game win streak in the second-division league, most recently beating NASL-newcomer Jacksonville Armada, 3-2, in front of a sold out crowd at the NSC stadium in Blaine, Minn.

St. Louis will be playing its fifth straight game at the St. Louis Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo., which has hosted numbers Open Cup games over the years, including the championship games from 1985-89. The USL side is 2-1-1 during the stretch, including last Wednesday’s overtime thriller over Des Moines and a 3-3 draw on Sunday against league opponent Louisville City.

United States Men’s National Team midfielder Miguel Ibarra and Minnesota United will try to get back to Kansas City, Kan., to take on Major League Soccer-side Sporting KC in the Fourth Round, while Saint Louis could make its first ever appearance against an MLS team, all in its first Open Cup.

Oklahoma City Energy (USL) at Tulsa Roughnecks (USL)
ONEOK Field; Tulsa, OK – 8:05 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO
Winner plays at FC Dallas (MLS) on June 16

Oklahoma City Energy FC Open Cup records
Overall: 2-1-0 | Away: 2-1-0 | vs. Div. 3: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-1 in OT at Arizona United of USL Pro in Round 3)
Best finish: 2014 Third Round (Lost 2-1 in OT at Arizona United of USL Pro)

Tulsa Roughnecks Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | Home: 1-0-0 | vs. Div. 3: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

By Jay F. Marks

Oklahoma City Energy FC and the Tulsa Roughnecks are facing off in what fans call the “Oklahoma Derby.” The two USL sides already have faced off once this year, a 1-1 tie on March 28 in Tulsa. Now they are meeting with a June date against MLS side FC Dallas awaiting the victor.

Energy FC arrived in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup courtesy of a 3-1 victory over the PDL’s Midland/Odessa Sockers. The second-year USL side currently sits in 7th place in the league’s Western Conference with a 3-2-3 record.

Tulsa defeated PDL side Seacoast United, 1-0, to set up Wednesday’s match against its in-state rival. The Roughnecks are 3-4-2 in the team’s first year of USL action.

The two clubs are aiming to add some more Oklahoma to the Open Cup record books. Prior to Oklahoma City entering for the first time in 2014, the last team to qualify was an amateur team called Los Lobos who competed three straight years out of the USASA from 1997-99. They failed to advance in all three years. The furthest any team from Oklahoma has ever advanced was a club called Tulsa International that reached the Round of 16 in 1974.

Austin Aztex (USL) at San Antonio Scorpions (NASL)
Toyota Field; San Antonio, TX – 8:30 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: NONE
Winner will play at Houston Dynamo (MLS) – Date TBD

Austin Aztex Open Cup records
Overall: 2-1-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Div. 2: 0-0-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 4-4, 4-2 in PKs vs. NTX Rayados of USASA in Round 1)
Best finish (as PDL): 2013 Second Round (Lost 2-0 vs. Wilmington Hammerheads of USL Pro)

San Antonio Scorpions Open Cup records
Overall: 3-2-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 3-1-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-0 at FC Dallas of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2012 Fourth Round (Lost 2-1 in OT vs. Charlotte Eagles of USL Pro)

By Chris Hockman

For the second time this year, the Austin Aztex will make the trip down I-35 to take on the San Antonio Scorpions, but this time the match holds something meaningful, a place in the US Open Cup Fourth Round against the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.

Austin Aztex fans will claim that the Queso Bowl is real enough, but it will mean nothing if they don’t back up their convincing pre-season friendly victory at the same venue. (MORE: Aztex destroy Scorpions and win Queso Bowl)

Scorpions fans will claim that the team has moved on since then, and perhaps they have, but with just two wins to show for the season so far, that claim may be a little much. A US Open Cup run could be vital for the club’s future and to get the club some attention for a potential buyer.

By contrast, the Austin Aztex sit in a playoff position, perhaps ahead of expectations, compared to the below-expectations performance of the Scorpions. But enter the game having lost their previous game and it could be a sloppy game. Fortuantely for San Antonio residents, and fans attending the game on Wednesday, the city got off lightly compared to Austin where the Aztex home ground was under water this week.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL) at Real Monarchs (USL)
Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, UT – 9 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (SEE BELOW)
Winner plays at Colorado Rapids (MLS) on June 16

Colorado Springs Switchbacks Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Div. 3: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Real Monarchs Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | vs. Div. 3: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

LIVE VIDEO: Colorado Springs Switchbacks at Real Monarchs

By Robert Wilson

USL rivals Real Monarchs and Colorado Springs Switchbacks meet at Rio Tinto Stadium with a Fourth Round matchup at the Colorado Rapids (MLS) on the line. The two inaugural teams were victorious in their first ever Open Cup games last week defeating lower division oppositions; Real Monarchs pulled off the 1-0 road victory over the Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) while Colorado Springs held on to defeat Harpo’s FC (USSSA) 2-1 at home. This meeting will be the third official meetings, including the preseason, with Colorado Springs winning both previous encounters 1-0 in Utah and 5-2 in Colorado.

The real test for any soccer team is the ability to rotate the roster and compete on multiple fronts often during the same week. So far Switchbacks FC head coach Steve Trittschuh has done a good job of this after securing the Open Cup victory with two goals from Marty Mabin and then following up with a 5-0 league victory over Arizona United this weekend with only three players overlapping starters. Now on the road, Trittschuh will be tested again however has plenty of inform options at all 11 positions. The most in-form include a group of five attackers; Luke Vercollone, Miguel Gonzalez, Aaron King, Saeed Robinson and Marty Mabin, who have combined to score eight goals and four assists over four games in the month of May.

The past month has not been as kind to hosts Real Monarchs who have been away from home almost the entire month of May including the recent swing that brought them from Utah to Long Island, New York to Vancouver, British Colombia all in one week’s time. The Monarchs are currently sitting in last place on the Western Conference due to a number of close matches that have not fallen the way of the young club but they remain optimistic about their Open Cup potential. Real Monarchs are likely to line up with forwards Emery Welshman and Max Rauhofer in front of in-form playmaker – and recent 22nd birthday boy – Ricardo Velazco and goalkeeper Eric Osswald who are all eager to advance in this game and prove their value in the following round against their parent club’s regional rival.

PSA Elite (USASA) at Ventura County Fusion (PDL)
Ventura College Sportsplex; Ventura, CA – 10 p.m. ET
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO (SEE BELOW)
Winner plays at Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) on June 17

PSA Elite Open Cup records
Overall: 4-3-2 (2-0 PKs) | Away: 2-3-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Amateur: 3-1-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 5-0 at Seattle Sounders of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2014 Fourth Round (Lost 5-0 to Seattle Sounders of MLS)

Ventura County Fusion Open Cup records
Overall: 6-4-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 4-2-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. Amateur: 4-0-2 (1-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-1 at Sacramento Republic of USL PRO in Round 2
Best finish: 2012 (Lost 1-0 vs. Chivas USA of MLS)

LIVE VIDEO: PSA Elite at Ventura County Fusion

By Josh Hakala

Over the last six years, the Ventura County Fusion have established themselves as one of the most consistent amateur teams in the country when it comes to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. They have qualified a Modern Era record six straight years, and they’ve eliminated two professional teams, including the one that helped them reach the Third Round, a 2-1 road win over the Los Angeles Galaxy 2 (USL).

Southern California USASA club PSA Elite is starting to build their own level of Open Cup consistency. This their fourth straight year of qualifying for the tournament and also have two professional team scalps under their belt, having upset the Orange County Blues (USL) 2-1 last week.

Both teams have also had their shot at a Major League Soccer team. The PSA Elite lost 5-0 on the road last year to eventual champion Seattle Sounders FC. Ventura County gave Chivas USA a scare back in the Third Round in 2012 when the goats escaped with a 1-0 win in Ventura.

The winner of Wednesday night’s game will get another shot at MLS, thus, guaranteeing Open Cup fans one of the prizes of this 102-year-old tournament: an amateur team taking on a team from the top division. Whoever prevails will face the Los Angeles Galaxy at the StubHub Center on June 17.

Chula Vista FC (USASA) at Sacramento Republic (USL)
Bonney Field; Sacramento, CA – 10:30 p.m.
BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO | ONLINE RADIO
Winner will play at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) on June 16

Chula Vista FC Open Cup records
Overall: 2-0-0 | Away: 2-0-0 | vs. Div. 3: 1-0-0
Last entry: N/A (2015 first entry)
Best finish: N/A (2015 first entry)

Sacramento Republic Open Cup records
Overall: 2-1-0 | Home: 2-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 2-0-0
Last entry: 2014 (Lost 2-1 at San Jose Earthquakes of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2014 Fourth Round (Lost 2-1 at San Jose Earthquakes of MLS)

LIVE VIDEO: Chula Vista FC at Sacramento Republic

By Evan Ream

With the prize of a match-up against MLS affiliate in principal, but not practice, Sacramento Republic FC will take on the USASA’s Chula Vista FC Wednesday at Bonney Field.

In their mixed bag of a season, the Republic are currently near the top of the USL Western Conference standings having won four of five home league games, but just two of six road games.

With a side filled mainly with reserves, Sacramento cruised to a 4-2 second round round win over the Sonoma County Sol of the NPSL through a hat trick from Tommy Stewart, the first Northern Irishman to tally one in the modern era of the Open Cup.

The win came at a cost though as both Stewart and midfielder Octavio Guzman – fringe starters for the first team – exited the game due to injury and did not make the trip to Sacramento’s 2-1 loss in Oklahoma City on Saturday.

One player who could feature in the Third Round though is 2014 USL MVP finalist and Republic talisman Rodrigo Lopez, who was sent off in the first ten minutes of the OKC game and will have to sit out Saturday’s match against Real Monarchs SLC due to suspension.

Last year, Lopez was instrumental in pulling the strings for the Republic in their 6-0 third round win over the Fresno Fuego, which set up a hotly contested third round game against San Jose, where Sacramento fell short despite taking the lead originally.

Getting in the way of that rematch is Chula Vista FC, an amateur side from Southern California which accounted for one of the biggest second round upsets with a 3-0 win at USL club Arizona United SC.

Chula Vista, who have set up a GoFundMe account (Donate here) to cover their travel costs to Sacramento, are led by Albert Diaz, who scored two and set up another in their upset of Arizona United. Diaz was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round for his efforts.

The USASA side previously beat FC Tuscon of the USL PDL 2-1 in extra time to set up the Arizona United meeting.