Inside Look: U.S. Open Cup Third Round Draw Process

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round Draw took place the afternoon of May 8 at U.S. Soccer House in Chicago, with Indy Eleven President and General Manager Peter Wilt invited as the witness of the coin flip process.

Before any coin flips took place, however, the teams participating in the Third Round had to first be paired up. The Open Cup Committee (a group consisting of a representative from each of the three professional divisions of U.S. Soccer and one from the amateur level) decided prior to the competition that the eight Division II (NASL) teams would enter at this stage, with each paired on a geographic basis with the winner of a specific Second Round game. The 16 remaining Second Round matches would then be linked on a geographic basis to other Second Round games to complete the list of Third Round possibilities. The geographic matching was determined by U.S. Soccer staff.

In addition, teams had to declare in advance whether they wished to host a Third Round game, naming a venue meeting the minimum tournament requirements (for example, field dimensions that are at least 110-by-68 yards, team and referee locker rooms, press box, etc.) in order to achieve the greatest chance of hosting. Those applying to host but naming a venue falling short of the minimum requirements could still play an Open Cup match at home, but only if their opponent’s venue also fell short of these requirements, or if their opponent didn’t apply to host.

With information in place to determine the Third Round hosting possibilities, a coin flip was conducted for 11 of the 16 game scenarios.

Here is a breakdown of the 16 potential matchups (also see the heads/tails bracket below):

Coin Flip Results – Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round Draw

TAILS: Western Mass. Pioneers (PDL)/Rochester Rhinos (USL PRO) winner will host either Greater Binghamton FC Thunder (NPSL) or Reading United A.C. (PDL); both Western Mass. and Rochester applied to host and their venues meet requirements.

TAILS: New York Cosmos (NASL) will host the Brooklyn Italians SC (NPSL)/Jersey Express (PDL) winner; the New York Cosmos applied to host and their venue meets requirements.

HEADS: New York Greek American Atlas (USASA)/Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL) winner won the coin toss over the Richmond Kickers (USL PRO)/RVA FC (NPSL) winner; Ocean City Nor’easters applied to host and will do so if they advance. New York Greek American Atlas did not and will go on the road should they make it to the Third Round.

HEADS: FC Lehigh Valley United Sonic (NPSL) will host if it defeats the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) in the second round as its venue meets requirements. Harrisburg City did not apply to host. On the tails bracket, Baltimore Bohemians (PDL) could host if it defeats Icon FC (USASA) and Harrisburg City advances. Icon did not apply to host.

HEADS: New York Red Bulls U-23s (NPSL)/Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO) winner will host RWB Adria (USASA)/Michigan Bucks (PDL) winner; both Red Bulls U-23s and Pittsburgh applied to host.

TAILS: Carolina RailHawks (NASL) will host the Carolina Dynamo (PDL)/Charlotte Eagles (USL PRO) winner; Carolina applied to host and its venue meets requirements.

DEFAULT: No coin flip was conducted; Chattanooga FC (NPSL) in the heads bracket applied to host and its venue meets requirements. Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO) in the heads bracket also applied to host, but its field width does not meet requirements. In the tails bracket, the Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) did not apply to host, so therefore the Chattanooga FC/Wilmington winner is the host by default.

DEFAULT: No coin flip was conducted; Charleston Battery (USL PRO) was the only club among the four in this bracket to apply to host at a venue meeting the minimum requirements, meaning they will do so should they advance. If the Panama City Beach Pirates (PDL), who did not apply to host, earn second round upset, the Florida team will either go on the road to Jacksonville United FC (NPSL) or determine the home team at a later date vs. Orlando City U-23s (PDL), who also did not apply to host.

HEADS: The Ocala Stampede (PDL)/Orlando City (USL PRO) winner will host the Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL). Both teams applied to host and their venues meet requirements.

TAILS: The Red Force (USASA)/Laredo Heat (PDL) winner will travel to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL), who applied to host and its venue meets requirements.

DEFAULT: With Indy Eleven President Peter Wilt on hand for the draw, it was an anticlimactic coin flip moment as his NASL side earned the right to host by default. On the heads side of the bracket, both the Dayton Dutch Lions (USL PRO) and Schwaben AC (USASA) applied to host. However, Dayton’s field width and Schwaben’s venue did not meet requirements.

DEFAULT: The San Antonio Scorpions (NASL) earned the right to host by default. On the heads side of the bracket, NTX Rayados (USASA) did not apply to host and Austin Aztex (PDL) did apply, but its field width does not meet requirements.

HEADS: Des Moines Menace (USASA) will host if it advances past Real Colorado Foxes (PDL) in the second round. Des Moines’ venue meets requirements. If Real Colorado Foxes (PDL) advances, Minnesota United FC (NASL) will host because it applied to host and its venue meets requirements. Real Colorado did not apply.

TAILS: The Portland Timbers U-23s (PDL)/Arizona United SC (USL PRO) winner won the coin flip. As Portland applied with an adequate venue, they will host if they advance. Arizona didn’t apply, so they will go on the road to the Tulsa Athletics (NPSL), who applied to host, or determine the site at a later date if they play the Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL PRO), who did not apply.

TAILS: The Sacramento Republic (USL PRO)/Ventura County Fusion (PDL) winner will host the Orange County Blues (USL PRO)/Fresno Fuego (PDL) winner. Both teams applied to host and their venues meet requirements.

DEFAULT: No coin flip was conducted; LA Galaxy II (USL PRO) was the only club among the four in this bracket to apply to host at a venue meeting the minimum requirements, meaning they will do so should they advance. If Cal FC (USASA), who did not apply to host, earns a second round upset, the 2012 Cinderella team will go on the road to the PSA Elite (USASA)/San Diego Flash (NPSL) winner.

Bold: Applied to host; venue meets requirements
Italics: Applied to host; field width does not meet requirements
Bold italics: Applied to host; venue does not meet requirements