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2018 U.S. Open Cup First Round: A Look Ahead

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The 2018 U.S. Open Cup us upon.

Tuesday night, The Portland Timbers U23 team kicked off the first round proper of the event with a 5-0 thrashing of the NPSL’s Kitsap Pumas. The Pumas played 78 minutes of the match a man down and the Timbers U23s made them pay. The free kick off the red card foul netted them their first of five goals on the night. Now, they’ll will move on to play Reno 1868 of the USL in the second round.

The rest of the first round happens tonight, as 50 amateur clubs from across the country play for the right to move on and take on professional sides in the second round.

Highlights of the round include a local rivalry match between Detroit City FC of the NPSL and the Michigan Bucks of the PDL. This will be the third time these two have seen each other at this stage of the competition. The Bucks took the first one back in 2015 with a 3-0 victory and City got their revenge the following season, winning in penalties after a 0-0 draw.

Elsewhere, last year’s amateur darlings Christos FC head to eastern Pennsylvania to take on Reading United AC. Christos made it all the way to the fourth round last season, where they fell to D.C. United, but not before taking a 1-0 lead on them. Along the way, they defeated the USL’s Richmond Kickers.

Defending NPSL Champions Elm City Express, meanwhile, take the short trip up from New Haven, Connecticut to Ludlow, Massachusetts, where the Western Mass Pioneers await them.

Finally, the Brooklyn Italians, who took down New York Cosmos B in a play-in match, will host Lansdowne Bhoys, holders of the National Amatuer Cup.

Winners from this round will move on to play USL clubs on May 16.

The U.S. Open Cup is the longest running soccer competition in the United States. It has been held every year since 1914. The last non-MLS club to win the competition was the Rochester Rhinos, who last lifted the trophy in 1999.

Here’s the full list of matches:

AFC Ann Arbor vs. Ocean City Nor’easters
Western Mass Pioneers vs. Elm City Express
Long Island Rough Riders vs. Kingston Stockade FC
FC Motown vs. New York Red Bulls U23
Reading United AC vs. Christos FC
Erie Commodores FC vs. Rochester River Dogz
Seacoast United Phantoms vs. Kendall Wanderers
Detroit City FC vs. Michigan Bucks
Brooklyn Italians vs. Lansdowne Bhoys FC
SIMA Aguilas vs. Jacksonville Armada
Charlotte Eagles vs. Inter Nashville FC
Myrtle Beach Mutiny vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC
Miami United FC vs. FC Kendall
New Orleans Jesters vs. Mississippi Brilla FC
Red Force FC vs. Miami FC
FC Wichita vs. OKC Energy U23
Duluth FC vs. Dakota Fusion FC
Midland-Odessa Sockers FC vs. Lakeland Tropics
NTX Rayados vs. Fort Worth Vaqueros
FC Denver vs. Azteca FC
CD Aguiluchos USA vs. San Francisco City FC
FC Golden State Force vs. LA Wolves FC
Orange County FC vs. Santa Ana Winds FC
FC Arizona vs. Sporting AZ FC
FC Tucson vs. La Máquina FC

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