2020 U.S. Open Cup: New Faces and New Places in First Qualifying Round

Regional Qualifying for the 2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, U.S. Soccer’s National Championship, begins this weekend with 40 first-round qualification games on September 21 and 22. North Texas-based bosses NTX Rayados begin their quest to quality for a ninth consecutive U.S. Open Cup tournament appearance, and will be in action along with South Florida-based Florida Soccer Soldiers, the darlings from the 2019 edition of the tournament. FC Denver and newly-combined FC Boulder Harpos will face off in Colorado, while Cal FC is back, again, and Contra Costa FC looks for new respect against a familiar foe in Oakland.

EAST REGION: Maryland-Based Clubs Pushing for Recognition

There is a mix of young and old in the Northeast Region this year with games stretching from Maryland to Massachusetts. Maryland-based Germantown City FC and FC Millennium International enter the tournament for the first time, while the 2018 amateur national champions, Lansdowne Bhoys (now Lansdowne Yonkers FC) is looking to make a new name for itself.

In the heart of Pittsburgh at Shady Side Academy, Germantown City FC makes its Open Cup debut when the club lines up against Steel FC on Saturday. Backed by one of the fastest-growing supporters groups in Maryland, Germantown City FC claimed the UPSL Mid-Atlantic North Division during the 2019 Spring Season.

“We’re excited for Germantown and the club. This means a lot to our fans, and to the players that have been working hard. The fans, they can’t wait. They’re so excited,” said Edwin Balomar, the owner of Germantown City FC. “We have to step on the field and make sure we do a good job. This is huge for us. For Germantown and the club, we have a lot of youth players (and) they’re excited, the kids are excited, and they can’t wait for us to play.”

Elsewhere in the Northeast region, Danehy Park in Cambridge, Mass., again plays host to Bay State Soccer League (BSSL) power Kendall Wanderers FC in a U.S. Open Cup qualifier, this time against futsal wizards Safira FC, and Lansdowne Yonkers FC – two years removed from their amateur cup glory – travel to New Jersey to take on Clifton Elite FC. Big names like Christos FC (Md.) and three-time champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms have first-round byes.

Date	Game (home team listed first)	Time	Venue
Sept. 21	Kendall Wanderers (Mass.) vs. Safira FC (Mass.)	12 p.m. ET	Danehy Park, Field 3; Cambridge, Mass.
Sept. 21*	Juve-Pro Soccer (Mass.) vs. Brockton FC United (Mass.)	3 p.m. ET	Taunton Sports Soccer Club; Taunton, Mass.
Sept. 21	SOCA (Va.) vs. World Class Premier Elite FC (Md.)	7 p.m. ET	Charlottesville High School, Stadium Turf Field; Charlottesville, Va.
Sept. 21	Steel FC (Pa.) vs. Germantown City FC (Md.)	7:45 p.m. ET	Shady Side Academy; Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sept. 22	CSA Westchester (N.J.) vs. Jackson Lions FC (N.J.)	12 p.m. ET	Ramapo College of New Jersey; Mahwah, N.J.
Sept. 22	Steel Pulse FC (Md.) vs. Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (Pa.)	2 p.m. ET	Troy Park; Elkridge, Md.
Sept. 22	Danubia Swabian (Pa.) vs. West Chester United (Pa.)	2:30 p.m. ET	Rosemont College, Main Varsity Field; Bryn Mawr, Pa.
Sept. 22	Ukrainian Nationals (Pa.) vs. Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.)	3 p.m. ET	Ukrainian American Sports Center, Main Turf Field; North Wales, Pa.
Sept. 22	FC Millennium International (Md.) vs. CD Huateras (Va.)	6 p.m. ET	Heurich Community Park, Turf Field; Hyattsville, Md.
Sept. 22	Doradus FC (Va.) vs. Alianza Futbol Club (Va.)	6 p.m. ET	Howison Homestead Soccer Complex; Woodbridge, Va.
Sept. 22	Clifton Elite FC (N.J.) vs. Lansdowne Yonkers FC (N.Y.)	8:15 p.m. ET	Athenia Steel Recreation Complex; Clifton, N.J.

*Time and venue changed 9/17
First Round Byes (5): Christos FC (Md.); Federal City Wanderers (D.C.); New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.); United German Hungarians (Pa.); Virginia United (Va.)

CENTRAL REGION: More Than One North Texas Club Eyeing a Deep Run

The Central Region is spread out from Michigan to West Texas and South Florida, with 10 of the teams in action hailing from the Lone Star State. North Texas-based NTX Rayados – regular contenders in the early stages of the Open Cup the last eight years – take on FC Fort Worth on Saturday, while Fort Worth-based Inocentes FC travels to play Lone Star Republic in Addison, Texas, on Sunday.

“Making a run in the Open Cup is the objective. Hopefully, we can do something similar to what Florida Soccer Soldiers did last year, and NTX Rayados has been doing for a decade,” said Inocentes FC general manager Mario Alcala, who has guided Inocentes FC to back-to-back United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) Central Conference titles. “NTX have earned that right to be top dogs in Texas. I think they’ve shown that Open Cup season is when they put together their ‘A’ squad, but the way I look at it is they’ve never had to play the best competition because this is our first time participating. I think this year, it’s fair to say, that the team that comes out of Texas will be the best in Texas.”

NTX Rayados, comprised of local schoolteachers, administrators and young Community College graduates, qualified for their eighth consecutive Open Cup last year, advancing to a matchup against OKC Energy (USL) in the Second Round.

The other marquee games in the Central Region are Florida Soccer Soldiers vs. Red Force FC in Miramar, Fla., and Coyotes FC vs. San Antonio Runners SC in Temple, Texas. Ann Arbor FC (Mich.), Nashville United (Tenn.) and Springfield FC (Ill.) each have a bye to the second round of qualifying.

Date	Game (home team listed first)	Time	Venue
Sept. 21	Celtic Cowboys Premier (Texas) vs. Central Texas Lobos (Texas)	12 p.m. CT	Onion Creek Soccer Complex, Field ; Austin, Texas
Sept. 21^	Atletico Miami CF (Fla.) vs. Miami United FC U23 (Fla.)	4:30 p.m. ET	Jr. Orange Bowl Stadium - Ives Estates Park; Miami, Fla.
Sept. 21	NTX Rayados (Texas) vs. FC Fort Worth Soccer Club (Texas)	5 p.m. CT	Premier Park, Field 1; Balch Springs, Texas
Sept. 21	Club ATLetic (Ga.) vs. Georgia Revolution FC Reserves (Ga.)	7 p.m. ET	Dunwoody Springs Elementary School; Sandy Spring, Ga.
Sept. 21	Coyotes FC (Texas) vs. San Antonio Runners (Texas)	7 p.m. CT	Holy Trinity Catholic High School, Field 1; Temple, Texas
Sept. 21	Louisiana Krewe FC (La.) vs. Northshore United (La.)	7 p.m. CT	St. Thomas More Catholic High School; Lafayette, La.
Sept. 21	Hurricane FC (Fla.) vs. International Soccer Association (Fla.)	8 p.m. ET	Seacrest Soccer Complex, Field 1; Delray Beach, Fla.
Sept. 22	Lone Star Republic (Texas) vs. Inocentes Futbol Club (Texas)	2 p.m. CT	The Greenhill School, Frankel Field; Addison, Texas
Sept. 22	Charleston United (S.C.) vs. Soda City Sorinex FC (S.C.)	4 p.m. ET	Drayton Hall Elementary School; Charleston, S.C.
Sept. 22	Deportivo Lake Mary (Fla.) vs. Orlando FC Wolves (Fla.)	5:30 p.m. ET	Sylvan Lake Park; Sanford, Fla.
Sept. 22	Florida Soccer Soldiers (Fla.) vs. Red Force FC (Fla.)	6 p.m. ET	Miramar Regional Park; Miramar, Fla.
Sept. 22	Livonia City FC (Mich.) vs. Wayne County Sporting (Mich.)	8:30 p.m. ET	Schoolcraft College; Livonia, Mich.
Sept. 22*	Athletic Katy FC (Texas) vs. Houston FC (Texas)	POSTPONED	Campbell Road Sports Park Stadium; Houston, Texas

*Time and venue updated 9/13
^ Venue updated 9/17
First Round Byes (3): Ann Arbor FC (Mich.); Nashville United (Tenn.); Springfield FC (Ill.)

WEST REGION: Marquee Match-ups from Colorado to California

The action could get wild in the West Region as a tournament-record 16 qualifying round games will be played this weekend in the West Region from Colorado to California. Two of Colorado’s biggest clubs – FC Denver and FC Boulder Harpos – will square off for bragging rights, while Cal FC returns to participate for a fifth time since 2012, and Northern California’s quickly rising club, Contra Costa FC, travels to the East Bay to play Oakland Stompers.

Already the central character in the fabled tale of ‘The Little Club That Could’, Cal FC returns to regional qualifying for a second consecutive year following a two-year hiatus. Everything changed for the club with the Cinderella run in 2012, and the ball starts again with a game against Quickening FC in Lancaster, Calif. on Sunday.

FC Denver meets FC Boulder Harpos – which recently reconciled their once-considerable differences to combine efforts – in Aurora, Colo., on Saturday, and Santa Monica United FC travels to take on Oxnard Guerreros at Del Sol Stadium on Sunday.

Contra Costa FC, which dominated the 2019 Spring Season table in the UPSL’s Wild West Conference, takes on Oakland Stompers at Raimondi Park.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to participate in this prestigious competition this year. The Oakland Stompers are a solid group with a deep history, and CCFC hopes to have a few stories to tell one day as well," Contra Costa FC head coach Derricke Brown said. “We know the Stompers will be ready to play. We have to manage our nerves and put in a solid performance to give ourselves a chance.”

Rounding out the top games in the West Region on Sunday, San Juan FC hosts IPS/Marathon Taverna in Merriman, Utah, and GAM United FC hosts FC Union Jerez in Denver.

Date	Game (home team listed first)	Time	Venue
Sept. 21	Chula Vista FC (Calif.) vs. Rebels Soccer Club (Calif.)	4:30 p.m. PT	Terra Nova Park; Chula Vista, Calif.
Sept. 21*	FC Denver (Colo.) vs. FC Boulder Harpos (Colo.)	7 p.m. MT	Aurora Sports Park, Field 4; Aurora, Colo.
Sept. 21	Logroñes Denver Soccer Club (Colo.) vs. Colorado Rovers (Colo.)	7:30 p.m. MT	North Stadium/1st Bank Field; Denver, Colo.
Sept. 21	USA Soccer Stars FC (Calif.) vs. Alta California Sol (Calif.)	7 p.m. PT	Lake Forest Sports Park, Field B; Lake Forest, Calif.
Sept. 21	Newport FC (Calif.) vs. SC Trojans FC (Calif.)	7 p.m. PT	Orange County Great Park, Field 15; Irvine, Calif.
Sept. 21	L.A. Monsters FC (Calif.) vs. Valley United SC (Calif.)	7:30 p.m. PT	Orange County Great Park, Field 19; Irvine, Calif.
Sept. 21	Real San Jose (Calif.) vs. Outbreak FC (Calif.)	7:30 p.m. PT	PAL Stadium; San Jose, Calif.
Sept. 21	Oakland Stompers (Calif.) vs. Contra Costa FC (Calif.)	8:30 p.m. PT	Raimondi Park; Oakland, Calif.
Sept. 22	San Juan FC (Utah) vs. IPS/Marathon Taverna (Ore.)	1 p.m. MT	Zions Bank Stadium; Herriman, Utah
Sept. 22	Athletic Club of Sloan's Lake (Colo.) vs. Azteca FC (Colo.)	2 p.m. MT	Lakewood Memorial Field; Lakewood, Colo.
Sept. 22	Colorado Rush (Colo.) vs. Club El Azul (Colo.)	3 p.m. MT	Addenbrooke Park; Lakewood, Colo.
Sept. 22	Quickening (Calif.) vs. Cal FC (Calif.)	2 p.m. PT	Lancaster National Soccer Center, Field 33; Lancaster, Calif.
Sept. 22	Gam United FC (Colo.) vs. FC Union Jerez (Colo.)	4 p.m. MT	Lowry Sports Complex Park, Turf Field 2; Denver, Colo.
Sept. 22	Oxnard Guerreros FC (Calif.) vs. Santa Monica United FC (Calif.)	6:30 p.m. PT	Del Sol Stadium; Oxnard, Calif.
Sept. 22	Academica SC (Calif.) vs. PV United (Calif.)	7 p.m. PT	Our Lady of the Assumption Park; Turlock, Calif.
Sept. 22	JASA RWC (Calif.) vs. Olympic Club (Calif.)	7 p.m. PT	Red Morton Community Park, Bechet Field; Redwood City, Calif.

* Venue updated 9/13
First Round Byes: None