While the US Open Cup is one of the most exciting tournaments in the country, it’s hard to get too excited when it’s always MLS sides finishing the competition. That’s why grassroots fans embrace this portion of the tournament, the qualifiers. This weekend, we move into round 2 of the qualifiers and while there are a lot of matches, we picked 4 of our favorites to watch out for.

Dan Vaughn

Inocentes FC vs. NTX Rayados

Inocentes has long been a favorite club of mine because of their story, their leadership. and the excellence they exhibit on the field every season. It’s hard to hate on a club full of immigrants and the descendants of immigrants making good on the promise of freedom. They’ve consistently finished the season in the top of their division and typically make a run into the national playoffs. This year, they are also trying to add a trip into the Open Cup proper. Their first qualifying match was against Lone Star Republic which they won 2-1.

Their opponent in round 2 is USOC veteran NTX Rayados. Rayados have made quite a name for themselves as a giant killer, qualifying for the Open Cup 8 straight years. Their deepest run came in 2018, when they knocked off an NPSL side, 2 USL Championship sides, before losing to MLS side Houston Dynamo in the 4th round. They are a veteran side who knows how to go through the grind of qualifying and come out ready for the Open Cup.

While I love the grit of Inocentes FC, I can’t ignore history. I think Rayados advance, because they always advance.

JoSe Davila IV

AFC Ann Arbor vs. Livonia City FC

After a 10-man penalty kick win in the first round against tournament debutantes Wayne County Sporting, Livonia City FC will meet new USL2 side AFC Ann Arbor in Brighton, MI for a Southeastern Michigan battle on Saturday night. A year ago, the two teams faced off in the first qualifying round with Livonia City beating then-NPSL team Ann Arbor in a 10-man 4-3 double overtime win. The MPSL club would go on to beat Aurora Borealis in the second round before falling to St. Louis Maritsa in the third.

The Mighty Oak will be coming in to the match fresh and looking to avenge last year’s loss after receiving a random first-round bye. Ann Arbor has had a busy offseason, jumping to USL2, re-signing coach Eric Rudland, naming Boyzzz Khumalo its women’s team head coach, and seeing alum Stanley Okumu sign for first division Swedish side IF Elfsborg.

Look out for LCFC striker Ardit Dushkaj on Saturday night. After Wayne County Sporting went 2-0 up before halftime, he completed a brace after scoring from open play in the 56th minute before converting a last-minute penalty kick to send the game into overtime.

Since that win, LCFC suffered a 7-0 beating at former USL1 side Lansing Ignite in a one-off friendly. They’ll be looking to get back on the right track against the Might Oak.

Joshua Duder

Olympic Club of San Francisco vs. Oakland Stompers

This Saturday, October 19th, Olympic Club of San Francisco will host competition from the East Bay in a battle of historic proportions. The “Winged-Os” soccer team was born from the oldest athletic club in the United States, which was first named the San Francisco Olympic Club, and established in 1860. Of course, back then it was largely a boxing, golf, and other athletics organization. They did, however, help found the San Francisco Soccer Football League in 1914 and by 1916 won their first league title – they would go on to win the league another eight times, then in 1946, won a California State Cup.

Just last month, on September 22nd, Olympic Club convincingly defeated UPSL’s JASA of Redwood City, 4-0. This weekend, the “Winged-Os” will host Oakland Stompers at the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields, in San Francisco, for a 7:00 pm kickoff. The UPSL Oakland team were founded in 2012 and are the heirs of the Stompers surname – a club who played in the NASL for only one season, 1977-78, but had a massive impact on soccer culture in the East Bay. Oakland don’t intend on just rolling over for the historic San Franciscan soccer team – they won last month too, defeating Contra Costa FC 1-0. A lower-league soccer, Battle for the Bay, should be an absolute treat of a match to catch in the second qualifying round of the US Open Cup.

Dan Creel

Christos FC vs. Federal City Wanderers

D.C.’s lone qualifier, Federal City Wanderers, will get its first taste of Open Cup competition after receiving a bye due to the withdrawal of Izee Auto from the tournament. But, the draw may not have been kind to the DC Premier League champions.

Their opponent, Baltimore’s Christos FC, also received a first round bye in the initial draw. The club has been powering its way through the Maryland Major Soccer League’s 1st Division this season. Christos is unbeaten in five games running up a massive 30-3 goal differential. Plus, the team is a veteran of national cup play, making its Cinderella USOC run in 2017 as well as winning multiple USASA national cups.

USOC qualifying always provides an interesting venue to compare the competitive levels of clubs and their leagues. Christos FC is again one of the top choices to qualify out of the East Region. But, matches aren’t won based on opinions and Federal City will get its chance to prove that.

The game will be at 6pm on Sunday at Glen Burnie High School in Glen Burnie, Maryland.

Paul Kowalczyk

West Chester United vs Lansdowne Bhoys FC

On Saturday October, 19th West Chester United will be hosting the Bhoys from Yonkers, New York at Kildare’s Turf Field in West Chester, Pennsylvania for the Second Round of the U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Round. To get here, West Chester United defeated Danubia FC 5-0 while Lansdowne Bhoys defeated Clifton Elite FC 4-2, going up 4-0 before Clifton Elite scored two late goals to keep it interesting. West Chester United competes in the NPSL as well as the USL of Pennsylvania, an amateur soccer league in Eastern Pennsylvania, and the Lansdowne Bhoys FC compete in the Cosmopolitan League of New York City.

West Chester United are coming off a strong year having won the 2018-2019 USL of Pennsylvania season in the spring as well as topping the Keystone Conference table in the NPSL over the summer. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to Motown FC. The 2019-2020 season of USL Pennsylvania started up again last month and runs until May where they currently sit 3rd in table, having only lost one out of four games. In August, Lansdowne Bhoys FC won the Champions of Regions where they beat ASC New Stars of Houston in the finals. They have just started their regular season in the Cosmopolitan League where they sit second, going undefeated through five games. I think West Chester United should win this game but it will be a tight match as Lansdowne Bhoys FC are a very competitive team who could pull off an upset.