U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round: The Rise Of USL
By Sean Maslin
While Wednesday was not a good day for the North American Soccer League, it was certainly a good day for the United Soccer League. With 13 teams in action in the third round of the 2015 U.S. Open Cup, the “third division” league of North American soccer saw 7 sides go through to the fourth round. Not bad considering four of their teams were playing one another.
Perhaps the biggest victory for the fledgling soccer league came out of Texas where the Austin Aztex were able to defeat the defending NASL Soccer Bowl Champions, the San Antonio Scorpions. Goals by Mikey Ambrose and Trevor Caesar lifted the Aztex over the Scorpions and gave them the first win in the Hill Country Derby.
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Just slightly north of Texas, another USL side was about to make history. This time it was St. Louis F.C. who beat the newest team in Major League Soccer, Minnesota United 3-1 in penalty kicks.
San Antonio and Minnesota were not the only NASL sides to suffer defeat on Wednesday evening. The Ft. Lauderdale Strikers, Jacksonville Armada, Carolina RailHawks, Indy Eleven, and Tampa Bay Rowdies would all be knocked out of the competition. Only the Atlanta Silverbacks, who beat Chattanooga F.C. in an overtime thriller, and the New York Cosmos, who vanquished NPSL side the Jersey Express, would advance to the fourth round.
Here is the complete list of third round results (courtesy of U.S. Soccer:)
| Date | Game | Time/Result | Venue |
| May 27 | Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) at Chattanooga FC (NPSL) | 1-1, 2-1 AET | Finley Stadium; Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| May 27 | Charlotte Independence (USL) at Carolina RailHawks (NASL) | 1-0 | WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C. |
| May 27 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL) at Charleston Battery (USL) | 2-3 | Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C. |
| May 27 | Louisville City FC (USL) at Indy Eleven (NASL) | 0-0, 2-0 AET | Carroll Stadium; Indianapolis, Ind. |
| May 27 | Jersey Express (PDL) at New York Cosmos (NASL) | 0-3 | Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.); Queens, N.Y. |
| May 27 | Rochester Rhinos (USL) at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL) | 0-0, 3-1 AET | Skyline Sports Complex; Harrisburg, Pa. |
| May 27 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL) at Real Monarchs SLC (USL) | 1-0 | Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah |
| May 27^ | Portland Timbers 2 (USL) at Seattle Sounders 2 (USL) | 1-1, 1-2 AET | Starfire Stadium; Tukwila, Wash. |
| May 27 | Jacksonville Armada (NASL) at Richmond Kickers (USL) | 0-3 | Richmond City Stadium; Richmond, Va. |
| May 27 | Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL) at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL) | 0-1 | Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| May 27 | Minnesota United FC (NASL) at Saint Louis FC (USL) | 1-1, (1-3 PK’s) | St. Louis Soccer Park; Fenton, Mo. |
| May 27 | Austin Aztex (USL) at San Antonio Scorpions (NASL) | 2-0 | Toyota Field; San Antonio, Texas. |
| May 27 | Oklahoma City Energy (USL) at Tulsa Roughnecks (USL) | 1-0 | ONEOK Field; Tulsa, Okla. |
| May 27 | Chula Vista FC (USASA) at Sacramento Republic FC (USL) | 3-7 | Bonney Field; Sacramento, Calif. |
| May 27 | PSA Elite (USASA) at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) | 2-1 | Ventura College Sportsplex; Ventura, Calif. |
In the fourth round, Major League Soccer joins the fun with all 17 U.S.-based teams having matches. Of particular interest should be the New York derby between the New York Cosmos and NYCFC, a Cascadia derby match between the Portland Timbers and the Seattle Sounders, and an affiliate derby between the San Jose Earthquakes and Sacramento Republic FC. Also the lone amateur side still left in the tournament, PSA Elite, taking on the defending MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy.
Here is the full list of matches for the fourht (again, courtesy of U.S. Soccer🙂
| Date | Game | Time/Result | Venue |
| June 16 | Rochester Rhinos (USL) at Philadelphia Union (MLS) | 7:30 p.m. ET | PPL Park; Chester, Pa. |
| June 16 | Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) at New York Red Bulls (MLS) | 7:30 p.m. ET | Red Bull Arena; Harrison, N.J. |
| June 16 | Saint Louis FC (USL) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS) | 7:30 p.m. CT | Sporting Park; Kansas City, Kan. |
| June 16 | Louisville FC (USL) at Chicago Fire (MLS) | 7:30 p.m. CT | Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Ill. |
| June 16 | Oklahoma City Energy (USL) at FC Dallas (MLS) | 8 p.m. CT | TCU Soccer Stadium; Ft. Worth, Texas |
| June 16 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL) at Colorado Rapids (MLS) | 7 p.m. MT | Dick’s Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, Colo. |
| June 16* | Seattle Sounders 2 (USL) at Real Salt Lake (MLS) | 8 p.m. MT | Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah |
| June 16 | Sacramento Republic FC (USL) at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) | 7:30 p.m. PT | Avaya Stadium; San Jose, Calif. |
| June 16 | Portland Timbers (MLS) at Seattle Sounders (MLS) | 7:30 p.m. PT | Starfire Sports Complex; Tukwila, Wash. |
| June 17 | Columbus Crew SC (MLS) at Richmond Kickers (USL) | 7 p.m. ET | Richmond City Stadium; Richmond, Va. |
| June 17 | D.C. United (MLS) at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL) | 7 p.m. ET | Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| June 17* | New York City FC (MLS) at New York Cosmos (NASL) | 7:30 p.m. ET | Shuart Stadium; Hempstead, N.Y. |
| June 17 | Orlando City (MLS) at Charleston Battery (USL) | 7:30 p.m. ET | Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C. |
| June 17 | Charlotte Independence (USL) at New England Revolution (MLS) | 7:30 p.m. ET | Soldiers Field (Harvard Univ.); Boston, Mass. |
| June 17* | Austin Aztex (USL) at Houston Dynamo (MLS) | 8 p.m. CT | BBVA Compass Stadium; Houston, Texas |
| June 17 | PSA Elite (USASA) at LA Galaxy (MLS) | 7:30 p.m. PT | StubHub Center; Carson, Calif. |