The first round is officially in the books, and the second round matchups for the 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup are all squared away.
Forty-two teams from the USL, NPSL, PDL and amateur ranks will meet in the second round next Wednesday, with the 21 winners set to advance to the third round, where American NASL teams will enter the tournament. American MLS teams will begin their Open Cup runs in the fourth round on June 15.
Unlike their league brethren, USL teams owned or operated by MLS clubs will not enter the Open Cup in the second round, as they are barred from participating in the tournament. USL teams that are merely affiliated with MLS clubs can compete in the tournament, however, and they’ll all begin play in the second round.
Several interesting matchups highlight the second round slate, with Colorado Rapids USL affiliate Charlotte Independence set for a crosstown derby with PDL side Charlotte Eagles and the Seattle Sounders U-23 side (allowed in the Open Cup despite their MLS affiliation because of their amateur status) scheduled to battle fellow Seattle-area PDL team Kitsap Pumas.
The Open Cup is an annual knockout tournament open all US clubs, amateur or professional, that was first played in 1914. Sporting Kansas City are the defending champions after defeating the Philadelphia Union in a penalty shootout in the 2015 final. The tournament winners qualify for the following year's CONCACAF Champions League.
Here is the complete schedule for the 2016 US Open Cup second round. Third round hosting scenarios can be found here.
- Harrisburg City Islanders (USL) at West Chester United SC (Pa./USASA) – 7 pm ET
- Indy Eleven NPSL at FC Cincinnati (USL) – 7 pm ET
- Charlotte Independence (USL) at Charlotte Eagles (PDL) – 7 pm ET
- Aromas Café FC (Va./USASA) at Richmond Kickers (USL) – 7 pm ET
- Miami Fusion FC (NPSL) at Wilmington Hammerheads (USL) – 7 pm ET
- Detroit City FC (NPSL) at Louisville City FC (USL) – 7 pm ET
- Southie FC (Mass./USASA) at Rochester Rhinos (USL) – 7 pm ET
- Landsdowne Bhoys FC (N.Y./USASA) at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL) – 7 pm ET
- The Villages SC (PDL) at Charleston Battery (USL) – 7:30 pm ET
- Reading United AC (PDL) at Chattanooga FC (NPSL) – 7:30 pm ET
- Jersey Express (PDL) at New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y./USASA) – 7:30 pm ET
- AFC Cleveland (NPSL) at Saint Louis FC (USL) – 8 pm ET
- OKC Energy FC (USL) at Mississippi Brilla FC (PDL) – 8 pm ET
- Corinthians FC of San Antonio (NPSL) at San Antonio FC (USL) – 8:30 pm ET
- Tulsa Roughnecks (USL) at Des Moines Menace (PDL) – 8:30 pm ET
- Harpo’s FC (Colo./USASA) at Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL) – 9 pm ET
- Sacramento Gold (NPSL) at La Maquina (Calif./USASA) – 9 pm ET
- Orange County Blues (USL) at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) – 10 pm ET
- Sounders FC U-23 (PDL) at Kitsap Pumas (PDL) – 10:30 pm ET
- CD Aguichulos USA (Calif./USASA) at Sacramento Republic FC (USL) – 10:30 pm ET
- Arizona United SC (USL) at FC Tucson (PDL) – 10:30 pm ET
