This page details the qualification process for the 2009 U.S. Open Cup.
The tournament proper features teams from the top five levels of the American Soccer Pyramid. These five levels, namely Major League Soccer, the United Soccer Leagues (First Division, Second Division, and Premier Development League), and the United States Adult Soccer Association, each have their own separate qualification process to trim their ranks down to their final eight team delegations in the months leading up to the start of the tournament proper. It is expected that eight teams from each level will compete in the tournament proper, with the eight clubs from MLS receiving byes into the Third Round.
The qualifying process for MLS will take the form of an eight-team play-off tournament. The top six finishers, regardless of conference, in 2008 were given six of the berths into the Third Round. The eight remaining U.S.-based clubs will compete for the final two berths via a playoff.
Continuing the format of recent seasons, no qualification process will be needed for USL-1 and USL-2 as each level has exactly eight U.S.-based clubs for the 2009 season. The PDL has announced that selected early season games will again double as qualifying matches, as they had in recent years. Each conference will be given two berths that will be awarded to the best team in each division.
The qualifying process for the USASA will take the form of four regional tournaments. Assuming the continuation of recent seasons' format, the two finalists in each region will be awarded berths.
Tier 1: Major League Soccer (MLS)
Bracket
Schedule Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.
Qualification Semifinals
Qualification Finals
D.C. United qualify for the Third round.
Seattle Sounders F.C. qualify for the Third round.
Tier 2: USL-1 and Tier 3: USL-2 No qualification is necessary for USL-1 and USL-2 since each level has eight U.S.-based clubs for the 2009 season.
Tier 4: USL Premier Development League (PDL) Winners in each division advance to tournament All teams play 4 designated games doubled as regular season games Green indicates U.S. Open Cup berth clinched
Central Conference
Great Lakes Division TeamGPWLTPtsGD*Chicago Fire Premier430110 +5Kalamazoo Outrage42028 +2Michigan Bucks42117 +3Indiana Invaders41214 -1Fort Wayne Fever41214 -2Cleveland Internationals41303 -2Cincinnati Kings41303 -7
Heartland Division TeamGPWLTPtsGD*St. Louis Lions430110 +6Des Moines Menace430110 +4Real Colorado Foxes42206 +2Rochester Thunder42206 +1Kansas City Brass41303 -4Springfield Demize40400 -9
Eastern Conference
Mid Atlantic Division TeamGPWLTPtsGD*Reading Rage430110 +7Carolina Dynamo42117 +2Fredericksburg Gunners42117 +1West Virginia Chaos41125 -2Cary Clarets41214 -3Virginia Legacy30033 0Northern Virginia Royals40222 -2Hampton Roads Piranhas30211 -3
Northeast Division TeamGPWLTPtsGD*Ocean City Barons430110 +6Long Island Rough Riders43109 +3Brooklyn Knights42028 +2Newark Ironbound Express42206 +3Westchester Flames41125 -1Rhode Island Stingrays41214 -3New Hampshire Phantoms40311 -3New Jersey Rangers40311 -7
Southern Conference
Mid South Division TeamGPWLTPtsGD*El Paso Patriots43109 +3Austin Aztex U2342117 +3Laredo Heat42117 +2Rio Grande Valley Bravos41125 0West Texas United Sockers41125 -1DFW Tornados41214 -2Houston Leones40311 -5
Southeast Division TeamGPWLTPtsGD*Mississippi Brilla430110 +3Bradenton Academics42028 +5New Orleans Jesters41036 +1Baton Rouge Capitals41125 0Atlanta Blackhawks41214 0Nashville Metros41214 -2Panama City Pirates41214 -4Central Florida Kraze40311 -3
Western Conference
Northwest Division TeamGPWLTPtsGD*Kitsap Pumas430110 +8Portland Timbers U23's43109 +5Seattle Wolves42117 +3Cascade Surge42206 +1Tacoma Tide41125 0Spokane Spiders41303 -7Yakima Reds40400 -10
Southwest Division TeamGPWLTPtsGD*Orange County Blue Star430110 +5Hollywood United Hitmen43109 +4Ventura County Fusion42028 +4 BYU Cougars42117 0Southern California Seahorses41036 +3Los Angeles Legends42206 0Fresno Fuego41214 0Lancaster Rattlers41303 -4Ogden Outlaws40311 -6Bakersfield Brigade40311 -6
*-maximum goal differential of +/- 3 per game
Tier 5: United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA)
Region I
Nine teams will compete for the two Region I berths in the U.S. Open Cup.
Bracket
Preliminary Round
Qualification Semifinals
Qualification Finals
Region II Seven teams have qualified from Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Indiana and Iowa.
Region III The following teams have qualified for the regional finals to be held in St. Johns, Florida from May 22 to 25, 2009.
Group A Lynch's Irish Pub F.C. (Florida) Pumas FC (NPSL - Alabama) Baton Rouge Classics (Louisiana) Greenwood Wanderers (South Carolina)
Group B Dynamo New Tampa (Florida) Legends F.C. (North Texas) Rocket City United (NPSL - Alabama) Atlanta FC (NPSL - Georgia)
Group A TeamPWLTGFGAGDPointsLynch's Irish Pub F.C.3201112 +97Pumas FC (NPSL)3201102 +87Baton Rouge Classics3120311 -83Greenwood Wanderers303009 -90
*Greenwood Wanderers failed to show, so all games were 3–0 forfeits
Group B TeamPWLTGFGAGDPointsAtlanta FC (NPSL)330061 +59Legends F.C.321041 +36Rocket City United (NPSL)312043 +13Dynamo New Tampa303009 -90
*Dynamo New Tampa failed to show, so all games were 3–0 forfeits
Final
Region IV The following teams participated in the regional finals to be held in Scottsdale, Arizona from May 15 to 17, 2009.
Group A Doxa-Italia (Southern California) F.C. Hasental (Southern California) San Diego United (on hiatus from NPSL) Sonoma County Sol (on hiatus from NPSL)
Group B All Sol F.C. (New Mexico) Arizona Sahuaros (on hiatus from NPSL) Miran F.C. (Southern California) Rockstar United (Arizona)
Group A TeamPWLTGFGAGDPointsSonoma County Sol320172 +57Doxa-Italia320185 +37San Diego United312057 -23F.C. Hasental303039 -50
Group B TeamPWLTGFGAGDPointsMiran F.C.*320140 +47Arizona Sahuaros310251 +45All Sol F.C.311144 04Rockstar United3030210 -80
Final
*Miran F.C. was disqualified for using illegitimate players, so the group runner up (Arizona Sahuaros) will participate in the U.S. Open Cup
See also
References