Yep, qualifying for the 2007 U.S. Open Cup is set to begin! Opening round matches for Illinois: AAC Eagles vs. HNK Zrinski - October 12 RWB Adria vs. WISLA SAC Dates, time and locations to be announced The qualifiers for Wisconsin should be posted soon as well, their entry forms were due on Sept. 26. Also on the lookout for Massachusetts, Eastern New York, and Eastern Pennsylvania, who also usually start their qualifying in October/November
Ha! I was just cruising through various links on here and remembered that it's nearly time for the NEW cup to start! OK, so I only thought of it a week after you posted. Still, I'm excited again! Another step closer to the 100th Open Cup! Thanks so much for keeping up with this Chuck.
wow, starting already! Any thoughts on the format for next year? We'll still have 12 MLS entrants, but it looks like there will be a few extra USL-1 teams, namely Carolina and California. Hopefully they'll all be allowed to compete. I'd hate to see some USL-1 teams left out again. Let's hope for more upsets in 2007. I think 2006 was only the second time that all 8 quarterfinalists were MLS teams.
Metropolitan DC/Virginia schedule at the bottom of the page? http://www.mdcvsa.org/nationalcup.html I looked at your results from last year on OpenCup.com, and the schedule listed on the above page wouldn't jibe with the results from the '06 cup unless half the bracket dropped out. Which is always possible. I'll not post the bracket and let you confirm. But since last time around, they had their qualifiers in November, this could be an accurate list.
NM. I'm an idiot incapable of reading. That thing at the bottom is a different cup. Oh, well. Guess I got a little too excited.
Eastern Pennsylvania's registration deadline is today, and the draw is supposed to be set on Tuesday.
Yep. It looks like 12 MLS, 10 USL-1st Division, The question will be this for next year. Does all USL-2nd Division Clubs get Automatic Bids and will there be more spots given to PDL & USASA Squads. That will be the questions looming for the Open cup Committiee
You have to think that there is going to be more spots Because USL & next year MLS will have another club coming in and it looks to be things are getting better with pro clubs above PDL. Does this mean there will be a random draw next year? Don't know, but at least this will help with the geography a little bit better now that San Fran is in the mix with that second division spanish club.
Remember, the new MLS club is Canadian. No effect on the Open Cup. ... or are you meaning '08, since this is an OC'07 thread?
Wisconsin qualifying Wednesday, Oct. 25: Croatian Eagles at Milwaukee Kickers, 7 p.m. Winner advances to play Bavarian SC in the final, date TBA.
Where will the Eagles vs. Kickers game be played? I may be able to get down to Milwaukee from Fond du Lac that day.
Thinking about the format for the 2007 USOC, here's a question that may or may not have been answered before: Can the tournament be started a week or three earlier? Instead of starting the first or second week of June, how about the last weekend of May? Or even the next to last weekend of May? It might give the PDL fewer games in which to decide its representatives, but they should still be able to make it work. Starting earlier would help to alleviate fixture congestion later on in the competition, and it would also allow teams an extra 7 or 14 days in which to sell tickets and promote their games. Hmm, I guess the MLS/MFL competition next year is going to take up a few mid-week slots too. That would have to take precedence over the USOC, wouldn't it? If you gave some MLS teams a choice about whether they'd rather host Cruz Azul or Minnesota Thunder, the answer is obvious.
All the European countries that have midweek cup games (which is essentially all of them) have this problem too. Some weeks are domestic cup game weeks, and some are continental competition weeks. I think it can be figured out.
I posted the qualifying info on the website. If anyone has any other qualifying info, please send it our way (Qualifying info is often hard to come by...even by the people running the tournaments). We're still looking for people to contribute to the site, if anyone is interested. Send me a PM if you're interested. Thanks.
The PDL might be able to manage it, but the USASA teams wouldn't. Not all of them, anyway. Region I and maybe II might. But Region III and IV usually hold their tournaments at the same time as other National Cups (Amateur Cup and youth national cup regional tournament). So when that takes place is heavily influenced by the youth side of the equation. At least, that's my (somewhat educated) guess. Looking back at last year, Region I had no Open Cup qualifiers in April, state or regional, so they could certainly (assuming the weather cooperates) move it up a week or two. Region II was already done by May 13. Region IV was done by the 21st. But Region III historically holds their tournament over Memorial Day weekend. I think it'd be like moving a ship to get them to move. Not sure why they hold it then, other than the convenience of the long weekend. Weather would be better in the south if the tournament were held earlier.
The Illinois representative for the 2007 US Open Cup will be decided on what is sure to be a very cold night at Toyota Park on November 8th. Chicago's HNK Zrinski and RWB Adria will face off again to see who goes through to the regional portion of the 2007 US Open Cup. The game is a go for November 8th at 7pm at the home of the defending 2006 US Open Cup champion Chicago Fire, Toyota Park. RWB Adria has qualified on numerous occasions for the US Open Cup, including going to the national semi-finals in 1991 and 1996. For HNK Zrinski, this will be their maiden voyage into the US Open Cup if they do qualify. They reached the USASA Amateur Cup final this past summer in Dallas, TX only to lose in a heartbreaking final to hometown Dallas Azzurri 6-4 in extra time. Good luck to both teams as they try to emulate Chicago Lightning FC's great run in last year's tournament.
Since it looks like there will be two more clubs for USL-1st Division next season I had an idea where they should just scrap the Qualifying round and just create the 5th round and move everyone up. Round 1 will have all 8 USASA clubs while PDL will have nine. 8 in the first round and a ninth in the 2nd. The best club in PDL Qualifying thru record, total points or Goal Differential will take a spot in the 2nd round while the 7 others including the best 3rd place Goal Differential out of the four PDL Conferences will be in the 1st Round. Round 2 will have all USL-2nd clubs from 3rd place till 9th and that Best PDL GD club taking on 1st round winners. Round 3 will have the top two clubs in the USL-2nd Division standings along with the bottom four American clubs plus the two expansion clubs in California & Carolina in the USL-1st Division against 2nd Round Winners. Round 4 will be the four non MLS Playoff teams against the top four American clubs in the standings of the USL-1st Division against Round 3 winners Round 5 will be the 8 remaining MLS clubs. Then Quarters, Semis & Final Time for USL-2nd Division clubs to end their qualifying and be given automatic bids. That's my idea.
Oct. 25: Milwaukee Kickers 2, Croatian Eagles 1 Final Nov. 2: Milwaukee Kickers vs. Milwaukee Bavarians, 7 p.m. at Valley Fields
bavarians are the home team. there have problems with lots of fields in the milwaukee area this fall, from what i hear.
Metro DC/VA schedule DRAW: 1) Atletico Virginia (NVSL) 2) Aegean Hawks FC (WPL) 3) FCS Corinthians (CSL) 4) World Bank (WPL) 5) Real International (CSL) FIRST ROUND Game 1 -- Sunday, Nov. 5 -- 12:00 p.m. -- at Bretton Woods (Md.) [Field to be confirmed] World Bank (H) vs. Real International SEMIFINALS Game 2 -- Time/Date/Site TBD -- [TO BE PLAYED BY NOV. 19] Atletico Virginia vs. Game 1 winner Game 3 -- Time/Date/Site TBD -- [TO BE PLAYED BY NOV. 19] Aegean Hawks vs. FCS Corinthians FINAL Time/Date/Site TBD Semifinal winners KEY NVSL = Northern Virginia Soccer League CSL = Commonwealth Soccer League WPL = Washington Premier League