Preview: Steel City FC Hosts Akron City FC in U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Round 3!

The road to the 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup continues tonight as Steel City FC takes on Akron City FC under the lights in Wexford, PA!

This is the Third Round of Open Division Local Qualifying, marking Steel City’s sixth qualifying fixture over the past two fall campaigns as they push to reach the tournament proper for the second straight year.

📋 Match Logistics

• Match: Steel City FC vs. Akron City FC (2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifying — Round 3)

• Date & Kickoff: Sunday, November 1, 2026 at 6:00 PM EST (Gates open at 5:00 PM)

• Venue: Newman Stadium at North Allegheny High School (Wexford, PA)

• Tickets: $10 for adults; free for kids under 18 (all attendees require a digital ticket from the Steel City FC Ticket Portal)

• Stream: Live on the official Steel City FC YouTube Channel

🏆 What’s at Stake

This is a single-elimination knockout match. The winner advances to the Fourth and Final Qualifying Round (scheduled for late November 2026), moving within one final victory of booking a ticket to the 2027 U.S. Open Cup Tournament Proper next spring.

🔍 How Both Teams Reached Round 3

Both sides compete in USL League Two’s Great Forest Division and have navigated two grueling qualifying rounds to reach this stage:

• Steel City FC:

  • Round 1: Outlasted Croatia Cleveland 4–3 in a penalty shootout after a 1–1 draw. Goalkeeper Garret Watson came up huge with two shootout saves, while Gabe Norris slotted home the decisive fifth-round penalty.

  • Round 2: Powered past FCY New York 5–1 behind second-half goals from Jacob Alberts, Nicky Graeca, Nate Prex, and DD Flowers.

• Akron City FC:

  • Round 1: Built a 3-0 lead and held on for a 4–3 win over Lorain County Leviathan, featuring two-goal performances from Tamas Nagy and Ali Alomari.

  • Round 2: Advanced through the second qualifying window to set up tonight’s regional showdown.

⚡ Key Storylines

• Familiar Foes: Tonight marks the third meeting between these USL League Two rivals in 2026. Steel City swept the summer season series with identical 1–0 victories on May 30 (home) and June 20 (away).

• Roster Depth & Youth Pathway: Head Coach Jonathan Velotta has successfully rotated a core of battle-tested veterans (Gabe Norris, Garret Watson, Nicky Graeca) alongside rising youth academy contributors like Jacob Alberts, who netted his first senior team goal in Round 2.

• Building on Cup Legacy: After earning a spot in the 2026 U.S. Open Cup proper and hosting a historic match against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at FNB Stadium, Steel City is looking to make it back-to-back tournament appearances.

Pittsburgh Soccer Now’s Coverage of Steel City FC

Steel City FC turn up the heat in 2nd Half to blow past FCY New York, 5-1, in Open Cup Qualifier

Sounding Off on Soccer: Steel City FC continue on their US Open Cup qualifying quest with Gabe Norris

The Pathway and the Pursuit: Steel City FC balances Academy growth and Open Cup ambitions

Nerves of Steel! Steel City FC outlast Croatia Cleveland in penalty shootout to advance in U.S. Open Cup Qualifying