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6 NASL teams advance in U.S. Open Cup, setting up juicy 4th-round matches vs. MLS clubs

DannySzetelaNewYorkCosmos1-CarolinaRailHawks (Getty)

By FRANCO PANIZO

NASL clubs made their entrances into the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, and the majority of them lived to fight another day.

Six of eight NASL representatives won their respective third-round matches, setting up some intriguing fourth-round showdowns with debuting MLS teams. The six clubs to reach the next round of the competition were the New York Cosmos, Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, San Antonio Scorpions, Minnesota United FC, and Indy Eleven.

The Cosmos beat NPSL’s Brooklyn Italians, 2-0, to book a match against the New York Red Bulls while Indy Eleven defeated USL Pro side Dayton Dutch Lions, 5-2, to schedule a date with the neighboring Columbus Crew. The other MLS-NASL match-ups in Round 4 include Sporting Kansas City-Minnesota United FC, FC Dallas-San Antonio Scorpions, Chivas USA-Carolina RailHawks, and Real Salt Lake-Atlanta Silverbacks.

The two Florida-based NASL clubs were the ones that failed to advance from their opening game. The Ft. lauderdale Strikers suffered a 3-2 defeat to PDL outfit Laredo Heat and the Tampa Bay Rowdies were handed a 4-1 mauling by I-4 rivals Orlando City.

Here is a full rundown of the third round results in the Open Cup and the fourth-round matches:

THIRD ROUND RESULTS

(USLP) Richmond Kickers 2-1 Greek American AA (USASA)

(NASL) New York Cosmos 2-0 Brooklyn Italians (NPSL)

(PDL) Baltimore Bohemians 2-4 Harrisburg City Islanders (USLP)

(USLP) Rochester Rhinos 2-1 aet Reading United AC (PDL)

(NASL) Indy Eleven 5-2 Dayton Dutch Lions (USLP)

(USLP) Pittsburgh Riverhounds 3-2 aet RWB Adria (USASA)

(PDL) Des Moines Menace 0-1 Minnesota United FC (NASL)

(NASL) Ft. Lauderdale Strikers 2-3 Laredo Heat (PDL)

(NASL) San Antonio Scorpions 4-2 NTX Rayados (USASA)

(USLP) Arizona United SC 2-1 aet Oklahoma City Energy FC (USLP)

(USLP) Sacramento Republic 6-0 Fresno Fuego (PDL)

(NASL) Carolina RailHawks 2-0 Charlotte Eagles (USLP)

(USLP) LA Galaxy II 0-0 (1-3 pks) PSA Elite (USASA)

(NPSL) Chattanooga FC 0-5 Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL)

(USLP) Charleston Battery 2-2 (11-12 pks) Orlando City U-23s (PDL)

(USLP) Orlando City 4-1 Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL)

 

FOURTH ROUND MATCHES

(USLP) Richmond Kickers vs. New England Revolution (MLS)

(NASL) New York Cosmos vs. New York Red Bulls (MLS)

(MLS) Philadelphia Union vs. Harrisburg City Islanders (USLP)

(USLP) Rochester Rhinos vs. D.C. United (MLS)

(MLS) Columbus Crew vs. Indy Eleven (NASL)

(MLS) Chicago Fire vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USLP)

(MLS) Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC (NASL)

(MLS) Houston Dynamo vs. Laredo Heat (PDL)

(MLS) FC Dallas vs. San Antonio Scorpions (NASL)

(USLP) Arizona United SC vs. LA Galaxy (MLS)

(MLS) San Jose Earthquakes vs. Sacramento Republic (USLP)

(NASL) Carolina RailHawks vs. Chivas USA (MLS)

(MLS) Seattle Sounders vs. PSA Elite (USASA)

(NASL) Atlanta Silverbacks vs. Real Salt Lake (MLS)

(MLS) Portland Timbers vs. Orlando City U-23s (PDL)

(MLS) Colorado Rapids vs. Orlando City (USLP)

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What do you think of the Open Cup’s third-round results? Which games in Round 4 are you most excited by?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Rowdies got off easy. OC were up 3-0 in the 31st minute and promptly took a nap for the next ten minutes. It was 4-1 at the half. Final should have been 6-2, maybe 7-2.

    In other Orlando City SC news, the 4th Division/PDL OCSC U-23’s won an epic PK shootout 12-11 over 3rd Division/USLPro Charleston Battery.

    Imagine how much fun it was sitting at the OC v. Rowdies match, and following OC U-23’s on Twitter at the same time.

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  2. I love this competition because you get to see the minnows take on the big boys! However, sometimes it gets a little too much out of wack and unbalanced. A great brand like the Cosmos having to stoop down to take on the New Jersey Artificial Stimulants. That’s just demeaning.

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  3. We’re not very good but we drew over 9000 on a Wednesday night game while the Pacers/Heat were playing 3 miles away…

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  4. Just over here warming my hand up for this gigantic slap that I have been saving up for you, Cosmos. Don’t mind me.

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    • Be sure to slam enough of that energy drink product you shill for so you’ll have enough energy to raise that giant hand of yours for smacking

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      • Supporting the local team doesn’t mean we are corporate shills. Your little inferiority complex is pitiful.

      • Um, paying for tickets and merch to help advertise an energy drink makes you corporate shills.

        But go ahead, keep telling yourself that everything’s fine.

      • I don’t go to the games nor do I own any merchandise. I support the players, from home.

        Sorry to prove you wrong 🙂

      • You sound like a chump. Would love to slap Atlanta Silverbacks once you become relevant. Make sure to send us more players that we can sell for scrap – Mac Kandji etc.

      • Any fans up there with a soul or a conscience left when the club was turned into sodapop commercial. In Germany, the first RedBull takeover effort was thwarted when fans resisted. But goobers like yourself embrace this crap with open arms. Hilarious yet sad at the same time.

      • The entire franchise is a lifestyle marketing gimmick from a energy drink company, it is beyond debate at this point. That asset is just one of many advertising ventures in sports for Red Bull, you are not a unique snowflake…you share the same “brand” as several other soccer properties in the world. Your logo is the corporate logo of your owner, you wear a kit with 5 red bull logos or marks on them, sing how you love a Red Bull and proudly do their product exposure for them. You are a shill. Its is disgracful really, that this is what MLS has chosen to give the largest market in the USA, a Hobson’s Choice between a energy drink advert and an EPL farm team…neither are truly soccer clubs in their own right or designed to inspire or unite fans in the area. If you are a true traditional soccer fan, someone that respects the game and its history and traditions, who wants to experience soccer and have real pride in what it represents, then there is only ONE TEAM IN NY that stands up…NY Cosmos. So go back shilling and declaring your love for a can of piss swill.

      • Lame. Hop off the soapbox bro. Cosmos is no better than any “marketing gimmick” you brought up in your rant. You are a glorified clothing line, at least own it.

        Now, go back to searching the bargain bin at Marshalls for that half price, oversized Cosmos shirt you’ve been dying to get a hold of. You really fit the stereotype of every Cosmos “supporter” – whiny, self righteous, jaded, attention seekers.

      • When the corporate zombie virus wears off, you will some day – hopefully – wake up and become a human again. Until then, everything you say is coming directly from RedBull Energy Drink HQ. And it’s obvious to everyone but yourself.

      • Everybody but me? ok. You sound like one of those supporters thst jumped ship thinking that the grass is greener… it aint. I support the players on the pitch regardless. Ive been with this club for a while now, and when/if it changes, ill still be here.

        You Cosmos chumps actually buy into that mockery of a club being the continuation of the original COSMOS. The continuation of the Cosmos was Metro, and is now RedBull. Grow a pair and stand by your club.

        You fools are actually the punchline. Congrats.

  5. Tasty, this could be huge fore Indy, San Antonio, cosmos, Sacramento, if they all win.
    If cosmos win, it’s gonna start a war against red bull, if scorpion wins then Dallas will feel like a little girl, if Indy win people will talk more hate about crew, and if Sacramento wins then San Jose will admit a monster is growing in Sacramento.
    Oh and Minnesota united always does good in the open cup.
    Even more interesting, who will be number 24 team in MLS, Minnesota, San Antonio, Sacramento, Las Vegas, and what if garber relocates chivas USA opening another sopot and leaving la2 for the next round of expansion.
    We all know MLS will stop at 26 or 28, an even number and the league will have inter league play.
    I say, MLS chooses Las Vegas for the 24 team.
    Then Minnesota, Indy, Sacramento, San Antonio come in making 28 teams.
    Why not 30, well MLS needs to leave 2 spots for promotion from D2 or even 4 spots.
    Another thing, will MLS make an MLS 2 or will NASL keep growing n growing n growing.

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  6. Hoping for a few more upsets… RWA Adria was really fun to watch this tourament and I was hoping that they would advance to play the Fire.

    Good for PSA to surprised to see them get past Los Dos

    Next round should be fun with so many quality regional rivalries

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  7. Indy vs. Columbus should be a great match, also hopefully the start of a great I-70 rivalry. I wonder who Massive 317 will be cheering for during this match?

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    • Happy to see this match-up as well. Playing Dayton isn’t the same now that half the starters belong to the Crew.

      When are Berhalter/Precourt going to start up Crew II?

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  8. I’m surprised the Hempstead Cosmos fans aren’t here beating their chests about now going on to beat RBNY and achieving US Open Cup glory

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  9. A rare Danny Szetela sighting (photo)!

    Some of those 4th round matches look pretty sweet, and do like that a lot of the 3rd round matches had a local/regional flavor.

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    • Sacramento has mobilized and have numbers coming out. I don’t think I’ve seen an article here about the consistent crowds..

      This game is in SF.. sort of middle ground. Will be interesting to see who has higher crowd support

      Reply

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