originally posted at http://thecup.us/http://thecup.us/
Posted on 12. Feb, 2013 by Eric Anderson in 2013, 2013 US Open Cup qualifying, Qualification
The National Premier Soccer League doesn’t yet know how many berths it will have in the 100th Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, but the league’s Western Conference already has its qualifying tournament set.
The six-team tournament for the Southern Division kicks off March 16 with FC Hasental playing host to league newcomer Las Vegas Stallions.
A day later, the Orange County Spartans — formerly known as the Fullerton Rangers — play host to San Diego Boca FC in a rematch of last year’s Open Cup qualifying final. The Rangers beat Boca 3-2 last spring to earn their first Open Cup berth, and lost to the PDL’s Ventura County Fusion 6-2 after extra time in their tournament debut.
Reigning regular-season conference champion San Diego Flash and FC Santa Clarita received first-round byes in this year’s tournament and will host semifinal matches on March 23. The Flash will face either Orange County or city rival Boca, while Santa Clarita will take on the winner of the Hasental-Las Vegas match. The final is set for March 30.
The NPSL reportedly has requested eight berths in this year’s Open Cup, which would give each of the league’s four conferences two spots apiece. If that is the case, one West berth would go to the Southern Division and the other to the Northern.
The Northern Division kicks off their 5-team tournament on March 9 when CD Aguiluchos USA takes on the Sacramento Gold. The winner will face Real San Jose in the semifinals on March 16. In the other semifinal on the same day, the San Francisco Stompers will square off with the Sonoma County Sol. The final is scheduled to be played on March 23.
The Sol are the only team among the Northern Division teams who has qualified for the US Open Cup. They have reached the tournament four times: 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010. They have a 1-3-2 (1-1 in PKs) record in their four appearances with their lone regulation win coming against the PDL’s Orange County Blue Star in 2009.
Last year, the NPSL received 6.5 spots and the West had 1.5 berths. The Rangers qualified while the Bay Area Ambassadors claimed the “half berth.” Bay Area faced fellow California club Stanislaus United Turlock Express in a play-in game — Stanislaus United won that match 3-0 to become the first US Club Soccer team to qualify for the Open Cup.
2013 NPSL Western Conference Southern Division qualifying
Las Vegas Stallions at FC Hasental
San Diego Boca FC at Orange County Spartans
Semifinals (March 23)
Orange County/San Diego Boca at San Diego Flash
Hasental/Las Vegas winner at Santa Clarita
Final (March 30)
Time/Location TBD
2013 NPSL Western Conference Northern Division qualifying
First Round (March 9)
CD Aguiluchos USA vs. Sacramento Gold
Semifinals (March 16)
CDA/Sacramento winner vs. Real San Jose
San Francisco Stompers vs. Sonoma County Sol
Final (March 30)
Time/Location TBD
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