The 2016 US Open Cup begins in earnest on Wednesday, May 11th. What does this mean to a Minnesota United FC fan and a US soccer fan in general?
Background
The US Open Cup is a single elimination knockout tournament run by US Soccer in a similar vein to the FA Cup in England. 91 teams will compete to lift the trophy. While a knockout tournament would suggest a chance for a cinderella to win, only one team from outside MLS has won the tournament since MLS first started playing in the Open Cup in 1996. That was the Rochester Rhinos in 1999.
That doesn’t mean that a lower division team can’t make a run in this tournament. Cal FC famously became the second amateur side to beat an MLS team without penalty kicks when they beat the Portland Timbers. Minnesota Stars beat Real Salt Lake after RSL had purchased the rights to host the game from Minnesota in 2012. The following year, Minnesota hosted PDL side Des Moines Menace and ended up losing 1-0.
Last year, Minnesota went to new USL side FC St. Louis in the third round and ended up losing in extra time in penalties. That round proved to be a bloodbath for the NASL as 6 NASL sides lost to USL sides in a terrible showing for the league.
This year has a similar format as last year, with the first round starting with PDL, NPSL, USASA and other amateur and club sides. The second round will see the pro USL sides join as well as one more NPSL and PDL side. The US NASL teams will join the competition in the third round before MLS sides join in the fourth.
First Round
According to thecup.us, the big matchup in the first round is a rematch from 2015 between PDL side Michigan Bucks and Detroit City FC. This is a matchup that takes even more significance this year with Michigan Bucks reportedly interested in being part of the Detroit MLS bid and most of the fans of Detroit City FC having no interest in it.
In addition, there’s some teams playing this round that might end up having a chance at facing Minnesota United FC. Depending on how the regional pairings work in the third round, the following matchups might have a team that will play Minnesota, including the old US Open Cup opponent standby Des Moines Menace. You can check out the rest of the first and second round pairings at ussoccer.com.
Cincinnati Dutch Lions (PDL) at Indy Eleven NPSL
7 p.m. ET
Grand Park Championship Field; Westfield, Ind.
Des Moines Menace (PDL) at FC Wichita (NPSL)
7:05 p.m. CT
Stryker Soccer Complex; Wichita, Kan.
Harpo’s FC (Colo.) at Albuquerque Sol FC (PDL)
6:30 p.m. MT
St. Pius X High School; Albuquerque, N.M.
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