U.S. Open Cup: Lower-division teams aim for repeat of 2022 second-round success
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Apr 4, 2023
In all, there will be 28 games this week. One game will be played next week and another was declared a forfeit in favor of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds when Rochester New York FC folded.
The 30 winners will join 18 MLS teams in the third round, followed by the entry of the remaining eight MLS teams in the round of 32.
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Second-round matchups:
USL Championship (D2) vs. first-round amateur winners: 8 games
USL Championship (D2) vs. USL League One or NISA (D3): 15 games
USL League One or NISA (D3) vs. first-round amateur winners: 6 games
Note: USL Championship (D2) vs. MLS Next Pro (D3): 1 forfeit
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In 2022, the big winner in the second round was the USL League One, whose 11 teams went 8-3. They were 5-2 against USL Championship teams with wins by the Central Valley Fuego, Northern Colorado Hailstorm, FC Tucson, South Georgia Tormenta FC and Greenville Triumph.
Five other lower-division teams -- two from NISA and one each from MLS Next Pro, the USL League Two and NPSL -- also won against higher-division teams, going 10-21 overall.
Union Omaha, the 2021 USL League One champion, went on to beat two MLS teams last year to go all the way to the quarterfinals and the first-year Hailstorm won at Real Salt Lake in the third round.
New pro teams in 2023 entering in the second round are One Knoxville SC and Lexington SC (USL League One) and Gold Star Detroit, Savannah Clovers and Club de Lyon (NISA).
Second Round
Note: All times ET.
Tuesday, April 4
Miami FC vs. Jacksonville Armada 7 pm. (YouTube)
Hartford Athletic vs. Lansdowne Yonkers FC 7 pm. (YouTube)
One Knoxville SC vs. Memphis 901 7 pm.
Detroit City FC vs. Gold Star Detroit 7:30 pm. (B/R)
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Nona FC 7:30 pm.
Flower City Union vs. Manhattan SC 7:30 pm.
Charleston Battery vs. Savannah Clovers 8 pm.
San Antonio FC vs. Club de Lyon FC 8:30 pm.
New Mexico United vs. UDA Soccer 9 pm. (YouTube)
Oakland Roots vs. El Farolito 10 pm. (B/R)
Wednesday, April 5
Charlotte Independence vs. Appalachian FC 7 pm. (Facebook)
Indy Eleven vs. Michigan Stars 7 pm.
Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. Rochester New York FC
(Pittsburgh Riverhounds win on forfeit)
Louisville City vs. Lexington SC 7 pm. (B/R)
Loudoun United vs. North Carolina FC 7 pm.
Maryland Bobcats vs. Ocean City Nor'easters 7 pm.
Chattanooga Red Wolves vs. Birmingham Legion 7:30 pm.
South Georgia Tormenta FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC Toros 7:30 pm. (YouTube)
Des Moines Menace vs. Chattanooga FC 8 pm. (B/R)
Union Omaha vs. El Paso Locomotive 8 pm.
Tulsa Athletic vs. FC Tulsa 8 pm. (YouTube)
Colorado Springs Switchbacks vs. No. Colorado Hailstorm 9 pm. (B/R)
Orange County SC vs. Capo FC 10 pm. (B/R)
Sac Republic FC vs. Crossfire Redmond 10 pm.
San Diego Loyal vs. Albion San Diego 10 pm.
Central Valley Fuego vs. Monterey Bay 10 pm. (Eleven Sports)
Las Vegas Lights vs. LA Force 10 pm.
Phoenix Rising vs. Greenville Triumph 10:30 pm. (B/R)
Thursday, April 6
Richmond Kickers vs. Cleveland SC 7 pm. (B/R)
Tuesday, April 11
Forward Madison FC vs. Chicago House AC 7 pm. (YouTube)
