Travel won’t be a major concern for the one remaining side trying to make it two-in-row as last year’s participants Miami United FC take on local rivals City Soccer FC. The club’s are separated by only a small distance in South Florida. Both of their captains – Robertino Insua (Miami United FC) and Auner Cobon Escobar (CSFC) – were on hand as invited guests to present the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy on the occasion of the 2023 Final at DRV PNK Stadium on September 27th (pictured above).
Now, they’re both one win away from going on to chase that very prize for themselves.
Amateur Titans & Historic Clubs
There’s a huge contest in the Mid-Atlantic region, where Christos FC – Baltimore-based underdog heroes of the 2017 Open Cup and among the top amateur clubs in the country for the last decade – take on NoVA FC of Leesburg. The Northern Virginians, improving every year, are aiming for a similar status and to make it two trips to the Open Cup in the space of three years.
“We’re definitely looking forward to playing this Christos group – it's always a good battle between the two clubs,” said NoVa FC coach and mastermind Kareem Sheta. “It should be a good entertaining game for people to enjoy.”
Farther north we’ll have another intriguing contest between NY Pancyprian-Freedoms, the Queens-based club who are the only former champion remaining in action this weekend. They’ll take on Massachusetts’ impressive and ever-competitive Brockton FC United, who are taking part in their fourth consecutive Final Round Qualifier, at St. John’s University.
While they can’t match the Pancyprians’ three titles, Pennsylvania’s Vereinigung Erzgebirge have nearly 100 years of history in the American game. And they’ll be keen to reach the Open Cup Proper for the first time since 2022 when they host a powerful New Jersey Alliance FC who routed the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 6-0 in the last Round.
Out west we have Irvine Zeta FC – who’ve scored ten goals in three Qualifiers so far – hosting Temecula FC at Orange County’s Great Park. Both sides are looking to reach a first Open Cup.
The weekend’s competition is rounded out by an all-Texas affair between FORO SC and Alamo City SC and another state derby in Florida, where FC America CFL Spurs host fellow Sunshine Staters Leg-AZ World FC in Lake Mary.
Maduro is a senior reporter at large for usopencup.com.
