Tulsa Athletics in the 2014 US Open Cup

[TulsaRufnex]

This Wednesday night, May 14th at 7:30pm, will be the most important game in the short history of the Tulsa Athletics.
We will be playing Oklahoma City Energy FC in the second round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, a single elimination tournament, a tournament that includes all domestic MLS teams.
OKC Energy FC is the new professional club owned by Bob Funk Jr, who also has a minority stake in the new Tulsa Roughnecks club that will start play in 2015 at ONEOK.

On Friday night and Sunday afternoon, the Athletics won their first two regular season games on the road at Fort Worth and College Station, TX by scores of 5-0 and 13-0.
http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/05/10/5808808/debut-loss-cant-dampen-fan-passion.html

Tickets for the US Open Cup game can be purchased for $5 and $10 at the gate or online https://www.choicesecure03.net/mainapp/eventschedule.aspx?Clientid=EXPO3&group=npah


The winner of this game will play the winner of Arizona United v. Portland U23 and if Arizona wins (they're in the same USL Pro league with OKC Energy and will be the favorite), we will get to host that 3rd Round game.
If we get that far and beat the Arizona team, it will mean a 4th Round matchup with last year's MLS Cup Champions, Sporting Kansas City.

Sporting KC to enter 2014 U.S. Open Cup in fourth round
Charles Gooch, The Kansas City Star
http://www.kansascity.com/2014/04/24/4980586/sporting-kc-to-enter-2014-us-open.html

Oklahoma Energy FC and Orlando City, Sporting KC's two affiliate USL Pro clubs, will enter during the third round. Energy FC will face the Tulsa Athletics (National Premier Soccer League) while Orlando City will face the Ocala Stampede (Premier Developmental League).

Sporting Kansas City will be matched up geographically with a third-round opponent. The two best candidates would be either the winner of Energy FC vs. Tulsa or the Des Moines Menace (United States Adult Soccer Association) vs. Real Colorado Foxes (PDL). SKC defeated the Menace 2-0 in last year's Open Cup.

The tournament, a single-elimination knockout tournament, has expanded to 80 teams this year — the largest in the competition's modern history (1995-present day). The field includes 42 amateur teams and 38 teams from MLS, NASL and USL Pro.

In 2012, Sporting KC won the Open Cup trophy in a penalty kick shootout with the Seattle Sounders. It was the club's second Open Cup victory in club history.

Here's the tournament schedule.

First round: May 7 (16 amateur teams)
Second round: May 14 (8 first-round winners, 26 remaining amateur clubs and 14 USL Pro clubs)
Third round: May 28 (24 second-round winners and 8 NASL clubs)
Fourth round: June 10-18 (16 third-round winners and 16 U.S.-based MLS clubs)
Fifth round: June 24-25 (16 fourth-round winners face each other, match-ups based geographically)
Quarterfinal round: July 8-9 (winners paired geographically)
Semifinal round: Aug. 12-13 (winners paired geographically)
Final: Sept. 30-Oct. 1

The fourth, fifth and quarterfinal round will all take place during the 2014 World Cup. The fourth and fifth rounds fall during a two-week break in MLS action.

The 2014 winner will take home $250,000 in prize money and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy.

[RecycleMichael]

Good luck. Beat OKC.

[TulsaRufnex]

 soccer: U.s. open cup
Tulsa Athletics fall 2-0 to OKC Energy
http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/sportsextralatest/tulsa-athletics-fall---to-okc-energy/article_7a07a070-3fff-5a3e-b913-f71dc1cf300b.html

CORRECTION: This story contained the incorrect attendance and the incorrect next home opponent for the Athletics. This story has been corrected.

The Tulsa Athletics got their first taste of pro-level soccer on Wednesday night.

An amateur team affiliated with the National Premier Soccer League, the Athletics hosted Oklahoma City Energy FC, which is in its first season in the USL Pro Division.

The Athletics came into the game undefeated (2-0), but the Energy controlled the game from the start in a 2-0 victory over the Athletics before a crowd of 4,578 at Athletics Stadium (formerly Drillers Stadium).

[cannon_fodder]

Went with my wife...loads of fun.  With food we were in for $25.  Lost my voice explaining to the refs why they were wrong with that last red card.

I hate that city...

[TulsaRufnex]

I hate that city...

..."We hate that city and their piss poor club"...
Thought Jefferson Starship was a pretty bold choice for our first anti-OKC song........  

"One Jo-ey Ry-an!.... there's only one Joey Ryan!.... one Jo-ey Rrrryyyyaaaaaannnnnnnnn!!!..... there's only one Joey Ryan...."

Coach Joey Ryan Post Game US Open Cup 5-14-14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54_Js2fjoG8#t=56