Tulsa Athletic are at home again at their spiritual homebase of Hicks Park, site of their surprise win over USL Championship side FC Tulsa in last year’s Open Cup. “Nothing in this sport in our country has as much history and prestige behind it [as the Open Cup],” said club founder and local restaurateur Sonny Dalesandro.
● READ: How Tulsa Athletic Became the Toast of USOC-World
The Tulsans – earners of last year’s $25,000 prize to the Open Division side that reached farthest – aim to tame another pro team in the form of Northern Colorado Hailstorm (USL League One).
Austin FC II, hotshots of MLS NEXT Pro, take on amateur survivors of the Open Division Qualifying Rounds Foro SC (of Dallas). South Georgia Tormenta of USL League One – who were impressive in last year’s run to the Third Round – host Qualifying Round graduates FC America CFL Spurs at their brand-new stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. And finally, regular Open Division qualifiers and former national amateur champions West Chester United SC, led by longtime men’s league legend Blaise Santangelo, will be more than a challenge for NISA pros Maryland Bobcats.
● READ: El Farolito – San Fran OGs & Former Open Cup Cup Champs
The last game on the menu for Day One sees
Timbers2 of MLS Next Pro host NPSL’s
El Farolito – formerly known as C.D. Mexico and champions of the 1993 Open Cup.
Day Two – An Open Cup Classic Revived
The second day of First Round action features
Christos FC – the Baltimore-area amateur all-stars headquartered in a Ferndale liquor store – returning to Richmond, Virginia’s nearly 100-year-old City Stadium to take on USL League One professionals the
Richmond Kickers.
Larry Sancomb is still coaching Christos, same as he was on May 17th, 2017 when his side – in their bright green t-shirts – beat the 1995 Open Cup champion Kickers in a Cupset for the ages to set up a date with MLS’ D.C. United (who Christos briefly led).
● READ: Open Cup REWIND – ‘Lightning in a Bottle’ for 1995 Kickers
“For some of these guys it could be their last run in an Open Cup.” said Sancomb, who’ll be bringing two veterans of that famous run six years ago in midfielders Cody Albrecth and tireless midfielder Dan Baxter. “We have a good mix of younger and older guys – our mix is always good.”
While Ballard FC don’t have any Open Cup pedigree, they do have lofty ambitions. The USL League Two amateurs expect another huge crowd at Seattle’s historic Memorial Stadium when they take on Spokane Velocity of USL League One (also debuting in our tournament). The Ballard men do have the edge of being led by a man with more than his share of Open Cup experience – and medals.
“This competition and its history are immense,” said James Riley, who won all five of the Open Cup Finals he played in (with the Seattle Sounders, New England Revolution and D.C. United). “We’re looking forward to a wild game; anything can happen in the Open Cup.”
March 20th is the longest day of the First Round, with a total of 13 games. Among those is a return to the Open Cup for Chicago House AC. The Windy City amateur club, founded by former Open Cup-winning executive Peter Wilt, reached the Third Round and met his old club (the Chicago Fire of MLS) last year.
With captain AR Smith leading the way on the field and Coach Matt Poland pulling the strings, it would take a brave person to bet against House pulling off a shock against visiting MLS NEXT Pros MNUFC2.
“The Open Cup is this beautiful, chaotic, unpredictable, amazing, wonderful and stressful thing,” said Poland – a young coach destined for the bright lights of bigger stages. “You just never know.”
