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2022 US Open Cup: Round 2 pairings and hosting scenarios announced

February 11, 2022 by Michael Battista

Players from the Tampa Bay Rowdies (right) and The Villages SC battle for the ball in their Second Round match in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Tampa Bay Rowdies
Players from the Tampa Bay Rowdies (right) and The Villages SC battle for the ball in their Second Round match in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Tampa Bay Rowdies
Players from the Tampa Bay Rowdies (right) and The Villages SC battle for the ball in their Second Round match in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Tampa Bay Rowdies

The professional teams in Division II and Division III leagues (USL Championship, USL League One, National Independent Soccer Association, and MLS Next Pro) now know who they will or could face in the Second Round. The United States Soccer Federation announced the pairings for the Second Round of the 107th edition of the tournament. The 31 games between April 5-7 will feature the 16 Open Division winners from the First Round along with 46 professional teams. This is the largest round in terms of number of matches in the Modern Era.

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2022 US Open Cup Qualifying November Game-By-Game Review
You can read the December Game Recaps by scrolling down on the Schedule / Results page
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The hosts for the Second Round, and all future rounds and the previous one, are determined by random selection. If both teams apply to host and both teams meet the federation’s minimum venue standards, then the home team is decided by random draw.

The winners from the opening round will advance to the Second Round which is scheduled to be played April 5-7. This round will introduce professional teams into the competition as all Division II (USL Championship) and Division III (MLS Next Pro, National Independent Soccer Association, and USL League One) teams will enter.

The process for determining Second Round matchups first involved pairing a First Round matchup with a nearby Division II or Division III team. After that process is done, the remaining Division II and Division III teams were paired up against each other, with teams from the same division prevented from playing each other. This was also done as travel friendly as possible with matchups that don’t fit geographically being determined by random selection.

The Oakland Roots will have the longest travel for this round. It is 2,212 miles between their respective home stadiums. Other long road trips for this round include Rio Grande Valley FC (Edinburg, TX) to North Carolina FC (Raleigh, NC) at 1,320 miles, and Central Valley Fuego FC (Fresno, CA) to El Paso Locomotive FC at 834 miles. All three are longer than the longest First Round match (Azteca FC/Denver, CO to Tulsa Athletic) at about 700 miles. These are longest road trips since the 2015 Second Round which had Portland Timbers 2 (USL) traveling to Michigan Bucks (PDL), Real Monarchs (USL) traveling to Long Island Rough Riders (PDL), and Seacoast United Phantoms (PDL) traveling Tulsa Roughnecks (USL).

Dates and times are TBD so that US Soccer can try and schedule these matches to fit within their broadcast capacity on ESPN+. There is a limited amount of matches they can broadcast at once with their broadcast partner VISTA Worldlink.

The winners from Round 2 will advance to the Third Round which is scheduled to be played April 19-21. The 17 lowest ranked Division I (Major League Soccer) teams will enter in that round.

Second Round

Division II vs. Division III (15 games)

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
TBD ALBION San Diego (NISA) vs. San Diego Loyal SC (USLC) TBD Canyon Crest Academy; San Diego, Calif.
TBD Bay Cities FC (NISA) vs. Monterey Bay F.C. (USLC) TBD Cañada College; Redwood, Calif.
TBD Charleston Battery (USLC) vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC (USLL1) TBD Patriot’s Point Soccer Stadium; Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
TBD Chattanooga FC (NISA) vs. Memphis 901 FC (USLC) TBD Finley Stadium; Chattanooga, Tenn.
TBD Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USLC) vs. Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (USLL1) TBD Weidner Field; Colorado Springs, Colo.
TBD Detroit City FC (USLC) vs. Michigan Stars FC (NISA) TBD Keyworth Stadium; Hamtramck, Mich.
TBD El Paso Locomotive FC (USLC) vs. Central Valley Fuego FC (USLL1) TBD Southwest University Park; El Paso, Texas
TBD FC Tucson (USLL1) vs. Las Vegas Lights FC (USLC) TBD Kino North Stadium; Tucson, Ariz.
TBD Greenville Triumph SC (USLL1) vs. Oakland Roots (USLC) TBD Triumph Stadium at Legacy Early College; Greenville, S.C.
TBD Louisville City FC (USLC) vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USLL1) TBD Lynn Family Stadium; Louisville, Ky.
TBD North Carolina FC (USLL1) vs. Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (USLC) TBD WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.
TBD Orange County SC (USLC) vs. Los Angeles Force (NISA) TBD Orange County Great Park – Championship Soccer Stadium; Irvine, Calif.
TBD Phoenix Rising FC (USLC) vs. Valley United FC (NISA) TBD Phoenix Rising Stadium at Wild Horse Pass; Chandler, Ariz.
TBD Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USLC) vs. Maryland Bobcats FC (NISA) TBD Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa.
TBD St. Louis CITY 2 (MLSNP) vs. Indy Eleven (USLC) TBD Ralph Korte Stadium (Southern Illinois Univ. Edwardsville); Edwardsville, Ill.

Division II vs. Open Division (8 games)

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
TBD Birmingham Legion FC (USLC) vs. Southern States SC Stars (NPSL)/Georgia Revolution FC (NPSL) winner TBD Protective Stadium; Birmingham, Ala.
TBD FC Tulsa (USLC) vs. Tulsa Athletic (NPSL)/Azteca FC (Colo.) winner TBD ONEOK Field; Tulsa, Okla.
TBD Hartford Athletic (USLC) vs. Hartford City FC (NPSL)/Oyster Bay United FC (N.Y.) winner TBD Dillon Stadium; Hartford, Conn.
TBD Miami FC (USLC) vs. Miami United FC (NPSL)/City Soccer FC (Fla.) winner TBD Fla. International Univ. Soccer Stadium; Miami, Fla.
TBD New Mexico United (USLC) vs. Las Vegas Legends FC (NPSL)/Park City Red Wolves SC (USLL2) winner TBD Isotopes Park; Albuquerque, N.M.
TBD Sacramento Republic FC (USLC) vs. Portland Timbers U23 (USLL2)/Contra Costa FC (Calif.) winner TBD Heart Health Park; Sacramento, Calif.
TBD San Antonio FC (USLC) vs. Denton Diablos FC (NPSL)/D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (Texas) winner TBD Toyota Field; San Antonio, Texas
TBD Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC) vs. The Villages SC (USLL2)/Orlando FC Wolves (Fla.) winner TBD Al Lang Stadium; St. Petersburg, Fla.

Division III vs. Open Division (8 games)

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
TBD Nova FC (Va.) vs. Richmond Kickers (USLL1) TBD Virginia Revolution Sportsplex; Leesburg, Va.
   -or-
Richmond Kickers (USLL1) vs. Lynchburg FC (Va.) TBD City Stadium; Richmond, Va.
TBD FC Motown (NPSL) vs. AC Syracuse Pulse (NISA) TBD Montclair State University Soccer Park; Montclair, N.J.
   -or-
West Chester United SC (USLL2) vs. AC Syracuse Pulse (NISA) TBD WCUSC/PF Kildare’s Pub Turf Field; West Chester, Pa.
TBD Western Mass Pioneers (USLL2) vs. Flower City Union (NISA) TBD Lusitano Stadium; Ludlow, Mass.
   -or-
Flower City Union (NISA) vs. Brockton FC United (Mass.) TBD Marina Auto Stadium; Rochester, N.Y.
TBD California United Strikers FC (NISA) vs. San Fernando Valley FC (Calif.)/Escondido FC (Calif.) winner TBD Orange County Great Park – Championship Soccer Stadium; Irvine, Calif.
TBD Charlotte Independence (USLL1) vs. South Carolina United FC Bantams (USLL2)/North Carolina Fusion U23 (USLL2) winner TBD American Legion Memorial Stadium; Charlotte, N.C.
TBD Forward Madison FC (USLL1) vs. Cleveland SC (NPSL)/Chicago FC United (USLL2) winner TBD Breese Stevens Field; Madison, Wis.
TBD Rochester New York FC (MLSNP) vs. Ocean City Nor’easters (USLL2)/Lansdowne Yonkers FC (N.Y.) winner TBD Monroe Community College; Rochester, N.Y.
TBD Union Omaha (USLL1) vs. Des Moines Menace (USLL2)/Minneapolis City SC (NPSL) winner TBD Morrison Stadium (Creighton Univ.); Omaha, Neb.

 

Filed Under: 2022 US Open Cup, Feature - Main, US Open Cup Tagged With: 2022 US Open Cup, Division II, Division III, MLS Next Pro, National Independent Soccer Association, Open Division, Second Round, USL Championship, USL League One

2019 US Open Cup Round of 16: Sam Fink of Saint Louis FC voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

July 9, 2019 by Matthew Bird

Sam FInk - Saint Louis FC
Sam FInk - Saint Louis FC
Graphic by Dallas Kreil | IG: @dak_design

The Saint Louis FC social media hashtag is #OneofUs and nobody resonates more with the club’s fans than its captain Sam Fink does.

On June 19, Fink sent those adoring fans into a frenzy when he scored the game-winning goal three minutes into second half stoppage time to help his USL Championship side upset Major League Soccer’s FC Cincinnati, 1-0, in the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Quarterfinals. In addition to his heroics at the end, he anchored an impressive defensive unit that shut out FC Cincinnati, and held them to just 10 total shots (only two of them on goal).

For that performance, Fink was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round.  The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff and a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters and select backers (those that pledge $10 or more) from TheCup.us’ Patreon team. Fink narrowly edged Minnesota United’s Darwin Quintero (who scored two goals in Minnesota’s comeback win over the Houston Dynamo) and Kevaughn Frater of New Mexico United (who scored a goal to lead the USL Championship side to a 2-1 road win over FC Dallas) also received strong support.

Fink is the first defender to win the award in six years. Back then, Brandon Fricke of the Des Moines Menace (USL League Two) similarly won the award for a late game-winning goal and a shutout upset of Minnesota United FC (NASL) back in the Second Round of the 2013 US Open Cup. By the time the tournament reaches the Round of 16, the tournament is largely dominated by MLS teams, which is why Fink is just the fourth lower division player to win TheCup.us Player of the Round honors in the Fifth Round or later since 2014.

Lower Division players to win TheCup.us Player of the Round
Round of 16 or later since 2014
2014 Round 5: Scott Goodwin (Carolina RailHawks, NASL)
2017 Round 5: Mitch Hildebrandt (FC Cincinnati, USL)
2017 Quarterfinals: Djiby Fall (FC Cincinnati, USL)
2019 Round 5: Sam Fink (Saint Louis FC, USL Championship)

When the club was founded in 2014 Fink was a natural signing, having been raised locally in nearby Edwardsville and played with the St. Louis Scott Gallagher powerhouse youth system. He had a solid college career with Wake Forest before returning home to play for Saint Louis FC.

When he arrived with his hometown team prior to the team’s inaugural 2015 USL season, he was part of an experienced core of defenders with professional experience like MLS stalwart Brandon Barklage (New York Red Bulls, San Jose Earthquakes) and New Zealand international James Musa. It may have appeared, at first, that Fink was just a roster filler. He had to prove everyone wrong.

Fink did just that his first season as a professional as earned a spot in the starting lineup and never missed a game, scoring the game-winner in the club’s first-ever home victory and being voted the fan’s player of the year.

Sam Fink of Saint Louis FC celebrates his goal against FC Cincinnati in a Round of 16 match in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Saint Louis FC
Sam Fink of Saint Louis FC celebrates his goal against FC Cincinnati in a Round of 16 match in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Saint Louis FC

After his second year with the club and cementing his spot in the starting lineup, Fink was released after the 2016 season and signed with the Oklahoma City Energy. He helped the Energy reach the USL Western Conference Final, but he was unable to play in the championship game after suffering a deep eye gash against Reno 1868 in the previous round.

After his one-year stint in Oklahoma City, Fink came home again. He joined Saint Louis FC, who had a new head coach, Ant Pulis, looking for a fresh start.

“I felt I had to get out and really test myself,” said Fink on his 2018 return to Saint Louis FC. “I had to prove I am a quality player in this league and get out of my comfort zone. The spell under Jimmy Neilsen made me a better player. That said, when I first spoke to Ant and heard what type of player he was looking for, I knew I wanted to play for him.”

Under coach Pulis last season, Fink won the prestigious Harry Keough award given to outstanding St Louis talent bestowed by the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame. With his form continuing into 2019, Fink has anchored the stoic defense with Phan Kavita and they have been instrumental with the US Open Cup journey that saw them upset FC Cincinnati in the Round of 16.

Fink may be mild mannered off the pitch, but he becomes a warrior on it. Tenacious tackling, pinpoint passing aside, it is his aerial ability that matches up with anyone he comes across. All five of his goals from open play for STLFC have been headers, and with the calm service from Lewis Hilton, who delivered the game-winner against FC Cincinnati, he’s had plenty of action this season in front of goal.

Saint Louis had plenty of opportunities against FC Cincinnati, as they more than held their own against MLS opposition for the second straight game after vanquishing the Chicago Fire in the previous round.

Chances came and went, however, and in the last ten minutes of the game it seemed that Cincinnati had weathered the storm and were finding some creative joy themselves. For a soccer fan, there are few things better than a last minute winner and those fans, led by the St. Louligans supporters, were treated to a Fink header that hit the back of the net from a Lewis Hilton corner in the third minute of second half stoppage time. The game was over and Saint Louis became the first St. Louis team to reach the Quarterfinals since Fink’s local team Scott Gallagher reached the final eight in 1993.

“I think the guys deserved that,” Fink told the St. Louis Post Dispatch after the game. “We went toe-to-toe with them, didn’t back down. Felt like we had some great opportunities — bailed us out a couple of times. But I really felt like we deserved to move on.”

It was so fitting it was Sam who scored it. A St. Louis kid through and through, blue collar like the city he represents. A fitting representation of the club’s #OneOfUs hashtag.

2019 TheCup.us Player of the Round winners
Round 1: Charles Boateng (Richmond Kickers, USL-1)
Round 2: Bryant Martin (Florida Soccer Soldiers, USASA)
Round 3: Blake Frischknecht (Orange County FC, NPSL)
Round 4: Teal Bunbury (New England Revolution, MLS)
Round 5: Sam Fink (Saint Louis FC, USL-C)

Filed Under: 2019 US Open Cup, Feature - Main, US Open Cup Tagged With: 2019 Player of the Round, Player of the Round, Saint Louis FC, USL Championship

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U.S. Open Cup History

1995 us open cup rewind graphic

1995 US Open Cup Rewind series: The Modern Era begins

The 30th anniversary of the 1995 Open Cup is upon us this year, and as we did with the inaugural tournament in 1913-1914, we’re going to take you back in time and relive the 1995 US Open Cup in chronological order, as it happened.

  • I-95 Quarterfinals: Best of New York-New Jersey vs. Philadelphia in US Open Cup history
  • 1995 US Open Cup Round 1: Richmond Kickers dominate shorthanded Spartans SC … again
  • 1995 US Open Cup Round 1: USASA orders replay for Richmond Kickers vs. Spartans SC match
  • 1995 US Open Cup Round 1: El Paso Patriots overcome early upset scare, beat 1989 USOC champs
  • 1995 US Open Cup Round 1: Day after a league game, Chico Rooks blank San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles

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