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U.S. Open Cup: Riverhounds SC to face Erie-Dayton winner in May

Photo Courtesy U.S. Soccer

The Second Round pairings and host scenarios have been set for the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, U.S. Soccer’s National Championship.

On May 14 & 15, 25 professional teams from the USL Championship (Division II) will enter the tournament, including the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, with 19 of these clubs playing against winners from the First Round of games scheduled for May 7 & 8, while the remaining six pro clubs will face a fellow Division II squad.

The Riverhounds will await the winner of first-round match between Erie Commodores and Dayton Dutch Lions on May 8 at Gannon University.

If Dayton wins, the Hounds would host the club that once had a USL team that played in the same league.

If the Commodores win, and return to the USOC second round for the second year in a row, that sets up a return match from a year ago, when the Hounds defeated a feisty Commodores squad, 2-1, at Gannon University.  The Hounds would have to travel to Erie again if that is the match-up.

Hounds escape Erie with elusive Open Cup win over pesky Commodores

The exact dates and times for each Second Round match-up will be announced at a later date.

The Third Round, set for May 29, will pit the 22 Second Round winners against one another in regionally determined action, with the opportunity on the line to face a Division I club in the Fourth Round on June 12 when Major League Soccer teams enter the competition.

It was also announced a few weeks ago, that all USOC matches will be streamed on ESPN+

U.S. Open Cup games to be televised on ESPN +

 

FULL 2019 USOC SCHEDULE

Second Round – May 14 & 15

Northeast Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
TBD Hartford Athletic (USLC) vs. New York Cosmos B (NPSL)/Black Rock FC (USLL2) winner TBD Al-Marzook Field (Univ. of Hartford); Hartford, Conn.
FC Motown (NPSL) vs. Memphis 901 FC (USLC) Ranger Stadium (Drew University); Madison, N.J.
   -or-
Memphis 901 FC (USLC) vs. New York Red Bulls U23 (USLL2) AutoZone Park; Memphis, Tenn.
Erie Commodores FC (NPSL) vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USLC) McConnell Family Stadium (Gannon Univ.); Erie, Pa.
   -or-
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USLC) vs. Dayton Dutch Lions (USLL2) Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa.
FC Baltimore (NPSL) vs. Birmingham Legion FC (USLC) Homewood Field (Johns Hopkins Univ.); Baltimore, Md.
   -or-
Birmingham Legion FC (USLC) vs. West Chester Predators (Pa.) BBVA Compass Field; Birmingham, Ala.
Indy Eleven (USLC) vs. Lansing Ignite FC (USLL1)/AFC Ann Arbor (NPSL) winner Sellick Bowl; Indianapolis, Ind.
North Carolina FC (USLC) vs. Richmond Kickers (USLL1)/Virginia United (Va.) winner Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.
Louisville City FC (USLC) vs. Reading United AC (USLL2)/Philadelphia Lone Star FC (NPSL) winner Lynn Stadium (Univ. of Louisville); Louisville, Ky.

Southeast Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
TBD Greenville Triumph SC (USLL1) vs. Charleston Battery (USLC) TBD Legacy Early College Field; Greenville, S.C.
   -or-
Charleston Battery (USLC) vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC (USLL1) MUSC Health Stadium; Charleston, S.C.
Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC) vs. Lakeland Tropics (USLL2)/The Villages SC (USLL2) winner Al Lang Stadium; St. Petersburg, Fla.
Nashville SC (USLC) vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 (USLL2)/ Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USLL1) winner Dean A. Hayes Track & Soccer Stadium (Middle Tennessee State Univ.); Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Charlotte Independence (USLC) vs. Miami FC (NPSL)/Florida Soccer Soldiers (Fla.) winner Mecklenburg County Sportsplex; Matthews, N.C.

Central Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
TBD Des Moines Menace (USLL2) vs. Saint Louis FC (USLC) TBD Cownie Soccer Park; Des Moines, Iowa
   -or-
Saint Louis FC (USLC) vs. Duluth FC (NPSL) World Wide Technology Soccer Park; Fenton, Mo.
OKC Energy FC (USLC) vs. Little Rock Rangers (NPSL)/NTX Rayados (Texas) winner John Crain Field (Univ. of Oklahoma); Norman, Okla.
Austin Bold FC (USLC) vs. Tulsa Roughnecks (USLC) Bold Stadium; Del Valle, Texas
San Antonio FC (USLC) vs. Laredo Heat SC (NPSL)/Brazos Valley Cavalry FC (USLL2) winner Toyota Field; San Antonio, Texas
El Paso Locomotive FC (USLC) vs. Bavarian SC (Wis.)/Forward Madison FC (USLL1) winner Southwest University Ballpark; El Paso, Texas
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USLC) vs. Midland-Odessa Sockers FC (NPSL)/FC Denver (Colo.) winner Weidner Field; Colorado Springs, Colo.
Phoenix Rising FC (USLC) vs. New Mexico United (USLC) Casino Arizona Field; Scottsdale, Ariz.

West Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
TBD Academica SC (Calif.) vs. Frenso FC (USLC) TBD Academica Field; Turlock, Calif.
   -or-
El Farolito (NPSL) vs. Frenso FC (USLC) Boxer Stadium; San Francisco, Calif.
Sacramento Republic FC (USLC) vs. Reno 1868 FC (USLC) Papa Murphy’s Park; Sacramento, Calif.
Las Vegas Lights FC (USLC) vs. Cal FC (Calif.)/FC Mulhouse Portland (NPSL) winner Cashman Field; Las Vegas, Nev.
Orange County SC (USLC) vs. Orange County FC (NPSL)/FC Golden State Force (USLL2) winner Orange County Great Park – Championship Soccer Stadium; Irvine, Calif.

First Round – May 7 & 8

Northeast Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
May 7 Richmond Kickers (USLL1) vs. Virginia United (Va.) 7 p.m. ET City Stadium; Richmond, Va.
May 7^ New York Red Bulls U23 (USLL2) vs. FC Motown (NPSL) 7 p.m. ET New York Red Bulls Training Facility; East Hanover, N.J.
May 7^ FC Baltimore (NPSL) vs. West Chester Predators (Pa.) 7:45 p.m. ET Homewood Field (Johns Hopkins Univ.); Baltimore, Md.
May 8 Erie Commodores FC (NPSL) vs. Dayton Dutch Lions (USLL2) 7 p.m. ET McConnell Family Stadium (Gannon Univ.); Erie, Pa.
May 8 Lansing Ignite FC (USLL1) vs. AFC Ann Arbor (NPSL) 7 p.m. ET Cooley Law School Stadium; Lansing, Mich.
May 8 Reading United AC (USLL2) vs. Philadelphia Lone Star FC (NPSL) 7 p.m. ET Alvernia University Stadium; Reading, Pa.
May 8* New York Cosmos B (NPSL) vs. Black Rock FC (USLL2) 7:30 p.m. ET Rocco B. Commisso Soccer Stadium (Columbia Univ.); New York, N.Y.

* Date changed 4/11

^ Time changed 4/16

Southeast Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
May 7 Lakeland Tropics (USLL2) vs. The Villages SC (USLL2) 7 p.m. ET Lake Myrtle Sports Complex; Auburndale, Fla.
May 7 South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 (USLL2) vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USLL1) 8 p.m. ET Erk Russell Park (Georgia Southern Univ.); Statesboro, Ga.
May 8 Greenville Triumph SC (USLL1) vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC (USLL1) 7 p.m. ET Legacy Early College Field; Greenville, S.C.
May 8 Miami FC (NPSL) vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers (Fla.) 7 p.m. ET Buccaneer Field (Barry Univ.); Miami Shores, Fla.

Central Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
May 7 Bavarian SC (Wis.) vs. Forward Madison FC (USLL1) 7:30 p.m. CT Uihlein Soccer Park; Milwaukee, Wis.
May 7* Laredo Heat SC (NPSL) vs. Brazos Valley Cavalry FC (USLL2) 8:15 p.m. CT Texas A&M International Univ.; Laredo, Texas
May 8 Little Rock Rangers (NPSL) vs. NTX Rayados (Texas) 7 p.m. CT Episcopal Collegiate School; Little Rock, Ark.
May 8 Des Moines Menace (USLL2) vs. Duluth FC (NPSL) 7:30 p.m. CT Cownie Soccer Park; Des Moines, Iowa
May 8 Midland-Odessa Sockers FC (NPSL) vs. FC Denver (Colo.) 7:30 p.m. CT Grande Communications Stadium; Midland, Texas

* Date changed 4/11

West Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
May 7 Academica SC (Calif.) vs. El Farolito (NPSL) 7:30 p.m. PT Academica Field; Turlock, Calif.
May 7 Cal FC (Calif.) vs. FC Mulhouse Portland (NPSL) 7:30 p.m. PT Calabasas High School; Calabasas, Calif.
May 7 Orange County FC (NPSL) vs. FC Golden State Force (USLL2) 7:30 p.m. PT Orange County Great Park – Championship Soccer Stadium; Irvine, Calif.

Third Round – May 29*

Fourth Round – June 12*

Round of 16 – June 19* (also June 18-23 if home team chooses and visiting team has at least three non-game days on each side of chosen date, with any overlap of U.S. MNT Gold Cup games on June 18 and June 22 disallowed)

Quarterfinals – July 10*

Semifinals – August 7*

Final – August 27 or 28

* Any game from the Fourth Round through to the Semifinal Round where one of the participants has a league game the following Friday will be moved up a day (exception to this occurs when the team’s opponent is scheduled for a league game the preceding Sunday; in this case, the provisions in the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Handbook to determine the match date will prevail). In addition, any game chosen by U.S. Soccer to be broadcast nationally in any round is subject to being moved up a day. The Commissioner has the authority to set outside of the confirmed schedule the date for any match if such a change is in the best interests of the tournament.

This year’s winning team will receive $300,000, a berth in the 2020 Concacaf Champions League and have its name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in American team sports. The runner-up will earn $100,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home a $25,000 cash prize.

The Houston Dynamo is the defending U.S. Open Cup champion, having earned the club’s first tournament title with a 3-0 victory against the Philadelphia Union on Sept. 26, 2018 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston.

 

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).

Glory on the Grass

Riverhounds MF Kenardo Forbes

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