2010 U.S. Open Cup qualification explained

The 2010 U.S. Open Cup tournament proper features teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid. These five levels, namely Major League Soccer, the United Soccer Leagues (First Division, Second Division, and Premier Development League), and the United States Adult Soccer Association, each have their own separate qualification process to trim their ranks down to their final team delegations in the months leading up to the start of the tournament proper.

The 2010 Cup will feature 8 teams from the MLS, 9 from the USSF Division 2 (being all 9 US-based teams), all 6 teams from the USL Second Division, 8 teams from the PDL, 8 from USASA, and an additional team resulting from a single match between Sonoma County Sol of the National Premier Soccer League and PSA Los Gatos Storm of US Club Soccer.[1] The eight clubs from MLS will receive byes into the Third Round.

Tier 1: Major League Soccer (MLS)

The top six MLS clubs in the 2009 standings were given six of the berths into the Third Round while the nine remaining U.S.-based clubs will compete for the final two berths via a playoff.

Schedule

Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.

Play-in Round

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Qualification Semifinals

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Qualification Finals

New York Red Bulls qualify for the Round of 16.----

D.C. United qualify for the Round of 16.----

Tier 2: USSF D-2 Pro League and Tier 3: USL-2

Due to the reshuffling of teams and the compromise between the United Soccer Leagues and the breakaway North American Soccer League, there are only 6 teams in USL-2 and 9 eligible teams in the newly formed USSF Division 2 Professional League (Montreal Impact, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Puerto Rico Islanders are not eligible because they are Canadian or Puerto Rican clubs). All 15 eligible teams will automatically qualify rather than 8 from each league as in years past, leaving an additional slot to be filled .

Tier 4: Premier Development League

PDL eligible clubs (59 of 67) qualify by playing in PDL league matches in April and May that double as US Open Cup qualifying matches. The team with the best record in those games from each of the eight divisions will advance to the Cup.

The Abbotsford Mariners, Ottawa Fury, Toronto Lynx, Thunder Bay Chill, Vancouver Whitecaps Residency, Victoria Highlanders and Forest City London are not eligible because they are Canadian clubs. Also the Bermuda Hogges is not eligible because it is a Bermudian club.

Western Conference
Northwest Division Kitsap Pumas
Southwest Division Ventura County Fusion
Central Conference
Great Lakes Division Dayton Dutch Lions
Heartland Division Des Moines Menace
Southern Conference
Mid-South Division DFW Tornados
Southeast Division Central Florida Kraze
Eastern Conference
Mid-Atlantic Division Reading United
Northeast Division Long Island Rough Riders
Northwest Division
Team
Kitsap Pumas40012
Portland Timbers U23's40012
Tacoma Tide2026
Yakima Reds1033
Washington Crossfire1033
Spokane Spiders0040
Southwest Division
Team
Ventura County Fusion3019
Orange County Blue Star2208
Los Angeles Azul Legends2117
Fresno Fuego1215
Lancaster Rattlers1215
BYU Cougars1124
Hollywood United Hitmen1124
Ogden Outlaws1124
Southern California Seahorses1033
Great Lakes Division
Team
Dayton Dutch Lions31010
Michigan Bucks3019
Chicago Fire Premier2117
Indiana Invaders1114
Cleveland Internationals1124
Cincinnati Kings1033
Kalamazoo Outrage0030
Heartland Division
Team
Des Moines Menace3019
Rochester Thunder2117
Real Colorado Foxes2117
St. Louis Lions2026
Kansas City Brass1124
Springfield Demize0131
Mid-South Division
Team
DFW Tornados3019
Rio Grande Valley Bravos2117
Laredo Heat2026
El Paso Patriots2026
West Texas United Sockers2026
Houston Leones0131
Southeast Division
Team
Central Florida Kraze31010
Mississippi Brilla31010
Baton Rouge Capitals2208
New Orleans Jesters2026
Atlanta Blackhawks1215
Bradenton Academics1124
Nashville Metros1124
Fort Lauderdale Schulz Academy0030
Mid-Atlantic Division
Team
Reading United40012
Newark Ironbound Express40012
New Jersey Rangers3019
Carolina Dynamo1114
Central Jersey Spartans1124
West Virginia Chaos1033
Ocean City Nor'easters0222
Hampton Roads Piranhas0121
Northern Virginia Royals0131
Northeast Division
Team
Long Island Rough Riders31010
Albany BWP Highlanders31010
Western Mass Pioneers2117
Portland Phoenix1306
New Hampshire Phantoms1215
Vermont Voltage1033
Westchester Flames0222
Brooklyn Knights0040

Tier 5: United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA)

USASA is divided into four geographical regions, each of which will advance two teams to the US Open Cup. Assuming the continuation of recent seasons' format, the two finalists in each region will be awarded berths.

Region I

Region I represents the northeastern region of the US. The regional tournament began April 10 and the remaining four teams will compete in the semifinals on May 23. The two regional finalists will advance to the 2010 US Open Cup. The quarterfinalists are:http://www.usasa.com/schedules/2010/21628324-br.html

Aegean Hawks
Brooklyn Italians
Charm City FC
Danbury United
Fenerbahce USA
Go Soccer FC
NY Pancyprian-Freedoms
United German Hungarians

Region II

Region II represents the midwestern region of the US. The regional tournament began May 1 and the semifinal matches were played May 15. Both finalists qualified for the 2010 US Open Cup. The quarterfinalists were:

402 FC
AAC Eagles
Des Moines Menace
Detroit United
Fire SC '00
KC Athletics
Milwaukee Kickers
St. Paul Twin Stars (NPSL)

Region III

Region III represents the southeastern region of the US. The regional tournament was conducted from May 29 to May 30 at the University of Alabama. Though it was originally scheduled to feature nine clubs organized into three groups of three followed by an elimination bracket, a lightning storm canceled the first day of games and Brazil Soccer Academy was disqualified for failing to show. The tournament was reorganized into two groups of four with the winner of each group qualifying for the US Open Cup.

Group A
Team
Legends FC3009
Pumas FC (NPSL)1013
Lynch's Irish Pub0111
Rocket City United (NPSL)0121
Group B
Team
CASL Elite2107
FC Tulsa (NPSL)1114
Atlanta FC (NPSL) Georgia1114
ASC New Stars0121

Region IV

Region IV represents the western region of the US. The regional tournament was conducted from May 21 to May 23 in Sacramento, CA. An initial eleven teams divided into three groups, each of which played round-robin, and the winner of each group as well as the best performing second place team advanced to a four team bracket. The two semifinal winners advanced to the regional final as well as the 2010 US Open Cup.

Flight A
Team
Real San Jose (NPSL)2006
FC Hasental1013
SF Italian Athletics0020
Flight B
Team
Bay Area Ambassadors (NPSL)3009
San Diego Boca FC (NPSL)1114
French Soccer Academy 1114
Arizona Pros0030
Flight C
Team
Sacramento Gold (NPSL)3009
Arizona Sahuaros (NPSL)1114
Doxa Italia1114
Yakima United0030

40th place

Due to the 2010 restructuring of the USSF Division 2, only 15 US-based teams were available to take the USL and NASL's non-amateur slots. On May 5, 2010 the USSF announced that the remaining slot would be allotted to the winner of a game between the Sonoma County Sol and PSA Los Gatos Storm, two California-based clubs in the US Soccer amateur structure.

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External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Competition Structure Finalized - U.S. Soccer . 2010-05-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100507153108/http://www.ussoccer.com/News/Lamar-Hunt-U-S-Open-Cup/2010/05/2010-Lamar-Hunt-US-Open-Cup-Competition-Structure-Finalized.aspx . 2010-05-07 .