By DAN KARELL
U.S. Soccer conducted the third round draw of the U.S. Open Cup in Chicago on Thursday, and released the possible pairings on Friday morning.
With the second round yet to commence, the third round will see the 24 winners of the second round take on each other or one of the eight North American Soccer League teams that enter at this stage.
The Atlanta Silverbacks, Tampa Bay Rowdies, and Minnesota United (if the Des Moines Menace defeat Real Colorado Foxes) are the only NASL sides who will not host a match in the third round. Per U.S. Soccer, “home teams are determined by a random selection process among those clubs that have applied to host and whose venues meet the minimum tournament requirements.”
All third-round matches will be taking place May 28, and the NASL teams have been matched geographically with teams set to take part in the second round.
Here’s a look at the third-round draw and the possible pairings:
U.S. OPEN CUP POTENTIAL THIRD ROUND PAIRINGS
MAY 28 (All Times Eastern)
7:35 pm – Greater Binghamton FC Thunder (NPSL) / Reading United A.C. (PDL) winner at Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO) – Sahlen’s Stadium; Rochester, N.Y.
or
7:30pm – Greater Binghamton FC Thunder (NPSL) / Reading United A.C. (PDL) winner at Western Mass. Pioneers (PDL) –Â Lusitano Stadium; Ludlow, Mass.
—
7:30pm – Brooklyn Italians SC (NPSL) / Jersey Express (PDL) winner at New York Cosmos (NASL) – Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.); Queens, N.Y.
—
7pm – Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) / RVA FC (Richmond Virginia FC) (NPSL) winner at Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL) – Carey Stadium; Ocean City, N.J.
or
7pm – New York Greek American Atlas (USASA) at Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) –Â Richmond City Stadium; Richmond, Va.
or
7pm – New York Greek American Atlas (USASA) at RVA FC (Richmond Virginia FC) (NPSL) –Â Sports Backers Stadium; Richmond, Va.
—
7:05pm – Icon FC (USASA) / Baltimore Bohemians (PDL) winner at FC Lehigh Valley United Sonic (NPSL) –Â Whitehall H.S. Soccer Stadium; Whitehall, Pa.
or
5:30pm – Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) at Baltimore Bohemians (PDL) –Â Calvert Hall College High School; Towson, Md.
or
TBD – Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) vs. Icon FC (USASA) – TBD
—
TBD – RWB Adria (USASA) / Michigan Bucks (PDL) winner at New York Red Bulls U-23s (NPSL) – TBD
or
7pm – RWB Adria (USASA) / Michigan Bucks (PDL) winner at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO) –Â Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa.
—
7:30pm – Carolina Dynamo (PDL) / Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO) winner at Carolina RailHawks (NASL) –Â WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.
—
7:30pm – Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) at Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO) –Â Legion Stadium; Wilmington, N.C.
or
7:30pm – Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) at Chattanooga FC (NPSL) –Â Finley Stadium; Chattanooga, Tenn.
—
7:30pm – Jacksonville United FC (NPSL) / Orlando City U23s (PDL) winner at Charleston Battery (USL PRO) –Â Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C.
or
7:30pm – Panama City Beach Pirates (PDL) at Jacksonville United FC (NPSL) – TBD
or
TBD –Â Panama City Beach Pirates (PDL) vs. Orlando City U23s (PDL) –Â TBD
—
7:30pm – Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Orlando City (USL PRO) –Â ESPN Wide World of Sports; Kissimmee, Fla.
or
7pm – Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Ocala Stampede (PDL) –Â Trinity Catholic High School; Ocala, Fla.
—
7:45pm – Red Force (USASA) / Laredo Heat (PDL) winner at Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL) –Â Lockhart Stadium; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
—
7:30pm – Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) / Schwaben AC (USASA) winner at Indy Eleven (NASL) –Â Carroll Stadium; Indianapolis, Ind.
—
8:30pm – NTX Rayados (USASA) / Austin Aztex (PDL) winner at San Antonio Scorpions (NASL) – Toyota Field; San Antonio, Texas
—
8:30pm – Minnesota United FC (NASL) at Des Moines Menace (USASA) –Â Valley Stadium; West Des Moines, Iowa
or
8pm – Real Colorado Foxes (PDL) at Minnesota United FC (NASL) –Â National Sports Center; Blaine, Minn.
—
10pm – Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL PRO) / Tulsa Athletics (NPSL) winner at Portland Timbers U-23s (PDL)Â –Â Providence Park; Portland, Ore.
or
8:30pm – Arizona United SC (USL PRO) at Tulsa Athletics (NPSL) –Â Tulsa Athletics Stadium; Tulsa, Okla.
or
TBD – Arizona United SC (USL PRO) vs. Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL PRO) – TBD
—
10:30pm – Orange County Blues (USL PRO) / Fresno Fuego (PDL) winner at Sacramento Republic (USL PRO) –Â Charles C. Hughes Stadium; Sacramento, Calif.
or
10pm – Orange County Blues (USL PRO) / Fresno Fuego (PDL) winner at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) –Â Ventura College; Ventura, Calif.
—
10:30pm – PSA Elite (USASA) / San Diego Flash (NPSL) winner at LA Galaxy II (USL PRO) –Â StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium; Carson, Calif.
or
10:30pm – Cal FC (USASA) at PSA Elite (USASA) –Â Irvine Stadium; Irvine, Calif.
or
10pm – Cal FC (USASA) at San Diego Flash (NPSL) –Â Mira Mesa High School; Mira Mesa, Calif.
——–
What do you think of these matchups? Which games are you most interested in watching?
Share your thoughts below.
Yeah! Watch!! Cosmos will WIN the US Cup!!!
NJRB???
NJRB Vs NYC
Can’t wait for cosmos to make a good run
+1
I bet Sacramento is looking to make a good run as is Indianaoplis.
Definatly watching Atlanta as Wynalda loves this tourament.
If Red Force can get past Laredo (doubtful with all of their travels) their game vs Ft Lauderdale would be a great game for the Miami area. A lot of quality as well as a couple former FL Strikers and other pro’s on that team
http://thecup.us/2014-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup-bracket/. <2014 bracket
Hope Chattanooga beats Wilmington. Easier road trip for us Silverbacks fans.
We’ll just keep this nice pot of smackdown on simmer while we wait for Cosmos to get out of round 3.
lol
Hate to stick up for the Cosmos…but I hate your club more. [Product Advertisement] New York will get destroyed in that match. And I will laugh heartily…
N to the A to the muthaf*ckin SL
Hard as it may be to believe Hempstead Cosmos are even more of a branding exercise than RBNY.
At least the branding isn’t in the name. Or on the shirt.
Monster FC or Pepsi United!
My favorite fact about this: Cosmos won’t evn be able to play their “home” game at their own college stadium. They have to play at St. John’s. So the dream of playing in Queens comes true after all.
You’d better hope its not at Red Bull Arena lol. But we’re willing to come out and wipe the floor with you in whatever college field of your choosing as well.
Cosmos v Red Bulls – its going to happen
+1 Cosmos vs Red Balls!!
Watch! Cosmos US Cup Champions!!
Red Balls??? C’mon! They suck! Really Suck!
Recognize it!! 5-4
Clear as mud
Ya all over the place. Took me while to create a bracket on excel.. Then i found one of thecup.us
http://thecup.us/2014-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup-bracket/
The Des Moines Menace are a PDL team.
There’s actually 2 Menace teams one PDL and one USASA. It happened a few years ago where the PDL team didn’t get into the US Open Cup but the USASA side did. I think they used a similar roster though. It’s weird.
If I recall, the USASA side is known as the Iowa Menace