2022 US Open Cup

2022 US Open Cup First Round matchups revealed

February 2, 2022 by Jake Sillick

For 32 amateur teams, their roads in the 2022 US Open Cup finally have a starting point. The United States Soccer Federation announced the pairings for the First Round of the 107th edition of the tournament. The 16 games between March 22-23 will be the earliest start the tournament has ever had in the Modern Era.

The hosts for the First Round, and all future rounds, are determined by random selection. If both teams apply to host and both teams meet the federation’s minimum venue standards, then the home team is decided by random draw.

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

Of note, many teams within Division III will need waiver forms signed either because their schedule was not announced to the public by January 31 or in the case of USL League One, their season does not begin at least 7 days prior to their first Open Cup match.

#USOC2022 ESSENTIALS

Click here to follow most of the 103 #USOC2022 teams on Twitter

Lansdowne Yonkers wins second Amateur Cup, qualifies for 2022 USOC
2022 US Open Cup Qualifying Schedule / Results
2022 US Open Cup Qualifying Opening Round Game-By-Game Review
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying October Game-By-Game Review
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying November Game-By-Game Review
You can read the December Game Recaps by scrolling down on the Schedule / Results page

In our 18th year of covering the US Open Cup, support TheCup.us by joining our Patreon team!

ESPN+ will be the home of the US Open Cup again in the final year of the broadcasting deal. While every match in the tournament has been broadcasted on ESPN+ for the 2019 tournament (and would have for the 2020 tournament,) we should note that US Soccer now say a broadcast schedule is to be determined. We’re awaiting word from US Soccer on why a broadcast schedule is needed if every match is supposed to be on ESPN+ regardless.

Interesting Notes:

There are 4 matches total between the same qualifying pools (allowed under the exception for the First Round to minimize travel costs)
- 1 USL League Two vs. USL League Two match
- 1 NPSL vs. NPSL match
- 2 LQ vs. LQ matches
Shortest travel: D’Feeters Soccer Club to Denton Diablos (36 miles)
Longest travel: Azteca FC to Tulsa Athletic (566 miles)

2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Competition Schedule

First Round

Date	Game (home team listed first)	Time	Venue
March 22	FC Motown (NPSL) vs. West Chester United SC (USLL2)	7 p.m. ET	MSU Soccer Park; Montclair, N.J.
March 22	Hartford City FC (NPSL) vs. Oyster Bay United FC (N.Y.)	7:30 p.m. ET	Dillon Stadium; Hartford, Conn.
March 22	South Carolina United FC (USLL2) vs. NC Fusion U23 (USLL2)	7:30 p.m. ET	SEFL Soccer Complex; Columbia, S.C.
March 22	The Villages SC (USLL2) vs. Orlando FC Wolves (Fla.)	7:30 p.m. ET	The Villages SC Complex; Summerfield, Fla.
March 22	Denton Diablos FC (NPSL) vs. D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (Texas)	7:30 p.m. CT	UNT Soccer and Track & Field Stadium; Denton, Texas
March 22	Southern States SC Stars (NPSL) vs. Georgia Revolution FC (NPSL)	7:30 p.m. CT	The Oakes; Hattiesburg, Miss.
March 23	San Fernando Valley FC (Calif.) vs. Escondido FC (Calif.)	2:45 p.m. PT	Sepulveda Basin Sports Complex; Encino, Calif.
March 23	Lynchburg FC (Va.) vs. Nova FC (Va.)	7 p.m. ET	Lynchburg City Stadium; Lynchburg, Va.
March 23	Ocean City Nor’easters (USLL2) vs. Lansdowne Yonkers FC (N.Y.)	7 p.m. ET	Carey Stadium; Ocean City, N.J.
March 23	Cleveland SC (NPSL) vs. Chicago FC United (USLL2)	7:15 p.m. ET	George Finnie Stadium; Berea, Ohio
March 23	Miami United FC (NPSL) vs. City Soccer FC (Fla.)	7:30 p.m. ET	Ted Hendricks Stadium; Hialeah, Fla.
March 23	Western Mass Pioneers (USLL2) vs. Brockton FC United (Mass.)	7:30 p.m. ET	Lusitano Stadium; Ludlow, Mass.
March 23	Des Moines Menace (USLL2) vs. Minneapolis City SC (NPSL)	7 p.m. CT	Valley Stadium; West Des Moines, Iowa
March 23	Tulsa Athletic (NPSL) vs. Azteca FC (Colo.)	7 p.m. CT	Case Soccer Complex (ORU); Tulsa, Okla.
March 23	Portland Timbers U23 (USLL2) vs. Contra Costa FC (Calif.)	7 p.m. PT	John Chambers Field; Salem, Ore.
March 23	Las Vegas Legends FC (NPSL) vs. Park City Red Wolves SC (USLL2)	7:30 p.m. PT	Peter Johanan Soccer Field (UNLV); Las Vegas, N.V.

April 5-7 Second Round (Division II and III teams enter)

April 8 Third Round Draw
April 19-21 Third Round (18 lower-seeded Division I teams enter)
April 22 Round of 32 Draw
May 10-11 Round of 32 (6 higher-seeded Division I teams enter)
May 12 Round of 16/Quarterfinal Draw
June 24-25 Round of 16
June 21-22 Quarterfinals
July 26-26 Semifinals
Sept. 6-7 or Sept. 13-14 Final

2022 US Open Cup will feature Modern Era record 103 teams

January 25, 2022 by Michael Battista

Atlanta United FC celebrates their 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup championship. Photo: Allison Andrews — Atlanta United FC celebrates their 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup championship which is still the last cup played to completion. Photo: Allison Andrews

For the second time in three years, the US Soccer Federation has announced the largest tournament in the Modern Era (1995-present) of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. A total of 103 teams, including a record-breaking 71 professional teams (previously set in 2019 with 52 pro teams) and 32 Open Division teams, are set to compete for the 107th edition of America’s national championship.

Also announced was the pairing methodology for each round of the competition. It’s been mostly unchanged from the canceled 2020 tournament, but there are a couple alterations.

Last month, US Soccer announced 25 MLS teams, 2 MLSNP teams, 11 Open Division Local Qualifiers, and the USASA Amateur Cup champion would participate in the 2022 tournament. Along with those teams, 23 USL Championship, 10 NISA, 11 USL League One, 10 NPSL, and 10 USL League Two teams will participate for this tournament starting on March 22-23.

Of note, the number of Open Division teams is a reduction from the 38 proposed for the 2020 tournament. However, it is the same number of teams that actually competed in 2019.

The 2022 US Open Cup winner will earn $300,000 in prize money and a berth in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League. The runner-up will earn $100,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each of the three lower divisions (Second, Third, and Open) will each earn $25,000. This adds up to a grand total of $475,000 in prize money, the same amount awarded in 2019.

Additional announcements include the introduction of five normal substitutions in regulation, with one normal substitution added in extra time. These substitutions must be made at halftime or in three windows during regulation. For matches that advance to extra time, substitutions can be made before the first extra time period, at halftime of extra time, or during an additional normal substitution window that becomes available during extra time. The 2022 tournament will also be taking part in the concussion substitution trial, allowing teams up to two concussion substitutes and two concussion substitution windows. When a concussion substitute is used, the opponent will receive an additional substitute and additional substitution window.

Finally, in a new competition policy, if a tournament match has kicked off and is terminated prior to the end of the first half or is otherwise tied at the time of termination, and the termination is not due to the conduct of one of the teams, the match shall be restarted at the point of termination (if restarted within two days of the original match date). These games are required to be rescheduled for the next day unless mitigating circumstances prevent this. Otherwise, the match shall be replayed in its entirety if the rescheduled date is three or more days following the original match date.

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All 103 teams in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup:

Division I – Major League Soccer

Not all participating Major League Soccer teams will enter in the same round. The four USA-based entrants to the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League and the next two best American regular-season finishers in each of the league’s Eastern and Western Conferences will enter in the Round of 32.

Teams entering in the Round of 32 (8):

Colorado Rapids
Nashville SC
New England Revolution (Supporter’s Shield Winner)
New York City FC (MLS Cup Champion)
Philadelphia Union
Portland Timbers
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting Kansas City

The remaining MLS teams (17) will enter one round earlier in the Third Round:

Atlanta United FC (defending Lamar Hunt US Open Cup champion)
Austin FC
Charlotte FC (New team)
Chicago Fire FC
Columbus Crew
D.C. United
FC Cincinnati
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo
Inter Miami CF
Los Angeles FC
LA Galaxy
Minnesota United FC
New York Red Bulls
Orlando City SC
Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes

Division II – USL Championship (excludes teams majority-owned or otherwise controlled by a higher division pro club)

Teams entering in the Second Round (23):

Birmingham Legion FC
Charleston Battery
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Detroit City FC
El Paso Locomotive FC
FC Tulsa
Hartford Athletic
Indy Eleven
Las Vegas Lights FC
Louisville City FC
Memphis 901 FC
Miami FC
Monterey Bay FC (New team)
New Mexico United
Oakland Roots SC
Orange County SC
Phoenix Rising FC
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (Newly eligible)
Sacramento Republic FC
San Antonio FC
San Diego Loyal SC
Tampa Bay Rowdies

Division III – MLS Next Pro (excludes teams majority-owned or otherwise controlled by a higher division pro club)

Teams entering in the Second Round (2):

The Rochester Raging Rhinos celebrate their 1999 US Open Cup championship after defeating the Colorado Rapids 2-0 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, OH. Photo: Rochester Rhinos

Rochester New York FC (1999 US Open Cup champion)
St. Louis City SC (to be named second team)

Division III – National Independent Soccer Association

Teams entering in the Second Round (10):

AC Syracuse Pulse (New team)
Albion San Diego
Bay Cities FC (New team)
California United Strikers FC
Chattanooga FC
Flower City Union (New team)
Los Angeles Force
Maryland Bobcats FC
Michigan Stars FC
Valley United FC (New team)

(Note: NISA has announced Chicago House AC, New Amsterdam FC, and Stumptown AC will not take part in the 2022 US Open Cup. NAFC general manager Evin Nadaner told TheCup.us that both his team and Chicago are “still considering playing at the professional level next season”. Chicago declined to comment for this story. More information to come.)

New Amsterdam and Chicago are still considering playing at the professional level next season. We have many concerns about how NISA is being run and if the league addresses those concerns then we will play.

— Evin Nadaner (@scruffyisEvin) January 25, 2022

Players from Forward Madison (left) and El Paso Locomotive battle for the ball in their Second Round match in the 2019 US OpenCup. Photo: El Paso Locomotive

Division III – USL League One

Teams entering in the Second Round (11):

Central Valley Fuego FC (New team)
Charlotte Independence
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
FC Tucson (Newly eligible)
Forward Madison FC
Greenville Triumph SC
North Carolina FC
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (New team)
Richmond Kickers
South Georgia Tormenta FC
Union Omaha

Open Division teams entering in the First Round:

Local Qualifiers (11):

Northeast Region:

Brockton FC United (US Adult Soccer Assn./Bay State Soccer League, Massachusetts)
Lynchburg FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./United Premier Soccer League, Virginia)
Northern Virginia FC (aka NoVa FC) (US Adult Soccer Assn./Eastern Premier Soccer League, Virginia)
Oyster Bay United FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./United Premier Soccer League, New York)

Southeast Region:

City Soccer FC (US Specialty Sports Assn./National Soccer League, Florida)
Orlando FC Wolves (US Specialty Sports Assn./National Soccer League, Florida)

Central Region:

D’Feeters Kicks SC (US Club Soccer/The Roja League, Texas)
Azteca FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./Colorado Super League, Colorado)

West Region:

Contra Costa FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./National Premier Soccer League, California)
Escondido FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./United Premier Soccer League, California)
San Fernando Valley FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./United Premier Soccer League, California)

2019 U.S. Adult Soccer Association National Amateur Cup champion:

Lansdowne Yonkers FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./Eastern Premier Soccer League, New York)

National Premier Soccer League (10):

Minneapolis City (left) and Oakland County FC squared off at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota in the 2017 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Daniel Mick | http://www.danielmickcreative.com/USOC-Minneapolis-City-v/

Listed by region in order of rank:

Northeast Region (3):

FC Motown^
Georgia Revolution FC
Hartford City FC

South Region (3):

Tulsa Athletic**
Southern States SC
Miami United FC

Midwest Region (2):

Cleveland SC**
Minneapolis City SC**

West Region (2):

Denton Diablos FC**
Las Vegas Legends

* Participated in 2019 US Open Cup
** Qualified for canceled 2020 US Open Cup
^ Both of the above

(Note: The NPSL entered its teams via the National Leagues track under Open Cup regulations, opting to use 2021 league results (a combination of playoff finishes and regular season success) to determine its qualifiers for the 2022 tournament. You can view our interpretation of the rankings here.)

2013 US Open Cup: Philadelphia Union needed a stoppage time winner to beat the Ocean City Nor’easters (USL League Two). Photo: Philadelphia Union

(Note No. 2: The Las Vegas Legends FC was ranked 21st in our NPSL rankings due to the low number of teams in the NPSL’s West Region. It is currently not known how the team jumped up in priority, as following FC Golden State declining it’s bid the next berth should have gone to the next ranked team regardless of region – in this case FC Milwaukee Torrent. However, it’s possible that each region must have at least 2 teams at minimum before it goes to any region. Last Vegas Legends is the next team available as it must come from the Southwest Division in this case.)

USL League Two (10):

Chicago FC United**
Des Moines Menace^
North Carolina Fusion U23**
Ocean City Nor’easters
Park City Red Wolves SC
Portland Timbers U23
SC United Bantams**
The Villages SC^
West Chester United SC^
Western Mass Pioneers**

* Participated in 2019 US Open Cup
** Qualified for canceled 2020 US Open Cup
^ Both of the above
(Citation: West Chester United SC qualified and participated in the 2019 tournament as a local qualifier)

(Note: USL League Two entered its teams via the National Leagues track under Open Cup regulations, opting to use 2021 league results (with division champions recieving first higher priority bids, while other teams were ranked based on regular season points-per-game) to determine its qualifiers for the 2022 tournament. You can view our interpretation of the rankings here.)

Declined Bids

FC Baltimore Christos (NPSL) as Mid Atlantic Conference champion, league semifinalist, and ranked 3rd in the overall rankings. The organization will not be fielding a team in the National Premier Soccer League next season.
FC Golden State (NPSL) as Southwest Conference champion, league quarterfinalist, and ranked 8th in the overall rankings. The organization will not be fielding a team in the National Premier Soccer League next season.
Kalamazoo FC (USL2) as Great Lakes Division champion and ranked 8th in priority.
Long Island Rough Riders (USL2) as Metropolitan Division champion and 9th in priority.
Mississippi Brilla FC (USL-2) as Mid South Division champion and ranked 10th in priority. Declined spot due to the late March start date affecting roster eligibility.
South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 (USL2) ranked 13th in priority. Declined spot due to the late March start date affecting roster eligibility
Boston Bolts (USL2) ranked 14th in priority.

Separated teams

Just like in years past, some teams must be separated unless they reach the final due to the shared ownership or one team giving material technical support to another. The following pairs of teams must be separated:

Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USL1) and Park City Red Wolves SC (USL2)
Los Angeles FC (MLS) and Las Vegas Lights (USL Championship)
Portland Timbers (MLS) and Portland Timbers U23 (USL2)

Pairing Methodology

With the new format of 17 MLS teams starting in the Third Round of the competition, there have been a couple changes to how teams are paired in each round of the competition.

First Round (March 22-23)
Number of Games: 16
Participants: 32 Open Division teams (11 local qualifiers, 1 USASA Amateur Cup champion, 10 NPSL, 10 USL League Two)
Pairings Format: Teams will be paired geographically against clubs from other qualifying pools*

* Teams may be paired from the same qualifying pool if it results in better overall travel for the first round teams.

Second Round (April 5-7)
Number of Games: 31
Participants (62): 16 First Round winners, 23 Division III teams (10 NISA, 11 USL League One, 2 MLS NEXT Pro), 23 Division II clubs (USL Championship)
Pairings Format: After the First Round pairings are made, each First Round pairing will be matched geographically to a specific Division III or Division II team. The remaining Division III and Division II sides will be paired to play each other (avoiding any remaining Division III clubs from playing other Division III sides and any remaining Division II clubs from playing other Division II sides), with these pairings also made geographically. This means interesting matchups like Chattanooga FC (NISA) vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves (USL-1) and Flower City Union (NISA) vs. Rochester NY FC (MLSNP) are not possible in this round since they are all in Division III leagues.

Third Round Draw (April 8)

Participants (48): 31 Second Round winners, 17 lower-seeded Division I clubs (MLS)

After completion of the Second Round, the teams in the Third Round will be pooled geographically into groups of either four or six (depending on geographic distribution), with the Division I clubs distributed as evenly as possible among the groups. All Division I sides will be drawn to face a Second Round winner and not another Division I club. Any teams who are precluded from playing each other until the Final will be placed in different groups. A random draw will determine the pairings within each group. Instances where a logical geographic fit doesn’t exist to determine the groups will be resolved by random selection.

Third Round (April 19-21)
Number of Games: 24

Round of 32 Draw (April 22)
Participants: 24 Third Round winners, 8 higher-seeded Division I clubs (MLS)

After completion of the Third Round, the teams in the Round of 32 will be pooled geographically into groups of four, with the Division I clubs first entering the competition and any teams who are precluded from playing each other until the Final being placed in different groups. A random draw will determine the pairings within each group. Instances where a logical geographic fit doesn’t exist in determining the groups will be resolved by random selection.

Round of 32 (May 10-11)
Number of Games: 16

Round of 16/Quarterfinal Draw (May 12)

The Round of 32 winners will be pooled geographically (regardless of league affiliation) into groups of four, with teams who are precluded from playing each other until the Final being placed in different groups. A random draw will determine the pairings within each group.

Round of 16 (May 24-25)

Round of 32 winners face each other as determined by the Round of 16/Quarterfinal Draw

Quarterfinal Round (June 21-22)

Round of 16 winners face each other as determined by the Round of 16/Quarterfinal Draw

Draw to Determine Hosts for Semifinals and Final (June 23)

The four Quarterfinal Round winners will be paired geographically to determine the pairings for the Semifinal Round. Should two teams precluded from playing each other until the Final reach the Semifinal Round and be scheduled to face each other, the matches will be re-drawn to avoid this outcome.

Semifinal Round (July 26-27)

Final (Sept. 6-7 or 13-14)

2022 US Open Cup Projections: A Modern Era record 100 teams could take part in next year’s Open Cup after a two year absence.

December 31, 2021 by Jake Sillick

Open Division Local Qualifying is finished for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Local Qualifying is still a small part of the field, but what about the professional teams which saw lots of change among the lower divisions over the last few months? Also, who is in line to participate from the Open Division National Leagues of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and USL League Two (USL-2)?

This article will try and project how the 2022 edition of the US Open Cup could be formatted and which teams are participating. Forms from all teams were due on Dec. 14, but the final professional league deadline as outlined in the US Open Cup handbook is today (Dec. 31). So this is still completely unofficial until US Soccer releases the final allocation of teams next week on January 6.

Part I: Professional Teams

All professional leagues will enter the 2022 competition at various points. However these teams are ineligible

Teams that are directly owned by a higher division team
Teams that have their roster materially controlled by a higher division team

Teams that only have an affiliation agreement or only receive technical support are still eligible. With the addition of MLS Next Pro as a new professional league though, almost all of these agreements are going away and teams are truly independent of a higher division team. For instance, Rio Grande Valley FC will now be participating as their roster is no longer controlled by the Houston Dynamo, who will now have their own second team in MLS Next Pro. FC Tucson is also no longer owned by Phoenix Rising, so they will be participating too.

Let’s go through the leagues one by one, starting from the highest division and list the teams entering the Open Cup.

Division I, Major League Soccer (MLS): 25 teams

Atlanta United
Austin FC
Charlotte FC (expansion)
Chicago Fire
Colorado Rapids
Columbus Crew
D.C. United
FC Dallas
FC Cincinnati
Houston Dynamo
Inter Miami
LA Galaxy
Los Angeles FC
Minnesota United
Nashville SC
New England Revolution
New York City FC
New York Red Bulls
Orlando City
Philadelphia Union
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting Kansas City

Ineligible teams: 3

Montreal Impact (Canada based)
Toronto FC (Canada based)
Vancouver Whitecaps (Canada based)

Every single US-based team in MLS is eligible and participating. Charlotte FC was included in the MLS schedule release on Dec. 15, fulfilling all policy requirements for their participation.

Division II, USL Championship (USL-C): 23 teams

Birmingham Legion
Charleston Battery
Colorado Springs Switchbacks
Detroit City FC (expansion)
El Paso Locomotive
FC Tulsa
Hartford Athletic
Indy Eleven
Las Vegas Lights
Louisville City
Memphis 901 FC
Miami FC
Monterey Bay FC (expansion)
New Mexico United
Oakland Roots SC
Orange County SC
Phoenix Rising
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Rio Grande Valley FC
Sacramento Republic FC
San Antonio FC
San Diego Loyal
Tampa Bay Rowdies

Ineligible teams: 4

Atlanta United 2 (second team of Atlanta United)
LA Galaxy II (second team of LA Galaxy)
Loudon United (second team of D.C. United)
New York Red Bulls II (second team of New York Red Bulls)

A few teams have left the league since the last time the Open Cup was played. Even this year, Oklahoma City Energy FC had to go on hiatus due to renovations at their current stadium. Austin Bold also went on hiatus and is expected to move to Fort Worth in the future. Neither team was included in the official announcement of conference alignment which confirmed the 27 teams in the league (including the 4 ineligible teams.)

Division III, USL League One (USL-1): 11 teams

Central Valley Fuego FC (expansion)
Charlotte Independence (expansion)
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
FC Tucson
Forward Madison FC
Greenville Triumph SC
North Carolina FC
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (expansion)
Richmond Kickers
South Georgia Tormenta FC
Union Omaha

Despite Central Valley Fuego not having a stadium announced, they were included in the schedule release for USL League One. This likely means that they have a waiver from the US Soccer Board of Directors as this is a violation of the Professional League Standards which require a stadium lease signed at least 120 days prior to the season.

All other expansion teams are either a move from another league (Charlotte) or have a stadium being completed and have a technical staff hired (Northern Colorado).

All three expansion teams in USL-1 will require waivers from the US Open Cup committee as their season begins on April 2 while the first Open Cup match is scheduled for the Second Round on April 5-7. US Open Cup policy states that teams beginning their first season in an existing league must have their first league match scheduled at least 7 days prior to their first Open Cup match. In Charlotte and Northern Colorado’s case, their first match of the entire season will be the Second Round Open Cup match.

Division III, National Independent Soccer Association (NISA): 13 teams

AC Syracuse Pulse (expansion)
Albion San Diego
Bay Cities FC (expansion)
California United Strikers FC
Chattanooga FC
Chicago House AC
Flower City Union (expansion)
Los Angeles Force
Maryland Bobcats FC
Michigan Stars FC
New Amsterdam FC
Stumptown AC
Valley United FC (expansion)

NISA has certainly undergone some major expansion in the past year. We are not including New Jersey Teamsterz who still have not announced a stadium and have stated they will play in NISA Nation for the upcoming year. All other expansion teams have stadium agreements in place for the upcoming season. Flower City Union does have some red flags about their expansion, but they will be included for now.

Division III: MLS Next Pro: 2 teams

Rochester New York FC
St. Louis City SC second team (name TBA)

Ineligible teams: 19 (every other team in the league)

While almost all of the teams in this new league will be ineligible for the US Open Cup, the independent teams that join will participate. So far, the only independently-owned team in MLS Next Pro is RNYFC, formerly the Rochester Rhinos. However, in a quirk of the rules, St. Louis City’s team in this league will only participate in the Open Cup for 2022 because the MLS team is not playing until 2023. At that point, this to-be-named second team will then fall under the existing policy and become ineligible for the US Open Cup.

To summarize:

Division I (MLS): 25 teams
Division II (USL-C): 23 teams
Division III (USL-1): 11 teams
Division III (NISA): 13 teams
Division III (MLS Next Pro): 2 teams
Total: 74 teams (a Modern Era record)

Part II: Possible Tournament Format

US Soccer announced the format of the 2022 US Open Cup on Dec. 22. The announced format changed some things that were announced back in July as now the Division III teams will enter in the Second Round, and more than 50% of the MLS teams will enter in the Third Round. Here is the format assuming our numbers above are correct. If are numbers are correct, this will be a Modern Era record 100 teams

First Round: 26 Open Division teams enter, 26 teams total
Second Round: 23 USL-C teams, 11 USL-1 teams, 13 NISA teams, and 2 MLS Next Pro teams enter and 13 winners of the First Round participate, 62 teams total
Third Round: 17 MLS teams enter and 31 winners of the Second Round participate, 48 teams total
Round of 32: 8 remaining MLS teams enter and 24 winners of the second round participate, 32 teams total
Round of 16: 16 winners of Round of 32 face off, 16 teams total
Quaterfinals: 8 winners of Round of 16 face off, 8 teams total
Semifinals: 4 winners of Quarterfinals face off, 4 teams total
Final: 2 winners of Semifinals face off, 2 teams total

The eight MLS teams entering in the Round of 32 were decided in the same way as the cancelled 2020 tournament would have had. The four 2022 CONCACAF Champions League participants (Colorado Rapids, New England Revolution, New York City FC, and Seattle Sounders FC) and then the two best teams remaining from each of the conferences based on the standings last year (East: Philadelphia Union, Nashville SC) (West: Sporting Kansas City, Portland Timbers). The remaining 17 teams, including expansion Charlotte FC will enter in the Third Round.

We should also note that we expect the continued policy that no team from the same DIVISION (not league) will be pitted against each other in the round they enter in. This means that USL-C teams will not face each other in the second round, and the entirety of Division III (USL-1, NISA, and MLS Next Pro) will not face each other in the second round. So while a Rochester or Chattanooga derby would be great to see, it just cannot happen in the Second Round. But there’s nothing preventing these from happening in the Third Round. The 17 MLS teams in the Third Round will not face each other in the Third Round as well. For the Round of 32 though, the cancelled 2020 tournament had these last entering MLS teams facing anyone from the Third Round, other MLS teams included. They will not face each other though. So a Seattle vs. Portland match in the Round of 32 will not happen, but a LA Derby could happen since both teams entered in the Third Round.

Lansdowne Yonkers FC players, staff, and family pose with the National Amateur Cup following a 2-1 win over Cal FC in Bridgeview, IL on August 7, 2021. Photo: Patrick Murphy

Part III: Allocation of Open Division slots

Now let’s determine how the 26 Open Division slots will be allocated. We already know 11 teams will qualify from the past three months of qualifying games. We also know that Landsdowne Yonkers FC have also qualified as USASA National Amateur Cup champion, making a total of 12 teams with the local qualifier designation.

Local Qualifiers, 12 teams:

Landsdowne Yonkers FC
Brockton FC United
Lynchburg FC
Oyster Bay United FC
NoVa FC
D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club
Azteca FC
Escondido FC
Orlando FC Wolves
City Soccer FC
San Fernando Valley FC
Contra Costa FC

That leaves 14 slots remaining for the two National Leagues, NPSL and USL League Two. Since both teams had roughly the same number of teams, they will have the same number of entrants as well, 7 for each. Should this change, it can only increase or decrease by 2 teams at a time based mostly on how many teams in NISA actually play in 2022 (every other league has been confirmed in some way). We have predicted the maximum number of NISA teams to play in 2022, so the two national leagues should only go up if teams from NISA don’t end up playing.

National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), 7 teams

Denton Diablos FC
Tulsa Athletic
FC Baltimore Christos
Cleveland SC
FC Motown
Southern States Soccer Club
Minneapolis City SC

Should the number of teams increase or teams decline their bid for some reason, here are the next 5 alternates in order.

FC Golden State
Georgia Revolution
Miami United
Hartford City FC
FC Milwaukee Torrent

USL League Two (USL-2), 7 teams

Des Moines Menace
Portland Timbers U23
West Chester United SC
SC United Bantams
The Villages SC
North Carolina Fusion U23
Western Mass Pioneers

Should the number of teams increase or teams decline their bid for some reason, here are the next 5 alternates in order.

Kalamazoo FC
Long Island Rough Riders
Mississippi Brilla FC
Park City Red Wolves
Chicago FC United

You can see the full list of teams that could qualify from the NPSL here and from USL League Two here

2022 US Open Cup: Format, schedule finalized for 107th edition of tournament

December 27, 2021 by Michael Battista

The Houston Dynamo lift the trophy after winning the 2018 US Open Cup title. Photo: Houston Dynamo

This March, the 107th edition Lamar Hunt US Open Cup will finally kick off after a two year wait. This all comes with a revised format and the earliest tournament start in the Modern Era (1995-present).

Today, the US Soccer Federation (USSF) has announced the 2022 US Open Cup schedule and format of the competition. As was originally organized for the canceled 2020 tournament, Major League Soccer (MLS) teams will not all enter in the same round of the competition for the first time since 2006. This will result in more matches between MLS and lower division competition over the course of the early rounds of the tournament.

Unlike that nearly 50-50 split however, the 2022 competition will see a majority of MLS teams (17) enter in the Third Round. These teams are:

Atlanta United FC
Austin FC
Charlotte FC (New team)
Chicago Fire FC
Columbus Crew
D.C. United
FC Cincinnati
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo
Inter Miami CF
Los Angeles FC
LA Galaxy
Minnesota United FC
New York Red Bulls
Orlando City SC
Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes

The remaining eight, which will include the four USA-based entrants to the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League and the next two best American regular-season finishers in each of the league’s Eastern and Western Conferences, will enter in the Round of 32. These teams are:

Colorado Rapids
Nashville SC
New England Revolution (Supporter’s Shield Winner)
New York City FC (MLS Cup Champions)
Philadelphia Union
Portland Timbers
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting Kansas City

The remaining professional teams from both Division II (USL Championship) and Division III (USL League One, National Independent Soccer Association, and the newly-formed MLS NEXT Pro) will all enter the Second Round of the competition. This comes after a statement in July from US Open Cup commissioner Paul Marstaller that suggested Division III teams would enter in the First Round.

“The 2022 tournament will be the first in memory when all the top players will be available for selection for every round as none of the games involving Division I Major League Soccer or Division II USL Championship clubs will be played during an international call-up period, a necessary feature for building a credible national championship,” said commissioner Marstaller in a July 20 press release.

The only round that falls on an international call up period is the First Round on March 22-23.

This all excludes teams majority-owned or otherwise controlled by a higher division professional club, meaning a majority of MLSNP teams. However, two teams from that league are already known and will compete in 2022.

Rochester NY FC, the former Rochester Rhinos, are returning to professional play and the competition for the first time since 2017. The 1999 US Open Cup champions are the last non-MLS (Division 1) team to win the competition and were recently purchased by Leicester City FC star Jamie Vardy.

The second team is a fun loophole. With St. Louis City SC is set to join MLS in 2023, however it’s reserve side is one of the 21 teams taking part in NEXT Pro’s inaugural 2022 season. Tournament rules state that a team cannot participate if it is owned by a high division club already in the competition. This means the yet-to-be-named St. Louis City SC reserve team will be able to take part this year only (barring the first team’s MLS debut being pushed back).

The rest of the teams from USL Championship (USL-C) and NISA will be announced after the professional team deadline of Dec. 31, 2021.

Again keeping with major changes originally scheduled for 2020, the First Round will be played on March 22-23, 2022 with all Open Division teams participating. This is the earliest any USOC has ever begun in the Modern Era (1995-present) and would have even broken 2020’s record had that been played (March 24-25).

This includes the Open Division Local teams, and most notably, all of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and USL League Two (USL-2) teams. This will create a problem because NPSL and USL-2 teams overwhelmingly rely on college players. According to NCAA rules, current college players (excluding seniors who will graduate in the spring) are not allowed to play for an outside team before May 1, unless the game falls during Spring Break or some other school-sanctioned vacation period.

Teams that rely on college players on their roster will need to come up with different or additional players to participate in the tournament. It’s even possible for NPSL and USL-2 teams to play three Open Cup matches before their regular season kicks off in May.

The remaining Open Division teams are the local qualifiers that have already been determined for the First Round next March. The NPSL and USL-2 allocations and qualified teams will be announced on Jan. 6, 2022.

(Note: You can read our projections on which teams will get into USOC 2022 from both the NPSL and USL2)

The 12 Local Qualifiers (including the 2021 USASA Amateur Cup champion Lansdowne Yonkers FC) are:

Azteca FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./Colorado Super League, Colorado)
Brockton FC United (US Adult Soccer Assn./Bay State Soccer League, Massachusetts)
City Soccer FC (US Specialty Sports Assn./National Soccer League, Florida)
Contra Costa FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./National Premier Soccer League, California)
D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (US Club Soccer/The Roja League, Texas)
Escondido FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./United Premier Soccer League, California)
Lansdowne Yonkers FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./Eastern Premier Soccer League, New York)
Lynchburg FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./United Premier Soccer League, Virginia)
Northern Virginia FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./Eastern Premier Soccer League, Virginia)
Orlando FC Wolves (US Specialty Sports Assn./National Soccer League, Florida)
Oyster Bay United FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./United Premier Soccer League, New York)
San Fernando Valley FC (US Adult Soccer Assn./United Premier Soccer League, California)

None of 13 local qualifiers from the canceled 2020 tournament were able to re-qualify for 2022. All but two of the Open Division Local Qualifiers (Lansdowne Bhoys FC, Northern Virginia FC) will be making their tournament debuts in 2022. Of note, NPSL side Contra Costa FC was allowed to participate in local qualifying. This is because the Golden Gate Conference it competes in had no pathway to the competition via the National League route since it did not participate in the traditional league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Competition Schedule

Jan. 6 Open Division berth allocation announced

Jan. 19 First Round pairings announced

Jan. 26 Second Round pairings and possible pairings announced

March 22-23 First Round (Open Division teams enter)

April 5-7 Second Round (Division II and III teams enter)

April 8 Third Round Draw

April 19-21 Third Round (17 Division I teams enter)

April 22 Round of 32 Draw

May 10-11 Round of 32 (remaining 8 Division I teams enter)

May 12 Round of 16/Quarterfinal Draw

May 24-25 Round of 16

June 21-22 Quarterfinals

June 23 Semifinal/Final Hosting Draw

July 26-27 Semifinals

Sept. 6-7 or 13-14 Final

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: City Soccer qualify with shutout of Florida Soccer Soldiers

December 26, 2021 by Michael Battista

City Soccer FC defender Christopher Llorente celebrates after scoring a goal during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifier vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers. Photo: Alex Venegas | IG: @real.wpb

City Soccer FC stepped up and cruised to a 4-0 win on Saturday night against Florida Soccer Soldiers in a Fourth Round “Win & You’re In” qualifier. The club, founded in 2011, can celebrate it’s ten year anniversary knowing it will compete in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament beginning next March.

“Our weekend result wasn’t a surprise, it was the ultimate reward for the hard work put in by players, coaches and owners, throughout the whole year,” City co-owner Andres Colman told TheCup.us. “A great year, for sure, for the organization. We’ve made club history this past weekend, getting our name out there. We will keep working hard, stay humble and prepare for what’s next, this is only the beginning.”

City Soccer FC goalkeeper Fernando Cortes Jr. makes a save during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifier vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers. Photo: Alex Venegas | IG: @real.wpb

Coming into the match City knew their opponent well. Both teams compete in the United Premier Soccer League’s (UPSL) Southeast Conference Florida South Division (Premier Division). The two sides tied in their first-ever league meeting last fall, 2-2, during the Fall 2020 season. However, this past Spring may have been an indicator of things to come. City swept the winless Soldiers with two clean sheets, 2-0 and 3-0, en route to a loss in the first round of the division playoffs.

(Note: City Soccer FC entered US Open Cup Qualifying as a member of the National Soccer League, which it also currently fields a team in)

In Saturday’s match, the two teams followed a similar script. The first half looked competitive with the Soldiers’ offense producing chances but City looked in control. The breaking point came in the 32nd minute when a City throw-in was slightly chipped into Florida’s box. Two defenders, not realizing either how far away the goalkeeper was, or how close the attackers were, put their hands up and encircled the ball. The advancing keeper was out of place allowing a City player to break in from behind. His kick went right toward the keeper, who faintly tried to clear it but landed the ball at Kevin Velasquez’s feet on the right side of the box. The City player slammed the ball into the back of the net to put his team up, 1-0.

The Soldiers’ best chances of the half came in it’s middle and final minutes. A run down the right side in the 26th minute set up a cross one-on-one with the City goalkeeper Fernando Cortes Jr. A fantastic save was the only thing keeping the home side from taking the lead. Then in the first minute of stoppage time, a long pass from the left side produced an extravagant back heel score that was called off by the linesman for offside.

The final 45 minutes were dominated by City Soccer. Ricardo Tapia scored twice in the first ten minutes of the half to give City a sizable cushion. The first came just over 60 seconds in when Auner Escobar set up the striker to double his team’s lead. Later on, in the 55th minute, after just failing to convert on a rebound off the keeper, Tapia essentially sealed the game. A long pass from Jesus Escobar from midfield gave Tapia space for a run on the right side of the box. He slotted a shot just to the keeper’s right, where the momentum pushed the ball into the goal.

City Soccer FC players celebrate during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifier vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers. Photo: Alex Venegas | IG: @real.wpb

For their part, the Soldiers attempted to congest the midfield and pushed up players to try and get back into the game, possibly hoping to capitalize on the momentum from the nullified equalizer. However this left too much space open whenever a City player got through. That, in turn, allowed the visitors to score three goals in a 15 minute span while Florida struggled to make deep possessions into the opposite end.

City added a fourth goal a few minutes later in the 60th minute, when Escobar’s free kick from the right side, near the touchline, was headed down by defender Christopher Llorente before trickling into the back of the net. Llorente, a Cuban international in his third season with City, previously spent time with professional side Cienfuegos FC in his home country.

City will now await the First Round draw on Jan. 19, 2022 to see which Open Division team they face in the competition proper.

Florida Soccer Soldiers has been a regular in Open Cup qualifying the past few years. After finally making the tournament in 2019, the team made a run to the Third Round upsetting Miami FC (then defending National Premier Soccer League champions) and USL Championship side Charlotte Independence. Two members of that roster, Valentin Sabella and Bryant Martin Gammiero, went on to sign with Charlotte and Miami respectively.

The Florida Soccer Soldiers were the third UPSL team that City Soccer FC defeated to qualify for the 2022 US Open Cup. City began their qualifying run the Second Round where they edged Miami Sun FC, 3-2, and followed that up with a 7-2 win over International Soccer Association. By punching their ticket, CSFC join Orlando FC Wolves as the only two teams from the United States Specialty Sports Association’s National Soccer League to qualify for next year’s tournament.

BROADCAST: Part 1 /Part 2

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: Contra Costa FC wins 10-round PK shootout to qualify

December 24, 2021 by Michael Koenig

Contra Costa FC poses for a team photo after the club’s 8-7 penalty kick win over Metro FC, following a 1-1 draw in the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Contra Costa FC

Contra Costa FC outlasted San Francisco Metro FC 8-7 in a penalty shootout to qualify for the US Open Cup for the first time in club history, after the match ended in a 1-1 draw. It was played on a cold, overcast Sunday afternoon at Salesian College Preparatory in Richmond, Calif.

As in previous Open Cup qualifying rounds, CCFC’s roster was largely made up of players from the club’s National Soccer Leaguue (NSL) affiliate, Atlético East Bay. Their starting lineup on Sunday averaged 20 years of age, while Metro fielded a more experienced squad, with an average age of 26.5.

18-year-old Braulio Maravilla of Contra Costa FC battles for the ball against San Francisco Metro FC in a 2022 US Open Cup Qualifying match. Photo: CANOSPICTURES

Contra Costa appeared to be the stronger team early in the first half, but Metro’s Matt Fondy opened the scoring in the 24th minute, muscling his way through a crowd of players in the box. The 32-year-old striker had a 10-year pro career and helped Olympic Club of San Francisco qualify for the 2020 Open Cup, but their first round match vs. FC Davis was canceled due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Metro had several other chances in the remainder of the first half and the first few minutes of the second, including a shot in the 46th minute that hit the post and another effort from Fondy nine minutes later that went wide.

CCFC got on the board in the 61st minute, when Roberto Gonzalez scored on a penalty kick. Contra Costa also had a shot carom off the post in the 74th minute. Fondy had one last chance to win the match for Metro in regulation time in the 88th minute, but his shot was off target.

Contra Costa’s younger squad had the clear advantage in the extra session, but Metro’s goalkeeper Brian Ginell made a diving save on a shot by Octavio Munoz in the 103rd minute and stopped a shot from Cristian Garcia from point blank range in the 107th minute. Gonzales had one final opportunity in the 118th minute, on a curving free kick from close range that cleared Metro’s wall, but hit the side netting.

The penalty shootout was also evenly matched, with Ginell and Contra Costa goalkeeper Carlos Herrera making key saves and Herrera being yellow carded after his second infraction for coming off of the line too early.

Finally, in the 10th round, it was Ginell’s turn to take a kick and his shot went wide. Fernando Lara converted his kick for the win.

The victory capped off an eventful year for Contra Costa FC, which was founded in 2015 and recently completed its first season in the NPSL’s Golden Gate Conference. They were allowed to participate in local qualifying because the conference’s teams had no pathway to the Open Cup since they only played seven regular season matches last season due to the pandemic.

In addition to their ascension to the NPSL, CCFC’s ownership enhanced their player development program this year by acquiring majority ownership of a Liga 3 team from Portugal, Sporting Clube São João de Ver (SCSJV), as well as an interest in Thisted FC of Denmark’s Second Division. CCFC players will have an opportunity to be scouted by and potentially play for both of these European clubs.

Metro FC began playing in the San Francisco Football Soccer League in 2017 and recently completed its first season in the SFSFL’s Premier Division. Head coach Rose Shoen was hoping to achieve a major milestone, becoming the first woman to manage a team in the recorded history of the 107-year-old US Open Cup. While the historical records are not complete, TheCup.us has no record of a woman managing a team in the US Open Cup proper.

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: San Fernando Valley FC edge Capistrano to qualify

December 22, 2021 by Kathryne Padilla

Hamid Babaali of San Fernando Valley FC celebrates his goal in a 2-1 win over Capistrano FC in the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: San Fernando Valley FC

In the “Win & You’re In” round of the Open Division Local Qualifying tournament for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, San Fernando Valley FC maintained possession throughout the match to secure a 2-1 victory over Capistrano FC.

With the win, San Fernando Valley qualifies for the US Open Cup for the first time in club history, and becomes the first club from San Fernando Valley to enter the tournament since 1995. That year, the San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles qualified from the USISL Pro League (Div. 3 pro). SFV is the fourth UPSL club to qualify for the 107th edition of the tournament, which begins March 22-23.

(Editor’s Note: If any of our readers know anyone associated with the 1995 San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles, please contact us HERE)

At the start of the match, it was a battle between both teams in a battle for possession. However, Capistrano FC couldn’t hold its shape through the midfield which SFV saw opportunities to take control.

The offensive pressure that SFV had been putting on Capistrano FC finally led to a goal in the 17th minute. Charlie Cazares was first on the board after completing a pass from Miguel Ortiz that was outside of the 8-yard line.

With the score 1-0 so early into the match, Capistrano FC began to increase their intensity to even the game. However, this resulted in several minor fouls being called for both teams. The referee named most of these fouls as a fair play which frustrated both teams and resulted in an increase in the aggression of play.

Though Capo FC played with more intensity, the duration of the first half continued with a 60-40 possession, with SFV holding most of the control.

While more attempts on goals occurred for SFV and a few for Capistrano, the half ended at 1-0.

With the second half underway, it was evident that Capistrano reviewed its tactics in the first half and made adjustments. The team was no longer leaving its midfield open and moving together offensively which left SFV to fight harder for possession.

The possession between both teams leveled to 50-50 as Capistrano FC created more attempts on goal.

As the match continued, the number of injured players on the pitch for SFV increased but where all fouls were called fair play. The frustration and hostility between both teams finally led to yellow cards.

In the 50th minute, a collision between SFV goalie Bilal Danduli and a Capistrano player ended with Danduli being judged to be at fault and given the first yellow of the match. Just a few minutes later, Capistrano’s Sergio Montes was also given a yellow card.

However, by the 65th minute, a deflection from the Capistrano goalie ended with SFV’s Hadmid Babaali putting a foot on the ball to give his team a 2-0 lead.

The goal didn’t discourage Capistrano FC, instead, they used the score as more motivation to get on the board. Its offensive push was starting to push SFV out of shape and looking for a way to bounce back.

In the 82nd minute, that offensive push would pay off for Capo FC. A deflection off Danduli left a pile of players from both teams in front of the goal to retrieve possession but ended with a header from Capistrano’s Marcos Cervantes.

With less than 10 minutes left of the match, Capistrano FC continued to make attempts to even the score. A final yellow card was given before the end of the match to SFV’s Jeffrey Xochipiltecatl.

A few plays were made after the yellow but ultimately the game ended with SFV coming out victorious, 2-1.

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: COVID-19 forfeit gives Orlando FC Wolves spot in USOC

December 22, 2021 by Josh Hakala

Orlando FC Wolves pose for a team photo after the club’s 3-1 win over Miami Soccer Academy in the third round of the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Orlando FC Wolves

The recent resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic due, in large part, to the omicron variant, has handed Orlando FC Wolves the club’s first trip to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The Wolves were set to host the South Carolina United Heat of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) on Saturday. The winner would qualify for the 107th edition of the US Open Cup. However, on Friday, South Carolina United informed Orlando FC that they would not be able to play.

SC United, a team under the SC United Bantams umbrella, which also fields a team in USL League Two, had suffered a coronavirus outbreak among the team’s players and would not be able to field a full squad.

“The news came as a shock to us all,” said Orlando FC founder and player Bradley Welch. “We received official confirmation just one day before the match was to take place. We had been preparing for this game for almost a month. I think a lot of the guys had mixed emotions about the news because there was a lot of excitement around playing the match.”

Welch, a former pro who represented Trinidad & Tobago at the youth international level, said despite the disappointment, the team is excited to qualify in the club’s third attempt.

“Third times really a charm as we’ve entered every year since we were founded in 2018,” said Welch. “I think it’s also that much sweeter that as far as we know, we are the first Central Florida amateur team to qualify for the Cup, finally providing some recognition to a footballing region other than South Florida.”

Orlando FC were one-and-done in their first entry into the Open Division Local Qualifying tournament in 2019, and fell short in the second round in the 2020 tournament. This year, the Wolves were one of six teams that began the Open Division Local Qualifying Tournament for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup in the abbreviated first round. After a pair of 4-0 wins over UPSL sides Deportivo Lake Mary and Oceanway FC, they defeated Miami Soccer Academy (National Soccer League) 3-1 to advance to the final round.

According to the South Carolina United Heat, they tried to find a way to make the game work.

“Every sports platform in the world, at all levels, has had to make changes and dealt with inconveniences in order to ensure a fair competition and most importantly fulfill their commitment to the fans,” said SC United Heat owner Nick Lewis. “It’s a shame we were unable to do the same for such a meaningful tournament that means so much, especially to amateur clubs. SC United Heat will continue to grow as a team and establish its dominance in the Southeast. We thank the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for allowing us to have this rare opportunity and respect their decision.”

“We will be back.”

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: Escondido FC beats fellow UPSL club to earn first USOC berth

December 14, 2021 by Luis Reyes

Escondido FC poses for a team photo after the club’s 3-1 win over Sporting ID11 in the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Luzrayito Balderas | IG: Rayoreynoso

In a battle of a pair of Southern California-based United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) clubs, Escondido FC defeated Sporting ID11, 3-1, to qualify for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the first time in club history.

After the original match for Dec. 19 was rescheduled, it was Monday night football in Temecula, Calif. The city of Temecula, located at the southeast corner of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, has become a football haven for youth soccer, thanks to Galway Downs and the city’s Patricia H. Birdsall Sports Park, where the turf has always been allocated generously between the numerous youth clubs in the area.

Angel DeLeon (No. 14) walks out for pre-game introductions with his Escondido FC teammates before the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match against Sporting ID11. Photo: Luzrayito Balderas | IG: Rayoreynoso

The evening was cold, cloudy, and misty. Escondido kicked off attacking to the goal facing southwest with the mist pouring in from the southwest. The first few minutes proved to be scrappy in nature as both teams came out firing on all cylinders. It wasn’t until about the 13-minute mark that Sporting recorded the first shot on target from a free kick after a foul by an Escondido
defender.

The battle continued between the two teams to retain the ball and build something up as the pitch conditions continued to dampen as time went by.

Escondido struck first in the 18th minute after a ball was placed across the face of goal following some 1-v-1 prowess by an Escondido attacker down the right side. The ball was delivered to Josue Hernandez who scored from inside the box. Escondido would hold that 1-0 lead into the halftime break.

The second half proved similar in nature with Sporting earning a corner kick inside the first minute of play and Escondido generating a shot on target shortly thereafter.

Josue Hernandez of Escondido FC attempts a bicycle kick during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match against Sporting ID11. Photo: Luzrayito Balderas | IG: Rayoreynoso

It was in the 65th minute that Escondido doubled their lead when Roberto Guerrero scored from the right side of the box following some good build-up play.

A few minutes later, the drama intensified as Sporting pulled one back through some good link-up play where a cross was sent into the box from the right wing to the back post where it was headed back across to the opposite side of the goal for Jose Montes de Oca who headed home what would prove to be Sporting’s only goal of the night.

The game was put out of reach for Sporting when Escondido scored a third goal by Omar Rodriguez that came through good build-up play with about 15 minutes left to play.

The match would end with Escondido earning their first trip to the US Open Cup in their first attempt at qualifying. The road to the tournament, which is scheduled to begin in March of 2022, included three home wins by Escondido, a 3-2 win over fellow UPSL side Rebels SC, and a 3-2 extra time win over Chula Vista FC.

“The Lamar Hunt Cup is great because it gives you the opportunity to play with professional soccer teams if you keep winning,” said Escondido FC head coach Roger Colim. “A couple
more games and we could face teams from the USL or NISA and that makes a difference because you never know with scouting who is watching the games. Maybe they can see that a team has
potential and it could change the lives of one of our boys, you never really know. One good game, one victory where one of our boys is inspired and maybe his life could be changed.”

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: Oyster Bay United ousts third NY team to earn first USOC berth

December 9, 2021 by Michael Battista

Oyster Bay United poses for a team photo after the club’s 4-1 win over Westchester United in the final round of qualifying for the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Karla Esqueche | E&M Photography

Oyster Bay United FC clinched its spot in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup after defeating Westchester United FC, 4-1, on Sunday, Nov. 21. By the time the Long Island club turns one calendar year old it will have made its US Open Cup debut.

Team owner and president Mark Colacioppo knows first-hand all the work his team has put forth. While the team’s winning record in United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) play has been incredible to see, he admits the tournament held a special place in his ambitions.

“The opportunity to play for a berth in the main draw of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup was a huge reason for me personally getting involved with the club,” Colacioppo said. “Winning matches against three strong teams made earning our spot even more rewarding. The players understand the history and prestige of this tournament and look forward to going as far as we can and putting Oyster Bay United FC on the map of US soccer.”

Like the win over the Pancyprian Freedoms, Oyster Bay battled chilly, Northeast autumn weather on the road in order to secure the win. The game at Brewster High School near the Connecticut border dipped close to 35 degrees as the sun set. Luckily for Oyster Bay, the team got off to a quick start.

A couple of long passes in the 29th minute moved the Westchester lines enough to give Luis Altuve space on the right side. Another long cross from the opposite side gave him the chance to simply lift one leg and redirect the ball into the net. Despite being a 73-mile trip, the traveling support shook the bleachers. Immediately Colacioppo felt his side had more confidence following this moment.

Wilber Gomez of Oyster Bay United (left) battles for the ball against a player from Westchester United in the final round of qualifying for the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Karla Esqueche | E&M Photography

In the interim, OBFC’s goalkeeper JC Perez made multiple saves to keep the game in his team’s favor. Early shots that would have given Westchester the lead or tied the match back at one goal a piece were blocked out by the Keiser University alumni. This meant when Sebastian Ruiz got a chance to finish off a through pass up the middle in the 39th minute, it put the visitors up 2-0 heading into halftime.

However, the home team was not about the let that happen unopposed. United had already come back from a 2-0 deficit in its first qualifying match against NJ Alliance. In that game, the team scored a late first half goal to completely switch the game’s momentum. They followed the same script and a free kick into Oyster Bay’s box was headed away in the first minute of stoppage time t make it 2-1.

The player that scored that fateful goal was Christopher Ribet, a former professional with the Los Angeles Force of the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA). He’s also someone Colacioppo and the team know well from UPSL play.

“We knew Westchester was a tough club from when we played them during our UPSL season,” Colacioppo said. “Ribet was one of the league’s top scorers and a handful to defend but we were able to deny him service for the most part.”

For OBUFC’s head coach Josue Esqueche he knew his team was going to have to change up their play despite the success they’d had in the middle of the first half.

“We knew that the field was small and was a very defensive team,” Esqueche explained. “We had to make some adjustments since the 2-1 score was not a comfortable result for us. In the second half we knew how to maintain possession of the ball, continue with our advanced lines being responsible, and we were able to demonstrate total superiority.”

Early in the second half, pressure by captain Dan Giorgi and Sebastian Ruiz on the left side created the opportunity for a third goal. A feed from Ruiz was calmly finished by Davidson Marseille into the top left corner and passed the jumping keeper only a minute in. The fan closest to the camera letting off a Howard Dean-esc “Yeah” counteracted the feeling the home side began to show.

As the final 45 minutes continued on, Oyster Bay’s time of possession greatly increased. The visitors bossed the midfield leaving Westchester to play keep-up. A few offensive breaks were interspaced between forwards playing back hoping to avoid a fourth goal. That finally came through in the 85th minute when Ruiz was fouled in the penalty area. Mathews Carriel slotted in the penalty kick to seal the result firmly in favor of the visitors.

“Happy for the result and for the team’s performance,” coach Esqueche said. “We were visitors with a goal and it was achieved, this is the best thanks we can give to the fans and the team management for all the support provided. Thank you and now the team prepares to face the new challenges in the best way.”

The win was the boost the team needed as well. The Thursday prior to the match, Oyster Bay fell to the New Jersey Alliance in the UPSL American Premier Division Playoffs Final, 1-0. With the team’s inaugural season at an end, the group now has more time to fully prepare for both the Spring season and the 2022 US Open Cup tournament.