Reading United AC

2015 US Open Cup Round 2: Harrisburg City Islanders avenge 2013 upset with 3-0 win over Reading United AC

May 20, 2015 by Craig Tower

The USL’s Harrisburg City Islanders scored an emphatic 3-0 victory in the Second Round of the 2015 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup over nearby Reading United AC to avenge their ouster by the amateur side in the 2013 edition of the national tournament. The loss to Reading two years ago on the very same field was not only Harrisburg’s first loss to an amateur team, but it was the first time they had ever lost the opening match of the tournament. The City Islanders made sure history didn’t repeat itself.

Harrisburg came into the game with four straight victories by an 11-1 goal margin in league play, and showed that the numbers were not a fluke by putting in two quick goals over the home side. Midfielder Danny DiPrima netted the first for the visitors in the 8th minute, striking into space left by the Reading backline. As Reading netminder Kyle Morton charged off his line, DiPrima calmly pushed the ball wide and slipped a low ball to the far post for the first score.

Former Reading player and 2013 All-PDL selection Jason Plumhoff was the architect of the next goal just two minutes later. Outflanking the Reading defense on the right side of the penalty area, Plumhoff sighted teammate Cardel Benbow driving toward the goal, sending a cross to his feet. Benbow shot low and to the corner to put the Islanders up 2-0.

The second half finished without any further scoring as Reading started to find their feet, but their comeback hopes were given a major blow when Harrisburg scored in the 46th minute. Plumhoff again pulled the strings for Harrisburg, this time curving a corner kick into the box to defender Ken Tribbett, who headed the ball home cleanly.

While Harrisburg didn’t concede, they also didn’t leave Don Thomas Stadium unscathed. Neil Shaffer earned an ejection when he drew his second yellow card of the match in the 76th minute. However, Reading wasn’t able to capitalize on their man advantage.

With the victory, Harrisburg earned entry to the third round and a home matchup against fellow USL side Rochester Rhinos. The last Open Cup visit by the Rhinos to Harrisburg in 2011 resulted in a 1-0 City Islanders loss. The Rhinos will bring the memory of that victory with them, along with dreams of repeating their 1999 Open Cup championship, when they became the last non-MLS team to take home the Dewar Trophy.

2015 US Open Cup Round 1: Reading United wins 4th straight tournament opener, 1-0 over Maryland Bays

May 16, 2015 by Phil Naegely

Brett Campbell of Reading United scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal in the 19th minute against the Maryland Bays. Photo: Reading United

After being told just a few days before the match that they would be hosting their First Round Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match, Reading United faced Maryland Bays on Wednesday night. It didn’t take long for the USL PDL side to find the net in front of their home crowd at Exeter High School’s Don Thomas Stadium. United, who were making its seventh straight tournament appearance out of the Premier Development League, used that goal to hang on for a 1-0 win over the reigning USASA Region I Open Cup champions

In the 19th minute, after a few early scoring opportunities, Reading struck first. Brett Campbell poked home the eventual game-winner after receiving a pass from Neco Brett.

Playing with only one substitute, the Bays struggled to find many threating chances on net as Reading’s goalkeeper Kyle Morton showed zero rust in the PDL side’s first competitive game of 2015.

With the 1-0 victory, Reading United will host USL side and fellow Philadelphia Union affiliate Harrisburg City Islanders on May 20 at 7 p.m. This will be the third time the Union affiliates have faced off in US Open Cup play. In 2011 Harrisburg defeated Reading 2-1, while United upset the City Islanders 1-0 in 2013.

Reading defender Paul Marie challenges former Reading player Jon Ports of the Maryland Bays. Photo: Reading United AC

After the game Reading United head coach David Castellanos was proud of his side.

“A great goal by Brett Campbell and good build up all around. We’re going to take the positives away from the match, but we know we have a ton of work to do to get ready for Harrisburg,” said Castellanos. “There were pieces of good movement. Keegan Rosenberry did well and William Picoux came on in the second half and really moved that ball. Our backline played great. Kyle Morton in goal, he saved us.”

For United, a franchise that began its Open Cup history losing its first give games, have made history in recent years. This is the seventh year in a row that the club has qualified for the tournament, which a record for amateur teams in the Modern Era (1995-present). This game also marks the fourth year in a row that the club has won their opening match, which ties the Ventura County Fusion’s modern era record (2011-2014). The Fusion currently hold the record for longest unbeaten streak in consecutive tournament openers with five (2011-2015). The Chicago Fire PDL side won five straight opening round games, but not in consecutive seasons (2004-05, 2009, 2010, 2012).

The organization of the match was a challenge as the Maryland Bays had originally been awarded hosting rights. The opening game was scheduled to be played at Calvert Hall in Towson, Md. but the stadium was made unavailable due to safety concerns following the recent Baltimore riots. Scrambling to find a new venue, the Bays were able to find one at the University of Maryland – Baltimore County (UMBC). After renting the field, they were informed on Thursday that the person who rented it to them had done so in error, because the venue was not available because the stadium was under construction.

With less than a week until the match, the Bays were in desperation mode but somehow managed to find a field at Troy Park in Elkridge, Md. The condition of the field was good, but the venue didn’t have locker rooms, which is one of the US Soccer Federation’s minimum standards. Less than 48 hours before the game, the federation decided that Reading United would host the game.

2014 US Open Cup Round 3: Rochester Rhinos survive Reading United upset bid with Colin Rolfe OT winner

May 28, 2014 by Brendan Doherty

Colin Rolfe scored his first career US Open Cup goal in the 119th minute as the Rochester Rhinos defeated Reading United 2-1. Photo: James Kenneth Studio | Rochester Rhinos

The Rhinos left it late in extra time again as Rochester narrowly defeated Reading United AC 2-1

Putting to the test a 12-0-0 record against amateur sides, and a 15-0-1 record against sides from lower leagues, Rochester squeaked out a result against Reading United AC with the game-winning goal coming in the 119th minute by Colin Rolfe.

With the win, the Rhinos advance to the Fourth Round where they will host defending US Open Cup champion DC United from Major League Soccer. The game is scheduled to take place at Sahlen’s Stadium on June 17 at 7 p.m. The Rhinos, who won the 1999 US Open Cup title, will be seeking their first MLS upset since 2009.

Coming into Tuesday night’s match, all eyes were on Reading United AC forward Darius Madison. Madison scored four goals in his last two PDL matches, and had a goal and three assists in the club’s tournament opener before facing the Rhinos. His speed was a threat throughout regulation and made his first impact in the 8th minute when the speedy forward was able to muscle Tony Walls, Rochester’s most imposing player, off the ball but he was closed down before he could get his shot away.

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Reading’s best chance of the first half came from the foot of Nick Surkamp. The forward beat Rochester’s offside trap on a pass from midfield and took a couple touches before firing a heavy shot on frame. Goalkeeper John McCarthy dove to his left to make an improvised save on Surkamp’s shot in the 12th minute.

Inside the first half hour the game settled into a rhythm that appeared to suit both teams. Rochester had the majority of possession but Reading remained dangerous as the visitors were not afraid to run directly at the heart of the Rhinos’ defense with the ball at their feet. By the halftime whistle, the visitors were leading in shots with 4 to Rochester’s 2. Both teams picked up their efforts in the second half.

Attacking midfielder Minh Vu entered the game in the 55th minute and didn’t take long to get involved in the action for the Rhinos. Running away from goal inside the area, Vu flicked a pass wide left for Johnny Mendoza who cut a low cross back towards the penalty spot. Club captain Tyler Rosenlund eyed up a shot but Quincy Thomas did enough to push him off-balance in his run-up.

The amateur side found the game’s first goal in the 66 minute. Ignacio Maganto played an incisive ball for Surkamp that split Rochester’s central defenders. As Surkamp drove into the area, McCarthy came off his line to close down the angle but the forward smartly looped his shot over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead.

Reading’s celebrations were short-lived, however, as Rochester responded immediately from the kickoff. Alex Dixon received the ball in the right-hand channel and cut inside before delivering a tempting low ball across the face of goal. Mendoza did well to slide through the center of the area after a lung-busting run to poke the ball home past a helpless goalkeeper Alex Bono. Rochester’s equalizer came within a matter of seconds after the restart in the 66th minute.

Rochester had a chance to win the match in regulation in the 83rd minute. Pushing up from central defense to the left wing, Tony Walls sent a cross into a packed 18-yard box and the ball fell to JC Banks. Banks initially shimmied to his right to shake a defender but then stumbled and laid the ball off to Vu, whose shot was saved well by Bono.

Referee Chris Trottier showed a yellow card to Darius Madison in the 76th minute for persistent fouling. The forward’s tussles with Babacar Diallo at the end of regulation could have earned either player a second booking from a different referee. Madison was not as lucky with a physical challenge on Walls in the 97th minute, for which he received his second booking and, subsequently, his marching orders.

While it would be easy to say that the red card to Reading’s most dangerous player changed the complexion of the game, Rochester was already in the ascendancy before Madison’s dismissal. Reading didn’t manage a single shot in 30 minutes of extra time as Rochester surged forward with wave after wave of attacks.

Substitutes Minh Vu and JC Banks were particularly active for Rochester but Levi Houapeu, who entered the game in the 103rd minute, set up the crucial play for the home side. Houapeu drove down the right wing and his quick feet drew a free kick in a promising position. Though Mendoza had been suffering from a cramp in his right hamstring minutes before and forward Colin Rolfe had been gassed for all of extra time, the two players connected on that free kick to seal victory for the Rhinos.

Mendoza said after the game that he caught a signal from Rolfe as he was placing the ball for his free kick and decided to send the ball in quickly to the near post. “We looked at each other and there was no one in the space there, so I played it to him then.” Rolfe ending up getting contact with the his left thigh as he flicked the ball into the bottom corner on the far side of the net in the 119th minute.

There wasn’t much time left in the match after Rochester’s celebrations ended and the relief among Rhinos’ players and coaching staff was palpable. On the other hand, several of Reading United AC’s players received treatment for cramps on the field after the final whistle, having played at a high level for 120 minutes.

Facing amateur clubs in the cup this year hasn’t provided any relief from the rigors of USL PRO for Rochester as the team has gone late in extra time on both occasions. “Every time you play a PDL team or any team in the Open Cup, it’s gonna be a dogfight,” Mendoza said. “We were fortunate to win this game.”

Rochester head coach Bob Lilley admitted that while he was pleased with the immediate response from his team after going behind in the 66th minute, the Rhinos shouldn’t have gone to extra time. “For me, we should have created more throughout the rest of the game,” Lilley said. Tuesday night’s victory extends the Rhinos’ undefeated record against amateur sides in the US Open Cup to 13-0-0.

US Open Cup notes: With the win, the Rhinos improve to 13-0-0 against amateur teams in Open Cup play. Of those 13 games, 10 of them have been decided by a single goal. Of their 17 games that have gone to extra time, the Rhinos improve to 10-2 all-time in games decided in extra time, and remain 3-2 in matches decided in penalty kicks.

2014 US Open Cup Round 2: Reading United cruise past Greater Binghamton, 5-2 (video)

May 17, 2014 by Phil Naegely

A strong second-half powered Reading United past the Greater Binghamton FC Thunder 5-2 at Wilson High School’s Gurski Stadium advancing the team to the US Open Cup Third Round.

Reading secured coach David Castellanos his first Cup victory and overall win as Reading manager.

“It’s a special moment for the coaching staff and the players to get that first win,” Castellanos said. “US Open Cup games are like NCAA Tournament games. It is one and done. I was very, very pleased with the result.”

Reading United move on to face USL-Pro side Rochester Rhinos on May 28th in Rochester, NY.

At the half, Reading held the one-goal advantage and stood 45 minutes away from advancing to the Third Round for the second consecutive year.

Binghamton and head referee Darth Newman did not make it easy at first.

Binghamton penetrated into the penalty box and earned a penalty kick after Reading’s Robby Sagel took down an opponent. It appeared to be a clean defensive play, but Newman decided otherwise from a distance – about 20 yards – and pointed to the spot without confirming the call with his near sideline assistant referee, who was much closer to the play.

Binghamton’s Bozidar Jelovic stepped up and shot left past a diving Alex Bono to knot the match at 2-2.

Reading’s Ignacio Maganto came in for Graham Smith in the 61th minute and made an immediate impact. Darius Madison found more space on the left flank again and charged towards the box with favorable numbers. On a 2-on-1, Madison passed over to an open Maganto whose strike put Reading up for good.

From there, the game was in Reading’s favor. Six minutes later Quincy Thomas doubled the lead. Off a corner kick, Binghamton failed to clear the ball out of danger after a few headers that pinballed around the box. Thomas secured the box at the top of the 18-yard box and sent it screaming into the top netting.

As the game wound down and Reading continued to control the game’s pace and possession, Madison put on a show for the 236 fans in attendance. Madison dribbled around his defender, losing his shoe in the process. Before the ball went out of bounds, he saved it on the sideline and drew Stenta off his line leaving the net wide open. Nick Surkamp capped-off Reading’s five goal night by blasting the ball into the open net.

“I basically squared the guy up, faked right and he stepped on my cleat and it game off,” Madison said. “I passed it towards the penalty mark and Surkamp was there to finish it.”

Reading threatened from the opening whistle. In the ninth minute, Madison’s diving header just missed finding the back of the net as it hit the right post.

Moments later the game’s first goal would come as Madison beat his defender on the left flank and found space to send a cross into the box. Oumar Ballo found the ball and sent it through traffic and goalkeeper Jason Stenta’s legs.

With Reading leading 1-0 less than 20 minutes in it continued to pressure, looking to increase its lead. Instead, Binghamton found an equalizer. A mid-field turnover allowed Binghamton an offensive advantage as Jonny Sinclair’s cross set up Alex Varkatzas perfectly for the game-tying goal in the 35th minute.

The hosts continued to press. Madison almost found the net in the 41st minute. Stenta struggled to hold onto the speedy forwards’ shot at first but was able to escape without danger. Moments later Madison found another chance to strike and emphatically put Reading up right before the halftime whistle. Lucas Baldin turned his defender on the attack and sent a precise pass to a streaking Madison who found the right-side netting.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

2013 US Open Cup Third Round: New York Red Bulls pull away from Reading United 2-0 in second half

May 30, 2013 by Romulo Vieira

Hoping to change their US Open Cup performances of past, the New York Red Bulls picked up only their fourth win since reaching the 2003 tournament final as they avoided embarrassment by eliminating the PDL Reading United AC 2-0 on a pair of second half goals Wednesday night in the Third Round. Lloyd Sam was involved in both strikes with a goal and assist.

In the first few minutes of the game Reading United showed signs that they were not just coming to Red Bull Arena for the experience. They showed to be aggressive off the ball when trying to retrieve possession. The Red Bulls, with experienced players like Juninho and Peguy Luyindula, quickly took control of the game by keeping most of the possession. The Red Bulls kept Reading goalkeeper John McCarthey and his defense on their feet with a number of shots.

Quick one two passes between Juninho, Luyindula and Amando Moreno allowed the Red Bulls to penetrate Reading’s defense, but thanks to quick thinking by Reading’s defense, they were able to keep a clean sheet in the first half.

New York’s best chance came in the 15th minute when McCarthy came up with two huge back-to-back saves after stopping shots from Connor Lade and Amando Moreno in the box. While the Red Bulls did dominate possession, Reading also had a few good chances to score goals. Their quick forwards always posed a threat when they came close to Ryan Meara’s goal, however, most of their shots went wide without Meara needing to come up with a save.

In the second half Red Bulls coach Mike Petke decided to take out Juninho and Luyindula for Dax McCarty and Fabian Espindola, a move that would prove crucial in the outcome of the game. The second half played out the same way as the first with the Red Bulls dominating possession, but not with as many opportunities as in the first 45 minutes.

Even though the Red Bulls did not have as many shots in the second half, they opened the scoring in the 61st after a sequence of quick one-two passes between McCarty, Sam and Espindola. McCarty started the sequence with Sam, which gave McCarty room to send the ball to Espindola in the box for an easy tap-in to put the Red Bulls ahead 1-0.

Just six minutes later the Red Bulls put the game away with Sam scoring the second goal of the game. Another quick one-two pass between Sam and Espindola gave Sam enough room in the box to fire the ball past John McCarthy.

After the second goal the Red Bulls took control of the game. Reading’s best chance came in the 69th minute when Damian Lowe almost put his name on the score sheet with a header coming from a corner kick that was saved by Meara’s thigh. After that small scare the Red Bulls maintained control and sealed their spot in the fourth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

With this win the Red Bulls will play their I-95 rivals New England Revolution in the fourth round away from home. The victory against Reading moved Red Bulls’ undefeated streak to eight games in all competitions.

Scoring Summary

NY: Fabian Espindola (Dax McCarty, Lloyd Sam) 61’

NY: Lloyd Sam (Fabian Espindola) 67’

Disciplinary Summary:

NY: Markus Holgersson (caution) 90’

REA: Ben Sweat (caution) 94’+

Lineups

New York Red Bulls – Ryan Meara, Brandon Barklage, Markus Holgersson, Heath Pearce, Roy Miller, Lloyd Sam (Eric Alexander 84’), Juninho (Dax McCarty 46’), Michael Bustamante, Connor Lade, Peguy Luyindula (Fabian Espindola 46’), Amando Moreno

Substitutes Not Used: Santiago Castano, Kosuke Kimura, Jonny Steele, Andre Akpan

Reading United AC – John McCarthy, Damian Lowe, Ben Sweat, Jimmy Ockford, Wes Charpie (Dante Marini 73’), Steve Neumann, Jonny Doezel, Keegan Rosenberry (Fatai Alashe 60’), Kadeem Dacrees, Mario Pinto (Darius Madison 60’), Larry Ndjock

Substitutes Not Used: Alex Bono, Shane Campbell, Manolo Sanchez, Melvin Snoh

Referee: Mark Gorak  Referee’s Assistants: TJ Zablocki, Danny Thornberry  4th Referee: Ryan Dos Reis

Attendance: 3,867

2013 US Open Cup Second Round: Reading United earn first pro upset, 1-0 over Harrisburg City Islanders

May 22, 2013 by Michael Berton

DSC_0049k — Mario Pinto of Reading United celebrates his goal with teammates in their second round against the Harrisburg City Islanders. Reading was one of four PDL teams to reach the Third Round. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

In a second round US Open Cup battle of two Philadelphia Union affiliates, Reading United pulled off a 1-0 upset victory over the Harrisburg City Islanders on Tuesday night. A Mario Pinto goal in the ninth minute and 90 minutes of sound defending sent United through to the third round for the first time in club history.

“ is a mentality,” Reading United coach Brendan Burke said. “When you’re defending from the front…it’s difficult for teams to get any sort of rhythm. is probably a more talented team than us right now, so we knew we would have to make the game a little ugly to get through it tonight, and we did it extremely effectively.”

Coming into the match, Reading had outscored its opponents 13-0. The team took that confidence into its contest against professional opposition, applying early pressure high up the field. In the ninth minute, a Reading goal kick bounced several times toward the Harrisburg net. Pinto judged the ball correctly and beat the City Islander defenders. He then hit a magical volley from the center of the box that Harrisburg keeper Nick Noble could do nothing about to put Reading up 1-0.

Harrisburg pressed forward after the goal, consistently going down the right side of the field with the speedy Morgan Langley. Several sequences involving Langley ended with Lucky Mkosana shots, but the forward could not find the back of the net. Reading goalie John McCarthy was a big reason for that, especially in the 39th minute when he saved a point-blank header off of Mkosana.

DSC_0040k — Mario Pinto of Reading United watches the ball carry into the back of the net in what would prove to be the game-winner against the Harrisburg City Islanders. Photo: Kari Haffelfinger

In the second half, Reading continued to press high up the field. Darius Madison subbed in for Pinto, serving as a constant presence and nuisance to the Islander backline.

“You saw Darius chasing 60 yards laterally at the end of the game. That’s hard work that doesn’t show up in the score sheet but wins you games,” Burke said.

As the game wore on, however, Harrisburg exerted more and more pressure. The City Islanders controlled the ball for nearly the entire last 15 minutes of play, but solid defending kept them from scoring. Other than a shout for a penalty kick in the 86th minute, Harrisburg could not create too many solid chances. That lack of creativity would cost them, as they eventually fell 1-0.

Reading earned its first-ever Open Cup victory over a professional team with the win. Next up is the New York Red Bulls, which will be the first MLS squad Reading faces in Open Cup play. What can already be defined as a magical Open Cup run for the PDL side will continue in Red Bull Arena next week.

“It’s a big step forward for the organization,” Burke said. “What an experience. I just walked over and asked the team who’s going to mark Henry next week! I’m sure he won’t play, but maybe they’ll put him on for a token 10 minutes to let the boys enjoy playing against him.”

Reading United 1:0 Harrisburg City Islanders
Don Thomas Stadium – Reading, Pa.

Scoring Summary:

RU: Mario Pinto (unassisted) 9

Lineups:

Reading United: John McCarthy; Jonathan Dolezal, Damion Lowe, James Ockford, Benjamin Sweat; Keegan Rosenberry, Stephen Neumann, Emanuel Sanchez (Melvin Snoh, 65), Wesley Charpie; Larry Ndjock (Fatai Alashe, 74), Mario Pinto (Darius Madison, 56)

Harrisburg City Islanders: Nick Noble; Stephen Basso, Andrew Ribeiro, Coady Andrews, Colin Zizzi; Matthew Bahner, Cristhian Hernandez, Jamiel Hardware (Sainey Touray, 61), Morgan Langley; Jimmy McLaughlin (Yann Ekra, 61), Lucky Mkosana

Discipline:

RU: Keegen Rosenberry (caution – 42)
RU: Damion Lowe (caution – 67)
HCI: Sainey Touray (caution – 67)
RU: Stephen Neumann (caution – 90+)

Meet the 16 Premier Development League teams entering the 2013 US Open Cup

March 5, 2013 by Josh Hakala

Michigan Bucks vs. Chicago Fire - 2012 Third Round — The Michigan Bucks upset their second Major League Soccer team last year, knocking off the Chicago Fire 3-2 in extra time. Will we see another PDL team claim an MLS victim this year? Photo: Dave McCauley | Michigan Bucks

Shortly after the United States Soccer Federation announced the format for the 100th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, the United Soccer Leagues confirmed which Premier Development League teams would enter the competition. As reported by TheCup.us in January, the PDL will have 16 entries into the 2013 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the second consecutive year.

Last year the US Soccer Federation expanded the Open Cup field to include all US-based Major League Soccer teams and increased the number of amateur teams to a Modern Pro Era-record 32. The upcoming tournament, the 100th consecutive running of the Open Cup, follows a similar format, and will include two addition amateur clubs, bringing the total to 34.

With the date of the 2013 tournament moved earlier in the month of May for the second year in a row, the PDL has decided to base their entries on the previous season’s results once again. The Central, Southern and Western conferences will each submit the top two American-based clubs from each division, while the Eastern Conference, which is made up of three divisions, will be represented by four teams. The Ocean City Nor’easters, who finished with the conference’s best record (13-3-0), the team with the second best record in Ocean City’s division, Reading United, the South-Atlantic Division champion Carolina Dynamo, and the GPS Portland Phoenix who finished one point behind the Canadian-based Ottawa fury in the Northeast Division.

A dozen clubs are making a return appearance in the event, including 10 that were in the tournament this past year. Four sides will be making their US Open Cup debuts in 2013. The foursome is comprised of the River City Rovers, Ocala Stampede, FC Tucson and Seattle Sounders U-23s.

All of the PDL teams will begin play in Round 1 on May 14, and the amateur team (PDL, NPSL, USASA, USCS, USSSA) that advances the furthest this year will receive $15,000 (up from $10,000 last year).

Here are the teams that will be taking part in the 2013 US Open Cup (read about the changes to the 2013 tournament here):

Central Conference

Michigan Bucks
1st place in Great Lakes Division (13-1-2)
Record 10th appearance, 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 12-8-1 (0-1 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012

The Bucks will make their record 10th appearance in the US Open Cup and are the league’s most successful team in the tournament. With a record 12 Open Cup wins, 9 of them against professional opponents, they bring the strongest resume of any amateur team in the country. Last year, they bolstered their reputation as giant killers with their second win in franchise history over a Major League Soccer team, defeating the Chicago Fire 3-2 in extra time. Combined with their 1-0 road win over the New England Revolution in 2000, they are the only amateur team to defeat multiple MLS teams.

Bucks vs. NE Revs - 2000 — As you can see, not very many people were on hand to see the Michigan Bucks upset the New England Revolution in Foxboro back in 2000. Photo: Tony Biscaia | RevsNet

Last year, they crushed Jersey Shore Boca (USASA) 6-0, before upsetting the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL Pro) 1-0 on the road in Round 2. In the Third Round they defeated the Chicago Fire at home in just the fourth Open Cup game in history to be played indoors. In Round 4, their Cinderella story came to an end in front of their home fans (this time outdoors at Oakland University) by another unlikely team, the USL Pro’s Dayton Dutch Lions who converted a penalty kick in extra time to win the game 2-1.

River City Rovers
3rd place in the Great Lakes Division (7-7-2)
1st appearance in the US Open Cup

The Louisville, Kentucky-based River City Rovers have qualified for the tournament for the first time, benefiting from the fact that Forest City London, the team who finished in second place in the division, are Canadian and are not eligible for the Open Cup. Forest City finished with a 7-5-4 record, two points ahead of River City, and made an improbably run through the PDL playoffs to win the championship. River City had a chance to overtake Forest City for the last playoff spot, but they lost their season finale to the Michigan Bucks 4-0.

River City becomes the first Kentucky-based club since 1993 to qualify for the Open Cup. That year, the Louisville Alliance reached the Regional Semifinals before falling to Milwaukee’s Bavarian SC, 2-0.

Real Colorado Foxes
2nd place in the Heartland Division (8-4-4)
3rd appearance in the US Open Cup, 3rd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 1-2-0
Last appearance: 2012

The Real Colorado Foxes (no relationship with the Colorado Foxes who took part in the 1995 US Open Cup), have qualified for the third year in a row as the second place team in the Heartland Division (Division champion Thunder Bay Chill are from Canada). The Foxes won their first-ever tournament game in 2011 when they defeated USASA’s DV8 Defenders from San Jose, Calif. 5-0. Then after being eliminated by fellow PDL side Kitsap Pumas the next round, they suffered another defeat at the hands of an amateur team, losing 3-1 to the KC Athletics (USASA) at home.

Des Moines Menace
3rd place in the Heartland Division (8-5-3)
7th appearance in the US Open Cup , 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 7-6-1 (1-0 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012

The Des Moines Menace are back in the competition for the second year in a row, making their seventh all-time appearance. Only the Michigan Bucks (10) have qualified for the Open Cup more times among PDL teams. They enter the tournament as a 3rd place team because the Heartland Division champion, Thunder Bay Chill, are based in Canada.

Aside from their consistent success in the league, the Menace are best known for their back-to-back cup runs in 2005 and 2006 when they four professional teams in two years, only to fall to the Kansas City Wizards (Sporting Kansas City) both years on the road. Last year, they picked up their first Open Cup victory since 2006 with a 3-1 extra time road win over the NPSL’s Milwaukee Bavarians, only to fall to the NASL’s (2nd Division) Minnesota Stars 2-0 in Round 2. The Menace are tied with the Ocean City Nor’easters for second place among PDL teams with 4 professional team upsets (Michigan Bucks have 9). According to TheCup.us records, the Menace are the only Iowa-based team (aside from the Iowa Menace who qualified out of the USASA in 2011) to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Professional Era, and even before that, there are no records of any Iowa team qualifying (records incomplete).

Eastern Conference

Ocean City Nor’easters
1st place in the Mid-Atlantic Division (13-3-0)
6th appearance in the US Open Cup (5th as PDL)
All-time Open Cup record: 7-5-0 (6-4-0 as PDL)
Last appearance: 2009

kevin-curran-vs-boyzz-kuhmalo-dcu-barons — The Ocean City Nor'easters (shown here as the Ocean City Barons in 2009 against DC United) have upset four professional teams in their club history. Only the Michigan Bucks have more with nine. | Photo: Bill Pellegrino, Ocean City FC

Ocean City ranks right near the top along with the Menace and the Bucks as one of the best teams in the PDL, and are back in the Open Cup thanks to last season’s division title, their first since 2004. Despite only winning two division titles since they joined the league back in 2003, they are 87-40-37, which is the sixth best record during that span. The Nor’easters qualified as the team in the Eastern Conference with the best record (13-3-0).

Reading United AC
2nd place in the Mid-Atlantic Division (11-2-3)
7th appearance in the US Open Cup (5th as PDL), record 5th straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 1-6-0 (1-4-0 as PDL)
Last appearance: 2012

web-Reading-NYGAA-GlennRiegel — Reading United are back in the US Open Cup for a fifth straight year, a Modern Pro Era record for an amateur team. Photo: Glenn Riegel / Reading United AC

For the first time in the Modern Professional Era, an amateur team will be making their fifth straight appearance in the US Open Cup. Reading United will attempt to put the past behind them, as the tournament has not been kind to United. Last year’s 2-1 home win over four-time Open Cup champion New York Greek American Atlas, was their first tournament win in franchise history. They would lose in the next round, 2-1 to the Charleston Battery at Blackbaud Stadium. Reading has their friendly rivals, Ocean City, to thank for keeping their streak alive. The Nor’easters, by virtue of finishing with the Eastern Conference’s best record, earned a berth, leaving the second place team, Reading, as the Mid-Atlantic’s representative.

GPS Portland Phoenix
2nd place in Northeast Division (10-4-2)
2nd appearance in the US Open Cup, 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 0-1-0
Last appearance: 2012

In just their fourth season in the PDL, GPS Portland Phoenix will make their second straight appearance in the US Open Cup, finishing behind the Canadian-based Ottawa Fury in the Northeast Division. The Phoenix had a chance to win the division, but they finished scoreless against Seacoast United when they needed a win to overtake the Fury. Last year, Portland lost their first-ever Open Cup game 3-2 to the Brooklyn Italians of the USASA. They found themselves behind 3-0 until Blaike Woodruff scored a pair of late goals but it wasn’t enough as the they fell to the two-time tournament champions.

Carolina Dynamo
1st place in the South Atlantic Division (11-1-4)
10th appearance in the US Open Cup (5th as PDL), 3rd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 10-9-0 (5-4-0 as PDL)
Last appearance: 2012

The Carolina Dynamo with their rich history dating back to 1993, will make their 10th appearance in the tournament this year, and their 5th as a PDL side. This is the third year in a row for the Dynamo as they will attempt to avoid their third straight one-and-done. Last year, they were eliminated by the Aegean Hawks from the DC-area 3-1. It was an impressive year for the Dynamo in the league as they only lost one game (11-1-4), and made a playoff run that took them all the way to the championship game, where they lost 2-1 to Forest City London. They will try to re-live their glory days this year, with their greatest moment coming in 2006 when they upset the Richmond Kickers (Div. 3) and the Seattle Sounders (Div. 2) to become the third PDL team (now there have been four) to advance beyond the Third Round. They would eventually fall in the ‘Battle of the Dynamo’, losing 4-2 to Houston of MLS in Round 4.

Laredo Heat
1st place in the Mid South Division (10-3-3)
3rd appearance in the US Open Cup, 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 1-1-1 (0-1 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012

web-SA-LAR2-RobinJerstad — The Laredo Heat advanced to the Second Round of the 2012 US Open Cup, but lost to the San Antonio Scorpions, 2-0. Photo: Robin Jerstad | San Antonio Scorpions

The Laredo Heat are back in the Open Cup for a second straight year, and just the third time in franchise history. Three trips to the tournament in a decade is a surprising number for one of the best teams in the PDL. The 2007 league champion, and a three-time runner-up, the Heat qualified for the Open Cup for the first time back in 2006 when they nearly eliminated Dallas Roma FC in the first round before Roma began their historic run to the Fourth Round. Last year, the Heat returned, winning their first-ever Open Cup game, 4-2 over fellow Texas amateur club ASC New Stars (USASA) in extra time. They hit the road in Round 2 and lost 2-0 to the NASL’s San Antonio Scorpions. This is a PDL team that has qualified for the league playoffs nine years in a row, and have only failed to qualify once, during their inaugural season in 2004. Single-elimination tournaments are nothing new to them, so this tournament could suit them well.

Austin Aztex
2nd place in the Mid South Division (9-5-2)
2nd appearance in the US Open Cup
All-time Open Cup record: 0-0-1 (0-1 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2008

After starting as a PDL franchise in 2008 (and qualifying for the US Open Cup), the Austin Aztex launched a professional team the following year and made two more Open Cup appearances. The franchise was moved to Orlando to form Orlando City SC, but in 2012, the Aztex franchise was revived in Austin as a PDL franchise. Their first season back was a successful one, finishing in second place behind the Laredo Heat. The only Open Cup game the Aztex PDL team played was in 2008 when they took the Atlanta Silverbacks (Div. 2) to penalty kicks, but lost the shootout 5-4.

Ocala Stampede
1st place in the Southeast Division (11-3-2)
1st appearance in the US Open Cup
All-time Open Cup record: N/A
Last appearance: N/A

The Stampede are one of four clubs who are taking part in their first Open Cup as they were an overwhelming success in their inaugural season in the PDL. Ocala, which is located in Central Florida, just northwest of Orlando, won the Southeast Division title with an 11-3-2 record, which was the best record in the conference. They will join the nearby Orlando City U-23s in the tournament.

Orlando City U-23s
2nd place in the Southeast Division (8-3-5)
6th appearance in the US Open Cup, 4th straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 0-5-0
Last appearance: 2012

Orlando City U-23s are back for their fourth straight Open Cup appearance and their sixth overall berth. In 2013, they will attempt to do something the previous five teams editions of the club have failed to do: win a game. Last year was the first year under the current team name. Prior to that, they were known as the Central Florida Kraze and made four trips to the competition before the team was bought by Orlando City after the 2011 season. Last year, they fell to Jacksonville United 2-1 after letting a 1-0 lead in the second half slip away. Jacksonville was awarded an 82nd minute penalty kick and then scored the game-winner in the 89th minute to seal Orlando’s doom.

Seattle Sounders U-23s
1st place in the Northwest Division (11-2-3)
1st appearance in the US Open Cup
All-time Open Cup record: N/A
Last appearance: N/A

No matter what they are called, the Seattle Sounders U-23s are making their first Open Cup appearance in franchise history. The club was originally known as Tacoma FC, but never qualified from 2006-2011. Last year, the team re-branded as the Seattle Sounders U-23s and enjoyed immediate success. They won the Northwest Division championship and reached the final four in the PDL playoffs.

Portland Timbers U-23s
2nd place in the Northwest Division (10-4-2)
2nd appearance in the US Open Cup, 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 0-1-0
Last appearance: 2012

After enjoying success in their first three years as a PDL franchise, including the 2010 league championship, the Portland Timbers U-23s qualified for the US Open Cup for the first time last year. They lost their first game to a USASA side, PSA Elite, 3-1 in front of their home fans, but they will have a chance to redeem themselves with their second straight berth in 2013.

Ventura County Fusion
1st place in the Southwest Division (12-2-2)
4th appearance in the US Open Cup (4th straight)
All-time Open Cup record: 3-2-1 (0-1 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012

The Ventura County Fusion qualified for the Open Cup for the first time back in 2010 and were one-and-done to the USASA’s Arizona Sahuaros. Each year after that, they have improved on the previous year’s performance. In 2011, they won a single game before being eliminated by the Los Angeles Blues (USL Pro). Last year, they won two games, including a revenge win over the Blues in Round 2. They nearly knocked off an MLS team, but were unable to overcome an early goal by Chivas USA, and lost 1-0. If the pattern continues, will the Fusion reach Round 4 this year?

FC Tucson
2nd place in the Southwest Division (9-3-4)
1st appearance in the US Open Cup
All-time Open Cup record: N/A
Last appearance: N/A

FC Tucson became another first-year team to punch their ticket to the Open Cup after a successful inaugural season. They edged out the Fresno Fuego for second place and will be the first Arizona-based club to reach the tournament since the Arizona Sahuaros took part in 2010.

2012 US Open Cup Second Round: Charleston Battery come back to defeat resilient Reading United 2-1

May 23, 2012 by Jon Yardley

web-052212-CHB-Kelly — Dane Kelly tallied Battery equalizer | Photo: Vin Duffy, Charleston Battery

The Charleston Battery survived a scare from PDL club Reading United AC and scored twice in the final 21 minutes to post a 2-1 win in the Second Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night at Blackbaud Stadium. The Battery, one of just two non-MLS clubs to reach the Open Cup final since 1996, will host the New York Red Bulls in the Third Round next Tuesday.

Reading United acquitted itself well after a shaky first 20 minutes, and the amateur club made up mostly of rising college seniors took the lead in the 64th minute. Substitute Steve Neumann, a rising junior from Georgetown, whipped in a corner kick from the left, floating the ball over Charleston goalkeeper Brock Duckworth, starting in place of cup-tied Andrew Dykstra. Wake Forest defender Tolani Ibikunle arrived at the back post to head Neumann’s cross into the net and give Reading dreams of a spot in the third round.

At that point, Charleston had gone more than 40 minutes without a shot, but the Battery responded quickly by forcing Reading goalkeeper Emmanuel Martin to make his first save of the night from a soft Ryan Richter header. The Battery kept up the pressure and tied the game in the 69th minute, as substitute winger Navion Boyd fed fellow Jamaican Dane Kelly at the top of the penalty area, and Kelly turned to rifle a left-footed shot that skipped into the lower left corner.

web-052212-CHB-Cuevas — Photo: Vin Duffy, Charleston Battery

Midfielder Nicki Paterson, a starter in all six of Charleston’s league games and one of the Battery’s leading scorers, had come on as a substitute just before Kelly’s goal, and he made the difference 10 minutes later. The gap between the clubs was illustrated perfectly, as Reading fired a free kick straight into the wall at one end of the field, only to see Paterson draw a free kick at the other end of the field. From just shy of 30 yards away, Paterson curled a right-footed shot over the wall and into the top left corner, finally giving Charleston the lead in the 79th minute.

From there, Reading threw numbers forward and Charleston repeatedly failed to extend its lead despite several great chances, notably Paterson’s lobbed try at an open net from 40 yards away after Martin had charged out to deny a Kelly breakaway chance. Reading got several late chances of its own from set pieces, but Duckworth punched away a Neumann corner in the 90th minute, and United’s attempt to play a short corner four minutes into stoppage time were broken up by the Battery.

Just two weeks into its season and having already produced the first Open Cup win in club history, Reading United can be proud of its brief tournament run, but the experienced Battery will now get the chance to continue their storied Open Cup history when they host New York next week.

Reading United vs. Charleston Battery

May 22, 2012 — Blackbaud Stadium, Charleston, SC
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – Round 2

Scoring Summary:

RDU – Tolani Ibikunle 1 (Steve Neumann 1) 64
CHR – Dane Kelly 1 (Navion Boyd 1) 69
CHR – Nicki Paterson 1 (unassisted) 79

Reading United — Emmanuel Martin, Matthew Baker, Tolani Ibikunle, Ged Quinn (Leonardo Fernandes 85), Greg Cochrane, Stephen Okai, Jacob Barron (Steve Neumann 56), Paul Wyatt (Deshorn Brown 69), Sean Peckham, Pedro Ribeiro, Ryan Finley.
Substitutes Not Used: unavailable.

Charleston Battery — Brock Duckworth, Taylor Mueller, Cody Ellison, Colin Falvey, Sean Flatley, Charlie Romero (Navion Boyd 63), Mike Azira, Jose Cuevas, Zach Prince (Nicki Paterson 68), Ryan Richter, Dane Kelly (Sallieu Bundu 92+).
Substitutes Not Used: unavailable.

Misconduct Summary:

CHR — Taylor Mueller (caution; Reckless Foul) 35
RDU — Stephen Okai (caution; Reckless Tackle) 58
CHR — Mike Azira (caution; Reckless Tackle) 62

Referee: Scott Arthur Banning
Referee’s Assistants: Melanie Johnson; Howard Ash
4th official: unavailable

Attendance: TBA
Weather: Rainy-and-74 degrees

All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial

2012 US Open Cup First Round: Reading United finally gets Open Cup win, downing NY Greek American Atlas 2-1 in delayed game

May 16, 2012 by Jimmy LaRoue

Reading United AC has had a heartbreaking track record in the U.S. Open Cup in recent years.

Losing a late lead to Harrisburg last year. Falling in double overtime to Real Maryland FC in 2010. In five years, Reading United has suffered five losses in the U.S. Open Cup.

However, this year is different.

Despite playing in just its second game of 2012, the United got a goal and an assist from Ryan Finley and a clutch stop in stoppage time by goalkeeper Emmanuel Martin to defeat the USASA’s New York Greek American Atlas SC 2-1 on a rainy night at Fleetwood’s Ray Bus Stadium Tuesday night.

The win puts the United, the Philadelphia Union’s PDL affiliate, into the U.S. Open Cup’s Second Round, sending them to Blackbaud Stadium in South Carolina to face USL PRO’s Charleston Battery May 22, sandwiched three days before and after league games.

Finley set up the first United goal in the 37th minute, as a cross found Pedro Ribeiro, who slid his shot into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Finley struck for the second goal in the 55th minute, finishing a Steven Neumann free kick after former Philadelphia Union defender Christian Arrieta was booked for New York.

New York cut the lead in half in the 64th minute on a goal from Stephen Roche, assisted by Paul Shaw.

Two minutes later, the match was delayed by an hour and 15 minutes due to severe weather.

After the restart, New York nearly broke through, but Martin’s diving save at the end ensured that United would advance in the tournament for the first time in team history.

United, 0-0-1 in the PDL after a 1-1 tie with the New Jersey Rangers, will resume league play May 19 against the Long Island Rough Riders, another U.S. Open Cup first round winner.

The winner of the United-Battery match will face a yet-to-be-determined Major League Soccer team.

Source: 2013 US Open Cup to feature 16 Premier Development League teams

January 14, 2012 by Josh Hakala

This was confirmed this yAccording to sources at the United Soccer Leagues’ annual general meeting in Tampa, Fla., the Premier Development League will have 16 entries into the 2013 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the second consecutive year.

Last year the US Soccer Federation expanded the Open Cup field to include all US-based Major League Soccer teams and increased the number of amateur teams to a Modern Pro Era-record 32. The upcoming tournament, the 100th consecutive running of the Open Cup, appears to be following a similar format, but the official announcement is yet to be made.

With the date of the 2013 tournament expected to be earlier for the second year in a row, the PDL has decided to base their entries on the previous season’s results once again. The official announcement came nearly a year ago exactly with two berths, with one exception, going to each division.

According to sources, here are the teams that will be taking part in the 2013 US Open Cup (we will be updating with brief summaries of each team’s tournament history):

Bucks-Fire 2012 3rd Round — Last year, the Michigan Bucks upset Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire 3-2 in extra time indoors at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas in Pontiac, Mich.

Des Moines Menace
3rd place in the Heartland Division (8-5-3)
7th appearance in the US Open Cup , 2nd straight appearance
All-time Open Cup record: 7-6-1 (1-0 in PKs)
Last appearance: 2012The Des Moines Menace are back in the competition for the second year in a row, making their seventh all-time appearance. Only the Michigan Bucks (10) have qualified for the Open Cup more times among PDL teams. They enter the tournament as a 3rd place team because the Heartland Division champion, Thunder Bay Chill, are based in Canada.

Eastern Conference

Ocean City Nor’easters
1st place in the Mid-Atlantic Division (13-3-0)
6th appearance in the US Open Cup (5th as PDL)
All-time Open Cup record: 7-5-0 (6-4-0 as PDL)
Last appearance: 2009

The Nor’easters are back in the tournament as another PDL team with a giant killer reputation. This is their first appearance since 2009, when they defeated two Division 3 professional teams to reach the Third Round where they lost a close 2-0 decision to Major League Soccer’s DC United on the road. Only the Michigan Bucks (12) and the Des Moines Menace (7) have more Open Cup wins as a PDL team than the Nor’easters (6), who were known as the Barons the last time they entered the competition. The Bucks are also the only team with more professional team upsets in the tournament (9) than the Nor’easters (4). Ocean City ranks right near the top along with the Menace and the Bucks as one of the best teams in the PDL, and are back in the Open Cup thanks to last season’s division title, their first since 2004. Despite only winning two division titles since they joined the league back in 2003, they are 87-40-37, which is the sixth best record during that span. The Nor’easters qualified as the team in the Eastern Conference with the best record (13-3-0).