Play resumes this week in the U.S. Open Cup with the third round featuring 16 matches.
It marks the entry of 16 USL Championship teams, the 14 lowest-ranked teams in the 2023 standings, plus expansion team Rhode Island FC and North Carolina FC, which returned to the USL’s top flight after three seasons in USL League One.
The game to watch is the Michigan derby match between Detroit City FC and the Michigan Stars, two teams that faced off in the NPSL (beginning in 2013 when the Stars relocated from Ontario and were known as FC Sparta Michigan) and NISA (before Detroit City FC moved to the USL).
The last match between the two teams came in the 2022 Open Cup when DCFC beat the Stars 3-0 during a run to the round of 32 that included a win over MLS’s Columbus Crew.
Le Rouge will be an Open Cup outsider in 2024, entering tournament play with a perfect record (4-0-0) in USL play under new coach Danny Dichio.
Tuesday, April 16
Louisville City vs. Greenville Triumph 7 pm.
Detroit City FC vs. Michigan Stars 7 pm.
Charlotte Independence vs. Rhode Island FC 7 pm.
New Mexico United vs. Lubbock Matadors 9 pm.
Oakland Roots vs. El Farolito 10:30 pm.
All times ET.
Wednesday, April 17
Hartford Athletic vs. New York City FC II 7 pm.
North Carolina FC vs. Carolina Core FC 7 pm.
Memphis 901 vs. Miami United FC 7 pm.
Richmond Kickers vs. Loudoun United 7:30 pm.
Miami FC vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC 7:30 pm.
FC Tulsa vs. Northern Colorado Hailstorm 8 pm.
Birmingham Legion vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves 8 pm.
Chicago Fire FC II vs. Indy Eleven 8 pm.
Union Omaha vs. El Paso Locomotive FC 8 pm.
Monterey Bay vs. Irvine Zeta FC 10:30 pm.
Las Vegas Lights vs. Spokane Velocity 10:30 pm.
All times ET.
• How to watch: U.S. Open Cup third round.
Tough sell. Then Open Cup genius’ marketing and ticket sales use logos that – ok – many are very cool and – yes – take up less real estate – but are – unreadable – mostly – except to – maybe – locals. Sheesh, so many contexts in soccer USA have downright poor marketing and ticket sales practices.
Just watched OAK vs ELF, 7:30 kickoff, via free streaming on Ussoccer.com site. Fairly entertaining, 2 red cards, OAK deserved the W 2-1 after 2 extra time periods. ELF played standard men’s league kickball, exactly how I see hispanic youth teams play. The ball is in the air half the time, if the keeper doesn’t kick it long the center backs do. Finishing was poor for both sides. An earlier start might have drawn more families to the Pioneer Stadium in Hayward. Oakland Roots move on.