Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2018 US Open Cup

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2: Sporting AZ defeats Inter EmpireWorks behind second half rally

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Sporting Arizona logoMORE: 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Results/Schedule

Inter EmpireWorks FC took a 1-0 lead into halftime, but it wasn’t enough as Sporting AZ stormed back with goals from Cesar Mexia, David Alton, and Jose Ramos in the second half and advanced to the third round of US Open Cup qualifying with a 3-1 victory.

Inter came out of the gate strong, registering a shot on target within the first 60 seconds of the game. They finally broke Sporting’s defense down in the 32nd minute when William Arechiga received a quick pass from Daniel Frias and buried a low, driven shot into the back of the net. Inter kept the pressure up and had it not been for a stellar performance from Sporting goalkeeper Andrew Weber, the margin might have been wider at halftime.

Sporting, however, regrouped at the break and their second half rally got started in the 56th minute when they were awarded a questionable penalty that Cesar Mexia calmly converted past Inter goalkeeper Christopher Salado. Seven minutes later, Jose Ramos found David Alton at the top of the box and Alton finished his chance to give the hosts a 2-1 lead. Ramos went on to score one himself to seal the win for Sporting in the 83rd minute.

WATCH: Sporting AZ FC vs. Inter Empireworks FC (Video Highlights)

The score line may not have accurately reflected Inter’s efforts, especially in the first half. Weber, a former MLS journeyman who has a handful of appearances to his name for five different MLS teams, finished the night with eight saves and had it not been for his efforts the outcome may have been different. He said as much after the game.

“We weathered the storm at the end and got the result. I’m very pleased about that.”

His coach, Aidan Davison, added that Sporting always had a chance to win; they just needed to take it.

“I think we were unfortunate to go down one-nil. We weren’t doing too much wrong. So it was a case of just sticking to the gameplan and believing in what we can do, and be effective, and we did that.”

Sporting won the Arizona Conference title during their inaugural season in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) this past spring, but Davison and nearly the entire roster were not part of that team. Regardless, after a solid opening win, they have momentum heading into their third round qualifier against Galati SC from the Arizona Champions League.

Sporting also has a solid Open Cup resume in it’s club history as they are a re-brand of the old Arizona Sahuaros, a club that has qualified for the tournament six times, twice as a D-3 Pro club (1998, 1999) and four times (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010) as an amateur side.

That next match will take place on Nov. 18 with the winner becoming the sixth open division amateur team to make the tournament from Arizona. In addition to the Sahuaros’ four trips to the In fact, four of the five previous teams to qualify were the Arizona Sahuaros (2006, 2008,  2009, 2010), the club that has ties to Sporting AZ.

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2: Well-prepared Santa Ana Winds overwhelm Newcastle United, 6-0

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The Santa Ana Winds pose for a team photo before their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against Newcastle United. Photo: Santa Ana Winds
The Santa Ana Winds pose for a team photo before their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against Newcastle United. Photo: Santa Ana Winds

MORE: 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Results/Schedule

Santa Ana Winds FC defeated fellow UPSL club Newcastle United (Upland, CA) by a score of 6-0 on Saturday, October 21 at the Lake Forest Sports Park, in Round 2 of 2018 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. The win was the club’s first second round win in club history, in its second Open Cup qualifying campaign.

Winds FC patiently weathered NUFC’s intensity in the first half and gradually settled in, taking control of the game by taking possession, and demonstrating their squad depth and conditioning for the full 90 minutes. NUFC in contrast, had only one sub on the bench and became fatigued, while Winds FC had four subs to work with.

NUFC looked like they would be rewarded for their efforts and intensity early on and were given a penalty kick in the 28th minute, but were denied by former Chico State goalkeeper Harter Quinn. The momentum switched to Winds FC shortly thereafter. Santa Ana created danger through gaps left in the NUFC midfield, attacked up the left wing and into the box, where a player was knocked down on an attempted assist. Midfielder Kyle O’Brien then converted the PK to put Winds FC up 1-0.

santa-ana-winds-logo-with-starsThe second goal came on a corner kick and failed clearance near the end of the first half that Arellano Juan punched home. The third goal also came on a corner kick, in the 60th minute by Israel Espinoza. After Espinoza’s goal, the Winds ran away with the match, piling on another three goals by Gorman Jordan, Runager Kramer and Khalil Zaidon and winded (no pun intended) NUFC had no answer. The final score was 6-0.

After the match, team owner Leonel López attributed his team’s win to training sessions. Winds FC has a way of looking like a seasoned squad, comfortable on possession, able to weather their opponent’s opening onslaught well, which then allows them to control the pace of the match. Their chemistry is running smoothly as a result of continuity in lineups.

When asked about his team’s win, Winds coach José López was impressed and happy that his players executed the plan.

“Lots of collective effort, lots of weeks of training,” said coach Lopez. “We’re trying to organize them the best way possible for them to be able to solve games. I think it’s the good mentality of each player that’s allowing us to be patient and to have good cohesion.”

The Winds move on to the final round where they will host the San Pedro Monsters on Saturday, Nov. 18 at Lake Forest, Calif. with the winner qualifying for the US Open Cup for the first time.

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying: El Farolito follow up league title with dominant Round 2 win over Academica SC

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El Farolito logoMORE: 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Results/Schedule

The 1993 Open Cup Champions, El Farolito, cruised into round three of qualifying with a 5-0 victory over Liga NorCal side, Academica SC, from Turlock, Calif. Coming off of winning another San Francisco Soccer League title just two weeks ago, El Farolito looked dominant in almost every facet of the game.

The game kicked off at 11:15 a.m. at historic Boxer Stadium, home to the oldest running soccer leagues in the country. El Farolito looked intent on defending their home field and earning a place in the third round of the 2018 US Open Cup qualifying tournament.

The match was fairly balanced for the first 10-15 minutes of the game before El Farolito was able to break though in the 15th minute with a wonderful team goal. Herbert Alferez received a great ball over the top before centering it to Marco Iubel who rounded the keeper and slotted it home to send the host on their way.

Academica had their best chance to equalize in the 32nd minute when Jorge Carmona went direct for goal off of a corner kick, but El Farolito stand-out defender Jansen Salton expertly cleared it off the line to maintain his side’s 1-0 advantage.

The host doubled their advantage just before the break when Herbert Alferez scored from the spot to make the score 2-0 in favor of El Farolito heading into the break.

El Farolito kept their foot on the gas like they usually do and added a third goal once again from the penalty spot, this time from Rodolfo Espiniza in the 50th minute.

Not long after that, in the 52nd minute, Academica’s top player of the day went down, needing an ambulance. This caused at least a 20-minute delay to the match. When the match resumed, it was played at a different pace, almost as if the match had already been finished.

El Farolito added two more goals in the lengthy stoppage time that was added to the game. One of these goals was from Ederson Da Silva who expertly finished into the side netting to make the score 4-0, before Jorge Hernandez added a fifth from the penalty spot.

The former champions secured their place in the next round and will host the UPSL side from Petaluma, Calif., Cal Victory, in Round 3 with a spot in the 2018 US Open Cup on the line.

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2: Nick Hutton’s OT winner sends Stegman’s SC into final round

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Stegman's SC poses for a team photo before the club's 2018 US Open Cup qualifying game against Aurora Borealis SC. Photo: Stegman's SC
Stegman’s SC poses for a team photo before the club’s 2018 US Open Cup qualifying game against Aurora Borealis SC. Photo: Stegman’s SC

MORE: 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Results/Schedule

Stegman’s SC made the trip down to Mooseheart, Ill., about an hour west of Chicago, to take on Aurora Borealis SC in the second round of the 2018 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. In the end, after a wet and rainy game, Stegman’s prevailed, 3-2, on the strength of an extra time goal by Nick Hutton to send the Minneapolis-based club into the final round of qualifying.

A kickoff that clashed with both the Chicago Bears and Decision Day in Major League Soccer, led to a sparse crowd witnessing a tightly contested battle in miserable conditions, eventually justly shaded by the visitors.

Aurora opened the scoring after about 15 minutes, when Arturo Garza swung a 25-yard free kick around the wall and into the top corner. The temptation in these moments is always to look at the wall and the keeper, but sometimes the shot is just too good.

The visitors were more composed on the ball, and more organised across the field, and it was only a matter of time before they found the equaliser. Home keeper Eduardo Sandoval did not look at home in the keeper’s jersey all day, and one can only hope that it was simply the vagaries of the US Open Cup scheduling that led him to be standing between the posts. His lack of confidence was finally exposed on the half hour mark as Tim Willis picked his pocket and scored the easiest goal of his career.

Five minutes later Stegman’s took the lead, as their perseverance with long diagonal balls paid off, allowing Olsen to lash home past the hapless Sandoval.
Stegman's_Soccer_Club_Logo
Stegman’s deserved their halftime lead, but Aurora came out for the second half with increased vigor. In the 50th minute, Ryan Salazaar pulled the ball down on the edge of the area, and ripped one past Matt Elder in the visitor’s goal.

The second half was a more even affair than the first, with the wet and windy conditions not really helping the game as a spectacle. Both sides traded blows, but clear cut chances were few and far between.

Extra time offered more of the same. Both teams were understandably exhausted, and tricky play gave way to hopeful punts downfield. Lacking anyone to hold the ball up on either side, it was always likely to be a set play that decided this. And so it was that Stegman’s stand-out player, Martin Brown, curled in a corner in the 100th minute, which was met with interest by left back Nick Hutton, leaving Sandoval grasping at thin air.

Aurora tried to battle back, but lacked any clinical incision. The stuffing was knocked out of them, and after 120 minutes, Stegman’s deserved the win.

With the win, Stegman’s moves on to the final round of qualifying where they will have to hit the road again. This time, they have a much longer trip to Western New York ahead of them to take on the Rochester River Dogz. Even though the US Soccer Federation now offers some financial assistance to teams so they can cover travel costs, with back-to-back road games Stegman’s still needs help. The club has launched a fundraising campaign to help pay for their travel to Rochester.

Man of the Match (Aurora): Corey Novotney
Man of the Match (Stegman’s): Martin Brown

2018 US Open Cup qualifying: Late winner moves Phoenix SC closer to return trip to US Open Cup

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Phoenix SC goalkeeper Tony Pratico saved a penalty kick and kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over West Chester United in 2018 US Open Cup qualifying. Photo: Matt Ralph
Phoenix SC goalkeeper Tony Pratico saved a penalty kick and kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over West Chester United in 2018 US Open Cup qualifying. Photo: Matt Ralph

MORE: 2018 US Open Cup Qualifying Results/Schedule

Ben Castor cleaned up a rebound after a defensive miscue and put Phoenix Sport Club through to the third round of local qualifying for the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a second half stoppage time winner to beat rival West Chester United 1-0 on Saturday night.

“The whole time you’re thinking extra time, getting ready for that extra 30 minutes but the way we were playing, we played really well, organized defensively we knew all we needed was two or three chances,” Castor said. “We put ourselves in a good situation and we thought stay organized defensively we could give ourselves a really good opportunity in the second half and you know things just kind of fell the right way.”

Playing on their home turf in front of a small but lively crowd, West Chester United controlled possession from the opening whistle and had a number of set piece opportunities to take the lead before Troy Amspacher drew a penalty in the box in the 41st minute.

Phoenix goalkeeper Tony Pratico saved Amspacher’s penalty and was also able to get enough of the rebound attempt in a scurry in front of the net to send the ball out for a corner. The former Temple goalkeeper made another fine save on a one-v-one play against Kai Kasiguran in the second half and a number of other saves and interventions to shut down wave after wave of attacks from West Chester, which also saw a shot hit off the post in the second half.

Players from Phoenix SC and West Chester United battle for the ball in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Matt Ralph
Players from Phoenix SC and West Chester United battle for the ball in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Matt Ralph

“They did have a lot of opportunities but besides the PK and maybe one other they didn’t have too many quality opportunities,” Pratico said. “Our defenders kept everyone in front of them and the offensive players didn’t really take too mistakes. We obviously only scored one goal but you take what you can get.”

Phoenix had their best opportunity to open the scoring in the 33rd minute when Jarryd Goldberg got into the box on a counter attack but it resulted in a penalty shout the referee wasn’t interested in calling. Instead, it was West Chester United that got the benefit of the referee’s whistle on the other end eight minutes later.

“They won the game at halftime, keeping it zero, zero,” West Chester United head coach Blaise Santangelo said. “We didn’t put balls away, they saved a PK. Those guys have had a lot of success together, they won a national title together (the 2016 Gerhard Menghel Over-30 Cup). They know how to compete in big games.”

 

Players from Phoenix SC and West Chester United battle for the ball in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Matt Ralph
Players from Phoenix SC and West Chester United battle for the ball in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Matt Ralph

The game-winning goal came against the run of play when midfielder Jack Pocorobba put pressure on the back line when he found Castor and the clearance attempt ended up deflecting to goalkeeper Clarke Fox who was only able to parry it away to Castor for the tap in.

“That’s what the game gives you you know, sometimes you get the opportunities you don’t convert, sometimes it takes a little mistake, a little miscommunication and you come out on top,” Phoenix SC manager Mike Pio said.

For one of the country’s oldest active clubs (est. 1926), Saturday’s victory puts Phoenix SC one win away from qualifying for the US Open Cup proper for the first time since 2011, where they lost to the Rochester Rhinos 2-1 in the first round.

“That’s why a bunch of us kept playing to get back there and maybe win a first round game this time,” Pratico said. 

Travel costs are a barrier for many US Open Cup qualifying teams, now USSF is offering help

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The US Soccer Federation will provide some financial assistance to cover the cost of flights for amateur teams that have to make a trip longer than a six-hour drive for a US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Richard Eriksson - Flickr
The US Soccer Federation will provide some financial assistance to cover the cost of flights for amateur teams that have to make a trip longer than a six-hour drive for a US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Richard Eriksson – Flickr

There has not been an open division amateur club from Oregon qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup since 1992. So the International Portland Select (now operating under the name of IPS/Marathon Taverna) set out to change that in 2015. The club entered the newly-formed Open Division qualifying tournament with hopes of representing their state in the country’s oldest cup competition.

After getting a free pass into the Second Round because a team couldn’t afford the trek to Portland from Kansas City, they drew a team in Texas for their next match. The cost of flying a whole team roughly 2,000 miles to Dallas was too much for IPS so they withdrew from the competition.

After losing their opening game last year at home, they are back for the 2018 qualifying tournament. This weekend, IPS are prepared for another expensive and lengthy trip for a Round 2 qualifier in Colorado to take on Indios Denver FC. However, due to a recently-approved policy change, IPS, and other teams like them, will have some help.

MORE: 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1 review, Round 2 schedule

For the first time, the US Soccer Federation will offer financial assistance to clubs in the open division amateur qualifying tournament who have to make road trips longer than six hours. Teams won’t find this information in the 2018 qualifying handbook because this new policy was approved after it was released. The three clubs that qualified for what the federation describes as a “partial airfare subsidy” were offered $200 per airline ticket after the team covers the first $100. According to the USSF, any airline ticket that exceeds the $300 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

This is clearly an effort to help out amateur clubs that don’t have large budgets and to minimize the number of teams who are forced to forfeit. There have been 15 games forfeited over the last three years, and travel burdens are a big reason for that.

For this weekend’s Second Round, three teams qualified for the travel subsidies: IPS Marathon Taverna (Portland, Ore. to Denver, Colo.), Stegman’s SC (Minneapolis, Minn. to Mooseheart, Ill.) and Ann Arbor FC (Ann Arbor, Mich. to Rochester, N.Y.). Unfortunately, Ann Arbor FC recently confirmed that they are unable to make their trip to Western New York due to a lack of player availability so they forfeited their match.

For those two remaining clubs, those lengthy road trips would have been a major blow to their limited budgets.

Stegman's Soccer Club logo“The financial burden is significant to a team like ours regardless of whether we’re drawn away and have to travel or to host and need to find a suitable venue for the match,” said Nick Sindt, one of the founding members of Stegman’s SC. “Obviously hosting allows us to offset some of the burden by ticket sales, but there’s never a guarantee that we’d recoup all of our expenses.”

Teams like IPS and Stegman’s SC (which is affiliated with the supporter-owned Minneapolis City SC of the NPSL), stuggle with the fact that historically very few teams near them sign up for Open Cup qualifying. In the Modern Era, only three amateur clubs from the Land of 10,000 Lakes that have registered for the open division qualifying tournament. This means that if they have to travel, they are surrounded by states that rarely enter multiple teams into the tournament. North and South Dakota have never entered the tournament, the only Iowa team to enter has been affiliated with the Des Moines Menace (no entry since 2014), and Wisconsin hasn’t had a team participate in the tournament since 2015.

For IPS, it’s even worse, as the states of Oregon and Washington have a history of not entering the qualifying tournament, with only a handful of Cascadia teams signing up since 1995.

International Portland Select / Marathon Taverna logoWhen teams like IPS are located so far away, it’s just as difficult for teams to travel to them as it is for them to travel. In 2015, the Kansas City Athletics claimed that a trip to Portland — nearly 1,800 miles by car — would have ruined the club financially.

Once the Athletics forfeited, IPS were facing an even longer trip for their Round 2 match against the North Texas Rayados. A drive from Portland to Dallas is roughly 2,000 miles, so it would require flying. The cost of flying a soccer team and coaches, combined with transportation when they arrive, meals and a hotel stay becomes an expensive operation. Too much for IPS to handle, so they announced that they would have to forfeit.

Stegman’s SC explored their travel options thanks to the work of Minneapolis City’s business director Sarah Schreier, and they have decided to travel by bus from Minneapolis to Mooseheart, Ill., which is located about an hour’s drive west of Chicago. According to Schreier, they chose to travel by bus because it was more efficient, both financially and logistically, to drive directly to Mooseheart, rather than flying to Chicago and then paying for transportation for the entire team to drive about an hour to their destination. (Not to mention the potential traffic issues of getting out to Chicago’s western suburbs)

Schreier says the total cost of the trip is roughly $5,500 – $6,000, which is a lot for an amateur club, even for a club like Minneapolis City (which is the part of Stegman’s SC organization) that enjoys some impressive fan support. The amount of money they will receive from the USSF is unclear at this point. The federation’s travel subsidy plan did not initially include the prospect of a team choosing to drive, so Schreier says they are in discussions with the USSF to determine how much assistance they will receive.

While IPS was unable to provide their travel expenses prior to this story being published, one can expect that flying a team from Portland to Denver is more costly than traveling from Minneapolis to Mooseheart.

The USSF’s open division qualifying tournament for the US Open Cup is in its third year and still faces challenges and growing pains. The goal, one can assume, is to minimize the number of forfeited games. There will always be player availability issues, or teams that will fail to register players properly, but educating the teams in advance on what is required, both logistically and financially, could go a long way to reaching that goal. Now, with the federation offering financial assistance for teams forced to make lengthy trips, this should help remove some barriers for some teams to compete in the country’s oldest cup competition.

“I think the new policy is great for all of the teams who aren’t professional clubs,” said Sindt. “The majority of clubs in our position, or in the lower levels of the US Soccer pyramid, are run without significant outside investment and therefore exist on shoestring budgets. Having money available from the federation to mitigate the travel costs keeps teams and clubs like us from mortgaging our future for a chance to compete, which should then see more teams able to enter in the future and hopefully fewer and shorter trips all around.”

California wildfires not stopping Cal Victory FC in quest for 2018 US Open Cup berth

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Burned-out cars and charred homes cover the landscape in Santa Rosa, Calif. on Oct. 14, 2017, after the wildfires that spread across Sonoma County, California. Photo: California National Guard | Capt. Will Martin/Released (Flickr)
Burned-out cars and charred homes cover the landscape in Santa Rosa on Oct. 14, 2017, after the wildfires that spread across Sonoma County, California. Photo: California National Guard | Capt. Will Martin/Released (Flickr)

The California Victory was founded in Feb. 2017 by two cousins, Michael and Ramiro Briceno, who have deep ties to the North Bay community that their club represents. They both decided on establishing this club so the youth of their community in Sonoma had a place where they could advance from the youth clubs like Santa Rosa United, Atletico of Santa Rosa, Napa United, and of course, Briceno Soccer Club of which Michael is the president.

The California Victory are based in Petaluma, Calif., which is located in Sonoma County in the heart of the recent North Bay wildfires. The club plays home games in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, and Rohnert Park, three communities that have all been seriously affected by the deadly wildfires.

The fires began on Oct. 8 and are just now beginning to be contained. Cal Fire is expecting to have the fires fully contained just one day before Cal Victory will host the Davis Legacy on Oct. 22 in a second round match in the open division qualifying tournament for the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The soccer game can only serve as somewhat of a respite for the people of the area to help take the minds of the players and staff off of the tragic situation.

Cal Victory FC The fires have caused thousands of local residents to be evacuated, many of whom are still under evacuation orders. More than 100,000 residents were evacuated during the fires that left at least 42 people dead and took out nearly 7,000 homes and other buildings.

Included in those affected were three Cal Victory players living in Napa County who had to be evacuated. The club’s general manager Don Shaffer lost his home in Santa Rosa to the fires.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the Shaffer family begin to rebuild their lives.

This is one of those times when the entire soccer community across the country can come together to support each other in a time when the residents of the North Bay could use much support.

Cal Victory FC logoThe Cal Victory are coming off of their inaugural UPSL summer campaign in which they finished runner up in the UPSL summer season, falling to the Los Angeles Wolves in the championship match. They earned their spot in Round 2 of Open Cup qualifying by knocking off fellow UPSL side, Real San Jose, last month.

“The opportunity to qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is very important to us,” said Michel Briceno. “We want to have the same chance as any soccer club in America.”

Even with all of the drama surrounding the club, the Victory will be ready for Sunday’s game against Davis, and will play at Casa Grande High School in the heart of their beloved community. (Kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT)

“Our team was happy to start practicing again and have the upcoming game ,” said Cal Victory administrator Kathy Fagundes. “It has helped gathering everyone together to train and just have fun. We are very focused and ready for Davis Legacy. The Open Cup is very important for us and we are happy that we can play with our full team even with the events that happened to our community.”

PLEASE GIVE: A GoFundMe campaign is available to help Cal Victory general manager Don Shaffer and his family who lost their home in the Santa Rosa wildfires

If the name Cal Victory sounds familiar, then you’re correct. Back in 2007, a San Francisco-based team called the California Victory played a single season in the USL First Division (Div. 2 pro) before folding. Briceno played on that team and helped the club reach the Third Round of the US Open Cup in their only season. Unfortunately, the only thing the casual Open Cup fan will remember from that cup run was a Round 2 win over the Minnesota Thunder (USL First Division) when Ricardo Sanchez scored the lone goal of the match in extra time. Sanchez then ran over to the Thunder supporters section and did what the referee later described as a “dog and fire hydrant” celebration and was issued his second yellow card of the match for his efforts. The two teams finished with nine men and California advanced to play the Colorado Rapids (MLS).

With a slightly different name to avoid any trademark issues, the Victory have entered the US Open Cup for a chance to promove themselves.

“The US Open Cup means a chance to show how talented our club is and that we can compete with the big guys out there that play for their national and MLS teams,” said Fagundes. “Also, having the US Open Cup here in Sonoma County is a great honor.”

ADDITIONAL WAYS TO HELP: There are other fundraising efforts underway to help members of the soccer community in Northern California affected by the wildfires:

* NorCal Premier Soccer Clubs (Napa, Calif.)

* Emergency Relief Fund for Communities Affected By Napa Fires

2018 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1 review: Christos FC, La Maquina, former champs among 52 to advance

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The sun starts to set at Rob Strasser Memorial Field in Portland as International Portland Select hosts Boise FC Cutthroats in 2018 US Open Cup qualifying. Photo: Kristen Gehrke
The sun starts to set at Rob Strasser Memorial Field in Portland as International Portland Select hosts Boise FC Cutthroats in 2018 US Open Cup qualifying. Photo: Kristen Gehrke

After winning the 2017 US Open Cup title, Sporting Kansas City’s locker room at Children’s Mercy Park may have still faintly smelled like celebration beer and champagne when the opening round of the 2018 tournament kicked off a few days later. There were 52 games on the schedule, but after five forfeits, 47 games were played featuring open division clubs from across the country. (“Open Division” clubs are amateurs that are not part of the NPSL or the PDL).

The First Round featured a record 108 registered teams, representing 35 different leagues and 24 different states. The overwhelming majority of teams (97) came from leagues in the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), followed by eight from the United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) and three from US Club Soccer (USCS).

Four teams received byes into Round 2: Cajun SC (La.), Nashville United (Tenn.), Galati FC (Ariz.), and Sporting Arizona FC (Ariz.). They will join Ann Arbor FC (Mich.), Stegman’s SC (Minn.), Valley United SC (Calif.), Aurora Borealis SC (Ill.) and Miami Nacional SC (Fla.) who advanced by way of forfeit.

Among the teams heading to Round 2 include the tournament’s last two Cinderella stories: Christos FC from Baltimore, who reached the Fourth Round earlier this year and La Maquina who reached Round 4 in 2016. Elsewhere, North Texas Rayados were victorious as they aim to qualify for the sixth time in the last seven years.

Two former US Open Cup champions entered the qualifying tournament and both advanced to the next round. The New York Pancyprian Freedoms (1980, 1982, 1983) got past Newtown Pride FC (Conn.) and El Farolito (1993) blanked Dynamos FC, 3-0.

Below is a brief summary of all 47 opening round games below (with some links to a full match report):

Home team listed on left

Unations FC (USASA) 1:5 Safira FC (USASA)Safira FC logo

Pablo Guimaraes scored a hat trick and Andre Carvalho and Hugo Bonfim added a goal each as Safira FC cruised past Unations FC in a one-sided affair in Worcester, Mass. Both Massachusetts clubs were making their Open Cup qualifying debuts and Safira, who compete in the New England Over-The-Hill Soccer League, will advance to Round 2 where they will face Mass United FC.

Kendall Wanderers (USASA) 5:2 Boston Siege FC (USASA)

Despite only dressing 11 players for the game, the Kendall Wanderers defeated Boston Siege FC (UPSL), 5-2. The Wanderers even had to put their head coach, Phil Keane, into the game. Kendall, who competes in the Bay State Soccer League, received a pair of goals from Tyler Gorman, and a goal each from Oscar Zepeda, Ryan Miller, and Coach Keane. Kendall managed to hold on despite playing a man down for the final 30 minutes after Zepeda left the game with a knee injury.

Lynn United (USASA) 3:8 GPS Omens (USASA)

GPS Omens’ quest to qualify for the US Open Cup for the second year in a row and the fifth time in six years got off to a promising start with an 8-3 road win over Lynn United of the UPSL. Charlie Romero and Eric Anderson each had hat tricks, with a goal each from Nick Figeurido and Keith Caldwell (the brother of Scott Caldwell of the New England Revolution).

Atlanta-based Majestic SC enjoys the shade before the club's 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against Lowcountry United. Majestic won 2-0. Photo: Majestic SC
Atlanta-based Majestic SC enjoys the shade before the club’s 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against Lowcountry United. Majestic won 2-0. Photo: Majestic SC

Majestic SC (USASA) 2:0 Lowcountry United (USASA)

A pair of first-timers squared off at the practice facility of Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. The home team, Majestic SC blanked Lowcountry United of Charleston, SC to advance to Round 2. Nomis Cisic scored midway through the first half, and veteran Josh Lietch came off the bench to ice the game in the final 15 minutes. Mitchell Kupstas earned the clean sheet for Majestic, who is the first Georgia-based club to compete in the USSF’s new Open Cup qualifying tournament that began in 2015. They are trying to become the third amateur club from the Peach State to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Era (Atlanta Silverbacks/Atlanta FC & Georgia Revolution, both of the NPSL).

Mass United FC (USASA) 3:3 (4:3 PKs) Southie FC (USASA)

After attempting to qualify and falling short for the US Open Cup from 2012-15, Mass United has entered the new Open Division tournament for the first time. In their opening match, they finished tied 3-3 with Southie FC, a team that qualified for the 2016 US Open Cup. Southie nearly escaped with a win. After overcoming a 2-1 deficit, Southie took a 3-2 lead before Mass United was awarded a penalty kick in second half stoppage time when Manuel Augusto Fortes Jr. suffered a hard tackle in the box. Majid Saeed converted the spot kick, his second goal of the game, to send the game into extra time.

Salone FC (USASA) 1:3 Junior Lone Star U-23s (USASA)

The Junior Lone Star Under-23s may be a youthful team, but they played like veterans in their first US Open Cup qualifying win. The U-23s, erased an early deficit against Salone FC to win 3-1 in a battle of Philadelphia area clubs. FULL MATCH REPORT BY MICHAEL BERTON

North Texas Rayados pose for a team photo before their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against the Central Texas Lobos. Photo: NTX Rayados
North Texas Rayados pose for a team photo before their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against the Central Texas Lobos. Photo: NTX Rayados

Central Texas Lobos (USSSA) 0:2 North Texas Rayados (USASA)

The North Texas Rayados have qualified for every US Open Cup tournament since 2012 (although they were disqualified shortly before the 2016 tournament began) and they took the first step to getting back to the competition with a 2-0 road win over the Austin-based Central Texas Lobos. Christopher Escalera who attends Midwestern State, scored both goals, one of them a penalty kick, on a field that, according to North Texas’ Tito Sales was in need of a lawn mower. In fact, that wasn’t the only issue with the field. While the teams were warming up, the match officials ordered that the field should be narrowed because there were light poles that were too close to the sidelines. North Texas only traveled with 12 players, so there were some nervous moments in the final 20 minutes when Erien Campbell received a second yellow card forcing the visitors to play a man down for the remainder of the match.

FC Denver and Gam United square off in the First Round of the 2018 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: FC Denver
FC Denver and Gam United square off in the First Round of the 2018 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: FC Denver

Gam United FC (USASA) 0:3 FC Denver (USSSA)

On a rainy day in Aurora, Colo., FC Denver won their first-ever US Open Cup qualifying match with a 3-0 shutout of Gam United FC. FC Denver’s Cesar Castillo scored a pair of first half goals one minute apart and Alex Bernhardt drew the foul and converted the penalty kick in the second half that put the game away. FC Denver, who was founded in 2006 and has won four Colorado Premier League championships, moves on to Round 2.

Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (USCS) 2:3 Celtic Cowboys Premier (USSSA)

After both teams traded first half goals, it was the Celtic Cowboys Premier who scored twice in the second half to edge Austin Real Cuauhtemoc, 3-2. It was the first victory for Celtic who are competing in the tournament for the second year in a row. It was a vastly different result from last year when the Cowboys lost their opening round match to Open Cup regulars North Texas Rayados, 7-0. Rob Jelinek, Federico Pigorini, and Ben Savage all scored for Celtic as they move on to Round 2 where they will host the Rayados in a rematch of last year’s qualifier.

Hurricane FC (USASA) 3:4 Boca Raton FC (USASA)

For the second year in a row, APSL rivals Boca Raton FC and Hurricane FC squared off in US Open Cup qualifying. And for the second year in a row, Boca Raton FC advanced to the next round. This time, they won 4-3 as the club aims to qualify for the third year in a row, but it wasn’t easy. Boca Raton was only able to dress 11 players, but Lucas Ferreira scored two goals and Junior Prevalous and Kevin Ireland (who played for San Antonio FC last season) had a goal each.

West Chester United pose for a team photo before their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against Junior Lone Star FC. Photo: West Chester United
West Chester United pose for a team photo before their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match against Junior Lone Star FC. Photo: West Chester United

West Chester United (USASA) 4:1 Junior Lone Star FC (USASA)

West Chester United overcame Junior Lone Star FC in a wild game between Eastern Pennsylvania’s last two Open Cup representatives. The intense rivalry between the teams showed with three red cards and six goals in the US Open Cup qualifying first round match.  FULL MATCH REPORT FROM MICHAEL BERTON

Davis Legacy (USCS) 2:0 Western Nevada FC (USASA)

After two consecutive years of falling short in regional amateur qualification for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup,, the Davis Legacy men took the first step towards a berth with a 2-0 win over Western Nevada FC Saturday night at the Davis Legacy Soccer Complex. FULL MATCH REPORT BY EVAN REAM

Azteca FC (USSSA) 2:0 Denver Metro FC (USASA)

On a cold and rainy day in Aurora, Colorado, Azteca FC received second half goals from Armando Gonzalez and Adrian Gutierrez to beat Denver Metro FC of the UPSL, 2-0. Gonzalez is a California native who plays locally and Gutierrez is a 17-year-old who plays for Kennedy High School in Denver. Azteca FC is looking to return to the US Open Cup for the second year in a row. Last year, they defeated Harpo’s FC to punch their ticket to the tournament where they lost a tight opening round road game against FC Wichita, 1-0 in extra time.

Chiapas FC (USASA) 0:9 Inter Empireworks (USASA)

It was a one-sided affair as Inter Empireworks FC of the UPSL crushed Chiapas FC 9-0 in an All-Arizona battle in Phoenix. Omar Ledesma kicked off the scoring with the game’s first two goals, followed by two goals each by Ismael Santana and Eduardo Hermosillo and a goal each from Erick Reina, Ivan Talavera and Irvin Cortez. It was the first Open Cup qualifier for Inter as they advance to Round 2 where they will face Sporting Arizona in Scottsdale. Empireworks is a painting and construction company based in Phoenix, Ariz. According to a team official, it’s a very close-knit club because more than half the players on the team are employees of the company and all work together.

Ojuelos Jalisco (USASA) 4:0 ALLSTARS SC (USASA)

A pair of first-time Open Cup qualifying entries from the Arizona Champions League squared off on Saturday and it was Ojuelos Jalisco shutting out ALLSTARS SC, 4-0. Team captain Bryan Median scored two of the goals with Alejandro Zavala and Francisco Zenteno adding a goal each.

Edwin Rodriguez of Academica SC dribbles the ball against Oakland Pamperos in the 2018 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Brittney Virgo
Edwin Rodriguez of Academica SC dribbles the ball against Oakland Pamperos in the 2018 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Brittney Virgo

Academica SC (USCS) 1:0 Oakland Pamperos (USASA)

Fans of the Open Cup may remember Academica SC under a different name. The club, founded in 1972 by a group of Portuguese immigrants, represented US Club Soccer under the name Stanislaus United Turlock Express in the 2012 US Open Cup when they lost an opening round game against the Fresno Fuego of the PDL, 2-0. They have not qualified since that 2012 tournament and took a step toward returning to the competition with a 1-0 win over first-time entry Oakland Pamperos (UPSL). The lone goal was scored after ASC defender Arnaldo Gutierrez tracked down a poor goalkeeper clearance and headed it into the back of the net with about five minutes left in the match.

Dynamo FC (USASA) 0:3 El Farolito (USASA)

The 1993 US Open Cup champions (under the name CD Mexico) are aiming to get back into the US Open Cup for the second year in a row. El Farolito started that journey with a 3-0 win over Dynamo FC, a club founded in 2016 and based in Livermore and San Ramon. UC Santa Clara graduate Carlos Montes accounted for all of the scoring as he bagged a hat trick to send El Farolito into the Second Round. FULL MATCH REPORT BY THOMAS HODUL

Las Vegas Mobsters (USASA) 3:2 Pacific Side FC (USASA)

The Las Vegas Mobsters picked up the club’s first Open Cup qualifying win, edging Pacific Side FC 3-2. The Mobsters rallied from a 2-0 deficit to stun Pacific Side. With the win, the UPSL side is the last remaining Nevada-based club in the tournament. In this game, the Mobsters received goals from Brandon Vargas, Milan Popovic and Robert Garcia. This was the first qualifying game held in Las Vegas that was completed. In last year’s tournament, Anahuac FC clinched a spot in the tournament with a 2-0 win over MF 10, a game that was abandoned after 45 minutes.

Santa Ana Winds pose for a team photo ahead of their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying game vs. Outbreak FC. Photo: Santa Ana Winds
Santa Ana Winds pose for a team photo ahead of their 2018 US Open Cup qualifying game vs. Outbreak FC. Photo: Santa Ana Winds

Santa Ana Winds FC (USASA) 5:2 Outbreak SC (USASA)

After falling one game short of the Open Cup last year, Santa Ana Winds began their quest for their first tournament berth with a 5-2 win over Outbreak SC, a team that has qualified for the last two competitions. Goals were provided by Kramer Runager (2), Juan Meza, Juan Arellano and an own goal.

IPS/Marathon Taverna (USASA) 3:2 (AET) Boise FC Cutthroats (USASA)

International Portland Select (IPS) Marathon Taverna picked up their first-ever qualifying win, overcoming a 2-0 second half deficit to beat Boise FC Cutthroats, 3-2. Matt Paine, a former member of the US National Futsal Team opened the scoring, followed by an equalizer by Nathan Pogue with about 10 minutes left in regulation. Then another former U.S. National Futsal Team member, Joao Cunha, scored the game-winner in the final minutes of the second extra time period.

Bell Gardens FC (USASA) 0:5 La Maquina (USASA)

La Maquina logoThe darlings of the 2016 US Open Cup, La Maquina, kicked off their 2018 qualifying run with a 5-0 win over Bell Gardens FC. Edwin Borboa, the former Chivas de Guadalajara forward who tied for the tournament lead with five goals in 2016, scored a pair of goals to lead the way. La Maquina, who reached the Fourth Round where they took the LA Galaxy to extra time, is aiming to qualify for the third year in a row. Last year, they lost their First Round match on the road against Fresno Fuego (PDL).

Real San Jose (USASA) 2:3 Cal Victory FC (USASA)

A minute after Real San Jose equalized in the second half, Cal Victory FC scored the game-winner in the 60th minute and held on for a win in the club’s qualifying debut. San Jose opened the scoring in the 17th minute but a PK from Jesus Quintero brought Cal level before halftime. David Briceno put the Victory in front in the second half before RSJ leveled the game in the 59th minute.

Vanquish FC (USASA) 3:2 (AET) CF Cachorros USA (USASA)

Nathan Miramontes scored the game-winning goal in the second extra time period as Vanquish FC defeated CF Cachorros in a matchup between two Southern California UPSL clubs. Vanquish also received goals from Victor Aldana and Michael Mabanag to advance to Round 2 in their first trip to the qualifying tournament.

FC Ginga (USASA) 1:8 Red Force (USASA)

The first qualifying game on Sunday was over pretty quickly as Red Force FC jumped out to a 4-0 halftime lead and didn’t look back against UPSL side FC Ginga. Red Force added four more second half goals and won the opener 8-1 as they seek to qualify for the tournament for the fourth time in six years. The team was led by John Tamayo who had two goals and an assist, while Sergio Van Kanten also chipped in a pair of goals.

NY Pancyprian FreedomsNew York Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA) 2:1 Newtown Pride FC (USASA)

The three-time US Open Cup champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms edged the Newtown Pride FC, 2-1 in the club’s opening match in the 2018 US Open Cup tournament. Andreas Chronis scored the first goal and Jeff Matteo, who is tied for the most career assists (8) in the Modern Era, scored the game-winner for the Freedoms. It was a rematch of a controversial qualifying match in 2013 when the Freedoms defeated Newtown 1-0. After the game, the Pride filed a protest arguing that New York had used an ineligible player, Andreas Chronis. Since Chronis was mistakenly approved by the USSF, the federation ordered a replay at Newtown’s home field. Newtown would advance after the game finished in a scoreless draw and the Pride won the penalty kick shootout.

NLS Graduates (USASA) 1:3 (AET) Izee Auto FC (USASA)

On a sweltering Banner Field in Baltimore, less than a mile away from Ft. McHenry, Izee Auto FC hosted NLS Graduates in the first qualifying round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, defeating the visitors by a 3-1 scoreline after extra time. FULL MATCH REPORT BY CRAIG TOWER

Aegean Hawks (black) take on Christos FC in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Sean Maslin
Aegean Hawks (black) take on Christos FC in a 2018 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Sean Maslin

Christos FC (USASA) 3:0 Aegean Hawks FC (USASA)

Christos FC has been trying to qualify for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for many years and last year, they made the most of their tournament debut. They got the attention of the soccer world with three wins including an upset of the USL’s Richmond Kickers, before giving D.C. United a scare in Round 4. As a result, they won the $15,000 prize money for the amateur team that advanced the farthest. To get back to the tournament, they had to get past the Aegean Hawks, a team that has also been trying to qualify for many years, but have been successful. The Hawks have qualified three times (2007, 2009, 2012), but a fourth berth in the competition will have to wait as Christos eliminated them from the qualifying tournament in the opening round for the second year in a row, this time by the score of 3-0. FULL MATCH REPORT BY SEAN MASLIN

Phoenix SC (USASA) 3:0 Upper Darby FC (USASA)

One of the longest-running soccer clubs in the country, Phoenix SC (Est. 1926), qualified for the US Open Cup as far back as 1945, but they haven’t qualified since 2011. They took a step toward returning to the competition with a 3-0 home win over first-timers Upper Darby FC.  Dan Murtagh scored a first half goal, followed by a Ben Castor score less than a minute into the second half. Castor added his second goal around the 65th minute to put the game away.

United German Hungarians (UGH) logoVereinigung Erzebirge (USASA) 1:2 (AET) United German Hungarians (USASA)

This was, by far, the matchup in the 2018 US Open Cup qualifying tournament featuring the two oldest clubs. United German Hungarians (UGH) were founded in the Philadelphia area back in 1910 and started playing soccer in 1922. They have been competing in the US Open Cup for decades, including finishing as the runner-up in 1977 and 1993, but haven’t qualified since 1999. They needed an extra time goal to beat another Philadelphia-area club with a rich history, Vereinigung Erzebirge (Est. 1931), 2-1. After VE took a 1-0 lead into halftime, Doug Sharp equalized in the 75th minute for UGH. In extra time, Jake Mulinge sent a cross into the box which was mishandled by the VE goalkeeper and ended up into the back of the net. This avenged a loss a few years ago, the last time that UGH attempted to qualify for the Open Cup. In the 2015 Open Cup qualifying tournament (that began in the fall of 2013), VE knocked them out of the Eastern Pennsylvania competition in the Quarterfinals. Sunday’s game was the first time that UGH attempted to qualify for the tournament through the federation’s new qualifying format that began in 2015.

Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (USASA) 1:2 Rochester River Dogz (USASA)

Pittsburgh amateur club Tartan Devils Oak Avalon’s hopes for another Lamar Hunt US Open Cup run were dashed in a moment’s notice on Sunday at Rooney Field on the campus of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, as Rochester River Dogz’ Austin Gerber scored on a counter in the 89th minute, lifting the visitors from Western New York to a 2-1 qualifying round win. This is just the third open division amateur team from Western New York to enter qualifying since 2007 and the River Dogz are led by former Rochester Rhinos star Doug Miller, who is the team’s head coach. FULL MATCH REPORT BY JOHN KRYSINSKY

FC Boulder (USASA) 2:2 (5:6 PK) Harpo’s FC (USSSA)

Harpo's FC 2017 logoAfter missing out on a third straight trip to the US Open Cup last year, Harpo’s won their opening match of the 2018 qualifying tournament in a penalty kick shootout over FC Boulder. After the game finished deadlocked at 2-2, Harpo’s defeated their fellow Boulder, Colo.-based rivals with a 6-5 penalty kick win. Michael Jordahl gave FC Boulder a 1-0 heading into halftime. After the intermission, Harpo’s took the lead with goals from Ross Van Osdol and Daniel Whittle. FC Boulder would send the match into extra time with a dramatic 90th minute equalizer by Alex Dickerson.

Indios Denver FC (USASA) 6:2 FC Union Jerez (USSSA)

Christian Ochoa scored a pair of goals and Jostin Roamos dished out four assists as Indios Denver FC cruised to a 6-2 win over FC Union Jerez. Jairo Gomez, Mirza Karasalihovic, Steven Robellada and Kevin Arreola added a goal each to give the club its first qualifying win in its debut match. This is part of a massive turnaround for Indios Denver. According to Indios president Irvin Gonzalez, the team finished second from the bottom of their league last season but after some significant changes to the roster, they find themselves undefeated in league play with wins over the Colorado Rush, Colorado Springs FC and Fort Collins United.

Buena Park FC (USASA) 3:0 Newport FC (USASA)

After two unsuccessful attempts in the last two years, Buena Park FC finally picked up a US Open Cup qualifying victory. The SoCal Premier League team defeated tournament newcomers Newport FC 3-0 to advance to Round 2. Nathan DeRosa scored a pair of first half goals and then assisted on his former Kennedy High School (La Palma, Calif.) teammate Jordan Hunter’s second half goal.

South Florida FC (USASA) 3:1 Miami United Under-23s (USASA)

For the first time, the NPSL’s Miami United entered an Under-23 team into US Open Cup qualifying, but they fell short in their debut, losing 3-1 to another first-time entry, South Florida FC. Both Miami United U-23s and South Florida FC compete in the APSL. SFFC only dressed 12 players for the match and found themselves down 1-0 at halftime. Then, Ismael Longo brought them back in the second half with a natural hat trick.

Colorado Springs FC (USASA) 2:0 Colorado Rovers (USSSA)

Colorado Springs FC earned the club’s first US Open Cup qualifying win with a 2-0 result against the Colorado Rovers, a team that qualified for the tournament twice back in 2013 and 2014. CSFC received goals on either side of halftime from Franky Perez (Assist: Jorge Guzman) and Marcus Reynolds (Assist: Tristan Heath) to win their debut match in front of their home fans.

Orlando Storm (USASA) 0:0 (4:3 PK) InterUnited AC (USASA)

Out of 47 opening round qualifying games, only three of them went to penalty kicks and the match between Florida clubs Orlando Storm and InterUnited AC was the only one to finish without a goal. In fact, this is the third year of the USSF’s new open division qualifying tournament and in 127 games in those three years, this is the first game to finish scoreless. The Orlando Storm won the penalty kick shootout 4-3 to advance to Round 2 in a battle of first-time entries.

Motagua New Orleans logoGaffa FC (USASA) 1:4 Motagua of New Orleans (USASA)

Motagua of New Orleans is back in the Open Cup qualifying tournament with a slightly different name (they dropped the “CD” in CD Motagua of New Orleans). They fell one game short of qualifying for a third year in a row, and are now through to Round 2 after a 4-1 win over the lone Mississippi entry Gaffa FC. Gaffa FC struck first, but Motagua answered back with four unanswered goals from Brandon Chagnard, Carson Gorecki (2), and Leo Barros to reach Round 2.

SFV Scorpions SC (USASA) 3:1 AC Brea Steaua United (USASA)

After falling one game short (losing to Outbreak SC) of qualifying for the 2017 US Open Cup, the SFV Scorpions of the UPSL are back. The Scorpions handled AC Brea Steaua United 3-1 with goals by Lloyd Virgill, Mluo Villanueva in the first half and a second half tally by Samuel Wadieh. It was a much better showing by United, who crashed out of last year’s tournament 11-0 to Strikers FC South Coast.

Colorado Rush (USASA) 2:1 (AET) Club El Azul (USASA)

After giving up an own goal in the first half, the Colorado Rush were down 1-0 going into halftime. However, they responded in the second half by equalizing on a penalty kick by former Major League Soccer veteran Colin Clark. The match went into extra time where Colorado’s Chayce Moniz scored the game-winner on diving header to overtake Club El Azul and advance to Round 2. Rush qualified for the Open Cup for the first time last year and are now one step closer to returning, but they will have to get past fellow Colorado side Azteca FC on the road to advance to the final round.

Lansdowne Bhoys FC soccerJackson Lions FC (USASA) 1:2 Lansdowne Bhoys FC (USASA)

It was New York vs. New Jersey in the opening round of the qualifying tournament with the Lansdowne Bhoys of the famed Cosmopolitan Soccer league edging the Jackson Lions FC 2-1. The Bhoys made the Big Apple proud in their US Open Cup debut in 2016 when they beat the Long Island Rough Riders (PDL), followed by a stunning 2-0 road win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USL. Their magic would end in Rochester when they fell by the same score to the Rhinos (USL). It was a New Jersey team (FC Motown) that knocked the Bhoys out of the qualifying tournament’s final round and they got their revenge with goals from Lukas Zarges and Daryl Kavanagh, who spent more than a decade playing professionally in his native Ireland. Jackson would pull one back but it wouldn’t be enough as the Bhoys would advance to Round 2 where they will square off with fellow Cosmo League powerhouse New York Pancyprian Freedoms. The game will be a rematch from last year’s opening round qualifying game that Lansdowne won 3-2 in extra time.

Leu Blacks FC (USASA) 0:11 FC Kendall (USASA)

Anyone reading the scoreline above will have a hard time believing that when FC Kendall and Leu Blacks went into the locker room at halftime, the two Florida-based clubs were deadlocked at zero. FC Kendall of the APSL exploded with 11 second-half goals to win their Open Cup qualifying debut. About 15 minutes into the second half, a Leu Blacks FC player was sent off, which led to an argument and then a scuffle which resulted in a second Leu Blacks red card. After that, the floodgates opened. Daniel Gonzalez had a hat trick, while Martin Nunez and Daniel Villegas had two goals each. Jona Andrade, Alessandro Mion, Heber Hernandez and Andres Navas each scored a goal.

Fort Collins United (USASA) 5:1 FC Greeley (USASA)

In a battle between two first-time UPSL entries based in Colorado, Fort Collins United defeated FC Greeley 5-1 to advance to Round 2. Fort Collins received a pair of braces from Hector Rodriguez and Jack Allard (who also had an assist) and another tally from Munther Al-Kindi. Eduardo Rodriguez also dished out two assists for the home team as they advance to play FC Denver on Oct. 21.

UFA Hawks LA (USASA) 0:5 Santa Clarita Storm (USASA)

Santa Clarita Storm, the club formerly known as the Lancaster Rattlers, earned a 5-0 road win over the UFA Hawks LA in the club’s open division qualifying tournament debut. The game featured two UPSL teams making their qualifying debut and Christian Esnal, who played professionally in El Salvador and Uruguay, led the way with a first half hat trick. Darryl Odom and Philip Boscacci added second half goals and Kyle Cunningham earned the clean sheet in goal to send the Storm into Round 2.

Newcastle United FC (USASA) 13:0 Del Rey City SC (USASA)

First-time entry Newcastle United FC handed fellow UPSL side Del Rey City SC the most lopsided defeat in the three-year history of the USSF’s new Open Division qualifying tournament.  Former UConn player Alan Ponce scored seven of the 13 goals, with Nor Agudelo and Michael Barbeito adding two goals each and Reggie Edu and Jaime Garcia chipping in a goal each.

San Pedro Monsters (USASA) 4:0 Fontana International SC (USASA)

San pedro Monsters logoAfter falling one game short of the US Open Cup in 2016, the Monsters from San Pedro didn’t enter the 2017 competition. They’re back and they kicked off their qualifying campaign for the 2018 tournament with a 4-0 home win over Fontana International. Francisco Ojas gave San Pedro a 1-0 halftime lead with a penalty kick goal after Yoni Garcia was fouled in the box. Then, in the second half, Andy Salguero scored a hat trick to ice the game for the home team.

Strikers SC South Coast (USASA) 1:5 Chula Vista FC (USASA)

Chula Vista’s quest to qualify for the US Open Cup for the second year in a row got off to a good start with a 5-1 road win over Strikers SC South Coast. With the win, Chula Vista has continued its dominant performance in Open Cup qualifying over the last three years. With the exception of their loss to La Maquina in the final round of 2016 qualifying, the SoCal Premier League club that was founded in 1982, has scored four goals or more in every match. They have outscored their opponents 19-5 in four matches. In this particular game, Alberto Diaz scored twice and they got a goal each from Sergio Zamudio, Francisco Ramirez and Rafael Lua. Diaz, a former US youth international, is the club’s all-time leading goalscorer in Open Cup play (3 goals) and was TheCup.us Player of the Round winner in 2015 when he helped Chula Vista pull off an upset of Arizona United (now Phoenix Rising FC) in the Second Round.

Los Angeles Wolves FC (USASA) 6:1 Real Sociedad Royals (USASA)

Eric Wynalda is no longer the head coach of the LA Wolves, but they aren’t missing a beat with team president Yan Skwara in charge. For the second year in a row, the Wolves defeated the Real Sociedad Royals of the SoCal Premier League in convincing fashion. On Sunday, they cruised to a 6-1 win led by a pair of goals by Dmitry Zhuralev. The Wolves are aiming to qualify for a third year in a row. Last season, they became just the second USASA club in the Modern Era to reach the Third Round of the tournament in back-to-back seasons.

Below you will find the schedule for Round 2 and all of the results from Round 1.

2018 US Open Cup Qualifying – Round 2
All Times Eastern / Home teams on the right
UPDATED: 10/14/17

Oct. 21 Kendall Wanderers (USASA/Bay State Soccer Lg) 10 a.m. GPS Omens (USASA/Bay State Soccer Lg) Hillside School Marlborough, MA
Oct. 21 North Texas Rayados (USASA/North Texas Prem. Soccer Assoc.) 4:30 Celtic Cowboys Premier (USSSA/Austin Men’s Soccer Assoc.) Onion Creek Soccer Complex Austin, TX
Oct. 21 Safira FC (USASA/New England Over-The-Hill Soccer Lg) 7:00 Mass United FC (USASA/American Soccer Lg) Hormel Stadium Medford, MA
Oct. 21 Colorado Rush (USSSA/Colorado Amat. Soccer Lg) 7:00 Azteca FC (USSSA/Colorado Premier Lg) Aurora Public Schools Stadium Aurora, CO
Oct. 21 Las Vegas Mobsters FC (USASA/UPSL) 7:00 La Maquina (USASA/UPSL) Valley High School Santa Ana, CA
Oct. 21 Phoenix SC (USASA/United Soccer League of Pennsylvania) 7:30 West Chester United (USASA/United Soccer League of Pennsylvania) West Chester United SC Turf Field West Chester, PA
Oct. 21 Chula Vista FC (USASA/SoCal Premier Lg) 8:00 Valley United SC (USASA/UPSL) Heritage High School North Hills, CA
Oct. 21 Fort Collins United (USASA/UPSL) 8:30 FC Denver (USSSA/Colorado Amat. Soccer Lg) Aurora Sports Park Aurora, CO
Oct. 21 Newcastle United FC (USASA/UPSL) 10:00 Santa Ana Winds FC (USASA/UPSL) Lake Forest Sports Park Lake Forest, CA
Oct. 21 Galati FC (USASA – Arizona Champ. Lg), 10:00 Ojuelos Jalisco (USASA – Arizona Champ. Lg) Desert West Sports Complex Phoenix, AZ
Oct. 21 Inter Empireworks FC (USASA / UPSL) 10:00 Sporting AZ FC (USASA / UPSL) Phoenix Rising Stadium Scottsdale, AZ
Oct. 21 Vanquish FC (USASA/UPSL) 10:30 Los Angeles Wolves FC (USASA/UPSL) John Anson Ford Park Bell Gardens, CA
Oct. 21 SFV Scorpions SC (USASA/UPSL) 9:45 San Pedro Monsters FC (USASA/SoCal Premier Lg) Banning H.S. Soccer Stadium Wilmington, CA
Oct. 22 Stegman’s SC (USASA/Minnesota Amat. Soccer Lg) 2:00 Aurora Borealis SC (USASA/Premier Lg of America) Ohio Moose Sports Complex Mooseheart, IL
Oct. 22 Academica SC (USCS/LIGA NorCal) 2:15 El Farolito (USASA/SF Soccer Football Lg) Boxer Stadium San Francisco, CA
Oct. 22 Ann Arbor FC (USASA/Ann Arbor Prem. Development Lg) L:W (FORFEIT) Rochester River Dogz (USASA/Rochester District Soccer Lg) Doug Miller Family Sports Park Spencerport, NY
Oct. 22 Red Force FC (USASA/APSL) 3:00 Miami Nacional SC (USASA/APSL) Ives Estates Park Miami, FL
Oct. 22 Junior Lone Star U-23s (USASA/Philadelphia Prem. Soccer Lg) 3:00 United German Hungarians (USASA/United Soccer League of Pennsylvania) United German Hungarian Club Oakford, PA
Oct. 22 Izee Auto FC (USASA/Maryland Major Soccer Lg) 3:00 Christos FC (USASA/Maryland Major Soccer Lg) Anne Arundel Community College Arnold, MD
Oct. 22 Majestic SC (USASA/Atlanta District Amateur Soccer Lg) 4:30 Nashville United (USASA/Middle TN Soccer Alliance) Richard Siegel Soccer Park (Stadium Field) Murfreesboro, TN
Oct. 22 Harpo’s FC (USSSA/Colorado Premier Lg) 5:00 Colorado Springs FC (USASA/UPSL) Grace Center for Athletics Colorado Springs, CO
Oct. 22 Boca Raton FC (USASA/APSL) 5:00 South Florida FC (USASA/APSL) Brian Piccolo Park Cooper City, FL
Oct. 22 Lansdowne Bhoys FC (USASA/Cosmopolitan Soccer Lg) 5:30 NY Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA/Cosmopolitan Soccer Lg) Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.) Jamaica, NY
Oct. 22 IPS/Marathon Taverna (USASA/Oregon Prem. Lg) 5:45 Indios Denver FC (USASA/UPSL) Englewood High School Stadium Englewood, CO
Oct. 22 Santa Clarita Storm (USASA/UPSL) 6:00 Buena Park FC (USASA/SoCal Premier Lg) John F. Kennedy High School La Palma, CA
Oct. 22 Motagua of New Orleans (USASA/Gulf Coast Prem. Lg) 6:00 Cajun SC (USASA/Gulf Coast Premier Lg) Moore Park Lafayette, LA
Oct. 22 FC Kendall (USASA/APSL) 7:00 Orlando Storm (USASA/Central Fla. Soccer Lg) Lake Myrtle Sports Complex Auburndale, FL
Oct. 22 Davis Legacy (USCS/Nor Cal Adult Prem. Lg) 8:00 Cal Victory FC (USASA/UPSL) Casa Grande High School Petaluma, CA

 


2018 US Open Cup Qualifying – Round 1

Sept. 23 Safira FC (USASA/New England Over-The-Hill Soccer Lg) 5:1 Unations FC (USASA/Bay State Soccer Lg) Burncoat HS Worcester, MA
Sept. 23 Boston Siege FC (USASA/UPSL) 2:5 Kendall Wanderers (USASA/Bay State Soccer Lg) Danehy Park Cambridge, MA
Sept. 23 GPS Omens (USASA/Bay State Soccer Lg) 8:3 Lynn United (USASA/UPSL) Manning Stadium Lynn, MA
Sept. 23 Lowcountry United (USASA/Charleston Soccer Lg) 0:2 Majestic SC (USASA/Atlanta District Amateur Soccer Lg) Atlanta United Training Ground Marietta, GA
Sept. 23 Mass United FC (USASA/American Soccer Lg) 3:3
(4:3 PK)		 Southie FC (USASA/Bay State Soccer Lg) Medford HS Medford, MA
Sept. 23 Junior Lone Star U-23s (USASA/Philadelphia Prem. Soccer Lg) 3:1 Salone FC (USASA/Philadelphia Prem. Soccer Lg) West Chester United’s Turf Field West Chester, PA
Sept. 23 North Texas Rayados (USASA/North Texas Prem. Soccer Assoc.) 2:0 Central Texas Lobos (USSSA/Austin Men’s Soccer Assoc.) Gregg-Clarke Park Kyle, TX
Sept. 23 FC Denver (USSSA/Colorado Premier Lg) 3:0 Gam United FC (USASA/UPSL) Aurora Public Schools Stadium Aurora, CO
Sept. 23 Celtic Cowboys Premier (USSSA/Austin Men’s Soccer Assoc.) 3:2 Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (USCS/Texas Prem. Lg) McMasters Athletic Complex Georgetown, TX
Sept. 23 Boca Raton FC (USASA/APSL) 4:3 Hurricane FC (USASA/APSL)/APSL) Seacrest Soccer Complex – Field 1 Delray Beach, FL
Sept. 23 Junior Lone Star FC (USASA/Philadelphia Prem. Soccer Lg) 1:4 West Chester United (USASA/United Soccer League of Pennsylvania) West Chester United’s Turf Field West Chester, PA
Sept. 23 Western Nevada FC (USASA/UPSL) 0:2 Davis Legacy SC (USCS/LIGA NorCal) Davis Legacy Soccer Complex Davis, CA
Sept. 23 Denver Metro FC (USASA/UPSL) 0:2 Azteca FC (USSSA/Colorado Premier Lg) Aurora Public Schools Stadium Aurora, CO
Sept. 23 Inter Empireworks FC (USASA / UPSL) 9:0 Chiapas FC (USASA – Arizona Champ. Lg) Desert West Sports Complex (Field 1) Phoenix, AZ
Sept. 23 ALLSTARS SC (USASA – Arizona Champ. Lg) 0:4 Ojuelos Jalisco (USASA – Arizona Champ. Lg) Desert West Sports Complex (Synthetic Field) Phoenix, AZ
Sept. 23 Oakland Pamperos (USASA/UPSL) 0:1 Academica SC (USCS/LIGA NorCal) Academica Fields Turlock, CA
Sept. 23 El Farolito (USASA/SF Soccer Football Lg) 3:0 Dynamos FC (USASA/UPSL) Dougherty Valley HS San Ramon, CA
Sept. 23 Pacific Side FC (USASA/UPSL) 2:3 Las Vegas Mobsters FC (USASA/UPSL) Kellogg-Zaher Soccer Complex Las Vegas, NV
Sept. 23 Outbreak FC (USASA/SoCal Premier Lg) 2:5 Santa Ana Winds FC (USASA/UPSL) Lake Forest Sports Park Lake Forest, CA
Sept. 23 Boise FC Cutthroats (USASA/UPSL) 2:3
(AET)		 IPS/Marathon Taverna (USASA/Oregon Prem. Lg) Rob Strasser Memorial Field Portland, OR
Sept. 23 La Maquina (USASA/UPSL) 5:0 Bell Gardens FC (USASA/UPSL) John Anson Ford Park Bell Gardens, CA
Sept. 23 Cal Victory FC (USASA/UPSL) 3:2 Real San Jose (USASA/UPSL) PAL Stadium San Jose, CA
Sept. 23 CF Cachorros USA (USASA/UPSL) 2:3
(AET)		 Vanquish FC (USASA/UPSL) Great Park (Main Stadium) Irvine, CA
Sept. 24 Red Force FC (USASA/APSL) 8:1 FC Ginga (USASA/UPSL) Buccaneer Soccer Field (Barry Univ.) Miami Shores, FL
Sept. 24 Newtown Pride FC (USASA/Connecticut Soccer Lg) 1:2 NY Pancyprian Freedoms (USASA/Cosmopolitan Soccer Lg) Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.) Jamaica, NY
Sept. 24 Izee Auto FC (USASA/Maryland Major Soccer Lg) 3:1
(AET)		 NLS Graduates (USASA/Maryland Major Soccer Lg) Banner Field at Latrobe Park Baltimore, MD
Sept. 24 Aegean Hawks FC (USASA/Washington Prem. Lg) 0:3 Christos FC (USASA/Maryland Major Soccer Lg) Troy Park (Field 4) Elkridge, MD
Sept. 24 Upper Darby FC (USASA/Philadelphia Prem. Soccer Lg) 0:3 Phoenix SC (USASA/United Soccer League of Pennsylvania) Phoenix Sports Club Trevose, PA
Sept. 24 United German Hungarians (USASA/United Soccer League of Pennsylvania) 2:1
(AET)		 Vereinigung Erzebirge (USASA/United Soccer League of Pennsylvania) Vereinigung Erzgebirge Clubhouse Warminster, PA
Sept. 24 Rochester River Dogz (USASA/Rochester District Soccer Lg) 2:1 Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (USASA/Greater Pittsburgh Soccer Lg) Rooney Field (Duquesne Univ.) Pittsburgh, PA
Sept. 24 Harpo’s FC (USSSA/Colorado Premier Lg) 2:2
(6:5 PK)		 FC Boulder (USASA/UPSL) Fairview HS Boulder, CO
Sept. 24 FC Union Jerez (USSSA/Colorado Premier Lg) 2:6 Indios Denver FC (USASA/UPSL) Englewood HS Stadium Englewood, CO
Sept. 24 Newport FC (USASA/UPSL) 0:3 Buena Park FC (USASA/SoCal Premier Lg) John F. Kennedy High School La Palma, CA
Sept. 24 Miami United FC Under-23s (USASA/APSL) 1:3 South Florida FC (USASA/APSL) Brian Piccolo Park Cooper City, FL
Sept. 24 Colorado Rovers (USSSA/Colorado Premier Lg) 0:2 Colorado Springs FC (USASA/UPSL) Grace Center for Athletics Colorado Springs, CO
Sept. 24 InterUnited AC (USASA/APSL) 0:0
(3:4 PK)		 Orlando Storm (USASA/Central Fla. Soccer Lg) UCF Soccer & Track Stadium Orlando, FL
Sept. 24 Motagua of New Orleans (USASA/Gulf Coast Prem. Lg) 4:1 Gaffa FC (USASA/Gulf Coast Prem. Lg) Freedom Ridge Stadium Ridgeland, MS
Sept. 24 AC Brea Steaua United (USASA/SoCal Premier Lg) 1:3 SFV Scorpions SC (USASA/UPSL) Alemany HS Mission Hills, CA
Sept. 24 Club El Azul (USASA/UPSL) 1:2
(AET)		 Colorado Rush (USASA/UPSL) Shea Stadium Highlands Ranch, CO
Sept. 24 Lansdowne Bhoys FC (USASA/Cosmopolitan Soccer Lg) 2:1 Jackson Lions FC (USASA/Garden State Soccer Lg) Jackson Justice Complex Jackson, NJ
Sept. 24 FC Kendall (USASA/APSL) 11:0 Leu Blacks FC (USASA/UPSL) Amelia Earhart Park Field 5 Hialeah, FL
Sept. 24 FC Greeley (USASA/UPSL) 1:5 Fort Collins United (USASA/UPSL) Loveland Sports Park Loveland, CO
Sept. 24 Santa Clarita Storm (USASA/UPSL) 5:0 UFA Hawks LA (USASA/UPSL) Salesian HS Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 24 Del Rey City SC (USASA/UPSL) 0:13 Newcastle United FC (USASA/UPSL) SilverLakes Sports Complex Norco, CA
Sept. 24 Fontana International SC (USASA/UPSL) 0:4 San Pedro Monsters FC (USASA/SoCal Premier Lg) Banning HS Soccer Stadium Wilmington, CA
Sept. 24 Chula Vista FC (USASA/SoCal Premier Lg) 5:1 Strikers FC South Coast (USASA/UPSL) Lake Forest Sports Park Lake Forest, CA
Sept. 24 Real Sociedad Royals (USASA/SoCal Premier Lg) 1:6 Los Angeles Wolves FC (USASA/UPSL) John Anson Ford Park Bell Gardens, CA
Ann Arbor FC (USASA/Ann Arbor Prem. Development Lg) W:L (FORFEIT) Carpathia FC (USASA/Prem. Lg of America) Avondale HS Auburn Hills, MI
Stegman’s SC (USASA/Minnesota Amat. Soccer Lg) W:L (FORFEIT) Santa Fe Wanderers KC (USASA/KC Kansas Soccer Lg) Olathe District Activity Center Olathe, KS
Los Angeles SC (USASA/L.A. Municipal Lg) L:W (FORFEIT) Valley United SC (USASA/UPSL) Heritage HS North Hills, CA
United Serbian SC (USASA/Wisconsin Soccer Lg) L:W (FORFEIT) Aurora Borealis SC (USASA/Premier Lg of America) Ohio Moose Sports Complex Mooseheart, IL
Miami Nacional SC (USSSA/Nat’l Soccer Lg) W:L (FORFEIT) Miami Wolves FC (USASA/UPSL) Flamingo Park Miami Beach, FL

 

 

 

 

2018 US Open Cup qualifying draw unveiled with record number of amateur teams

by

Phil Saunders of Christos FC made seven saves in a 1-0 road win over the Richmond Kickers (USL). Photo: Jessica Hendricks | Richmond Kickers
Phil Saunders of Christos FC made seven saves in a 1-0 road win over the Richmond Kickers (USL). Photo: Jessica Hendricks | Richmond Kickers

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) announced that 108 amateur clubs from 35 different leagues have entered the qualifying tournament for the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. This breaks the record set last year when 64 teams entered.

This is the third year in a row that the federation has utilized a single qualifying tournament for all amateur clubs that are not part of a national league. Prior to 2016, amateur teams that did not belong to the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) or the Premier Development League (PDL) had to enter a state or regional qualifying tournament organized by the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). Ahead of the 2016 US Open Cup, the USSF announced that they would take control of the amateur qualifying process and launched a single-elimination tournament open to all teams from across the country.

The draw for the opening round of the tournament was announced on Tuesday night with 102 teams taking part and four teams receiving byes into Round 2.

Earlier this year, underdogs Christos FC of Baltimore earned nationwide attention when they advanced from the local qualifying group of 64 teams to the full US Open Cup. Their run continued as they became just the 13th amateur club in the Modern Era (1995-present) to reach the Fourth Round where they gave MLS side D.C. United a run for their money before falling, 4-1. They earned a $15,000 cash prize for the amateur team that advanced the furthest in the competition. Christos FC are back for 2018 (they will face Open Cup regulars Aegean Hawks FC in Round 1) along with 107 other teams hoping to be this year’s underdog story.

This part of the competition, otherwise known as Open Division Local Qualifying, will start the weekend of Sept. 23-24. Teams entering in the first qualifying round must win three straight matches to enter the first official round of the US Open Cup which will start in the spring of 2018. Draws were assigned to minimize travel time and cost, ensuring most teams will play against other local competition. Where possible, for example in areas with several local entrants, random selection was used to determine match-ups. Draws will be played as single-game, knockout matches, with home teams selected via a coin flip.

La Maquina (left) vs. LA Wolves in the Third Round of 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Joe Walsh
La Maquina (left) vs. LA Wolves in the Third Round of 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Joe Walsh

After each of the three local qualifying rounds, another draw will be held to determine match-ups in the next round. The second local qualifying round is scheduled for Oct. 21-22, and the third is scheduled for Nov. 18-19.

The first qualifying round will be played the weekend after the 2017 Final pitting three-time champion Sporting Kansas City against the New York Red Bulls on Sept. 20.

States with the most teams entering were California (30), Colorado (14), Florida (12), Pennsylvania (9), and Massachusetts (8). Twelve states entered a single team. There will be plenty of new faces as 14 leagues are entering teams for the first time in this edition of the tournament.

Sixty-four teams are entering the competition for the first time and two of them have won the tournament before. El Farolito, who qualified for last year’s tournament won the Open Cup in 1993 under the name CD Mexico while the New York Pancyprian Freedoms have lifted the trophy three times (1980, 1982, 1983).

While 2012 Open Cup darlings Cal FC will not be a part of this year’s competition, there are plenty of regulars who will look to join the 105th edition of the Open Cup. After reaching the Third Round last year, GPS Omens (Mass.) is looking to qualify for the fifth time in six years. One of the oldest clubs in the country, Phoenix SC (Est. 1926 in Philadelphia area) will look to return to the tournament for the first time since 2011. Another pair of historic Philly clubs will square off when Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Est. 1969) take on the United German Hungarians (Est. 1910). Another Philadelphia side, Junior Lone Star made their Open Cup debut last year and this year they will enter two different teams.

Harpo's FC celebrates a league game against FC Denver at Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder, Colo. Photo: Harpo's FC
Harpo’s FC celebrates a league game against FC Denver at Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder, Colo. Photo: Harpo’s FC

The Lansdowne Bhoys made a splash in their Open Cup debut in 2016, upsetting the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on the road, but after missing out in 2017, they will be back for the 2018. The Bhoys, who won the USASA Amateur Cup, will travel to New Jersey to take on first-timers Jackson Lions FC.

The North Texas Rayados have qualified for every US Open Cup since 2012 (although they were disqualified just before the 2016 tournament), and they will be on the road to face Central Texas Lobos. Red Force will represent South Florida after qualifying for the third time in 2017.

Out west, 44 of the 108 (41%) entries are from California (30) and Colorado (14). There are some Colorado teams with some recent experience that are looking to qualify in 2018. Harpo’s FC (2015, 2016) are back after missing out in 2017, and the Colorado Rovers (2013, 2014) are looking to get back after falling short the last few years. The Colorado Rush and Azteca FC, who both made their first appearance in 2017, will look to punch their ticket for the second straight year.

California is littered with talented clubs highlighted by 2016 Cinderella story La Maquina FC, two-time qualifiers Chula Vista FC (2015, 2017) and the LA Wolves FC (2016, 2017) who made a strong showing in their first two Open Cup entries.

2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Open Division Local Qualifying Schedule

First Qualifying Round
(All Times Eastern)
UPDATED after Sept. 24 games

Northeast Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Sept. 23 Unations FC (Mass.) vs. Safira FC (Mass.) 10 a.m. Burncoat High School; Worcester, Mass. Safira wins 5-1
Sept. 23 Kendall Wanderers (Mass.) vs. Boston Siege FC (Mass.) 2 p.m. Danehy Park; Cambridge, Mass. Kendall wins 5-2
Sept. 23 Lynn United (Mass.) vs. GPS Omens (Mass.) 3 p.m. Manning Stadium; Lynn, Mass. GPS Omens wins 8-3
Sept. 23 Southie FC (Mass.) vs. Mass United FC (Mass.) 4 p.m. Medford High School; Medford, Mass.  Mass U wins 4-3 in PKs
Sept. 23 Salone FC (Pa.) vs. Junior Lone Star U23s (Pa.) 4:30 p.m. West Chester United Turf Field; West Chester, Pa.  JLS U23s win 3-1
N/A Carpathia FC (Mich.) vs. Ann Arbor FC (Mich.) N/A N/A  Ann Arbor FC advances via forfeit
Sept. 23 West Chester United (Pa.) vs. Junior Lone Star FC (Pa.) 7:30 p.m. West Chester United Turf Field; West Chester, Pa.  WCU wins 4-2
Sept. 23 Aurora Borealis Soccer Club (Ill.) vs. United Serbian Soccer Club (Wis.) 8:30 p.m. N/A  Aurora Borealis SC advances via forfeit
Sept. 24 New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.) vs. Newtown Pride FC (Conn.) 12 p.m. Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.); Jamaica, N.Y.  New York wins 2-1
Sept. 24 NLS Graduates (Md.) vs. Izee Auto FC (Md.) 1 p.m. Banner Field at Latrobe Park; Baltimore, Md.  Izee Auto wins 3-1 (AET)
Sept. 24 Christos FC (Md.) vs. Aegean Hawks FC (Md.) 1 p.m. Troy Park – Field 4; Elkridge, Md.  Christos wins 3-1
Sept. 24 Phoenix Soccer Club (Pa.) vs. Upper Darby (Pa.) 2:30 p.m. Phoenix Sports Club; Trevose, Pa.  Phoenix SC wins 3-0
Sept. 24 Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.) vs. United German Hungarians (Pa.) 4 p.m. Vereinigung Erzgebirge Clubhouse; Warminster, Pa.  UGH wins 2-1 (AET)
Sept. 24 Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (Pa.) vs. Rochester River Dogz (N.Y.) 4 p.m. Rooney Field (Duquesne Univ.); Pittsburgh, Pa.  Rochester wins 2-1
Sept. 24 Jackson Lions FC (N.J.) vs. Lansdowne Bhoys FC (N.Y.) 7:30 p.m. Jackson Justice Complex; Jackson, N.J.  LBFC wins 2-1
N/A Santa Fe Wanderers KC (Kan.) vs. Stegman’s Soccer Club (Minn.) N/A N/A  Stegman’s SC advances via forfeit

Southeast Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Sept. 23 Central Texas Lobos (Texas) vs. NTX Rayados (Texas) 6 p.m. Gregg-Clarke Park; Kyle, Texas  NTX wins 2-0
Sept. 23 Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (Texas) vs. Celtic Cowboys Premier (Texas) 7 p.m. McMasters Athletic Complex; Georgetown, Texas  Celtic wins 3-2
Sept. 23 Hurricane FC (Fla.) vs. Boca Raton Football Club (Fla.) 7:30 p.m. Seacrest Soccer Complex – Field 1; Delray Beach, Fla. BRFC wins 4-3
Sept. 24 FC Ginga (Fla.) vs. Red Force FC (Fla.) 10 a.m. Barry University; Miami Shores, Fla.  Red Force wins 8-1
Sept. 23 Majestic Soccer Club (Ga.) vs. Lowcountry United (S.C.) 3:30 p.m. Emory University; Atlanta, Ga. Majestic SC wins 2-0
Sept. 24 South Florida FC (Fla.) vs. Miami United FC U23 (Fla.) 6 p.m. Brian Piccolo Park; Cooper City, Fla.  South Florida wins 3-1
Sept. 24 Orlando Storm (Fla.) vs. InterUnited AC (Fla.) 7 p.m. UCF Soccer & Track Complex; Orlando, Fla.  Orlando advance 4-3 in PKs (0-0 draw)
Sept. 24 Gaffa FC (Miss.) vs. Motagua New Orleans (La.) 7 p.m. Freedom Ridge Stadium; Ridgeland, Miss. Motagua wins 4-1
Sept. 24 Miami Wolves FC (Fla.) vs. Miami Nacional SC (Fla.) N/A N/A Miami Nacional advance via forfeit
Sept. 24 Leu Blacks FC (Fla.) vs. FC Kendall (Fla.) 8 p.m. Amelia Earhart Park Field 5; Hialeah, Fla  FC Kendall wins 11-0

First Round Bye: Cajun Soccer Club (La.), Nashville United (Tenn.)

Mountain Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Sept. 23 Gam United FC (Colo.) vs. FC Denver (Colo.) 6:30 p.m. Aurora Public Schools Stadium; Aurora, Colo. FC Denver wins 3-0
Sept. 23 Azteca FC (Colo.) vs. Denver Metro FC (Colo.) 9 p.m. Aurora Public Schools Stadium; Aurora, Colo.  Azteca wins 2-0
Sept. 23 Chiapas FC (Ariz.) vs. Inter EmpireWorks FC (Ariz.) 10 p.m. Desert West Sports Complex – Field 1; Phoenix, Ariz. Inter wins 9-0
Sept. 23 Ojuelos Jalisco (Ariz.) vs. ALLSTARS SC (Ariz.) 10 p.m. Desert West Sports Complex – Synthetic Field; Phoenix, Ariz. Ojuelos Jalisco wins 4-0
Sept. 24 FC Boulder (Colo.) vs. Harpo’s FC (Colo.) 5 p.m. Fairview High School; Boulder, Colo.  Harpo’s advance 6-5 in PKs (2-2 draw)
Sept. 24 Colorado Springs FC (Colo.) vs. Colorado Rovers (Colo.) 6:30 p.m. Grace Center for Athletics; Colorado Springs, Colo. Colorado Springs win 2-0
Sept. 24 Indios Denver FC (Colo.) vs. FC Union Jerez (Colo.) 5:45 p.m. Englewood High School Stadium; Englewood, Colo. Indios Denver win 6-2
Sept. 24 Colorado Rush (Colo.) vs. Club El Azul (Colo.) 7 p.m. Shea Stadium; Highlands Ranch, Colo. Colorado wins 2-1 (AET)
Sept. 24 Fort Collins United (Colo.) vs. FC Greeley (Colo.) 8 p.m. Loveland Sports Park; Loveland, Colo. Fort Collins wins 5-1

First Round Bye: Galati FC (Ariz.), Sporting AZ FC (Ariz.)

Pacific Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Sept. 23 Davis Legacy SC (Calif.) vs. Western Nevada Futbol Club (Nev.) 8 p.m. Davis Legacy Soccer Complex; Davis, Calif.  Davis wins 2-0
Sept. 23 Valley United SC (Calif.) vs. Los Angeles SC (Calif.) 8:30 p.m. Heritage High School; North Hills, Calif. Valley United SC advances via forfeit
Sept. 23 Academica Soccer Club (Calif.) vs. Oakland Pamperos (Calif.) 10 p.m. Academica Fields; Turlock, Calif. Academica wins 1-0
Sept. 23 Dynamos FC (Calif.) vs. El Farolito (Calif.) 10 p.m. Dougherty Valley High School; San Ramon, Calif. El Farolito wins 3-0
Sept. 23 Las Vegas Mobsters FC (Nev.) vs. Pacific Side FC (Calif.) 10 p.m. Kellogg-Zaher Soccer Complex; Las Vegas, Nev. Las Vegas wins 3-2
Sept. 23 Santa Ana Winds FC (Calif.) vs. Outbreak FC (Calif.) 10 p.m. Lake Forest Sports Park; Lake Forest, Calif. Santa Ana wins 5-2
Sept. 23 IPS/Marathon Taverna (Ore.) vs. Boise FC Cutthroats (Idaho) 10 p.m. Rob Strasser Memorial Field; Portland, Ore. IPS wins 3-2 (AET)
Sept. 24 San Pedro Monsters FC (Calif.) vs. Fontana International SC (Calif.) 9:30 p.m. Banning H.S. Soccer Stadium; Wilmington, Calif. San Pedro wins 4-0
Sept. 23 Bell Gardens FC (Calif.) vs. La Máquina FC (Calif.) 10:30 p.m. John Anson Ford Park; Bell Gardens, Calif.  La Maquina wins 5-0
Sept. 23 Real San Jose (Calif.) vs. Cal Victory FC (Calif.) 10:30 p.m. PAL Stadium; San Jose, Calif. Cal wins 3-2
Sept. 23 Vanquish FC (Calif.) vs. C.F. Cachorros USA (Calif.) 11 p.m. Great Park, Main Stadium; Irvine, Calif. Vanquish wins 3-2 (AET)
Sept. 24 UFA Hawks L.A. (Calif.) vs. Santa Clarita Storm (Calif.) 8:10 p.m. Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles, CA Santa Clarita wins 5-0
Sept. 24 Buena Park FC (Calif.) vs. Newport FC (Calif.) 6 p.m. John F. Kennedy High School; La Palma, Calif. Buena Park wins 3-0
Sept. 24 SFV Scorpions (Calif.) vs. AC Brea Steaua United (Calif.) 7 p.m. Alemany High School; Mission Hills, Calif. SFV wins 3-1
Sept. 24 Newcastle United FC (Calif.) vs. Del Rey City SC (Calif.) 8 p.m. SilverLakes Sports Complex; Norco, Calif. Newcastle wins 13-0
Sept. 24 Strikers FC South Coast (Calif.) vs. Chula Vista FC (Calif.) 10 p.m. Lake Forest Sports Park; Lake Forest, Calif. Chula Vista wins 5-1
Sept. 24 L.A. Wolves FC (Calif.) vs. Real Sociedad Royals (Calif.) 10:30 p.m. John Anson Ford Park; Bell Gardens, Calif. LA wins 6-1

Second Qualifying Round: Oct. 21-22
Third Qualifying Round: Nov. 18-19

2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

Open Division Teams Entering via the Local Qualifying Track

Listed by State and League (Sanctioning Body) Affiliation

Arizona (6 teams) 
Arizona Champions League (Arizona State Soccer Assn./USASA)
ALLSTARS SC; Phoenix, Ariz.
Chiapas FC; Phoenix, Ariz.
Galati FC; Phoenix, Ariz.
Ojuelos Jalisco; Phoenix, Ariz.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Inter EmpireWorks FC; Scottsdale, Ariz.
Sporting AZ FC; Scottsdale, Ariz.

California (30) 
LIGA NorCal (US Club Soccer) 
Academica Soccer Club; Turlock, Calif.
Davis Legacy; Davis, Calif.

Los Angeles Municipal League (Calif. State Soccer Assn.-South/USASA) 
Los Angeles SC; Agoura Hills, Calif.

San Francisco Soccer Football League (Calif. Soccer Assn.-North/USASA) 
El Farolito*; San Francisco, Calif.

SoCal Premier League (Calif. State Soccer Assn.-South/USASA)
AC Brea Steaua United; Brea, Calif.
Buena Park FC; La Palma, Calif.
Chula Vista FC*; Chula Vista, Calif.
Outbreak FC*; Long Beach, Calif.
Real Sociedad Royals; Bellflower, Calif.
San Pedro Monsters FC; Wilmington, Calif.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Bell Gardens FC; Bell Gardens, Calif.
C.F. Cachorros USA; Santa Ana, Calif.
Cal Victory FC; Petaluma, Calif.
Del Rey City SC; Culver City, Calif.
Dynamos FC; San Ramon, Calif.
Fontana International Soccer Club; Fontana, Calif.
L.A. Wolves FC*; Bell Gardens, Calif.
La Máquina*; Santa Ana, Calif.
Newcastle United FC; Norco, Calif.
Newport FC; Newport Beach, Calif.
Oakland Pamperos; Oakland, Calif.
Pacific Side FC; Bakersfield, Calif.
Real San Jose; San Jose, Calif.
Santa Ana Winds FC; Lake Forest, Calif.
Santa Clarita Storm; Santa Clarita, Calif.
SFV Scorpions; Mission Hills, Calif.
Strikers FC South Coast; Lake Forest, Calif.
UFA Hawks L.A.; Los Angeles, Calif.
Valley United SC; North Hills, Calif.
Vanquish FC; Irvine, Calif.

Colorado (14) 
Colorado Premier League (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Azteca FC*; Aurora, Colo.
Colorado Rovers; Broomfield, Colo.
FC Denver; Aurora, Colo.
FC Union Jerez; Broomfield, Colo.
Harpo’s FC; Commerce City, Colo.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Club El Azul; Westminster, Colo.
Colorado Rush*; Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Colorado Springs FC; Colorado Springs, Colo.
Denver Metro FC; Englewood, Colo.
FC Boulder; Boulder, Colo.
FC Greeley; Greeley, Colo.
Fort Collins United; Loveland, Colo.
Gam United FC; Aurora, Colo.
Indios Denver FC; Englewood, Colo.

Connecticut (1) 
Connecticut Soccer League (Conn. State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Newtown Pride FC; Newtown, Conn.

Florida (12) 
American Premier Soccer League (Florida State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Boca Raton Football Club*; Pembroke Pines, Fla.
FC Kendall; Miami, Fla.
Hurricane FC; Delray Beach, Fla.
InterUnited AC; Davenport, Fla.
Miami United FC U23; Miami, Fla.
Red Force FC*; Miami, Fla.
South Florida FC; Cooper City, Fla.

Central Florida Soccer League (Florida State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Orlando Storm; Orlando, Fla.

National Soccer League (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Miami Nacional SC; Miami Gardens, Fla.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
FC Ginga; Miami Shores, Fla.
Leu Blacks FC; Miami, Fla.
Miami Wolves FC; Miami Beach, Fla.

Georgia (1) 
Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League (Georgia State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Majestic Soccer Club; Atlanta, Ga.

Idaho (1) 
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Boise FC Cutthroats; Boise, Idaho

Illinois (1) 
Premier League of America (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.) 
Aurora Borealis Soccer Club; Mooseheart, Ill.

Kansas (1) 
Kansas City Kansas Soccer League (Kansas State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Santa Fe Wanderers KC; Olathe, Kan.

Louisiana (2) 
Gulf Coast Premier League (Louisiana Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Cajun Soccer Club; Lafayette, La.
Motagua New Orleans; New Orleans, La.

Maryland (4) 
Maryland Major Soccer League (Md. State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Christos FC*; Elkridge, Md.
Izee Auto FC; Baltimore, Md.
NLS Graduates; Baltimore, Md.

Washington Premier League (Md. State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Aegean Hawks FC; Boyds, Md.

Massachusetts (8) 
American Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.) 
Mass United FC; Sommerville, Mass.

Bay State Soccer League (Mass. Adult State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Global Premier Soccer (GPS) Omens*; Boston, Mass.
Kendall Wanderers; Cambridge, Mass.
Southie FC; Medford, Mass.
Unations FC; Worcester, Mass.

New England Over-The-Hill Soccer League (Mass. Adult State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Safira FC; Sommerville, Mass.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Boston Siege FC; Boston, Mass.
Lynn United; Lynn, Mass.

Michigan (2) 
Ann Arbor Premier Development League (Michigan Soccer Association/USASA) 
Ann Arbor FC; Ann Arbor, Mich.

Premier League of America (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Carpathia FC; Auburn Hills, Mich.

Minnesota (1) 
Minnesota Amateur Soccer League (Minnesota Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Stegman’s Soccer Club; Minneapolis, Minn.

Mississippi (1) 
Gulf Coast Premier League (Louisiana Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Gaffa FC; Ridgeland, Miss.

Nevada (2) 
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Las Vegas Mobsters FC; Las Vegas, Nev.
Western Nevada Futbol Club; Sparks, Nev.

New Jersey (1) 
Garden State Soccer League (New Jersey Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Jackson Lions FC; Jackson, N.J.

New York (3) 
Cosmopolitan Soccer League (Eastern New Youth State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Lansdowne Bhoys FC; Yonkers, N.Y.
New York Pancyprian Freedoms^; Jamaica, N.Y.

Rochester District Soccer League (Western New Youth Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Rochester River Dogz; Spencerport, N.Y.

Oregon (1) 
Oregon Premier Soccer League (Oregon Adult Soccer Assn./USASA) 
International Portland Select (IPS)/Marathon Taverna; Portland, Ore.

Pennsylvania (9) 
Greater Pittsburgh Soccer League (Pa. West Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Tartan Devils Oak Avalon*; Pittsburgh, Pa.

Philadelphia Premier Soccer League (Eastern Pa. Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Junior Lone Star FC*; Drexel Hill, Pa.
Junior Lone Star U23s; Drexel Hill, Pa.
Salone FC; Drexel Hill, Pa.
Upper Darby FC; Drexel Hill, Pa.

United Soccer League of Pennsylvania (Eastern Pa. Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Phoenix Soccer Club; Trevose, Pa.
United German Hungarians; Oakford, Pa.
Vereinigung Erzgebirge; Warminster, Pa.
West Chester United; West Chester, Pa.

South Carolina (1) 
Charleston Soccer League (South Carolina Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Lowcountry United; Charleston, S.C.

Tennessee (1) 
Middle Tennessee Soccer Alliance (Tennessee State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Nashville United; Nashville, Tenn.

Texas (4) 
Austin Men’s Soccer Association (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.) 
Celtic Cowboys Premier; Austin, Texas
Central Texas Lobos; Kyle, Texas

North Texas Premier Soccer Association (North Texas Soccer Assn./USASA) 
NTX Rayados*; Balch Springs, Texas

Texas Premier League (US Club Soccer)
Austin Real Cuauhtemoc; Georgetown, Texas

Wisconsin (1) 
Wisconsin Soccer League (Wisconsin Soccer Leagues/USASA) 
United Serbian Soccer Club; Milwaukee, Wis.

* Advanced to 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
^ Three-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1980, 1982-83)

 

Which NPSL teams will qualify for 2018 US Open Cup?

by

Detroit City FC, and their rabid fanbase, have qualified for the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
Detroit City FC, and their rabid fanbase, have qualified for the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

UPDATE (1/29): As first reported by Magic City Soccer and confirmed by TheCup.us, Sunshine Conference champions Miami Fusion have folded. Due to the NPSL’s Open Cup classification rules that prioritize representation from each conference, Miami United, previously 28th on this list, are most likely to take that spot.

With the National Premier Soccer League’s (NPSL) season over, we now have a solid idea as to who, and who may not, qualify for next year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

This definitive list is constructed with the help of US Soccer’s 2018 US Open Cup Handbook, which can be downloaded here. There are a couple things worth noting before we get started.

The first is likely berths available. NPSL has been sending teams to the Open Cup as a national league since 2011, when four teams (Brooklyn Italians, Chattanooga FC, Hollywood United Hitmen, and Madison 56ers) were awarded entry. Prior to that, dating back to 2003, the league had to qualify through the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The number of NPSL bids has increased every single year since then, reaching a peak last year wtih 18 entries. If that number holds true, US Soccer will likely accept at least 18 NPSL teams, and possibly more.

The second is influence from other leagues. An eight-team third-division pro league (National Independent Soccer Association) is scheduled to begin play next year and it’s possible they could take up space NPSL teams might otherwise occupy. However, the number of eligible USL teams ballooned to 21 in 2015 after a number of MLS teams added reserve teams to the league (the MLS-owned reserve teams were banned from the tournament the following year). Despite the increase in the number of pro teams, it did not affect the NPSL’s number of entries.

One thing that definitely won’t eat into the NPSL’s bids, according to the 2018 handbook, is the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL). They will not, according to US Soccer, be afforded national league status, meaning their teams will have to once again traverse the regional open division qualifying process.

Finally, one NPSL division—the Northeast’s Mid-Atlantic Division—seemingly shot itself in the foot this year by staying at four teams after the Myrtle Beach Mutiny jumped ship and joined the Premier Development League (PDL). The result was that those teams played just six regular season games, rendering them ineligible for the Open Cup (bylaws state you must play at least ten regular season games within your registered league).

That nearly precipitated an awkward situation when that division’s champion, the winless Legacy 76, found themselves a win away from the NPSL’s quarterfinals. Had they beaten the Elm City Express, they technically would have played ten NPSL games in total, giving organizers a headache. The Express ultimaetly brushed them aside, 4-0 to avoid a potential mess.

NPSL’s CLASSIFICATION RULES

With that out of the way, let’s get into NPSL’s classification rules. NPSL’s 92 Open Cup-eligible teams are divided among four conferences: South (which has 29 teams), Midwest (23), Northeast, and West (20 each). Open Cup bids are thus somewhat staggered—for example, the South would get a sixth team into the tournament before any other region gets a fifth.

That means that individual rankings beyond 1-8 are reserved for particular Conferences. No. 9 will always be a team from the South, No. 14 from the Midwest, and so on. One complication is that, since the Northeast and West have an identical number of eligible teams, they “share” rankings. So for example, No. 11 and No. 12 belong as a pair to the third-rated teams from the Northeast and West. The higher ranking then goes to the team with the higher points per game (ppg).

NPSL ranks largely by points per game, but prioritizes at least one Open Cup bid for every division. So when you read down the below list in the future and take into account teams folding, declaring themselves ineligible, or changing leagues, it’s important to consider both their conference and division. For example (and this is purely hypothetical), if the Erie Commodores (currently at No. 14) decide to make a run at Peter Wilt’s NISA, you wouldn’t go “next team up” down the list like you would with the PDL. You wouldn’t even pull the next Midwestern team (in this case the Dakota Fusion), since Erie are currently the lone representatives of the East Division. You’d have to pull the next team from the East, which in this case would be the unlisted Dayton Dynamo.

That’s that. Beyond the Final Four, who will almost certainly qualify, regardless of the final number of entries the league is awarded, teams are ranked by NPSL’s criteria as laid out in the 2018 handbook, with information relevant to that ranking listed in the parentheses:

WHO’S IN? 

1. Elm City Express (NPSL Semifinalist, Northeast Conference-Atlantic Blue Division)
Appearance: 1st

elm-city-expressThe Elm City Express, based in New Haven, Conn., are yet another brand new team earning Open Cup qualification in their first attempt.

The Express ran through the Atlantic Blue Division in their debut season, compiling a 9-1-2 record that earned them the No. 1 seed in the Northeast Conference going into the playoffs. They made good on that seed, shutting out both TSF FC and the overmatched Legacy 76 at home to reach the Conference Final. There, they defeated the Clarkstown Eagles 3-1 to reach the NPSL Semifinals, where they swept through CD Aguiluchos and Midland-Odessa by a combined score of 7-0 to claim the NPSL title in their first season.

2. Midland-Odessa FC (NPSL Semifinalist, South Conference-Lone Star Division)
Appearance: 2nd (2015 as PDL team)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2015 Round 2 (3-1 loss vs OKC Energy of USL)
Notable Open Cup Win: 3-1 win vs. Tulsa Athletic (NPSL) in 2015 First Round

Midland-Odessa_FCHad they not switched from the PDL to the NPSL prior to the 2017 season, we’d be seeing the newly-rebranded Midland-Odessa FC in the US Open Cup for the third time in four years. Still, they seem to be wearing the league switch well, winning the Lone Star Championship after taking down Dutch Lions FC and Shreveport Rafters FC (who upset the Fort Worth Vaqueros in Round 1). A 1-0 win away to FC Wichita in the South Conference Semifinals is what pushed Midland-Odessa from the Open Cup bubble into automatic qualification. They kept their playoff run going with a 1-0 win over Inter Nashville in the regional final, before traveling to the Motor City to take on Detroit City FC in the NPSL Final Four. They beat Detroit City on penalties before succumbing 5-0 to Elm Cith Express in the final.

The Texas club will see their second Open Cup in their tenth season of existence. Their previous run went reasonably well, overcoming Tulsa Athletic (NPSL)  3-1 at home before succumbing to the USL’s OKC Energy by the same scoreline.

 

3. Detroit City FC (NPSL Semifinalist, Midwest Conference-Great Lakes Division)
Appearance: 4th
Best Open Cup Finish: 2016 Second Round (Drew 1-1 at Louisville City of USL, Lost 3-1 in PKs)

Detroit City FC goalkeeper Evan Louro gets ready for a PK attempt from the Michigan Bucks during the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Jon DeBoer | DCFC
Detroit City FC goalkeeper Evan Louro gets ready for a PK attempt from the Michigan Bucks during the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: Jon DeBoer | DCFC

The rambunctious Detroit City FC supporters will get to see “Le Rouge” in the Open Cup for the fourth time in five years. Detroit City qualified in style this year. After a slow start to the season, they ended up with nine wins in their 14 league games to ensure they’d at least be in the NPSL’s top 14. But they didn’t stop there, twice scoring five goals in playoff games against Dakota Fusion and Duluth FC to reach the Midwest Final against Great Lakes rival AFC Ann Arbor where they prevailed at home, 3-2. They advanced to the NPSL Semifinals where they dropped a penalty decision to Midland-Odessa FC on Aug. 5.

While Detroit City’s first two Open Cup runs ended in disappointment, including a 3-0 thumping against local rival Michigan Bucks (PDL), their third saw them overcome the Bucks in penalty kicks after a scoreless draw to advance to the Second Round for the first time in club history. They would remain undefeated in that 2016 tournament, heartbreakingly succumbing to USL’s Louisville City in penalty kicks. The club is still seeking its first victory in the tournament (matches that end in penalty kicks are officially listed as a draw), but they will have plenty of supporters behind them to try to accomplish that first win.

4. CD Aguiluchos USA (NPSL Semifinalist, West Conference-Golden Gate Division)
Appearance: 3rd (2014, 2016)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2016 Round 2 (5-0 loss at Sacramento Republic of USL)
Notable Open Cup Win: 3-0 win at San Francisco City FC (US Club Soccer) in 2016 Round 1

cd-aguiluchos-2016-logoThe ambitious CD Aguiluchos USA out of Oakland, Calif. will be making their third Open Cup appearance after running riot over the Golden Gate Division and crushing Sonoma County Sol 4-0 in the Division Final. After a 4-2 win over Kitsap SC in the regional semifinal, they edged Orange County FC 1-0 to earn a spot in the Final Four, where they lost 2-0 to eventual champions Elm City Express.

The club has yet to host an Open Cup game, going 1-2 on the road in their short Open Cup history. Their first appearance in 2014 ended abruptly with a 2-1 loss to the Ventura County Fusion (PDL), but they improved on that two years later when they traveled across the bay to rout San Francisco City FC 3-0 when City was an up-and-coming team out of US Club Soccer. Unfortunately, they ended up being swept away by the Sacramento Republic 5-0, a team that would end up as the USL’s Western Conference top seed in 2016.

5. Inter Nashville FC (NPSL Quarterfinalist, South Conference-Southeast Division)
Appearance: 1st

Inter Nashville qualifies for the Open Cup in truly their first season of existence. Not only did Inter Nashville have to make it through the incredibly competitive Southeast Division, they had to win four playoff games on the road. A loss at any stage before the Eastern Conference Final would have dropped them from the qualifying list altogether.

But that didn’t happen. They first traveled across the state to Chattanooga to nab a win against Open Cup regular Chattanooga FC in Finley Stadium. They then went down to New Orleans to take down the Knoxville Force and the previously-unbeaten New Orleans Jesters in consecutive days to earn the Southeast crown. As if that wasn’t enough, they earned their spot in the South Conference Final with a 1-0 upset of the 11-1-0 Sunshine champion Miami Fusion. Their playoff run would end with a 1-0 loss to Midland-Odessa FC in the quarterfinals.

6. AFC Ann Arbor (NPSL Quarterfinalist, Midwest Conference-Great Lakes Division)
Appearance: 2nd (2017)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2017 First Round (1-0 loss at Michigan Bucks of PDL)

AFC Ann Arbor barely snuck into the 2017 US Open Cup after Indy Eleven withdrew their NPSL team from consideration. They will need no such circumstance next year for 2018, as the third-year club (second year in the NPSL) that shares a town with the University of Michigan qualified directly to the Midwest Conference Semifinals after a remarkable 12-1-1 regular season. A 1-0 semifinal win over the Dayton Dynamo probably wasn’t even necessary for Open Cup qualification, but it did propel them from 14th into the top eight. Their playoff run came to end in the regional final when they lost 3-2 on the road to their Great Lake Division rival Detroit City FC.

They’ll look to improve on their inaugural Open Cup run, which ended with a narrow 1-0 loss in the opening round to amateur powerhouse Michigan Bucks (PDL). A chance at revenge in next year’s first round is possible—the Michigan Bucks will also qualify—but not given as Detroit City FC will also enter the Michigan Open Cup fray.

7. Orange County FC (NPSL Quarterfinalist, West Conference-Southwest Division)
Appearance: 1st

While technically an NPSL expansion team, this amateur team coached by U.S. Men’s National Team legend Paul Caligiuri (he scored the goal against Trinidad and Tobago that sent the U.S. to the 1990 World Cup) had been kicking about the SoCal Premier League since 2009.

However, having never even applied to participate in the local qualifying tournaments, this will be Orange County FC’s first involvement in the Open Cup. They got here by upsetting unbeaten FC Arizona on the road by a score of 2-0 to take the Southwest Division championship. Their playoff run would end one game shy of the final four, losing to CD Aguiluchos USA, 1-0.

8. Clarkstown SC Eagles (NPSL Quarterfinalist, Northeast Conference-Keystone Division)
Appearance: 3rd (2016, 2017)
Best Open Cup Finish: First Round (2016, 2017)

The Eagles out of Clarkstown, New York will be looking for their first Open Cup win next year as a Keystone championship and a 6-3 Eastern Conference Semifinal win over Kingston Stockade propelled them into their third consecutive Open Cup berth.

There’s no shame in losing on the road to perrennial Open Cup power Reading United, as Clarkstown did in this year’s first round. They may still be kicking themselves for their 2016 performance however, as a win over Reading would have earned them a matchup against the NASL’s New York Cosmos. Still, making the Open Cup three times running is no small feat.

9. FC Wichita (South Conference-Heartland Division, 2.5 ppg)
Appearance: 3rd (2016, 2017)
Best Finish: 2017 Round 2 (4-3 AET loss vs. Saint Louis FC)
Notable Win: 1-0 (AET) win vs. Azteca FC (USSSA) in 2017 First Round

FC Wichita will enjoy their third consecutive Open Cup appearance after narrowly losing one of the year’s most entertaining games in their 4-3 extra time loss to Saint Louis FC. The regular season was not anywhere near as dramatic for the Kansas club, as they secured the regular-season Heartland championship by a full nine points.

10. Duluth FC (Midwest Conference-North Division Champion, 2 ppg)
Appearance: 1st

Thanks to the Minnesota Thunder, Minnesota Stars and Minnesota United FC, the Land of 10,000 Lakes is no stranger to the US Open Cup. However, an amateur team from the state has never qualified for the tournament in the Modern Era (1995-present).

That will change when Duluth FC enters the first round next year. They earned the No. 3 seed in the Midwest (a region that, thanks in large part to all the new Minnesota teams, now has the second-most Open Cup-eligible teams in NPSL instead of the fewest) after a 9-2 shellacking of the Sioux Falls Thunder on the final day of the regular season clinched the North regular season title.

This was Duluth FC’s third year of existence but their first in the NPSL and it went pretty well, reaching the Midwest Semifinals before falling 5-2 on the road to Detroit City FC.

11. Kitsap SC (West Conference-Northwest Division Champion, 2 ppg)
Appearance: 7th (2009-12, 2015-16 – all as PDL club)
Best Finish: 2016 Round 4 (2-0 loss at Seattle Sounders FC of MLS)
Notable Win: 3-1 win at Sacramento Republic (USL) in 2016 Third Round

The Seattle Sounders and the Kitsap Pumas squared off in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: JaneGPhotography.com
The Seattle Sounders and the Kitsap Pumas squared off in the 2016 US Open Cup. Photo: JaneGPhotography.com

For years, the Kitsap Pumas dominated the Northwestern region of the PDL, even winning the whole thing in 2011, before making the move to NPSL this year. The dominance continues, as Kitsap SC (they dropped the ‘Pumas’ moniker when they moved) won the Northwest Division with a game to spare when they took down FCM Portland 1-0 at home. Roy Lassiter’s men then beat Portland again in the playoffs before falling to CD Aguiluchos in the Western Semifinals.

The club from Bremerton, Washington is one of the few in NPSL who have managed to beat a pro team in the Open Cup – though they of course were in the PDL at the time. The 2016 Third Round win over Sacramento was truly one of the year’s more shocking results, as the Republic would end the USL season as the top team in the Western Conference. Kitsap is also one of NPSL’s more experienced Open Cup teams as they have double the Open Cup appearances as the next closest likely qualifier (6 to Detroit City FC’s 3).

12. Kingston Stockade (Northeast Conference-Atlantic White Division, 1.83 ppg)
Appearance: 1st

The club in upstate New York, run by Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley, has certainly made a lot of noise at their home games and has earned a lot of attention in the American Soccer world. Next year, they’ll get to do the same in the US Open Cup.

After an opening-game loss to Hartford City, Stockade got hot, winning seven of their next eight games. They built up enough of a lead to withstand a season-ending two-game losing streak and hold on to the Atlantic White Division title. Their playoff run ended in the Conference Semifinals with a 6-3 loss to Clarkstown but the season overall was likely enough to be invited to their first-ever Open Cup.

13. Miami United (South Conference-Sunshine Division, 1.83 ppg)
Appearance: 3rd (2015, 2017)
Best Finish: Round 2 (2015: 1-0 loss at Charleston Battery, 2017: 2-1 loss vs Jacksonville Armada)
Notable Win: 2-1 win vs Boca Raton FC, 2017 1st Round

Miami United’s Open Cup dreams were thought over after the Fusion ran through NPSL’s Sunshine Division, which only sends one team to the NPSL playoffs. However, with the Fusion dropping out, Miami United will look to make their third Open Cup appearance in four years.

Although they have yet to topple a pro team, they’re one of the few NPSL teams with consistently good first-round results. They knocked off SW Florida Adrenaline (PDL) in the 2015 first round before beating Sunshine Division rivals Boca Raton FC in last year’s opening round (they had qualified through Open Qualifying and kept a team in the American Premier Soccer League).

14. Erie Commodores (Midwest Conference-East Division, 1.75 ppg, +1 Regular-Season Goal-Differential over Dayton Dynamo)

Appearance: 1st

A two-goal win early in the season against the Dayton Dynamo ended up making all the difference between making the Open Cup and not. Erie and Dayton split the first NPSL tiebreaker (head-to-head points) but Erie narrowly edged out Dayton on the second (head-to-head goal differential). This leaves the Dynamo, who would go on to beat Erie on the road in the playoffs before a 1-0 loss to Ann Arbor, completely out of the Open Cup picture.

Such is the cruel world of NPSL Open Cup qualification. Either way, Erie will enjoy their first-ever Open Cup berth in 10 seasons of existence. The Commodores bossed the early days of the NPSL, when Open Cup slots were few and far between. However, this is not the club’s first time qualifying for the tournament. After winning the Great Lakes Division title in 2012, the Erie Admirals (as they were known then), earned a spot in the 2013 US Open Cup, but declined the invitation, citing financial and player availability challenges.

15. New Orleans Jesters (South Conference-Southeast Division, 2.33 ppg)
Appearance: 1st

The Jesters have been New Orleans’ soccer team since 2003. And after a dominating season in a tough NPSL division that included Chattanooga FC, Knoxville Force, and eventual quarterfinalist Inter Nashville, they’ll likely be heading to their first-ever US Open Cup.

After an undefeated 8-0-4 regular season, the Jesters were chosen to host the Southeast Division Finals. While a loss to Inter Nashville dashed automatic qualifying dreams, the team’s impressive regular season was likely enough to secure an Open Cup berth.

By qualifying, the Jesters would become just the second amateur club from Louisiana to qualify for the US Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present), joining CD Motagua of New Orleans who made their debut in 2016.

16. FC Arizona (West Conference-Southwest Division, 2.5 ppg)
Appearance: 1st

Much like the Jesters, FC Arizona tumbled down the qualification list despite an undefeated regular season after an untimely playoff loss. Unlike the Jesters, FC Arizona finds itself here in its very first season of existence.

And what a start. They typically play more regular season games out West (16 compared to 10-14 in most divisions) but that didn’t matter to FC Arizona. They won 12 times and drew the other four to finish alongside FC Wichita with the second-most points per game in the entire NPSL. And unless the Open Cup committee reduces the number of NPSL teams for the first time ever, Aidan Davison’s squad from Mesa will reap those rewards in the tournament next year.

17. Brooklyn Italians (Northeast Conference-Atlantic Blue Division, 2.33 ppg)
Appearance: 7th in Modern Era (2010-15)
Best Finish: 1979, 1991 US Open Cup Champions

The Brooklyn Italians opened the 2014 US Open Cup with a 4-2 road win over the PDL's Jersey Express. Photo: Bob Larson
The Brooklyn Italians opened the 2014 US Open Cup with a 4-2 road win over the PDL’s Jersey Express. Photo: Bob Larson

The old Brooklyn club likely clinched a 2018 berth on the heels of a 9-2-1 season that ended abruptly in the playoffs at the hands of TSF FC, a club that dates back to the early 1990s. The Italians’ regular season performance might be enough to send them back to the tournament for the first time since 2015.

It’s impressive in American Soccer that a club can exist for 68 years and still be relevant in the nation’s oldest cup competition. The Italians were founded back in 1949 and have won the tournament twice (1979, 1991). This would be the seventh appearance in the Open Cup for Brooklyn in the Modern Era (1995-present) after the club rattled off an NPSL record six straight appearances from 2010-15.

18. Fort Worth Vaqueros (South Conference-Lone Star Division, 2.2 ppg)
Appearance: 1st

Nick Stavrou’s Vaqueros narrowly clinched the Lone Star regular season title, beating out two rivals, Midland-Odessa FC and Dutch Lions FC, by a single point. However, they wouldn’t get the chance to face either in the divisional playoffs as they were taken out by the No. 4 seed Shreveport Rafters.

That loss nearly cost them dearly, as did Midland-Odessa’s run to the quarterfinals (ensuring they would finish no higher than fifth in the Southern pecking order). But still, US Soccer has yet to take Open Cup berths from the NPSL so it’s likely that the four-year-old club will enjoy its first Open Cup next season.

19. Dakota Fusion (Midwest Conference-North Division, 1.93 ppg)
20. New Jersey Copa FC (Northeast Conference-Keystone Division, 2.3 ppg)
21. Riverside Coras (West Conference-Southwest Division, 2.19 ppg)
22. Dutch Lions FC (South Conference-Lone Star Division, 2.1 ppg)
23. Minneapolis City SC (Midwest Conference-North Division, 1.79 ppg, 8 wins)
24. Knoxville Force (South Conference-Southeast Division, 1.92 ppg)
25. Albion SC (West Conference-Southwest Division, 2.13 ppg)
26. West Chester United (Northeast Conference-Keystone Division, 2 ppg)
27. Med City FC (Midwest Conference-North Division, 1.79 ppg, 7 wins)
28. Chattanooga FC (South Conference-Southeast Division, 1.83 ppg)
29. TSF FC (Northeast Conference-Atlantic Blue Division, 1.92 ppg)
30. FCM Portland (West Conference-Northwest Division, 1.8 ppg)

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