Tuesday, May 26, 2009
TAMPA, FL – When the final whistle sounded Monday evening in Hidalgo, Texas, it brought to a close what was arguably the most competitive season in US Open Cup qualifying for PDL clubs. For the first time under the current format, no team qualified with a perfect 4-0-0 mark.
Qualifying for the tournament out of the Premier Development League has never been easy, requiring clubs to focus on making that perfect 4-0-0 run to start the campaign or risk having one small blemish bar you from facing the higher echelons of the sport. The 2009 Des Moines Menace know that full well as they became the fifth team in six years to finish 3-0-1 and find themselves on the outside looking in. It was the fourth straight year in which a club has suffered that fate.
This year, however, the competition proved treacherous for even the group leaders as all eight entrants qualified without having won all four games – seven with draws and one with a loss. In fact, the qualifying results in 2009 proved to consist of the most parity since 2003 following the elimination of the bonus point system. The 24 victories was the lowest total number of wins in a year in which seven or more teams had to qualify and the average point total of the clubs (5.443) was the lowest since 2003, which was representative in the increased number of draws.
In the end, its not the numbers that matter, however, it’s the eight who advanced. On Saturday, the foursome of Kitsap Pumas, Ocean City Barons, Orange County Blue Star and St Louis Lions locked up their berths. The trio of Chicago Fire, Mississippi Brilla and Reading Rage advanced on Sunday. And the El Paso Patriots found themselves in when Laredo’s hopes were dashed in the final PDL qualifier of the year. The St Louis Lions were the sole club that return from the 2008 edition of the tournament.
The PDL Qualifiers
Chicago Fire: The U-23 development team affiliated with the Major League Soccer side advanced to the tournament for the third time. It is their first appearance since back-to-back entries in 2004 and 2005. In 2004, they upset the USL-2 New Hampshire Phantoms on the road in a stunning 5-1 result before falling in a close contest 1-0 at USL-1 Rochester in the Third Round.
El Paso Patriots: By far the most experienced club among the PDL teams in terms of the US Open Cup, the Patriots are the only team with more than two previous trips to the tournament. The 2009 edition will mark the eighth appearance for the 1995 finalists, their third in five years in the PDL.
Kitsap Pumas: Despite dominating with an 11-1 aggregate goal advantage in their four matches, the expansion club nearly saw a 1-1 draw with Tacoma spoil their chances to qualify in their first attempt.
Mississippi Brilla: The third-year club qualified for the first time after struggling the past two years with one victory in each qualifying campaign.
Ocean City Barons: The Barons are in the tournament for the third time five years. They previously advanced in 2005 and 2007. In 2005 they upset the USL-2 Long Island Rough Riders with a surprising 4-0 result at home in the Second Round before falling on the road in a crazy 8-4 match against Richmond of USL-1.
Orange County Blue Star: The California club returns for its third trip to the tournament. It is their first appearance since back-to-back entries in 2004 and 2005.
Reading Rage: The only previous appearance for the Rage came when they were a USL Second Division club in 2001. They join St Louis as the only team of the six returning PDL clubs without a win in the tournament.
St Louis Lions: The only club that succeeded in returning to the tournament for a second straight year, the Lions look to capture their first victory after being dispatched in the First Round last year by the Minnesota Thunder of USL-1.
