Soccer is sport like no other. It is one of the most popular sports across the entire world. There is no such thing as a mild spectator at a soccer game. Unlike most other sports, every person at a game will be very loud and vocal of their opinion on the game and their team. In the United States, The U.S. Open Cup is the championship of this great game.
Every year in the United States, the U.S. Open Cup allows any amateur team or professional team to play for the winning title as long as they meet certain qualifications. Not only is the U.S. Open Cup the oldest competition in the United States for soccer, it is also one of the oldest competitions in the world. This year marks the 103rd tournament of the Open Cup. Winner of the tournament will receive a prize of $250,000, while the runner-up will get $60,000. Also, the team that goes the furthest in each lower division will get a prize of $15,000.
Over the course of the U.S. Open Cup’s existence, only two teams has won the title five times- the Maccabees S.C. of Los Angeles and Bethlehem Steel. Over the last 103 years the Open Cup has seen 62 different clubs crowned champion. In recent years usually the tournament’s champions and runner-ups are professional teams who have sponsors. However, history is full of small clubs triumphing over goliaths.
The Riverhounds greatest success came in 2001 when they reached the quarterfinals, falling to the Chicago Fire in extra time. Last year the Riverhounds were defeated in the fourth round by D.C. United of Major League Soccer. In this year’s edition of the tournament the Riverhounds will kick things off tonight in Pittsburgh by facing the Lansdowne Bhoys from New York. Kickoff is at 7:00 pm
-Kiernan McCarthy
#UNLEASH
