USL News Release
Sunday, May 22, 2011
TAMPA, Fla. – Reading United AC and the Chivas El Paso Patriots became the first two USL Premier Development League teams to book their places in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, signaling a return to the tournament for both teams.
Reading completed a perfect 4-0 run through its qualifying matches, concluding with a 4-1 win against the Westchester Flames on Thursday night that saw Will Bates score twice for United. The side’s place in the draw for the first round was assured when the Jersey Express, the only side that could catch United in the Mid Atlantic Division, was defeated 2-1 by the Long Island Rough Riders on Saturday night. Long Island could still match Reading’s 4-0 record in qualifying with one game remaining, but with the maximum amount of goal-difference that can be included in the standings being capped at +3 goals for, Long Island would fall short of United no matter the score against Ocean City on May 29.
The Open Cup appearance is Reading’s third in a row, and with a strong squad led by Bates and his University of Virginia teammates Brian Ownby and Brian Span, United is likely to be a challenge for any side that encounters it in the first round.
Chivas El Paso will return to the Open Cup for the ninth time in the club’s history after its completed a perfect run through qualifying with a 1-0 victory against the Baton Rouge Capitals on Saturday night. Rodrigo Morin scored his fourth goal of the PDL season to assure his side’s progression into the tournament.
With all of the other teams in the Mid South Division having suffered at least one defeat, Chivas El Paso continued its streak of qualifying for the Open Cup every other year since 2001.
Other qualifying races will likely come down to the final weekend of qualifying next weekend, with the MPS Portland Phoenix and Western Mass Pioneers likely facing a winner-take-all contest on Friday night should the Pioneers maintain their perfect record against the Vermont Voltage on Wednesday.
Other races may be decided by goal difference, with the Ventura County Fusion needing to defeat the Southern California Seahorses by more than two goals to complete a perfect qualifying record and edge out the Fresno Fuego in the Southwest Division. Fresno also finished 4-0 after a 4-1 win against the Ogden Outlaws on Saturday night.
The same may also apply in the Northwest Division after the Portland Timbers U23s and Kitsap Pumas played to a 0-0 draw last night to remain tied at the top of the standings with four points apiece. Both teams have games remaining against North Sound and Tacoma, who are also still alive and could jump up the standings with positive results.