Seven MLS sides stumbled on Tuesday in the third round of the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Some
were shocking, others were surprising and a couple were kind of expected.
New England, LA, Chicago, Columbus, FC Dallas, Houston and Real Salt Lake all fell on Tuesday
making this year's third round one of the more exciting rounds in USOC history.
Say what you will about the method but you have to give it up to the Portland Timbers, the
Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake.
Each want the US Open Cup and they want to win it so bad. You can't get too upset at these clubs
wanting to take the US Open Cup seriously here.
All were originally slated to hit the road in the 3rd round of the 2012 US Open Cup.
The forth round potential pairings for the US Open Cup are now set. The bracket is really
starting to finally take shape.
Some potential big matches include Seattle at Portland, Houston at Dallas, and Salt Lake at San
Jose.
2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Schedule
FOURTH ROUND Tuesday, June 5
New England Revolution (MLS) at New York Red Bulls (MLS): Red Bull Arena;
Harrison, N.
The bracket is slowly filling out nicely here for the 2012 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Two more MLS
sides now host third round games.
THIRD ROUND Tuesday, May 29 and Wednesday, May 30
Houston Dynamo (MLS) at San Antonio Scorpions (NASL): Heroes Stadium; San
Antonio, Texas; 7:30 p.
The US Soccer Federation has approved a major change to the US Open Cup. A change that will
certainly enhance how the tournament is played in the US.
The competition will feature a Modern Professional Era (1995-present) record 64 teams, including
every US-based professional club in the American soccer pyramid from Major League Soccer (16
teams), the North American Soccer League (6 teams), and USL PRO (10 teams).
A change is coming to the US Open Cup that many of us have been hoping for. According to sources
to theCup.us, the USOC will extend it's bracket out to all 16 US-based Major League Soccer teams
and go to a 64-team bracket.
Over the last few years, the tournament has come under constant criticism for the way MLS teams
enter the tournament.
It sounds like the USSF is tired of people like me and other bloggers beating the dead horse
about the US Open Cup format. The Sporting News' Brian Straus is reporting that the USSF could
propose a new format that does away with the current qualifying round for MLS clubs and it could
see the end of the bidding process.
