The US Open Cup semifinals begin today

Open Cup Summary #6

The 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is back after more than a month away. The final eight teams remaining, made up of Major League Soccer and USL Championship teams, will aim to secure a ticket to the semifinals with wins on Tuesday and Wednesday. With just one final-round cup match, five MLS teams remain, meaning at least one will reach the final four.

For the first time this year, there are no competitors left from the Northeast. New York City FC II crashed out of the tournament in the previous round after losing to New Mexico United in Queens, though the team’s first-ever Open Cup appearance carried a tidy $25,000 prize as the team that advanced the furthest in Division III.

Despite the lack of local interest, there are still some underdogs in this tournament. Let’s take a look at the three USLC teams left and what fans can expect from them. If you can’t make it to a game in person, the games will be broadcast live and free on Apple TV.

If you’ve ever seen the three-headed dragon meme, where two heads are serious and one is idiotic, that’s Indy Eleven. No offense to the current team in the year of our Lord 2024, but historically this run is out of nowhere.

This is a team that took 11 seasons to win a U.S. Open Cup match. A team that can beat a lower-division team but routinely struggles in regular season play against members of its own division, let alone those from a higher division. But in 2024, the team has shown its demons — and been through hell, too.

In a year where Indy Eleven has had tremendous success on the field, everyone is talking about the other Indianapolis soccer team, the one that doesn’t exist yet but could very well be in Major League Soccer if you listen to state and local politicians. That has thrown Indy Eleven’s very existence into doubt. And when you combine that with the organization’s long-planned stadium project being canceled by the city government, things are looking bleak for the club.

But Indy is performing on the pitch. English midfielder Jack Blake leads the team with eight goals this season, and the club is averaging almost two goals per game. The problem is the defence, which has allowed 1.5 goals per game. But they are performing well in the Open Cup, where Indy’s three consecutive USOC clean sheets were a shock.

Since Indy’s last USOC win against Detroit City, the team has compiled a 4-1-1 record. Those four straight victories include wins against reigning USLC Final champions Phoenix Rising FC and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. However, the team’s last two games have produced a loss to Orange County and, most recently, a wild 3-3 draw against expansion team Rhode Island FC.

Prediction: Atlanta United doesn’t have a great season. But even a mediocre Rob Valentino team can and should beat Indy. Of all the years, this is the year I want the Eleven to make their first ever MLS Cup run. But I don’t think that’s going to happen. United wins 3-0.

All in for Eleven: Indy asks ‘Why not us?’ in groundbreaking Open Cup run

Division II Indy Eleven is coming off its best run ever in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup – in a challenging year for both the club and the tournament.

Ever since reaching the 2022 US Open Cup Final, Sacramento Republic FC has looked like it might be back. That’s a tall order in the modern era, when returning to the championship game in any competition can be a challenge. But there’s something special about the team from California’s capital.

Perhaps it’s the Indomitable City spirit that continues to burn within them. The same fire that ignited a fan base that seemed ready to take their team to Major League Soccer. The same fans who, having seen those expectations of expansion fade, now believe in the tried-and-true motto: If you can’t play, beat them.

Sacramento often scores against opponents in open play: Of the team’s 21 goals, 18 have come from easy shots in front of the net. The team’s leading scorer is Trevor Amann, a former NPSL champion who made his mark in USL League One before earning his first USLC contract this year.

But offense isn’t really the team’s strongest point. Instead, defense is where Sacramento earns its victories. The team has conceded 0.8 goals per game this season, second-best in the USL Championship. The team’s eight clean sheets are the second-most in the league this season, all earned by goalkeeping hero Danny Vitiello between the posts.

But since winning the Cup over the San Jose Earthquakes, the Republic has struggled in the USL. The team has won just two games, while losing three and drawing one goalless game. The only consolation is that two of those losses came against top teams in the league, Oakland Roots SC and Tampa Bay Rowdies. However, this team still draws as often as it wins, with seven in each column.

Prediction: Seattle hasn’t looked great this season, and they haven’t looked good in this Open Cup either — they needed penalty kicks to beat Louisville City FC in the Round of 32 and needed a late-game save against Phoenix Rising FC. Both games saw teams travel long distances to the Pacific Northwest. And now Seattle is on the road against a hungry Sacramento team on a $2 beer night? The Republic won’t be able to win in 90 minutes again. But this isn’t the regular season, and they’ll ultimately walk away victorious. This is the round-robin set, 2-1 AET.

Kieran Phillips ‘goes for it’ as Sacramento Republic aim for more Cup magic

Sacramento Republic’s two-goal Round of 16 hero talks about the importance of the Cup competition and the high expectations for the USL Championship team ahead of this year’s quarterfinals

The best team in the USL Championship Western Conference has a date with the best team in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference. New Mexico United are probably not beloved by readers of this site after beating NYCFC II to reach this point. But if you look past that, it’s hard to hate them.

This is a team whose entire identity can be traced back to the Open Cup. The team’s first run came during their inaugural season in 2019, when they reached the quarterfinals, the same place they find themselves now. Their dedicated fan base sold out charter flights back then to travel the country, and they’re doing it again.

What NMU does well is possession-based football. Former Scottish Premiership striker Greg Hurst leads the team with seven regular-season goals, double that of second-place Daniel Bruce. But even if Hurst is eliminated, the team will still hold on to the ball and find ways to break down the opposition. That’s how they defeated Real Salt Lake in the round of 32, and how they prevailed against the Baby Blues.

If you don’t give your opponent the ball, they can’t score on you, which is probably why the team is ranked fourth in the USL Championship in average possession.

Since defeating NYCFC II in the Round of 16, New Mexico has been on a roll with five wins and two losses to remain atop the USL Championship Western Conference.

Prediction: Being a damn good USL Championship team is one thing. Is it enough to topple Los Angeles FC? The fact is, LAFC has a lot of offensive firepower, and it’s tough to see New Mexico beating that. Will it be closer than people think? Yes. But LAFC enters the semifinals 3-1.

Ready, (Jet)-Set, Go for United Cinderellas New Mexico

Division II powerhouse New Mexico United travels to LA with high expectations and history for this year’s quarterfinals. Hundreds of their loyal Albuquerque fans are in attendance, eager for a cup match.

The History of New York City in the US Open Cup

From the disastrous results of the early years to the magic of New York City FC II’s three (and counting) straight cup runs, we look at every US Open Cup match the club has played.