The 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup continues with a Fourth Qualifying Round on the weekend of December 17-18. Six games will be played on Saturday with three more on Sunday to round out the Final phase of Open Division Qualifying — which will send nine clubs through to the 2023 Open Cup Proper.
SCHEDULE: #USOC2023 Fourth Qualifying Round Schedule
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Seven of the 18 remaining Open Division teams are aiming to reach their second consecutive U.S. Open Cup Proper. Lansdowne Yonkers (N.Y.), Azteca FC (Colo.), D’Feeters Kicks SC (Texas), Brockton FC United (Mass.), Miami United FC (Fla.) West Chester United SC (Pa.) and NoVa FC (Va.) all took part in the 2022 edition of U.S. Soccer’s National Championship – which wrapped in September with MLS side Orlando City defeating USL Championship contenders Sacramento Republic.
Lansdowne Yonkers, the 2021 National Amateur Cup-champions, have won three Qualifying games with a combined goals-scored tally of 12 (conceding only once). The side, led by former Arsenal academy product Sean Kelly and ace striker Shamir Mullings, will meet the only surviving New Jersey representative, SC Vistula Garfield, who are celebrating their 70th year as a club.
NoVa FC, out of Leesburg, Va., earned their 1-0 Third Round result the hard way against DCFC in the nation’s capital. They’ll now host an outstanding West Chester United SC who’ve won all three of their Qualifiers on the road (and will be asked to do so again if they want to reach the Open Cup Proper for a second time on the trot).
Dallas’ D’Feeters Kicks SC, who stretched reigning USL Championship toppers San Antonio FC in the Second Round of last year’s Open Cup Proper, travel to Nashville to take on a talented Beaman United FC who are led by former New York City FC (MLS) midfielder Kwadwo Poku and edged an eight-goal thriller (plus a shootout) in Georgia in the Third Round.
Massachusetts contenders Brockton FC United, founded by ambitious high school coach Herminio Furtado and pulling in talent from the area’s Cape Verdean community, host former Chicago Fire GM and President Peter Wilt’s new club, Chicago House AC.
Three-time Open Cup Proper participants Miami United FC tangle with neighbors Naples City FC while the third of the Sunshine State trio, the free-scoring Club de Lyon, travel to Columbia to take on South Carolina Heat.
Regulars at the Open Cup Proper, Azteca FC of Colorado, host a UDA Soccer side who are hoping to become the rare team from New Mexico to reach the tournament via Open Division Qualifying.
Inter San Francisco, a club for less than two years, have been in imperious form out west and are eager to reach their first Open Cup Proper. Built on the experience of former Chicago Fire striker (and 2014 Open Cup Semifinalist) Matt Fondy, they’ve yet to concede a goal in their three Qualifiers while putting 14 into the opposition nets (including two 5-0 blowouts).
Fellow Californians Orange County FC have also been hitting the high notes. The reigning UPSL national champions and 2019 Open Cup Proper giant-killers are coming off a 7-3 extra-time victory over Escondido FC ahead of a win-and-you’re-in Fourth Round home showdown with Capo FC.
The nine Fourth Round winners will join 1983 Open Cup runners-up and 2019 participants Bavarian United, out of Glendale, Wisconsin, who earned a direct place in the 2023 Open Cup Proper by winning the U.S. Adult Soccer Association (USASA) National Amateur Cup this summer.
2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Schedule
First Qualifying Round (September 17-18, 2022)
Second Qualifying Round (October 15-16, 2022)
Third Qualifying Round (November 19-20, 2022)
Fourth Qualifying Round (December, 17-18, 2022)
About the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Entering its 108th edition, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer’s National Championship – has crowned a champion annually since 1914 (excepting 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The tournament is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor United States soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
usopencup.com is the official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Fans and members of the media can enjoy comprehensive video and written coverage of the tournament there. You can also follow the Open Cup on Twitter and Instagram (@OpenCup) and Facebook (@OfficialOpenCup).
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States and the world’s third-longest-running open soccer tournament.