NBC Sports: 2023 US open cup enters the Semi Finals stage

The field has been inaugurated for an exciting finish to the Lamar Hunt United States Open Cup in 2023. The yearly competition will conclude in the coming weeks, with a total of four teams left competing for the USOC (NBC Sports news today).

NBC Live:About the Lamar Hunt US Open cup 

Every year, the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup (USOC), a single-game, elimination competition, is contested all across the country. Football clubs from across the country, both professional and amateur, compete on the pitch yearly. According to NBC, the USOC features competition from a number of leagues, involving the National Independent Soccer Association, MLS, USL Championship, and MLS Next Pro. The initial phase of the 2023 competition got under long ago in March. Following the second phase, and third phase in April, the round of 32 and the last 16 in May, and the last eight in June were all conducted(NBC Live).

The National Challenge Cup, the predecessor to the USOC, debuted through the 1913–14 soccer season. On May 16, 1914, Brooklyn Field Club (NY) defeated New Bedford F.C. (MA) 2-1 to claim the title of the first championship.021 due to COVID-19. The first ever edition of the USOC was won by Brooklyn Field when they defeated New Brentford by a scoreline of 2-1 in the final of this historic and ancient competition on the day of 16th May, back in 1914.

History and Former Champions (Via NBC)

Leading all clubs in the number of USOC championships are Bethlehem Steel and Maccabee Los Angeles, each with 5.

A few other teams with four championships are The Chicago Fire, Greek American AAA,Seattle Sounders FC, Philadelphia Ukrainians,Fall River F.C. and Sporting Kansas City(via NBC Twitter).

For the inaugural occasion in the history of the club, Orlando City SC won the USOC in 2022 (NBC Sports).

If you enjoy American football, you might link Lamar Hunt and the Chiefs of Kansas City together. Hunt established the NFL team in 1958. He continued to be passionate about soccer in 1993 when he helped to start Major League Soccer.

The United States Soccer Organization designated and rechristened the USOC to Hunt in 1999. 

Which 4 teams remain in the fight for the 2023 US Open cup title?

The four remaining teams out of almost more than 80 teams are the following:

Cincinnati FC

Inter Miami CF

Houston Dynamo

Real Salt Lake

Let’s take a closer look at these teams, their squads and their quarter final victories one by one.

 Cincinnati FC

Cincinnati FC are the current league leaders of the top flight soccer league of US, the MLS with 51 points. But they have never won MLS as they were initially promoted to the MLS in 2019 and also they have never won a US open cup. But this year they are one of the very favorites to clinch the title as they are in a superb form with the likes of US National team player Brandon Vazquez, Colombian National team right back Santiago Arias, the Colombian Yerson Mosquera on loan from the premier league side Wolverhampton and the Ecuadorian Midfielder Marco Angulo.

Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami CF who are currently at the very last, 15th spot in the MLS in the Eastern Conference have suddenly come into the spotlight of American Soccer after the signings of the Argentine superstar and World Champion Lionel Messi along with the two Spanish world class players Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. And amazingly after the addition of these 3 in the Miami side, they haven’t lost a single game since then and have also won their first ever club trophy, the league’s cup past Sunday. And now they are also main favorites for the USOC 2023 title.

Houston Dynamo

Houston Dynamo are one of the underdogs coming into the final 4 of the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S Open Cup and they are currently at the middle of the Western Conference league table of MLS. But with the likes of players like the Mexican National star Midfielder Hector Herrera, Australian National star full back Brad Smith and the Argentine Franco Escobar (former Newell’s Old Boys, Atlanta United and LAFC players) they are determined to get something out of this golden USOC title clinching chance.

Real Salt Lake

Real Salt Lake fc, who are currently at the 3rd spot in the Western Conference table of MLS and have beaten one of the strongest teams in US, the LA Galaxy fc in the last 8 of the USOC 2023 with a very tight scoreline of 3-2. All 3 goals for Real Salt Lake fc came in the first half and these goals were enough in comparison to the 2 very late 2nd half goals by LA Galaxy FC.

Schedule of the Semi Final Matchday

Semifinal action will kick off tomorrow between the final four squads. The matches are :

1st Semi Final :

Cincinnati FC vs Inter Miami CF

at 7 PM (Local time) & 4:00 AM (PKT time)

Venue: TQL Stadium, Cincinnati

2nd Semi Final :

Houston Dynamo vs Real Salt Lake

at 9:30 PM (Local Time) & 6:30 AM (PKT time)

Venue: Shell Energy Stadium, Houston

Will Lionel Messi play in the US Open Cup Semi Final?

And at the end comes the most important question for the soccer fans about the best player in the world and the answer is a YES. Lionel Messi will be in action at the TQL Stadium Cincinnati on Wednesday night as the MLS (Eastern Conference) League leaders face off against Messi’s Inter Miami in a one-off Semi Final game of the Lamar Hunt US Open cup 2023.