• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • US Open Cup Central
  • US Open Cup Qualifying
  • US Open Cup History
  • Amateur Cup

TheCup.us

Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

  • 2026 USOC Schedule
  • 2026 USOC Stat Leaders
  • 2027 USOC Qualifying Results
  • TheCup.us Awards
  • Join TheCup.us Patreon!
  • Contact Us

Vasco da Gama

Vasco De Gama’s journey from Connecticut to 1978 US Open Cup Final as Pele’s opening act at Giants Stadium

July 30, 2022 by Owen Diana

Connecticut's Vasco da Gama: 1978 US Open Cup runner-up

The National Challenge Cup lived a separate existence from the glitz and glamour of the country’s top domestic league, the NASL, but the two did briefly cross paths on July 30, 1978.

Filed Under: Feature - History, Feature - Main, Feature Left - US Open Cup history, US Open Cup, US Open Cup Central, US Open Cup History Tagged With: 1978 US Open Cup, Maccabee AC, Vasco da Gama

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us on Social Media

  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

U.S. Open Cup History

Ben Miller FC - 1920 National Challenge Cup champions

St. Louis’ US Open Cup legacy began in 1920 with Ben Miller FC

In front of 12,000 fans at Handlan’s Park in St. Louis, Ben Miller FC became the first team from the west to win the National Challenge Cup, defeating Fore River 2-1

  • 1935 National Challenge Cup Semifinals: After 29 days, Central Breweries win 3-game Western Final
  • 1995 US Open Cup: Rob Ukrop of Richmond Kickers voted TheCup.us Player of the Tournament
  • 1995 US Open Cup Final: Jeff Causey of Richmond Kickers voted TheCup.us Player of Round
  • 1995 US Open Cup Final: Richmond Kickers survive heat, beat El Paso Patriots in PKs to win title
  • 1995 US Open Cup Final Preview: El Paso Patriots hosting amateur Richmond Kickers in “El Sauna”

Analytics powered by

Copyright © 2026 • Built by Jacob Martella Web Development