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Region III tournament wraps up Monday
ASC New Stars, Clearwater Galactics to make first Open Cup
  Both USASA Region III representatives in this year’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will be making their first-ever appearance. Clearwater Galactics, the Florida State Soccer Association champions, and the ASC (Aria Soccer Club) New Stars from South Texas will join the six other teams from the USASA in this year’s tournament. Both teams finished with a 2-0-1 record, and won their respective groups by a single point.
On Monday, the Galactics defeated ASC 2-1 in the Region III final to book a place in the USASA National Finals. For all the results from this weekend’s tournament, visit the Region III Qualifying page. More details to follow...
Region III tournament down to eight teams
Real Madrid drops out at the last minute to make it two groups of four
As the opening games of the USASA Region III tournament begin on Friday night, the tournament’s organizers learned that one of the teams would not be participating. Real Madrid, a club from South Texas that qualified for the 2002 U.S. Open Cup, withdrew from the tournament bringing the number of teams down to eight. While the reason for their last minute withdrawal has yet to be made public, this changes the format from three groups of three to two groups of four in this weekend’s competition. The winner of each group will qualify for the Open Cup, and move on to the Region III championship game.
9 teams battle for 2 remaining Open Cup spots
Region III tournament begins with a blind draw on Thursday night
Region III of the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) is the final tournament of this year’s Open Cup qualifying season. On Thursday, May 22, a blind draw will be held at the Golf Club at Fleming Island in Orange Park, Florida to determine which groups the nine teams will fall into. The tournament will feature three groups of three, with the winners of each group, and the best second place team, moving on to the semifinals. The two finalists will qualify for the Open Cup and will battle on Memorial Day to see which team will represent the region at the USASA National Finals. 
3-time Open Cup champs emerge from Region I
Pancyprian Freedoms qualify with first timer Boston Olympiakos
 With the results of Sunday’s United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) Region I semifinals, two very different clubs have qualified for the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. It was a passing of the torch, in a way, as both Open Cup entrants from Region I last year (Danbury United, Aegean Hawks FC) lost to make way for this year’s entries.
Boston Olympiakos find themselves in the tournament for the first time ever after they defeated Danbury United, 1-0. In the other semifinal, the three-time U.S. Open Cup champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms outgunned the Aegean Hawks, 3-2.
Windy City teams blow into Cup
RWB Adria, AAC Eagles qualify from USASA Region II
Illinois stood tall in USASA Region II qualifying, as Chicago-area clubs RWB Adria and AAC Eagles claimed the region’s two berths in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Defending regional champion RWB Adria knocked off the Princeton-56ers of Madison, Wis., 2-0 in a semifinal in Lake Forest, Ill., behind first-half goals by Adis Husidic and Semir Mesanovic.
At the same time over at the Chicago Academy Field, AAC Eagles grabbed their fourth Open Cup berth in the pro era with a 2-1 victory over the Des Moines Menace Reserves.
Hollywood United adds celebrity to Open Cup
Arizona Sahuaros return to Cup with 0-0 draw
 Hollywood United, a celebrity club put together by Australian actor Anthony Lapaglia (Without A Trace), has qualified for the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. They are the first of two teams to qualify out of the United States Adult Soccer Association’s (USASA) Region IV. The other team to qualify from Region IV are the Arizona Sahuaros, edging out Sonoma County on goal difference after a scoreless draw in their final group match.
United qualified with a pair of 2-0 victories on Friday and on Saturday morning. The first opponent was the Santa Cruz County Breakers of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). Eduardo Gonzalez-Pinto and Matt Taylor scored on either side of halftime and goalkeeper Michael Littman earned the clean sheet, including a save of a penalty kick late in the match. In the morning game on Saturday, Hollywood United came out victorious in a competitive match against San Diego United. The game was scoreless at the halftime break, but second half subs Derek Droze and Matt Taylor each scored goals to send United to the Open Cup.
The game later that night didn’t matter but United finished a clean sweep of their group, defeating Banat Arsenal 3-2, with most of their reserves in the starting eleven.
Region IV qualifying this weekend
Hollywood United, Banat Arsenal, six others vie for two Open Cup spots
Region IV of the United States Adult Soccer Association will determine its entrants in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this weekend in Scottsdale, Ariz. The eight teams in the qualifying tournament are split into two groups, with each group winner advancing to the Open Cup.
USASA Region IV Tournament kicks off in Arizona
First two USASA qualifiers set to be determined on Saturday
Saturday’s Schedule
Group A
(all times eastern)
1:00 p.m matches
Salinas Valley Samba vs. Sonoma County Sol
Rockstar United vs. Arizona Sahuaros
9:00 p.m. matches
Sonoma County Sol vs. Arizona Sahuaros
Salinas Valley Samba vs. Rockstar United 9pm
Group B
1:00 p.m matches
Banat Arsenal vs. Santa Cruz County Breakers
Hollywood United vs. San Diego United
9:00 p.m matches
Santa Cruz County Breakers vs.
San Diego United
Banat Arsenal vs. Hollywood United
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The Region IV U.S. Open Cup Finals tournament kicked off in Scottsdale, Arizona Friday night with four teams emerging as early leaders in their groups.
In Group A, the Arizona Sahuaros, 2006 U.S. Open Cup qualifiers who have returned to NPSL play this season, cruised to a 4-0 victory over another former cup qualifier, the Salinas Valley Samba. In the other game in the group, the Sonoma County Sol, yet another former U.S. Open Cup qualifier, got past Arizona-based amateur club Rockstar United 1-0.
Group B features only one club who has made a previous cup appearance, Banat Arsenal, one of last year’s Region IV qualifiers. Arsenal did not get off to a good start, falling to the NPSL’s San Diego United 4-1. In the other match, Hollywood United used goals from Eduardo Gonzalez-Pinto and former MLS player Matt Taylor to secure a 2-0 victory over the NPSL’s Santa Cruz County Breakers.
Four remain in Region I tournament
Danbury United, Aegean Hawks remain on course for return to the Cup
 Danbury United and Aegean Hawks FC, the 2007 US Open Cup qualifiers from Region I of the United States Amateur Soccer Association (USASA), stayed on track for berths in this year’s competition with wins on Sunday. They are joined in the Region I semifinals by the New York Pancyprians and Boston Olympiakos.
Region II down to the final four
Both Illinois teams to host semis with winners qualifying for Open Cup
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"Win & You’re In"
USASA Region II
May 17, 2008
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Princeton-56ers
at
RWB Adria
Des Moines Menace Reserves
at
AAC Eagles
USASA Region II Qualifying
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Saturday’s first round of matches in the USASA Region II U.S. Open Cup qualifying was an eventful one.
Reigning champion RWB Adria from Chicago needed penalty kicks to get past Michigan’s Carpathia Kickers after the teams played 120 minutes of scoreless soccer. The match between the host Des Moines Menace Reserves and Missouri’s WC Arsenal was without a goal until the final minutes of extra time before the Menace Reserves won 2-0. And perhaps the most successful amateur team in Open Cup history, Bavarian SC, dropped a narrow 3-2 decision to Illinois’ AAC Eagles in Milwaukee.
The other scheduled quarterfinal wasn’t even played, as game officials ruled that defending NPSL Midwest Region champion Princeton-56ers from Madison, Wis., would receive a forfeit victory over the Bloomington (Ind.) Cutters, as the host team did not have enough players with valid player passes.
Kelto sends Aegean Hawks to next round
Hawks advance to face Baltimore Colts FC in Group S semifinals
 The Aegean Hawks, last year’s USASA Region I champions, took a step toward defending their title with a 1-0 win over the Champions League representative Sport Club Portuguese (SCP).
At the West Side Park in Newark, NJ, both teams found themselves in a stalemate at the halftime break. Tactical changes by the Hawks created chances, and the game’s only goal. Anders Kelto, who came on as a substitute, scored on his first touch of the game when he headed home a cross by Watson Prather in the 60th minute.
RWB Adria win Illinois Open Cup title
Both finalists looking ahead to Region II finals
RWB Adria survived the weather and player absences on April 13 as they defeated AAC Eagles by a score of 4-1 to capture their second consecutive Illinois Open Cup championship.
Colts secure Region I berth
Lotocki's goal and two assists pace club to 4-0 win
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Maryland
Open Cup Champions
2008 - Baltimore Colts FC
2007 - A.C. United
2006 - Allied SC
2005 - Baltimore Colts FC
2004 - Allied SC
2003 - Brilla Baltimore Colts FC
2002 - Christos SC
2001 - DiPasquale Baltimore Colts FC
2000 - Jerry D’s
1999 - Jerry D’s
1998 - High Topps
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For the third time since 2003, Baltimore Colts FC will represent Maryland in the Region I U.S. Open Cup Finals, after defeating Maryland Allyance FC 4-0 at the Soccerplex in Germantown, Maryland on March 2.
The Colts quickly took control of the match, scoring all four goals in the first half. Mike Lotocki and Kyle Sterling combined for the first two scores, with Sterling scoring twice off of corner kicks from Lotocki in the 21st and 30th minutes. Sterling had also scored the game winning goal in the Colts’ 1-0 semifinal win over AC United. Sterling’s teammate at Salisbury State University, Bill Whittington, gave the Colts a 3-0 lead off an assist from Guil Costa in the 35th minute. Costa provided help again on the final goal, scored this time by Lotocki himself.
BCFC’s victory means that the last six Maryland Open Cup tournaments have been won by either the Colts or AC United (formerly Allied SC), both teams winning three apiece. It also marks the sixth time overall the Colts have won Maryland’s Open Cup berth, representing the state in 2001, 1997 and 1996.
Maryland final set
Colts and Allyance FC will battle for Region I berth on March 2
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Maryland
Open Cup Final
March 2, 2008
Maryland Soccerplex (Germantown, MD)
Maryland Allyance FC
vs.
Baltimore Colts FC
Kickoff - 5:00 p.m.
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The Maryland Open Cup qualifying tournament is down to two teams after Sunday’s semifinal contests.
AC United, who was hoping to repeat as Maryland’s representative in the USASA Region I finals, were eliminated by the Baltimore Colts FC, 1-0. In the other matchup, Maryland Allyance FC took care of Select FC 5-2 to reach the championship game which is scheduled to take place March 2.
Allyance FC had little trouble in their match thanks to a pair of individual performances by Andre Bishop and Bill Rinehardt. Bishop scored two goals and Rinehardt was one better, with a hat trick. This is Allyance FC’s first state championship game appearance since they began entering the competition in 2006.
Maryland begins USOC qualifying
Semifinals set after Allyance FC's opening victory
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Maryland Open Cup Qualifying Semifinals
February 17, 2008
Western Regional Park
Baltimore Colts FC
vs. AC United
Kickoff - 11:00am
Maryland Allyance FC
vs. Select FC
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The opening match of the Maryland State Soccer Association’s Open Cup qualifying is complete and the semifinals are set. Maryland Allyance FC defeated Baltimore Bays 91, 4-1, denying the Bays a spot in the state’s final four.
Allyance, making their third straight appearance in cup qualifying, were eliminated last year in the first round by Baltimore Colts FC, 6-2. Entering their opening round match, Allyance FC were in first place in the Maryland Major Soccer League (MMSL) with a 9-1-1 record. They will take on Select FC, a mid-table team from the MMSL, in the next round. The Bays’ struggles continue in Open Cup qualifying, with the club failing to place a team in the state cup final for the fifth consecutive year.
The other semifinal, scheduled to take place February 17, features AC United and Baltimore Colts FC.
United German Hungarians conquer Eastern PA
UGH advance to USASA Region I finals
On a pitch made sloppy by the chilly December rain, United German Hungarians booked their spot in next spring’s USASA Region I U.S. Open Cup finals tournament with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Pennsylvania Rush.  UGH grabbed the lead early on a goal from Matt Hemberger, a former La Salle University player. Rush took control of the match for much of the run of play after the goal, with the goalpost keeping them out of the net once and leaving the score 1-0 at halftime. After the restart, both clubs had good chances, and UGH appeared to have doubled their lead, but a disputed offside call kept the visitors within a goal. Rush then threw everything they had at UGH in hopes of finding the equalizer. The UGH defense, headed by goalkeeper Stash Graham, held on for the victory.
The win avenged UGH’s 3-1 Open Cup loss to Rush (then known as Montco Azzurri) last season in the opening round of the Eastern Pennsylvania tournament. This year, Rush also fell to UGH’s Reserve team in the USASA Amateur cup tournament, in which UGH and their Reserve squad have reached the EPASA semifinals. UGH last qualified for the U.S. Open Cup in 1999, and have reached the finals twice, in 1977 and 1993. UGH join Aegean Hawks (DC/Virginia), Garfield Vistula (New Jersey) and Queen City FC (NPSL) in next spring’s USASA Region I finals so far.
Region I action kicks into full swing
Busy month for qualifying, matches played in five associations
The 2008 Region I Finals are starting to shape up with New Jersey and the Champions League submitting their tournament’s winners. Eastern Pennsylvania will be decided this weekend (December 9) and Eastern New York is also down to their final two teams.
Massachusetts are in the home stretch of their qualifying, but mother nature hasn’t been kind to the schedule makers. Two of the four quarterfinal matches have yet to take place.
The winners for each organization receive a place in the Region I Finals next year. The two finalists of that tournament qualify for the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
For a full report of all the action from around the Northeastern part of the USASA, click continue.
Three is the magic number for Aegean Hawks
Andreas Nydal's hat trick leads Hawks to 3rd straight MDCVSA crown
The Aegean Hawks continued their dominance of the Metro DC/Virginia Soccer Association with a narrow 3-2 win over World Bank SC in the MDCVSA final. Andreas Nydal scored a hat trick for the Hawks to lead them to their third straight MDCVSA championship, and a place in the USASA Region I finals next year.
10 minutes into the match, World Bank struck first, only to have Nydal equalize in the 37th minute after he put home a rebound off an Alan Golden shot. Just after the halftime break Justin Bodiya sent a cross into the area that found Nydal for his second of the game. In the 60th minute, World Bank brought the game level after the referee awarded them a penalty kick, but 10 minutes later, Nydal dribbled through traffic and completed the hat trick and scored the game-winner with an impressive individual effort.
The Hawks held on for the last 20 minutes to make their third straight trip to the Region I finals. Last year, they won the regional tournament and not only earned their first appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, but they booked their ticket to the national cup finals in Seattle. They were knocked out of the Open Cup in the first round by the Harrisburg City Islanders of the USL Second Division, and advanced to the national semifinals where they fell to eventual champion El Paso Indios USA of the NPSL.
United German Hungarians advance to semis
Eastern PA qualifying underway, UGH will take on VE in the final four
The United German Hungarians (UGH), a Philadelphia-based club with a proud tradition dating back to 1910, defeated Hunter SC 7-1 to advance to the semifinals of the Eastern Pennsylvania Soccer Association’s Open Cup qualifying.  Jason Karasow and Tim O’Neil both scored a pair of goals to lead the way for UGH, along with tallies by Ryan Moseley, Matt Hemberger and Ben Marucci.
The semifinal match, which is scheduled to take place November 18, will see UGH, the 1993 and 1977 Open Cup runners-up, take on another team from the Philadelphia area, Vereinigung Erzgebirge (VE). Both teams with rich traditions are looking to return to the tournament for the first time in a while. VE last qualified in 2002, while UGH last trip to the tournament was in 1999, when they pulled off a big upset over the New Jersey Stallions of the D3 Pro League (now the USL Second Division). The team that survives will between UGH and VE will play the winner of Danubia (Philadelphia, PA) and the PA Rush (Doylestown, PA) in the Eastern PA Final.
The Bavarian dynasty continues
Bavarian SC wins Wisconsin state title, advances to Region II finals
Bavarian SC captured their 12th Wisconsin state championship in the last 14 years on Sunday with a 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Kickers.  The club advances to the USASA Region II finals next year, giving them a shot to qualify for the Open Cup for the sixth time, the most by any USASA club in the professional era (1995 - present).
At the Wisconsin State Cup Final at Marquette’s Valley Field on Sunday, Brian Doherty and Jake Provan gave Bavarian SC a comfortable 2-0 halftime lead. Brian McGuire’s second half goal that cut the lead in half for the Kickers, but Blair Kohlmeyer would eventually seal the deal for the Bavarians with a goal to make it 3-1.
Aegean Hawks cruise into MDCVSA final
Hawks dismantle Real International 8-0 in the semifinals
 The Hawks rolled over Real International on Saturday in the MDCVSA Open Cup semifinals by a score of 8-0. Andreas Nydal scored a hat trick in the opening 25 minutes of the match, leading the club to a 5-0 halftime lead, and putting the game out of reach. The Hawks performed well despite a busy recent schedule. On Thursday, they defeated Mercernaries FC of the Northern Virginia Soccer League 12-0 in an Amateur Cup quarterfinal match. They move on to the MDCVSA Final later this month against World Bank, a team also from the Washington Premier League.
Bavarian SC moves on to Wisconsin final
Open Cup veterans advance after PK shootout with Croatian Eagles
Matt Schmidt stopped Tyler Hawley’s penalty kick in the seventh round of a shootout as Milwaukee’s Bavarian SC got past the Croatian Eagles after a 1-1 draw in the Wisconsin Open Cup semifinals Saturday at Marquette University’s Valley Fields.
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Wisconsin State Cup Final
Bavarian SC vs. Milwaukee Kickers
Sat. November 3 - 2 p.m. (Eastern)
Marquette University’s Valley Fields
Winner advances to the Region II finals
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The match was scoreless after regulation, but each team scored in extra time to force the shootout. Scott Dombrowski gave Bavarian SC the lead in the 97th minute, only to see the Eagles equalize on Jason Willan’s penalty kick in the 104th.
Both teams made four of their first five penalty kicks, and neither team converted in the sixth round. Kyle Lance then scored to put defending state champion Bavarian SC on the brink of victory, and Schmidt sealed it with his save.
Bavarian SC, which advanced to the second round of last year’s U.S. Open Cup, moves on to play the Milwaukee Kickers in the state final at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Valley Fields. The winner qualifies for next spring’s U.S. Adult Soccer Association Region II tournament, where two U.S. Open Cup berths will be up for grabs.
'08 qualifying ready to begin
MDCVA and Wisconsin get underway this weekend
Less than a month after the New England Revolution were crowned champions of the U.S. Open Cup, qualification for the 2008 tournament is set to kick off.
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MDCVSA Qualifying
Aegean Hawks vs. Real International
***POSTPONED***
World Bank vs. Reds United
Sun. October 28 - 8 p.m.
Old Redskin Park - Herndon, VA
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Wisconsin Qualifying
Bavarian SC vs. Croatian Eagles
Sat. October 27 - 3 p.m. (Eastern)
Marquette University’s Valley Fields
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Two teams with U.S. Open Cup experience open play in the Wisconsin State Cup this weekend. Milwaukee’s Bavarian SC, which lost to the Carolina RailHawks in the second round of this year’s tournament, faces 2006 qualifier Croatian Eagles at 2 p.m. Saturday at Marquette University’s Valley Fields.
The winner will face the Milwaukee Kickers in the state final; the date and time is to be determined. The Wisconsin champion will advance to next spring’s U.S. Adult Soccer Association Region II qualifying tournament, where two U.S. Open Cup berths will be up for grabs.
The Metropolitan DC-Virginia Soccer Association (MDCVSA) also announced their draw for 2008 Open Cup qualifying. The winner will advance to the USASA Region I finals some time next year.
Three of the four teams involved in the MDCVSA tournament (Aegean Hawks, World Bank and Reds United) come from the Washington Premier League, while Real International is the lone representative from the Commonwealth Soccer League.
The Aegean Hawks were one of the two Region I representatives in the 2007 Open Cup. However, their cup run didn’t last long as they lost 4-0 to the USL Second Division champion Harrisburg City Islanders, a team that advanced all the way to the quarterfinals.
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Jesse Marsch helps Frank Klopas take a drink from the cup after the Chicago Fire won the 1998 U.S. Open Cup with a 2-1 overtime win over the Columbus Crew. The Fire, an expansion team that year, would later complete the double by defeating DC United in MLS Cup ’98.
Photo courtesy of the Chicago Fire. |
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