Remaining 14 USL Teams Kick Off Third Round of U.S. Open Cup
The Third Round of the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup kicks off on Wednesday as 14 teams across the USL remain in the hunt for glory. The Fort Lauderdale Strikers host the Richmond Kickers as Jacksonville Armada welcomes Charleston Battery to Broward College-South Campus this afternoon.
The USL’s remaining 14 teams in the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup have reached the first critical stage of the tournament as the league looks to showcase another deep tournament run on Wednesday in the Third Round.
Three USL teams are hosting matches in this stage. Arizona United SC hosts Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in the league’s lone head-to-head clash. Saint Louis FC hosts Minnesota United FC and the defending USL champion Rochester Rhinos host Lansdowne Bhoys FC.
A number of matches will be broadcast live on U.S. Soccer’s YouTube channel.
Third Round Matches
Wednesday, June 1
Fort Lauderdale Strikers vs. Richmond Kickers, 11 a.m. ET, Broward College-South Campus in Pembroke Pines, Fla.: Richmond is coming off a dominant 4-0 victory against Aromas Café FC in Round 2 and looks to advance to the Fourth Round for a third consecutive Open Cup. The Kickers face a Fort Lauderdale side that dropped its first match in the 2015 tournament, when the Charleston Battery defeated the Strikers 3-2. The winner travels to face three-time Open Cup winner D.C. United on June 15 in the Fourth Round.
Jacksonville Armada vs. Charleston Battery, 7 p.m. ET, Southern Oak Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.: Charleston advanced by virtue of The Villages SC fielding ineligible player in the Second Round. The PDL side had defeated the Battery in a penalty kick shootout in the Second Round at MUSC Health Stadium, following a 2-2 score line through regulation and overtime, but it was later determined that The Villages competed with an ineligible player and were consequently disqualified. The Battery hope to take advantage of this new opportunity against a Jacksonville side that was eliminated in its first Open Cup appearance in 2015, falling to the Richmond Kickers 3-0. Wednesday’s winner takes on Orlando City SC.
Rochester Rhinos vs. Lansdowne Bhoys FC (USASA), 7 p.m. ET, Rhinos Stadium in Rochester, N.Y.: The Rhinos, the only non-MLS side to win the tournament since the league began play in 1996, goes up against this year’s early Cinderella Story team. Rochester had the most dominant Second Round showing a couple weeks ago with a 7-0 victory against Southie FC that featured an Asani Samuels hat trick. Lansdowne is certainly making an impression this year, especially following a 2-0 road victory against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in Round 2. The winner will face the New York Red Bulls.
Chattanooga FC vs. Harrisburg City Islanders, 7:30 p.m. ET, Finley Stadium in Chattanooga, Tenn.: This matchup features two clubs that fell in overtime in their respective Third Round matches in 2015, but one club is guaranteed to advance to the next stage this year. Harrisburg is coming off a 2-0 victory against West Chester United in Round 2 of this year’s tournament. Chattanooga advanced with a 4-1 shootout victory against the PDL’s Reading United AC. The winner hits the road to take on the Philadelphia Union, a club that has finished runner-up in the past two Open Cups.
Carolina RailHawks FC vs. Charlotte Independence, 7:30 p.m. ET, WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.: The Independence, who advanced the furthest among last year’s USL group with a Fifth Round appearance, will visit the RailHawks in a rematch of last year’s Third Round matchup. Charlotte defeated Carolina 1-0 on May 27, 2015, with Ryan Finley scoring the game’s lone goal in the 81st minute. The winner hosts the New England Revolution in the Fourth Round.
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. FC Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m. ET, Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla.: Cincinnati opened up its first Open Cup with a 2-1 victory against Indy Eleven NPSL and looks to maintain some momentum against the Rowdies. Tampa Bay had a sour opening match in 2015, falling to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1-0 on Rob Vincent’s stoppage-time tally. The winner travels to face Columbus Crew SC on June 15.
Indy Eleven vs. Louisville City FC, 7:30 p.m. ET, Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.: Louisville managed to get through a Second Round scare this year, edging Detroit City FC in a penalty kick shootout to set up a rematch of the 2015 Third Round. City defeated Indy 2-0 in overtime, with Nate Polak and Sidney Rivera scoring back-to-back goals in a four-minute stretch. The winner will face four-time U.S. Open Cup winners the Chicago Fire on June 15.
Miami FC vs. Wilmington Hammerheads FC, 8 p.m. ET, FIU Stadium in Miami, Fla.: Wilmington drew some confidence in the Second Round with a robust 6-0 victory against Miami Fusion FC in the Second Round, advancing to this stage of the tournament for the first time since 2013.The Hammerheads now battle against a Miami FC side that is entering its first Open Cup match. The winner will travel to Sandy, Utah to battle Real Salt Lake in the Fourth Round.
Saint Louis FC vs. Minnesota United FC, 7 p.m. CT, World Wide Technology Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo.: Last year in the Third Round, these two sides squared off as Saint Louis rose in the penalty kick shootout, converting all three attempts for a 3-1 victory. That was preceded by a 1-1 regulation that saw Bryan Gaul tally an 80th-minute equalizer. Wednesday’s winner will face defending U.S. Open Cup champion Sporting Kansas City in the Fourth Round.
Rayo OKC vs. OKC Energy FC, 7 p.m. CT, Yukon Miller Stadium in Yukon, Okla.: Energy FC needed to go the distance to get past Mississippi Brilla in the Second Round of this year’s tournament, posting a 10-9 shootout victory after a scoreless regulation and overtime. The USL side will need to find some offensive flair when it goes up against Rayo OKC, which is preparing for its first Open Cup match. The winner will face FC Dallas in the tournament’s Fourth Round.
Des Moines Menace (PDL) vs. San Antonio FC, 8 p.m. CT, Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, Iowa: Jacques Francois’ debut couldn’t have come at a better time for San Antonio, which defeated Corinthians FC 3-1 in its first Open Cup match on May 18 to get to this stage. The PDL’s Menace tallied two second-half goals to defeat the USL’s Tulsa Roughnecks FC 2-0 in this year’s Second Round. The winner of this matchup travels to face the Houston Dynamo on June 15.
Arizona United SC vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, 7:30 p.m. MT, Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Ariz.: In the only all-USL matchup of this round, the Switchbacks are in a familiar position as last year, when they advanced past Real Monarchs SLC in 2015 to reach the Fourth Round. Arizona has already surpassed its 2015 showing, opening the 2016 Open Cup with a massive 5-0 win against the PDL’s FC Tucson. The winner hits the road to face the Colorado Rapids.
Sacramento Republic FC vs. Kitsap Pumas (PDL), 7:30 p.m. PT, Bonney Field in Sacramento, Calif.: Republic FC had one of the strongest Second Round showings among the USL teams this year with a 5-0 win against CD Aguiluchos USA. Sacramento hosts a Pumas side that earned a 1-0 win against fellow PDL club Sounders FC U-23, needing a 90th-minute tally to close the deal. The winner travels to face four-time U.S. Open Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC on June 15.
Source: United Soccer League. Photo Credit: Saint Louis FC
