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
| April 29, 2009 | New York Red Bulls | 2 - 1 | San Jose Earthquakes | Santa Clara, California |
| 19:30 PDT | Petke 2' Sassano 76' Wolyniec 80' Pietravallo 82' | [permanent dead link] | Salinas 39' Campos 47' 71' Denton 67' | Stadium: Buck Shaw Stadium Attendance: 4,011 Referee: Alejandro Mariscal |
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
Heartland Division
Eastern Conference
Mid Atlantic Division
Northeast Division
Southern Conference
Mid South Division
Southeast Division
Western Conference
Northwest Division
Southwest Division
*-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
| GO Soccer FC | 0-5 | Charm City FC |
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Qualification Semifinals
| Christos F.C. | 1-4 | Charm City FC |
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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
| Team | P | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Points |
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| Lynch's Irish Pub F.C. | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 2 | +9 | 7 |
| Pumas FC (NPSL) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 7 |
| Baton Rouge Classics | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 | -8 | 3 |
| Greenwood Wanderers | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | -9 | 0 |
| Baton Rouge Classics | 3–0* | Greenwood Wanderers |
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| Pumas FC | 5–0 | Baton Rouge Classics |
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| Lynch's Irish Pub F.C. | 3–0* | Greenwood Wanderers |
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| Lynch's Irish Pub F.C. | 6–0 | Baton Rouge Classics |
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| Pumas FC | 3–0* | Greenwood Wanderers |
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*Greenwood Wanderers failed to show, so all games were 3–0 forfeits
Group B
| Team | P | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Points |
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| Atlanta FC (NPSL) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 9 |
| Legends F.C. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 6 |
| Rocket City United (NPSL) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 3 |
| Dynamo New Tampa | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | -9 | 0 |
| Dynamo New Tampa | 0–3* | Rocket City United |
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| Dynamo New Tampa | 0–3* | Atlanta FC |
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| Dynamo New Tampa | 0–3* | Legends F.C. |
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*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
Group B
| Team | P | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Points |
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| Miran F.C.* | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | +4 | 7 |
| Arizona Sahuaros | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | +4 | 5 |
| All Sol F.C. | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Rockstar United | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 0 |
| Rockstar United | 0 – 3 | Miran F.C. |
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| Arizona Sahuaros | 1 – 1 | All Sol F.C. |
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| Arizona Sahuaros | 4 – 0 | Rockstar United |
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| Miran F.C. | 1 – 0 | All Sol F.C. |
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| All Sol F.C. | 3 – 2 | Rockstar United |
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Final
| Final | |
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| 1 | Sonoma County Sol | 2 | |
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| 2 | Miran F.C. | 1 | |
*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