The U.S. Open Cup will kick off its 103rd edition on Wednesday with 23 first-round games.
First-round action will feature 18 teams from the PDL, 14 from the NPSL and 14 Open Division local qualifiers.
The primary game we’ll be keeping our eyes on here in Pittsburgh will be between Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) vs. Lansdowne Bhoys FC (N.Y.) – being played at St. Anthony’s High School in Huntington, Long Island, as the winner will take on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds next Wednesday, May 18, at Highmark Stadium in the second round.
Here’s a nice little feature on Lansdowne Boys, a team with Irish roots, that has ambitions to someday be a USL franchise.
The Rough Riders are currently a part of the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. There was a time that the team from Long Island have played in the same leagues at the Riverhounds, as both were in USL’s A-League and then in the USL’s Second Division in the early 2000’s.
While some of the games will have live streams, the best way to follow the action and get scores/updates will be through http://thecup.us/ — and Twitter https://twitter.com/usopencup or #USOC2016.
Here’s the complete U.S. Open Cup First Round Schedule on Wednesday:
FIRST ROUND (all games played on May 11)
South Huntington, N.Y.
Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) vs. Lansdowne Bhoys FC (N.Y.)
Glen Allen, Va.
Chesterfield United FC (NPSL) vs. Aromas Café FC (Va.)
The Villages, Fla.
The Villages SC (Fla.) (PDL) vs. Kraze United SC (NPSL)
Hillburn, N.Y.
Clarkstown FC Eagles (NPSL) vs. Jersey Express (PDL)
Charlotte, N.C.
Charlotte Eagles (PDL) vs. Myrtle Beach Mutiny (NPSL)
Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Miami Fusion FC (NPSL) vs. Boca Raton Football Club (Fla.)
West Lawn, Pa.
Reading United (PDL) vs. Atlanta Silverbacks (NPSL)
Westfield, Ind.
Indy Eleven NPSL vs. Cincinnati Dutch Lions (PDL)
Jamaica, N.Y.
New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.) vs. New York Red Bulls U-23 (PDL)
Rochester, Mich.
Michigan Bucks (PDL) vs. Detroit City FC (NPSL)
Revere, Mass.
Southie FC (Mass.) vs. Seacoast United Phantoms (PDL)
Portland, Maine
GPS Portland Phoenix (Maine) (PDL) vs. AFC Cleveland (NPSL)
Clinton, Miss.
Mississippi Brilla (PDL) vs. CD Motagua of New Orleans (La.)
Wichita, Kan.
FC Wichita (NPSL) vs. Des Moines Menace (PDL)
Albuquerque, N.M.
Albuquerque Sol FC (PDL) vs. Harpo’s FC (Colo.)
Dallas, Texas
NTX Rayados (Texas) vs. Corinthians FC of San Antonio (NPSL)
Sacramento, Calif.
Sacramento Gold (NPSL) vs. Burlingame Dragons (PDL)
Ventura, Calif.
Ventura County Fusion (PDL) vs. LA Wolves FC (Calif.)
Tucson, Ariz.
FC Tucson (PDL) vs. San Nicolas FC (Calif.)
San Francisco, Calif.
San Francisco City FC (Calif.) vs. CD Aguiluchos USA (NPSL)
Portland, Ore.
Portland Timbers U-23s (PDL) vs. La Maquina (Calif.)
Bonney Lake, Wash.
Sounders FC U-23s (PDL) vs. Outbreak FC (Calif.)