U.S. Open Cup

The culmination of this week’s midweek U.S. Open Cup matches ensured that 14 of the teams in the tournament’s Round of 16 will be from Major League Soccer, equalling a record set in 2015, 2016 and 2019 for the most MLS representatives at this stage of the competition. The two non-MLS representatives are USL Championship sides Birmingham Legion FC, who beat fellow USLC side Memphis 901 FC 3-0, and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, who pulled off the round’s only “cupset” as they knocked off Bruce Arena’s New England Revolution 1-0.

After a two-year hiatus, the U.S. Open Cup returned in 2022 with renewed enthusiasm from American soccer fans — and they were rewarded with an abundance of entertaining fixtures. Eight matches featured lower league sides upsetting MLS clubs, as teams like Detroit City and Union Omaha had a chance to prove themselves on the biggest stage.

Sacramento Republic FC might have the coldest soccer player in the world on its team. Ice runs through this man’s veins and he fears nothing. If you don’t believe me then one look at this Maalique Foster penalty kick vs. Sporting KC in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal might change your mind.

Maalique Foster Penalty Kick vs. Sporting KC

Let’s set the stage really quick.

About five years ago, American fans were salivating over the thought of Jürgen Klinsmann’s son lining up for the Red, White & Blue. Jonathan Klinsmann, a 6-4 goalkeeper, was born in Munich to a German World Cup winner and an American model. He appeared for the USMNT youth teams and made his debut at Hertha Berlin as a 20-year-old in the Europa League in 2017. 

MLS newcomer Charlotte FC announced this morning the club is parting ways with head coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez. Why did Charlotte fire Ramírez? The short answer is that at this point, no one is sure.

Just 14 games into their first season as an expansion team in Major League Soccer, Ramírez had Charlotte outperforming expectations. The Queen City sits in eighth place in the eastern conference, just one position out of a playoff spot, and reached the Round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup.  

There’s nothing better than an all-inclusive, single-elimination sporting event in which teams with far fewer resources have a chance to knock off the blue bloods. It’s why the men’s and women’s NCAA basketball tournaments are some of the most popular events in the country and why you should be paying more attention to the U.S. Open Cup, particularly what Union Omaha is doing right now.

After two long years without the U.S. Open Cup because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the game that made us fall in love with this glorious competition all over again.     

Third-division Union Omaha — contesting just its second-ever Open Cup match — travelled to 60,000-seat Soldier Field on April 19 to take on four-time champion Chicago Fire and twice came from a goal down, including an equalizer in the 122nd-minute, to prevail in a penalty shootout.