The USSF has announced the Preliminary, First, and Second Round pairings for the 2015 U.S. Open Cup: http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/04/08/14/20/150408-usoc-schedule-announcement
Home team first. Times are EDT Preliminary Round Saturday, April 25 Harpo's FC (CO) (USSSA) v. KC Athletics (USASA) 5:00 pm San Francisco City FC (USCS) v. Cal FC (USASA) 6:00 pm First Round Wednesday, May 13 West Virginia Chaos (PDL) v. Fort Pitt Regiment (NPSL) 7:00 pm Western Mass. Pioneers (PDL) v. Greater Binghamton FC Thunder (NPSL) 7:00 pm Lansing United (NPSL) v. RWB Adria (IL) (USASA) 7:00 pm Miami United (NPSL) v. SW Florida Adrenaline (PDL) 7:00 pm Upward Star (CT) (NPSL) v. Triangle Brigade (NC) (USASA) 7:00 pm AC Connecticut (PDL) v. Virginia Beach City FC (NPSL) 7:00 pm Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) v. Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) 7:30 pm Michigan Bucks (PDL) v. Detroit City FC (NPSL) 7:30 pm Chattanooga FC (NPSL) v. Ocala Stampede (PDL) 7:30 pm Jersey Express (PDL) v. New York Greek American Atlas (USASA) 8:00 pm Maryland Bays (USASA) v. Reading United A.C. (PDL) 8:00 pm Global Premier Soccer (MA) (USASA) v. Seacoast United Phantoms (NH) (PDL) 8:00 pm Des Moines Menace (PDL) v. Madison Fire (USASA) 8:30 pm Midland/Odessa Sockers (PDL) v. Tulsa Athletics (NPSL) 8:30 pm Laredo Heat (PDL) v. NTX Rayados (USASA) 9:15 pm BYU Cougars (PDL) v. KC Athletics (USASA)/Harpo’s FC (USSSA) winner 9:30 pm FC Tucson (PDL) v. Chula Vista FC (USASA) 9:30 pm FC Tacoma 253 (NPSL) v. Kitsap Pumas (PDL) 9:30 pm Sonoma County Sol (NPSL) v. Burlingame Dragons (CA) (PDL) 10:00 pm Ventura County Fusion (PDL) v. Cal FC (USASA)/San Francisco City FC (US Club Soccer) winner 10:00 pm PSA Elite (CA) (USASA) v. Golden State Misioneros FC (PDL) 9:00 pm Second Round Pairing without regard to hosts. Wednesday, May 20 Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL) v. Fort Pitt Regiment (NPSL)/West Virginia Chaos (PDL) winner Wilmington Hammerheads (USL) v. Ocala Stampede (PDL)/Chattanooga FC (NPSL) winner Richmond Kickers (USL) v. AC Connecticut (PDL)/Virginia Beach City FC (NPSL) winner Rochester Rhinos (USL) v. Greater Binghamton FC Thunder (NPSL)/Western Mass. Pioneers (PDL) winner Louisville City FC (USL) v. Lansing United (NPSL)/RWB Adria (USASA) winner Harrisburg City Islanders (USL) v. Reading United A.C. (PDL)/Maryland Bays (USASA) winner Charleston Battery (USL) v. SW Florida Adrenaline (PDL)/Miami United (NPSL) winner Charlotte Independence (USL) v. Triangle Brigade (USASA)/Upward Star (NPSL) winner Portland Timbers 2 (USL) v. Detroit City FC (NPSL)/Michigan Bucks (PDL) winner Real Monarchs SLC (USL) v. Long Island Rough Riders (PDL)/Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) winner New York Red Bulls II (USL) v. Jersey Express (PDL)/New York Greek American Atlas (USASA) winner Tulsa Roughnecks (USL) v. Global Premier Soccer (USASA)/Seacoast United Phantoms (PDL) winner Saint Louis FC (USL) v. Madison Fire (USASA)/Des Moines Menace (PDL) winner Oklahoma City Energy (USL) v. Midland/Odessa Sockers (PDL)/Tulsa Athletics (NPSL) winner Austin Aztex (USL) v. NTX Rayados (USASA)/Laredo Heat (PDL) winner Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL) v. KC Athletics (USASA)/Harpo’s FC (USSSA)/BYU Cougars (PDL) winner Orange County Blues (USL) v. PSA Elite (USASA)/Golden State Misioneros FC (PDL) winner Arizona United SC (USL) v. Chula Vista FC (USASA)/FC Tucson (PDL) winner LA Galaxy II (USL) v. Cal FC (USASA)/San Francisco City FC (US Club Soccer)/Ventura County Fusion (PDL) winner Sacramento Republic FC (USL) v. Burlingame Dragons (PDL)/Sonoma County Sol (NPSL) winner Seattle Sounders 2 (USL) v. Kitsap Pumas (PDL)/FC Tacoma 253 (NPSL) winner
So the winners of 9 of those games will be matched up with NASL teams. And then 6 will match winners from the 2nd round. For 4th round, 15 match winners face off against 15 MLS teams. Extra 2 MLS teams play each other, for an even 16 matches for tournament setup going forward. Crazy how perfectly the math works out.
When you start with 16 and work backwards it is amazing what you can make work. 44 amateur teams 21 USL 9 NASL 17 MLS Turns into rounds of 2 games 21 games 21 games 15 games 16 games
So ... just looking ahead ... here's what I am "guessing" (and that's all it is, a guess) at to possible pairings for the next 2 rounds (basically enough to envolve every team) ... to avoid saving space, I'm just going to start with the USL teams ... if they get beat before then, then they'd obviously be replaced. I tried my best to keep teams away from their affiliates (and obviously their reserve squads). Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs Harrisburg City Islanders ... winner to play NYRB Carolina RailHawks vs Wilmington Hammerheads ... winner to play DC United St. Louis FC vs Minnesota United ... winner to play Chicago Fire (would love it to be SKC, but trying to be unbiased) Indy Eleven vs Louisville City FC ... winner to play Columbus Crew NYRBII vs NY Cosmos ... winner to play NYCFC Atlanta Silverbacks vs Charlotte Independence ... winner to play Sporting KC Charleston Battery vs Jacksonville Armada FC ... winner to play NE Revolution Ft. Lauderdale Strikers vs Richmond Kickers ... winner to play Orlando City SC Tampa Bay Rowdies vs Rochester Rhinos ... winner to play Philadelphia Union Arizona United SC vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks ... winner to play Colorado Rapids Tulsa Roughnecks vs Oklahoma City Energy ... winner to play FC Dallas Austin Aztex vs SA Scorpions ... winner to play Houston Dynamo Sounders 2 vs Timbers II ... winner to play Real Salt Lake Orange Co Blues vs LA Galaxy II ... winner to play San Jose Earthquake Sacramento Republic vs Real Monarchs ... winner to play Seattle Sounders Portland Timbers vs LA Galaxy (2 MLS teams will be paired up for the 16th match for the 4th round). Obviously, it makes more sense to have the 2 MLS teams to play each other come from the west. These are all just guess's ... but I think they make a lot of sense with obviously some exceptions in the east since there are more MLS teams in the North East and more USL/NASL teams in the southeast, something has to give ... but I tried to match potential rivals as best as I could to help build up the drama/marketing efforts/etc.
Preliminary Round Saturday, April 25 Harpo's FC (CO) (USSSA) 2-0 KC Athletics (USASA) San Francisco City FC (USCS) 1-2 Cal FC (USASA) Updated First Round Wednesday, May 13 West Virginia Chaos (PDL) v. Fort Pitt Regiment (NPSL) 7:00 pm Western Mass. Pioneers (PDL) v. Greater Binghamton FC Thunder (NPSL) 7:00 pm Lansing United (NPSL) v. RWB Adria (IL) (USASA) 7:00 pm Miami United (NPSL) v. SW Florida Adrenaline (PDL) 7:00 pm Upward Star (CT) (NPSL) v. Triangle Brigade (NC) (USASA) 7:00 pm AC Connecticut (PDL) v. Virginia Beach City FC (NPSL) 7:00 pm Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) v. Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) 7:30 pm Michigan Bucks (PDL) v. Detroit City FC (NPSL) 7:30 pm Chattanooga FC (NPSL) v. Ocala Stampede (PDL) 7:30 pm Jersey Express (PDL) v. NY Greek American Atlas (USASA) 8:00 pm Maryland Bays (USASA) v. Reading United A.C. (PDL) 8:00 pm Global Premier Soccer (MA) (USASA) v. Seacoast United Phantoms (NH) (PDL) 8:00 pm Des Moines Menace (PDL) v. Madison Fire (USASA) 8:30 pm Midland/Odessa Sockers (PDL) v. Tulsa Athletics (NPSL) 8:30 pm Laredo Heat (PDL) v. NTX Rayados (USASA) 9:15 pm BYU Cougars (PDL) v. Harpo’s FC (USSSA) 9:30 pm FC Tucson (PDL) v. Chula Vista FC (USASA) 9:30 pm FC Tacoma 253 (NPSL) v. Kitsap Pumas (PDL) 9:30 pm Sonoma County Sol (NPSL) v. Burlingame Dragons (CA) (PDL) 10:00 pm Ventura County Fusion (PDL) v. Cal FC (USASA) 10:00 pm PSA Elite (CA) (USASA) v. Golden State Misioneros FC (PDL) 10:00 pm
If whichever Michigan-based amateur side defeats Portland Timbers 2, that might jumble the East-West balance a little more.
Yeah, completely ... you have situations like Tulsa Roughnecks vs a team from the North East that could shift things. The point of what I was doing was to look at potential regional matchups in the 3rd round ... knowing that "upsets" in the 2nd round could change things drastically.
Ofcourse not ... teams probably shouldn't look ahead to the next opponent ... it's probably not a big deal if fans look ahead to potential future opponents. And I'm positive me looking at it didn't negatively effect anyone that posts on this blog. But judging by your question, maybe it did ... hope it wasn't too outrageous for you!
Here's the first installment of my ever popular* league ELO rankings. There were no actual changes in the preliminary round, since USASA, USSSA, and US Club Soccer are all combined into one for the purposes of these rankings. This is the starting point for the rest of the season, and I'll do my best to update it between each and every round. *not at all true Some basic info, for those who want it: 1. These rankings use all USOC games since 1996 to determine the relative strengths of the leagues. The names used below just represent the current names of leagues at that level. In reality the leagues have changed around a lot, and what is now NASL used to be USL D-1, and the A League before it. Similarly for all the other levels. 2. There are bound to be mistakes back in the history, but the beauty of ELO rankings is that they are self-correcting over time, so the "actual strengths" probably aren't too far off from this right now, even with errors in older competitions. 3. The actual results used are as follows: a. Game finishes in regulation with a result: goals scored b. Game finishes after extra time with a result: goals scored c. Game goes to penalty kicks: goals scored before the penalty kicks. The game is "recorded" as a tie. 4. A home team has its rating raised by 100, and the change in ratings for each of the teams is calculated based on the result of the game, and the relative difference between the two ratings. This means that currently, we would expect an NASL team hosting an MLS team to be slightly in favor of the MLS team, but not significantly so. 5. The average change in score for any individual game is about 7. This means that one league goes up by 7, and the other down by 7. 6. There is no way to account for the fact that many MLS teams play 'B' or 'C' sides in the first few rounds they participate. I can only base it on the teams fielded. RoundMLSNASLUSLPDLNPSLUSASA/etc 2014177416401576137713331301
Thank you for bumping the topic because I wasn't thinking about when the U.S. Open Cup starts. Will there be online streams of any games tomorrow?
I haven't seen a comprehensive list but people have been tweeting stream info at this hashtag: #USOC2015
The Chattanooga FC - Ocala Stampede game should be streamed (as all CFC games are streamed). Great production value for the NPSL IMO. Here is the link:
Sonoma County Sol vs Burlingame Dragons (Earthquakes PDL) supposedly via Ustream link here: http://m.ustream.tv/recorded/620900...cial&utm_content=20150512231006&rmalang=en_US
http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...s-full-swing-wednesday-21-first-round-matches Here is an article from MLS that lists games that will be streamed. There may be more: Ocala Stampede (PDL) at Chattanooga Football Club (NPSL) – 7:30 pm ET - Chattanooga FC YouTube Detroit City FC (NPSL) at Michigan Bucks (PDL) – 7:30 pm ET - buckssoccer.com Madison Fire Soccer Club (USASA) at Des Moines Menace (PDL) – 8:30 pm ET -menacesoccer.com Tulsa Athletics (NPSL) at Midland/Odessa Sockers (PDL) – 8:30 pm ET - sockersfc.org NTX Rayados Academy (USASA) at Laredo Heat (PDL) – 9:15 pm ET - Laredo Heat SC YouTube Harpo’s FC (USASA) at BYU Cougars men’s soccer (PDL) – 9:30 pm ET - BYU Men's Soccer Kitsap Pumas SC (PDL) at FC Tacoma 253 (NPSL) – 10:00 pm ET - fctacoma253.com Cal FC (USASA) at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) – 10:00 pm ET - Ventura County Fusion YouTube Chula Vista Futbol Club (USASA) at FC Tucson (PDL) – 10:30 pm ET - FC Tucson YouTube
The Athletics Armory @AthleticsArmory · 2h 2 hours ago Come watch @TTownSoccer triumph in the @usopencup at @ArniesBar. https://www.facebook.com/events/878409092181858/… Tulsa Roughnecks FC @RoughnecksFC · 14h 14 hours ago It's the Roughnecks vs @LAGalaxyII Wednesday night at 9:30PM. @JoeMommasTulsa is hosting our official Watch Party! https://www.facebook.com/events/785784868186416/… In a twisted bit of irony, the Athletics' US Open Cup game at Midland/Odessa will be streamed over at Arnie's bar in downtown Tulsa at 7:30pm while the Tulsa Roughnecks FC USL game at Los Dos will be streamed starting at 9:30pm Central time over at Joe Mamma's Pizza. The party at Arnie's, which technically starts at 5:30, two hours prior to game time, happens to be approximately 341 feet away from Joe Mammas. $3 Killians Red Ale to all who wear Tulsa Athletics or Armory attire. Hopefully, Arnie's will have their signature "Soup of the Day" available for this evening's match... lol.
People need to learn how to spell Binghamton. thecup.us spelled it Binghampton (with an extra letter) and http://www.ussoccer.com/lamar-hunt-us-open-cup/open-cup-tournaments/2015-usoc/first-round called it Birmingham. Greater Binghamton's game just started extra time tied at 1. Host Western Massachusetts had a player ejected in the 57th minute according to www.flashscore.com.
Here's the 1st round update of my ever popular* league ELO rankings. *not at all true Some basic info, for those who want it: 1. These rankings use all USOC games since 1996 to determine the relative strengths of the leagues. The names used below just represent the current names of leagues at that level. In reality the leagues have changed around a lot, and what is now NASL used to be USL D-1, and the A League before it. Similarly for all the other levels. 2. There are bound to be mistakes back in the history, but the beauty of ELO rankings is that they are self-correcting over time, so the "actual strengths" probably aren't too far off from this right now, even with errors in older competitions. 3. The actual results used are as follows: a. Game finishes in regulation with a result: goals scored b. Game finishes after extra time with a result: goals scored c. Game goes to penalty kicks: goals scored before the penalty kicks. The game is "recorded" as a tie. 4. A home team has its rating raised by 100, and the change in ratings for each of the teams is calculated based on the result of the game, and the relative difference between the two ratings. This means that currently, we would expect an NASL team hosting an MLS team to be slightly in favor of the MLS team, but not significantly so. 5. The average change in score for any individual game is about 7. This means that one league goes up by 7, and the other down by 7. 6. There is no way to account for the fact that many MLS teams play 'B' or 'C' sides in the first few rounds they participate. I can only base it on the teams fielded. RoundMLSNASLUSLPDLNPSLUSASA/etc 2014177416401576137713331301 R1177416401576137313141324 A couple of upsets to close out the night caused the USASA/etc to have a nice big uptick for the round. In the round where they are supposed to have the biggest gains, PDL actually drops some, which doesn't bode well for their rating by the end of this year, since they will likely be up against professional competition from here on.
http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2015/05/14/01/58/150513-usoc-first-round-round-up-rel recaps the games. The advancing clubs were 11 from the PDL, 7 from NPSL, 2 from the USASA, and 1 from USSSA. The eliminated clubs were 8 from the PDL, 8 from the USASA, and 5 from the NPSL. The advancing percentages were: PDL: 57.9% (11/19) NPSL: 58.3% (7/12) USASA and USSSA: 27.3% (3/11) @aperfectring Given your rankings before yesterday, how many clubs from each league would you have expected to advance? The PDL, NPSL, and USASA and USSSA were in opposite order in percent of clubs advancing and in ELO point change. I know that the USASA and USSSA clubs were expected to do the worst and could gain points while advancing less than half the time, but I'm still surprised. Edit: A third of the games went to penalty kicks.
As far as I could tell head to head PDL vs. NPSL NPSL 3 wins, PDL 5 wins; 2 games ended in draws with both the NPSL team advancing on PKs. So a very 50/50 record in terms of teams advancing. FIRST ROUND AWAY TEAM SCORE HOME TEAM Fort Pitt Regiment (NPSL) 0:1 West Virginia Chaos (PDL) Greater Binghamton FC Thunder (NPSL) 1:1 (4:3 PK) Western Mass Pioneers (PDL) SW Florida Adrenaline (PDL) 1:2 Miami United (NPSL) Virginia Beach City FC (NPSL) 3:2 AC Connecticut (PDL) Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) 1:3 Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) Detroit City FC (NPSL) 0:3 Michigan Bucks (PDL) Ocala Stampede (PDL) 1:1 (3:5 PK) Chattanooga FC (NPSL) Tulsa Athletics (NPSL) 1:3 Midland/Odessa Sockers (PDL) Kitsap Pumas (PDL) 5:2 FC Tacoma 253 (NPSL) Burlingame Dragons (PDL) 1:2 (AET) Sonoma County Sol (NPSL)
The bigger factor, as usual in the Open Cup, is who was the home team. Overall in this round home teams went 15-6 on advancement. In those NPSL v. PDL games, the home teams went 7-3 on advancement, pretty much identical to the overall rate. Notably, two of the USASA/USSSA teams that advanced did it on the road. The other 4 successful road teams were evenly split between the NPSL and the PDL.
30 meetings between NPSL and PDL since 2011, if my math is right. PDL teams are 17-10-3 and have advanced in 18 of 30 matchups (60%). And home teams have advanced in 19 of the 30 matchups.
That's a bit tough of a call to make. USASA/USSSA hosting a PDL team would have been expected to be close to a coin flip. Basically, though, if a rating stays the same (or close to it) like PDL's did, then they performed as expected. If their score goes down, like NPSL's did, they underperformed. If their score goes up, like USASA's did, they overperformed in general. I went through and tallied up the overall scores between each group for the round, and came up with the following table. A positive number means the team on the left performed better, a negative number means the team at the top did. PDL NPSL USASA PDL 0 +13.6 -17.4 NPSL -13.6 0 -5.6 USASA +17.4 +5.6 0 Basically, USASA overperformed against both PDL and NPSL (there were only 2 games between USASA and NPSL). PDL beat up on NPSL, but underperformed against USASA. NPSL underperformed against everyone. These ratings differences include goal differential, so PSA Elite's massive win at home (+16.1) contributed almost the entirety of the gains USASA had over PDL. Chula Vista's away win (+10.9) also really helped them out.