It’s a geographic rivalry that crosses the boundaries of sports. Steelers vs. Eagles, Pirates vs. Phillies, Penguins vs Flyers, Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia. In the world of American Pro soccer however, the cities have never crossed paths.
US Open Cup History
How a US Open Cup classic, locker room vandalism inspired fans to create Coffee Pot Cup
It remains one of the greatest games of the US Open Cup’s Modern Era but what happened after the game gets more attention than the instant classic that took place on the field.
Highs and lows of Los Angeles’ 25 all-time US Open Cup Final appearances
25 times a team from L.A. has reached the US Open Cup Final. We selected some of the high, and low, moments of those 25 appearances.
Before Lionel Messi’s 2023 US Open Cup impact, Pele changed the 1975 Final in a different way
With the current “GOAT” of world soccer, Lionel Messi set to grace the stage of the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final on Sept. 26, it’s not the first time a player of his stature crossed paths with the tournament’s championship game.
A history of violence against referees in US Open Cup
Unfortunately, in the long history of the US Open Cup, this was not the first time that there have been more then a few incidents where games were halted due to referee abuse.
How St. Petersburg Kickers became Florida’s first US Open Cup champion
The St. Petersburg Kickers began with Kurt Herbach recruiting pick-up games in the Port of Tampa in the 1950s, and by 1989, they became the first Florida team to win the US Open Cup.
San Francisco Bay Seals, the ‘amateur’ pro team that reached 1997 US Open Cup Semifinals
One of the most overlooked and dramatic runs in the history of the US Open Cup occurred in 1997. That year, the San Francisco Bay Seals, who competed in the USISL’s D-3 Pro League, upset two MLS teams and the defending A-League champions to earn a spot in the Semifinals.
Vasco De Gama’s journey from Connecticut to 1978 US Open Cup Final as Pele’s opening act at Giants Stadium
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.
1938-1939 National Challenge Cup: The first time the US Open Cup was invite-only
The 2021 US Open Cup is expected to be reduced to 24 teams and few may know this will mark the second time in the tournament’s history that the entire field was selected by invitation only instead of individual club entry.
American soccer’s greatest modern underdog story: Rochester Raging Rhinos win 1999 US Open Cup
Every sport has its go-to underdog story. For American soccer, it’s the 1999 Rochester Raging Rhinos