Regional Qualifying for the 2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, U.S. Soccer’s National Championship, continues this weekend with 24 second round qualification games on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19-20. Contests of note include across the country: two Boston-area clubs, Brockton United FC and Safira FC, meet for the third time on a national stage, while Columbia (S.C.)-based Soda City FC hosts Georgia Revolution Reserves, and Alta California Sol faces off against Cal FC in Orange County, California.
EAST REGION: A Beantown Rubber Match of Significance
Brockton United FC and Safira FC have yet to play against each other as members of the United Premier Soccer League’s Northeast Conference, but the clubs have a previous history all their own. Named Tarafal FC before rebranding in 2018, Brockton United FC defeated Safira FC in the 2014 Massachusetts Champions Cup final before Safira FC returned the favor with a penalty shootout victory in the 2016 U.S. National Amateur Cup tournament.
At Dilboy Stadium in Somerville outside of Boston on Saturday, the clubs renew their rivalry.
“This is the third ‘final’ we’ve had against them, and these are two teams that have been dominant in the Boston area for several years,” said Herminio Furtado, head coach of Brockton United FC. “This will be the continuation of that rivalry, and it’ll be a good one. We know how they play and we know their style of play. They have a lot of skill and a lot of pace up front in the attack, and they are very, very good with the details and they have a lot of experience, and so we will have to mature to cope with them.”
Elsewhere in the East Region, Lansdowne Yonkers FC travels to play powerful West Chester United on Saturday, while at Trifecta Sporting Club in Oakford (Pa.) on Sunday, United German Hungarians hosts Vereinigung Erzgebirge in a revival one of the oldest rivalries in American soccer. After first-round byes, Christos FC hosts Federal City Wanderers, and three-time champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms welcomes CSA Westchester.
Mid-Atlantic match-ups between CD Huateras (Va.) and World Class Premier Elite FC (Md.) and Virginia United (Va.) and Alianza Futbol Club (Va.) as well as a Pennsylvania derby between Steel FC (Pa.) and Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (Pa.) round out the weekend in the East.
East Region
|
Date |
Game (home team listed first) |
Time |
Venue |
|
Oct. 19* |
Safira FC (Mass.) vs. Brockton FC United (Mass.) |
11 a.m. ET |
Dilboy Stadium; Somerville, Mass. |
|
Oct. 19 |
CD Huateras (Va.) vs. World Class Premier Elite FC (Md.) |
6 p.m. ET |
Howison Homestead Soccer Complex, Field 1; Woodbridge, Va. |
|
Oct. 19 |
West Chester United (Pa.) vs. Lansdowne Yonkers FC (N.Y.) |
7 p.m. ET |
West Chester United Turf Field; West Chester, Pa. |
|
Oct. 20 |
CSA Westchester (N.J.) vs. New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.) |
12 p.m. ET |
Ramapo College of New Jersey, Stadium Field; Mahwah, N.J. |
|
Oct. 20 |
United German Hungarians (Pa.) vs. Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.) |
3 p.m. ET |
Trifecta Sporting Club, Stadium Field; Oakford, Pa. |
|
Oct. 20 |
Virginia United (Va.) vs. Alianza Futbol Club (Va.) |
6 p.m. ET |
George Hampton Middle School; Woodbridge, Va. |
|
Oct. 20 |
Christos FC (Md.) vs. Federal City Wanderers (D.C.) |
6 p.m. ET |
Glen Burnie High School; Glen Burnie, Md. |
|
Oct. 20 |
Steel FC (Pa.) vs. Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (Pa.) |
7 p.m. ET |
Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa. |
* Time changed 10/16
CENTRAL REGION: Soda City FC Pops Up for a Second Year
As the only amateur club from South Carolina participating in the qualification stages of the Open Cup, Soda City FC sure is embracing the local buzz. The Columbia-based club – making its second attempt at qualifying for the Open Cup – plays Georgia Revolution Reserves at Saluda Shoals Soccer Complex on Saturday.
“Any chance to make it the next round is an amazing achievement no matter how you look at it. Georgia Revolution is a quality side and they’re going to give us some fits, but that’s the way we want it and we look forward to the opportunity,” said Soda City FC Co-Founder and COO Patrick Burnette. “We definitely have a different flavor from last year’s team. We have some experienced leaders returning but we’ve added some young faces and we’re a very diverse club that plays with style and flair.”
Soda City FC advanced to the third round of qualifying last year and is currently 3-0-1 all-time in Open Cup qualifying round games. The club is a reigning UPSL division champion. (The match has been postponed due to extreme thunderstorms in the area).
Six of the eight Central Region games are on Saturday, including the Fort Worth Derby between NTX Rayados and Inocentes FC at Premier Park in Balch Springs (Texas). Two more tangles involve teams from the Lone Star State: San Antonio Runners take on Celtic Cowboys Premier on the UTSA campus, while Athletic Katy FC, coming off a gutsy win in PKs in the first qualifying round, travel to Lafayette, La. for a showdown with Louisiana Krewe FC. Further north, Springfield FC hosts Nashville United, while Ann Arbor FC and Livonia City FC (Mich.) mingle in the Mitten.
The only two qualification round games in Florida are on Sunday as Orlando FC Wolves hosts Hurricane FC and Florida Soccer Soldiers plays Miami United U23 at Ives Estates Park in Miami.
Central Region
|
Date |
Game (home team listed first) |
Time |
Venue |
|
Oct. 19* |
Soda City Sorinex FC (S.C.) vs. Georgia Revolution FC Reserves (Ga.) |
POSTPONED |
Saluda Shoals Soccer Park; Columbia, S.C. |
|
Oct. 19 |
NTX Rayados (Texas) vs. Inocentes Futbol Club (Texas) |
7 p.m. CT |
Premier Park, Field 1; Balch Springs, Texas |
|
Oct. 19 |
San Antonio Runners (Texas) vs. Celtic Cowboys Premier (Texas) |
7 p.m. CT |
UTSA Campus Recreation Field Complex - South; San Antonio, Texas |
|
Oct. 19 |
Louisiana Krewe FC (La.) vs. Athletic Katy FC (Texas) |
7 p.m. CT |
St. Thomas More Catholic High School; Lafayette, La. |
|
Oct. 19 |
Springfield FC (Ill.) vs. Nashville United (Tenn.) |
7 p.m. CT |
Springfield Area Soccer Association; Springfield, Ill. |
|
Oct. 19 |
Ann Arbor FC (Mich.) vs. Livonia City FC (Mich.) |
8 p.m. ET |
Legacy Center Sports Complex; Brighton, Mich. |
|
Oct. 20 |
Orlando FC Wolves (Fla.) vs. Hurricane FC (Fla.) |
5 p.m. ET |
Sylvan Lake Park; Sanford, Fla. |
|
Oct. 20^ |
Florida Soccer Soldiers (Fla.) vs. Miami United FC U23 (Fla.) |
5 p.m. ET |
Jr. Orange Bowl Stadium - Ives Estates Park; Miami, Fla. |
* Date and time changed 9/24
^ Venue changed 10/4; Time changed 10/17
WEST REGION: Alta California Sol a New Shining Light?
Cal FC’s achievements in the 2012 Open Cup continue to inspire the amateur soccer scene, but the club’s continued success in the tournament has turned them into a Goliath of sorts. At least in the eyes of one club – Alta California Sol – who have a sling shot and eyes on Ventura County bragging rights when the two teams play at Orange County Great Park in Irvine (Calif.) on Saturday.
“We want to push ourselves, absolutely, so we figured whatever comes at us we’re not just ready for it but we’re inviting it. And while we would have enjoyed getting Cal FC a little further down the road, we know that from Day One we wanted to be up against the best of the best for each game,” said Dr. D’Alary Dalton, President and CEO of the Sol. “This is about exposing our players to the next level, so we’re really excited and the guys are really excited. They’re going out and doing extra training and they’re definitely looking forward to it, and I think they recognize what’s coming and they’d like to make the most of their moment.”
Alta California Sol completed an 11-1-1 overall campaign during the 2019 Spring Season to earn promotion to UPSL Division 1 for the Fall Season and look to be a quality qualifying round opponent for perennial Open Cup participants Cal FC.
Additional California matches will see Chula Vista FC match wits with Academica SC, Outbreak FC battle Oxnard Guerreros FC and Olympic Club go toe to toe with Oakland Stompers on Saturday. SC Trojans FC, the only collegiate club in the tournament, conclude the second qualifying round vs. L.A. Monsters FC at Orange County Great Park on Sunday night.
Rounding out the West in Colorado on Sunday, Utah-based San Juan FC travels to play Colorado Rovers at Dicks Sporting Goods Park, while FC Boulder Harpos hosts long-time rival Colorado Rush SC at Boulder Fairview High School.
West Region
|
Date |
Game (home team listed first) |
Time |
Venue |
|
Oct. 19 |
Chula Vista FC (Calif.) vs. Academica SC (Calif.) |
3:15 p.m. PT |
Terra Nova Park; Chula Vista, Calif. |
|
Oct. 19^ |
Cal FC (Calif.) vs. Alta California Sol (Calif.) |
6:30 p.m. PT |
Orange County Great Park, Field 9; Irvine, Calif. |
|
Oct. 19 |
Outbreak FC (Calif.) vs. Oxnard Guerreros FC (Calif.) |
7 p.m. PT |
Orange County Great Park, Field 19; Irvine, Calif. |
|
Oct. 19* |
Olympic Club (Calif.) vs. Oakland Stompers (Calif.) |
7 p.m. PT |
Beach Chalet Soccer Fields; San Francisco, Calif. |
|
Oct. 20 |
FC Union Jerez (Colo.) vs. Azteca FC (Colo.) |
2 p.m. MT |
Broomfield Commons, Field TBD; Broomfield, Colo. |
|
Oct. 20 |
FC Boulder Harpos (Colo.) vs. Colorado Rush (Colo.) |
3 p.m. MT |
Fairview High School; Boulder, Colo. |
|
Oct. 20 |
Colorado Rovers (Colo.) vs. San Juan FC (Utah) |
5 p.m. MT |
Dicks Sporting Goods Park, Field 8; Commerce City, Colo. |
|
Oct. 20# |
SC Trojans FC (Calif.) vs. L.A. Monsters FC (Calif.) |
7:15 p.m. PT |
Orange County Great Park, Field 22; Irvine, Calif. |
* Date and time changed 9/30
^ Field changed 10/17
# Field changed 10/17