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USSF changes mean new schedules for regional, state Open Cups

09/25/2013, 6:30pm CDT
By ERIC ANDERSON
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

Some Wisconsin teams might need to bundle up to play in the U.S. Adult Soccer Association Region II Open Cup.

The U.S. Soccer Federation recently made changes to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, informing USASA regions thay they need to declare their two entries for the 2014 tournament by Dec. 15, 2013.

Previously, the regional amateur tournaments were held in the spring – as an example, the USASA regional entries had to be confirmed by April 28 for this year's tournament.

The 2014 Region II tournament is now scheduled to start the weekend of Nov. 2 and 3 and could extend into December depending on the number of entries.

Region II officials also changed the format for determining future regional Open Cup entries in an attempt to ensure that the November-December tournament only needs to be held this year. The region's representatives for the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will be determined at the 2014 Region II Tournament of Champions, held in late July, and that pattern will continue going forward.

Somewhat complicating matters is the fact that the USASA Werner Fricker Open Cup will continue as a separate competition.

In recent years, the tournaments were connected, with the two Region II finalists earning berths in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and then squaring off in the regional final for a spot in the USASA National Open Cup semifinals in July. In the future, however, they will be unique tournaments and potentially different entries – though at least for this year, the $250 entry fee includes both events.

In response to the recent changes at the national and regional levels, Wisconsin Soccer Leagues announced Tuesday that the deadline for the Wisconsin Open Cup has been moved up to Oct. 1.

If three or more teams enter the competition – which was the only state-qualifying Open Cup tournament in the country for this year's event – a draw and standard single-elimination tournament will be held, with matches likely on Oct. 19 and 26. If there's an odd number of teams and the defending champion Croatian Eagles enter, they would receive a first-round bye. Also, if they should advance to the final, they would have home-field advantage.

However, if only one or two teams enter the Wisconsin Open Cup, there will be no matches and the team or teams will advance automatically to the Region II tournament in November. Teams from the same state cannot be drawn against each other in the opening round of the regional competition, according to the Region II announcement.

Last year, two teams entered the Wisconsin Open Cup, with the Croatian Eagles beating Bavarian SC 1-0 in the final on Nov. 3, 2012. The Croatians then lost to Illinois club RWB Adria 2-0 in the first round of the Region II tournament.

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