Looks like you can add NY Pancyprian Freedoms (from NYC) and SC Phoenix (from Philadelphia) to the list as Region I USASA representatives. Looking at the list of teams as a whole, I have a feeling travel costs are going to go up on average this year. MLS is skewing westwards, and depending on the reults of this week's matches, possibly only 2 teams will be from the eastern time zone. Meanwhile, in USL Pro, 10 out of the 11 teams are in the eastern timezone.
When are they making the First Round draw? And do we know whether they are grouping the first couple of rounds regionally again? My team (Hollywood United) has qualified, so I guess need to know whether I should be planning a short drive or a flight for the game
I believe last year they announced the pairing on Wednesday June 2. So if they stick to a similar schedule this year, we should hear something around June 1. You can bet they will. It's a foolish waste of money not to make the matchups as regional as possible. Of course, when you get an odd number of teams from one region or another, there's always going to be a few teams that will have to travel a long distance. teams from the west in the first 2 rounds should include: LA Blues a NW PDL team from Oregon or Washington Fresno or Ventura County Fusion Hollywood Doxa Italia (from Orange County) DV8 Defenders (from the SF/SJ area) I'd be pretty surprised if they dug up an opponent for Hollywood from somewhere other than that list of teams above. (You still might get stuck with a trip to Seattle though.) Of course, with only three of those teams advancing to the second round, somebody is guaranteed to get stuck with some long distance travel.
We are looking forward to this weekend's tournament at the U of Alabama. Good chance of rain on Thursday will leave us with wet fields for Friday morning. We will be prepared. Regals FC took a 5 hour road trip to New Orleans last Saturday and beat the PDL Jesters 2-1, that match was the perfect tune-up for this weekend. We look forward to the competition and meeting new friends along the way. http://regalsfc.com
Tomorrow night's Des Moines - KC match will determine one of the PDL Central qualifiers. A win by Des Moines will put them even on points with the Real Colorado Foxes, but Des Moines will have the better GD. A draw or a loss by Des Moines means the Foxes will get the spot.
Very true. Right now both sides have a GD of +7 Des Moines Menace needs a win straight out. A draw or Loss does them no good at all.
Des Moines lost to the KC Brass 2-1, so the Real Colorado Foxes have done what the Colorado Rapids haven't done in 4 years, qualify for the U.S. Open Cup.
The field is getting fuller. MLS: Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Real Salt Lake, Seattle, Chicago, Kansas City USL Pro: Charleston, Charlotte, Dayton, FC New York, Harrisburg, LA Blues, Orlando City, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Rochester, Wilmington PDL: Reading, Real Colorado, Chivas El Paso Patriots, Portland/Kitsap/Tacoma, Fresno/Ventura County, Chicago/Michigan/River City/Indiana, Mississippi/Central Florida, MPS Portland(Maine)/Western Mass, West Virginia/Real Maryland/Carolina USASA: Iowa Menace, AAC Eagles(Chicago), DV8 Defenders(Cali), Doxa Italia(Cali), New York Pancyprian Freedoms, Phoenix(Philadelphia), and 2 southern teams from somewhere between the Carolinas and Texas/Oklahoma NPSL: Madison 56ers, Hollywood United, Brooklyn Italians/Sonic Lehigh Valley, and one southern team from somewhere between Jacksonville and Tulsa. Two midwest MLS teams joined, so with Columbus in there too, one of those three will have to travel east. And with Real Colorado taking one of the midwest PDL spots (I'm pretty sure they're closer to El Paso than Des Moines), it might actually be two of them that have to travel east. I mentioned the 6 west coast teams in a Hollywood United post a few posts ago, and looking at the above list, I see a nice pool of 8 northeast teams that US Soccer could set up for the first 2 rounds: Rochester FC New York Harrisburg Reading Portland/Western Mass New York Pancyprian Freedoms Phoenix Brooklyn Italians/Sonic Lehigh Valley Throw Pittsburgh into the midwest grouping with the Chicago teams. Not sure what you do with Real Colorado. Maybe put them in the midwest if West Virginia makes it and you want to put WV in the same group as Pittsburgh and Dayton. Or match them up with El Paso. Or maybe some Oklahoma team will make it from the USASA or NPSL. Tulsa would at least be a shorter drive than Chicago or Dallas.
Madison 56ers are in Wisconsin. I think that would be a location or an opponent at their home in the mid-west.
I know, I know. But at least they need a mention. If only that Oklahoma City MLS side would've came true.
PDl northeast Division Western Mass pioneers vs. MPS Portland Phoenix on Fri may 27th. If Portland wins or ties there in. W.Mass can only get in if they win
There will be two big races in the other PDL Eastern Conference divisions. Not just tonight's Western Mass/MPS Portland game, but will West Virginia keep their spot, or lose it to either Real Maryland or the Carolina Dynamo. Also in the other Southern Conference division Central Florida Kraze play on Saturday while the Mississippi Brilla will play on Sunday. Big win on Thursday over the Nashville Metros by Brilla. The races are tightening up in the PDL, now we have to see what's going on between the NPSL & USASA as Region III started this morning & tonight Brooklyn Italians are facing Sonic FC of Lehigh Valley.
At 9:42PM EDT The Western Mass. Pioneers defeats MPS Portland/Phoenix 1-0 and do the impossible. MPS needed a draw and never got it, they take the second of three spots for the PDL Eastern Conference.
As always the final weekend of US Open Cup Qualifying will be exciting to see. Hopefully a few PDL sides will clinch some spots today, if not it will be Sunday or Monday.
So besides Western Mass, it looks like Ventura County, Chicago, and Carolina all clinched. Just two spots left for PDL teams. PDL: Reading, Real Colorado, Chivas El Paso Patriots, Ventura County, Chicago, Western Mass, Carolina, Mississippi/Central Florida, Portland/Kitsap
USASA Region III Houston Football Association's ASC New Stars and the Southern Premier Soccer League's Regals FC, also from Houston, have both qualified and will meet at 9AM to battle for the regional championship. These teams are very evenly matched and last met in the finals of the Verizon Copa Alianza in April, where Regals FC secured the victory in the PK shootout.
Thanks for mentioning that the Carolina Dynamo qualified for the 1st Round. Last I checked the website, it was still a three team race in that Third Eastern Division. Checked it out and Carolina was highlighted.
My thoughts on groupings... East (NYRB & Columbus MLS) FC New York, USL Harrisburg, USL Richmond, USL Reading, PDL W Mass, PDL Brooklyn/Sonic, NPSL NY Freedom, USASA Phoenix Philadelphia, USASA Midwest (Chicago, KC MLS) Dayton, USL Pittsburgh, USL Rochester, USL Chicago, PDL Madison, NPSL Chattanooga, NPSL Iowa Menace, USASA AAC, USASA South (Dallas, RSL MLS) Charleston, USL Charlotte, USL Orlando City, USL Williamton, USL Miss / Central Fla PDL Carolina PDL Regals FC (Houston) USASA ASC New Stars (Houston) USASA West (LA Galaxy, Seattle MLS) LA Blues, USL Real Colorado, PDL El Paso, PDL Portland/Kitsap, PDL Fresno/Ventura, PDL Hollywood, NPSL DV8, USASA Doxia, USASA
Possible Pairings based on logical geography East (NYRB & Columbus MLS) FC New York, USL-W Mass, PDL Harrisburg, USL-Reading, PDL Richmond, USL-Phoenix Philadelphia, USASA Brooklyn/Sonic, NPSL-NY Freedom, USASA Midwest (Chicago, KC MLS) Dayton, USL-Chattanooga, NPSL Pittsburgh, USL-Rochester, USL Chicago, PDL-AAC, USASA Madison, NPSL-Iowa Menace, USASA South (Dallas, RSL MLS) Charleston, USL-Williamton, USL Charlotte, USL-Carolina PDL Orlando City, USL- Miss / Central Fla PDL Regals FC (Houston) USASA-ASC New Stars (Houston) USASA West (LA Galaxy, Seattle MLS) LA Blues, USL-Hollywood, NPSL Real Colorado, PDL- El Paso, PDL Portland/Kitsap, PDL-Doxia, USASA Fresno/Ventura, PDL-DV8, USASA
Nashville At Mississippi at 6PM today, Coin flip for the second western Conference spot between Kitsap & Timbers U-23 tomorrow morning. Heads Kitsap wins, Tails Timbers U-23 loses. KIDDING!
I will automatically assume the Kraze & Orlando City will be the Round 1 match up. Both play in the Orlando Area.