PRINCETON - In all the time I've spent covering soccer, Lori Lindsey is one of the best quotes and best people I've ever worked with.

The former Independence midfielder is also a perfect advertisement for the effect that a fully professional league can have on women's soccer in the United States.

Her career first blossomed with the Washington Freedom in the old Women's United Soccer Association in 2003. She remained with the organization when it moved to the semi-pro level after the WUSA's demise, then rose back with it to WPS in 2009.

Lindsey moved from Washington to Philadelphia in 2010, and quickly became one of the Independence's most important players. She also became a regular contributor to the U.S. national team, earning a spot on the 2011 World Cup roster along the way.

Now Lindsey is competing for one of the 18 spots on the U.S. roster for the upcoming Olympics.

At almost the same time that I got to Princeton University's Roberts Field for one of the national team's practice sessions on Friday, the word got out that WPS had shut down for good.

Lindsey was one of the first people I wanted to talk to about the news. As you read my interview with her, I think you'll understand why.

Talk about what it's been like here in camp for the last week or so.

It's a great facility. Princeton has been awesome, and we've lucked out with the weather. We only had one day with a little bit of rain. But other than that, it's been a world-class atmosphere – a good hotel that's about two minutes away, and good fields. We're training hard.

Is it a good thing to have the team together for two full weeks, or do people get a little bit restless by the end?

I think any time you're choosing a team and fighting for spots, you can get restless. But we have a really good mixture of people here, and everyone gets along. I think it's a good group – a tight-knit unit, and everyone respects each other for what they bring to the table.

So I think in the end, it's an excellent thing. I don't think a lot of other national teams get a chance to play together this much.

The roster for the Olympics will have just 18 players on it, instead of the usual 23 players that go to FIFA tournaments. How much does that increase the level of competition?

Oh, it's huge. In my personal opinion, any of us could be starting on other national teams. We had a great intra-squad scrimmage the other day. I think it just really comes down to a little bit of a numbers game: how many people are you going to take at each position?

Outside of being with the national team, how have you been spending your time?

There hasn't been much time outside the national team. On my weekends off, I just go home to D.C. and try to relax. We have preparations in terms of fitness and stuff. But other than that, it's just relaxing.

What's your reaction to WPS shutting down? Where do things go from here – especially for young players hoping to make the national team, such as your former Independence teammate Sinead Farrelly? As much as anything, WPS was a development tool for future national team players.

It's a sad day. As players, our union worked really hard with the owners to keep the league going. But I think for a little while we've seen this coming – since the suspending of operations in January.

We've been here before. I think there are opportunities overseas, and hopefully there will be some kind of glorified W-League* that we can have. So I think people will find other ways to play right now, and see where that goes in coming years, when we have a little more quiet time with the national team.

*- The W-League is a semi-professional women's league that is run by the United Soccer Leagues, which also operates the PDL and USL PRO men's leagues. Among the W-League's most prominent franchises is one operated by the Seattle Sounders, which has Alex Morgan and Hope Solo on its roster.

It is important to note that the W-League is one of two semi-pro leagues in the United States along with the Women's Premier Soccer League.

If you're asking yourself why there are two semi-pro women's leagues in the U.S., that's a good question. If you're also asking yourself whether having two leagues that compete against each other for talent is a good idea at a time like this, that's another good question.

PRINCETON, N.J. – Lauren Cheney is famous for two reasons that you might have heard about.

First, she's one of the top players on the U.S. women's national team. The 25-year-old can play a variety of positions, and has scored 18 goals in 63 national team games – including two big ones at last year's World Cup.

Second she's the boyfriend of 76ers guard Jrue Holiday.

I don't know which of those things would make you more likely to recognize her, but I do know Cheney isn't going away from the spotlight any time soon.

We talked about life on the court and the field after Cheney and her teammates finished practice Friday morning at Princeton University.

I have to start with a question about your boyfriend. He's been in the spotlight throughout the playoffs, never more so than when he blew a kiss to the crowd after hitting a big three-pointer in Game 2 against the Celtics. What's it been like watching him play so well, whether from afar or in person?

I think it's awesome to be able to see. Obviously, I know that he loves the game, and to watch him play and grow – and he's playing well – I love to see that smile on his face when he's playing.

How has it been here for the national team? Two weeks is a long time to be together.

It's hard, obviously, to not have games and just have training. It's a grind. It's a testament to our team that we get along really well and like each other. It's good. We can't wait to have a game.

How much of a challenge is it for each player that the Olympics roster will be 18 players instead of 23, and how much does that add to the competitive spirit in training camp?

We all know that players who can make the team are going to be left behind. Thankfully, we're not the coach and we won't have to make that decision. I think it's competitive all the time, but this camp especially, knowing that the roster cut is coming up soon. The intensity level is extremely high.

Finally, Women's Professional Soccer has announced that it is shutting down. What are your reflections on the news, and where do things go from here?

I think it's sad. We're one of the top teams in the world, and we don't have a league in our own country. But hopefully the business design and everything else will change, and I have hope that we'll be able to have a league soon.

PRINCETON, N.J. – I don't think I have to do much to introduce U.S. women's national team coach Pia Sundhage to you. So let's get straight to the questions and answers. There's plenty to digest.

What does Women's Professional Soccer shutting down do not only for this group of players, but for the next generation of women's national team players that is looking for a place to develop?

Well, it's a question I have not thought about, because I'm in the process of preparing for the Olympics. So there has to be some thinking about that, what we want the players to do next year.

But I have to say, as an ambassador for women's soccer, it's sad. You would like to have many professional leagues in the world. Hopefully at some point we do have a professional league in this country.

Do you think that American women's soccer players, whether of the current generation or future generations, will end up going to Europe? Or will they go to the semi-pro W-League? What do you see in the future?

It all depends on the women's [national team] program. It's something where U.S. Soccer has to decide what's the next step for the U.S. national team. Will there be a lot of camps and games, or will players play in club teams?

Right now I don't know, because it's all about the Olympics. But at the end of the day, we need to look at what's good for the players.

In that context, how nice is it to have the national team together for two full weeks of training?

It's absolutely wonderful, and they really are doing a good job to compete for Olympic [roster] spots. They are getting to know each other on the field, playing games. It's very good.

This roster will end up at 18 players instead of the usual 23 players that go to FIFA tournaments. How hard is that for you?

It's very hard. It's really tough. The fact that we played good soccer in the World Cup makes it really hard, because not only that, but we have some new players as well. So we have to leave some really good players in the States.

You will play France to open the Olympics, and you will play Japan in a friendly tournament before the Olympics begin. How nice is it to have that Japan game before the Olympics start, and to kick off the Olympics with such a hard game?

I think it's really good. The fact that we've played Japan a couple of times this year – we've played against the world champions, and that's always good competition.

Having a chance to play France in the first game [of the Olympics], we can do a lot of scouting and we will have fresh legs. We will be prepared. So I think that's the best opening game, to be honest.

Playing against North Korea [first], as we did last year [at the World Cup], was hard because we had to do the scouting. So I'd rather have one of the best teams. It's good to have that game [first], because we will be prepared for that game.

In the past, the United States and China have had a rivalry in women's soccer, and going back a long time the U.S. and Norway had a tremendous rivalry. Is there a rivalry now between the U.S. and Japan?

I think it's bigger than that. The U.S. played against Brazil in the World Cup and the Olympics a couple of times as well. The good part of this is that the women's game has developed so much that you can't talk about only two teams.

Back in the old days, you could, but today you can't. There are a handful of teams that can win the Olympics, and that is good for the women's game.

PRINCETON, N.J. – I know you all know who Abby Wambach is. But you need to know more about her than just what she's done with the U.S. national team.

When former magicJack owner Dan Borislow filed suit against Women's Professional Soccer for being kicked out of the league, a whole lot of people (me included, I'll admit) lined up against him.

Abby Wambach quite prominently did not. In fact, she was one of his biggest backers.

The announcement of WPS' shutdown on Friday was accompanied by the announcement that Borislow's lawsuit had finally been settled out of court. When I got the opportunity to talk to Wambach at the U.S. women's national team's training camp at Princeton University, I knew I had to ask about both big news items.

What's your reaction to WPS closing down, and where do things go from here?

The national team's mentality is going to be the same. The outlook for us is the Olympics.

We made it our mission when they suspended operations early this year to do whatever we can that's in our control to make sure that we can bring back a professional league in the U.S., and the only way we know how to do that is to bring back gold from London.

That's something that fortunately, we can in some ways control. We hope that if we are able to do that, it would bring the popularity, buzz and excitement back around women's soccer, and you never know what would happen from there.

To not just the current generation of U.S. players, but the next generation, what should they do? Should they go to Europe, or play in a semi-pro league, or something else?

I think that there are a lot of different options for those girls. Not nearly as convenient as WPS was, but Europe is a very good option. We saw Lyon and Frankfurt play yesterday in the UEFA Women's Champions League final,* and it was great soccer.

As much as we do want to have a women's professional league here, I can speak for everybody on the national team that we all hope that the women's professional league comes back in the United States. It's just a matter of knowing how to manage it, and getting the right investors involved.

There are options. Yes, people lost their specific jobs, and I'm not taking that away from anybody. But if this is a passion of yours, you'll do whatever it takes to play - no matter where, no matter how.

* - The game drew 50,212 fans to Munich's Olympic Stadium. Such a big attendance is as good a sign of the health of women's soccer in Germany as any, and it's worth keeping in mind as American players look for a top-level league in which to play from now on.

Finally, to have the lawsuit with Dan Borislow settled – coincidentally or not on the same day that the league shut down – how important is it to have that done with?

You know what, I have no idea really what goes on with the settlement and the lawsuit that happened. This is actually the first I've heard of it being done and over with. I have no idea in terms of that stuff.

But I'm sure Dan still has a huge commitment to women's soccer, and I know he's going to be over in London. I'm sure he's masterminding some kind of plan in a futuristic way to try to help women's soccer, and maybe get women's professional soccer back on the map.

Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath will not play in Saturday's game at FC Dallas (8:30 p.m., The Comcast Network) due to a flareup of concussion symptoms.

MacMath did not travel with the team to Dallas, according to a spokesperson for the Union.

He suffered the concussion when he took a knee to the head in the May 8 game at Seattle.

MacMath was listed as "out" on the Major League Soccer injury report published Tuesday of last week, which made it likely that he would not play against the New York Red Bulls this past Sunday. But he was upgraded to "probable" in the Friday injury report two days before kickoff.

As I watched Sunday's game, I did not notice anything especially discernable regarding signs of concussion after-effects. But it certainly is not unusual for after-effects to flare up at a later point, whether someone is cleared to play or not.

Taylor Twellman, the ESPN color analyst who helped launch a foundation to research sports-related concussions, reported on Twitter that it "looks like [MacMath] took a hit in training this week."

Twellman noted earlier that it "is a HUGE part that the player is open about how he feels not ALL on team/doctors/etc It has to be BOTH ways."

MacMath's absence means that either Chase Harrison or Chris Konopka will start Saturday night. Since MacMath has played every minute of every league game this season, I do not know who is more like to start. So don't bother asking.

(Sorry, but I had to. I know you would have asked and I honestly don't know the answer.)

At least the Union won't be the only shorthanded team in the game. As I noted Thursday, FC Dallas could be without many of its regular starters, including goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.

Here are the full injury reports for both teams as of Friday evening:

Philadelphia Union

Out: GK Zac MacMath (concussion symptoms); M Roger Torres (left knee surgery recovery); F Krystian Witkowski (concussion)
Doubtful: D Chris Albright (left big toe sprain)
Questionable: D Gabriel Farfan (right knee contusion)
Probable: M Gabriel Gomez (right hip flexor strain); M Michael Farfan (left groin strain)

FC Dallas

Out: D Ugo Ihemelu (concussion symptoms); D Alex Lee (right hip strain); M David Ferreira (right foot surgery); M Ricardo Villar (right foot strain); M Bobby Warshaw (right foot fracture); M Andrew Wiedeman (sports hernia repair)
Questionable: F Fabian Castillo (left ankle sprain)
Probable: M Carlos Rodriguez (left elbow dislocation)

We now return you to your regularly scheduled Friday night.

I'm sure it won't surprise you that two of American soccer's most famous mohawks feature prominently in this week's list of the top games to watch over the next few days.

Blackpool vs. West Ham United

10:00 a.m. Saturday (Fox Soccer Channel)

The UEFA Champions League final is the most prestigious single game in European soccer, but the English Championship playoff final might just be the most lucrative. Whichever team wins this game gets not just promotion to the Premier League, but up to $100 million in revenue from television rights and other deals. 

West Ham is favored to win, in part because they don’t have to leave London to play at famed Wembley Stadium. Expect a rousing rendition of I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” from the fans of one of England’s most historic clubs.

Chelsea at Bayern Munich

2:00 p.m. Saturday (Fox)

For the first time ever, there’s a home team in the Champions League final. When Munich was selected as the host city two years ago, there was always a possibility that perennial German powerhouse Bayern might make it to European soccer’s biggest stage. They have, and now a fifth European Cup trophy is within reach.

Chelsea has more at stake. The Blues must win this game to reach next year’s tournament. If they do, they’ll knock the fourth-place team in this season’s Premier League - London rival Tottenham Hotspur - out of the competition.  

Los Angeles Galaxy at Chivas USA

10:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN2/ESPN3.com)

Former Union captain Danny Califf could make his Chivas debut as Major League Soccer’s only intra-city rivalry is renewed for the first time in 2012. David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane will provide a stiff test for Califf and Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy, who has been one of MLS’ best netminders this year.

Napoli vs. Juventus

2:45 p.m. Sunday (GolTV/ESPN3.com)

After winning the Serie A title with an undefeated record, Juventus tries to make it a double in the final of the Coppa Italia at Rome’sOlympic Stadium. Napoli finished fifth, but Edinson Cavani was tied for third-best scorer in Serie A this season with 23 goals.  

Chicago Fire at Portland Timbers

7:00 p.m. Sunday (Galavisión)

Both of these teams have gone against preseason predictions so far. Portland was expected to be a playoff contender, but sits at the bottom of the Western Conference. Chicago lacked buzz early in the year, but has quietly emerged as one of the Eastern Conference’s most consistent teams.

Paris Saint-Germain at Lorient

2:45 p.m. Sunday (Fox Soccer Channel)

On the last weekend of the French Ligue 1 season, the only top-division team in France’s capital looks to end an 18-year title drought. PSG needs to win this game and hope that first-place Montpellier somehow loses at last-place Auxerre in order to claim the championship.

Chivas USA at New York Red Bulls

7:00 p.m. Wednesday (Univision Sports Network)

Danny Califf wasn’t the only big acquisition that Chivas landed this week. The Goats also picked up one of American Soccer's young rising stars, New York forward Juan Agudelo, in exchange for defender Heath Pearce. Coincidentally, Chivas and the Red Bulls will meet next week at Red Bull Arena. Expect quite a scene if Agudelo takes the field against his former club.

The Philadelphia Union finally completed their trade of defender and captain Danny Califf to Chivas USA Thursday afternoon. In return for Califf, the Union received midfielder Michael Lahoud and an undisclosed quantity of allocation money.

"I want to take this opportunity to give my sincerest thanks to all our fans, the city of Philadelphia and all of my teammates that I have played with," Califf said in a statement isused by the Union's media relations office. "You have opened your heart and welcomed this California kid like just another one of yous guys!!"

Yes, that's a direct quote.

"We want to thank Danny Califf for his contributions to the Union on and off the field and wish him well in his career," Union manager Peter Nowak said in the same statement.

Nowak described Lahoud as "another young versatile player who we believe will have an opportunity to establish himself as a Union player while helping us achieve our goals throughout the season."

Lahoud is primarily a holding midfielder, but is capable of playing outside back too. So he could slot in to one of the defensive flank positions if Sheanon Williams and/or Gabriel Farfan move to the center.

Born in Sierra Leone, Lahoud moved to Reston, Va. (near D.C.), when he was two years old. He has been in Major League Soccer since 2009, and has played a total of 3,951 minutes in 64 games.

In that time, he has scored a total of two goals and dished out seven assists.

The Califf trade wasn't the only big move Chivas made Thursday. They also acquired one of Major League Soccer's top young American stars, New York forward Juan Agudelo, in exchange for versatile defender Heath Pearce and multiple financial considerations.

According to the New York Post, those considerations include "allocation money, a significant portion of the sell-on fee of what appears to be Agudelo's inevitable move to Europe, and that Chivas USA will pay part of Pearce’s salary this year."

Chivas coach Robin Fraser told reporters in Los Angeles that Califf and Agudelo are expected to be available for Saturday night's rivalry game against the Galaxy. That just so happens to be the club where Califf started his professional career in 2000.

Just as big is Chivas' next game after that: at New York on Wednesday, May 23. It should be quite a scene at Red Bull Arena if Agudelo suits up against his former club. And I've already seen comments on Twitter from Union fans who are thinking about going up to Harrison, N.J., to support Califf.

What do you think of the trade? Have your say in the comments.

Early Thursday evening, MLS headquarters announced that FC Dallas star midfielder Brek Shea has been suspended three games for deliberatly kicking a ball at an asisstant referee in Dallas' May 12 game at Columbus.

This means that Shea won't be available to face the Union on Saturday night (8:30 p.m., The Comcast Network).

He won't be the only major Dallas player absent. Stalwart defenders Ugo Ihemelu and Zach Loyd and creative midfielders David Ferreira and Ricardo Villar are almost certainly going to miss the game due to various injuries.

In addition, speedy forward Fabian Castillo is questionable, and word is going around that starting goalkeeper Kevin Hartman might not be able to play either.

(Which means a potential reunion with former Union netminder Chris Seitz.)

But before you get your hopes up, remember that Freddy Adu is out of the game too, due to the red card he received last Sunday against the Red Bulls. In addition, Gabriel Gomez is one yellow card away from a one-game suspension due to accumulation of bookings.

Roger Torres is still out as he recovers from knee surgery, and Danny Califf is gone.

The Union will also be without Faryd Mondragon, Sebastien Le Toux, Shea Salinas, Jordan Harvey, Brad Knighton, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Eduardo Coudet, Stefani Miglioranzi, Alejandro Moreno, and probably a few other former players.

I suspect that if we all looked hard enough, we could find someone still annoyed about each of them not being around anymore.

But I digress...

After going on the road for U.S. Open Cup games in each of their first two seasons, the Philadelphia Union will finally get to host a game in the tournament this year.

The Union will face either the Brooklyn Italians of the National Premier Soccer League or the Rochester Rhinos of USL Pro in a third-round matchup at PPL Park on Tuesday, May 29 at 7:30 p.m.

If it's Rochester, the storyline will be the fact that the Rhinos are the only non-MLS team that has ever won the tournament in the MLS era. They did so in 1999.

All 16 American Major League Soccer teams will enter the Open Cup in the third round, and all third round matches will be played on May 29.

Philadelphia's MLS team has never won a game in the competition. In 2010, the Union lost a first-round qualifying game at the New York Red Bulls, 2-1; and last year, they lost a first-round qualifying game at D.C. United, 3-2 on penalty kicks (4-2 in the shootout).

The Union's two minor league affiliates could also have relatively short trips if they win their second-round matchups.

If Reading United AC (PDL) wins at the Charleston Battery (USL Pro), they would travel to Harrison, N.J., to face the New York Red Bulls.

If the Harrisburg City islanders (USL Pro) beat the Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) at home, they would host the New England Revolution at Hershey Park Stadium in Hershey, Pa.

Harrisburg and Reading cannot play the Union or each other, because affiliated teams cannot meet until the latest rounds possible. That is among the reasons why the bracket is not pre-set à la basketball at this point.

The fourth round draw will take place next Wednesday, after the second round is completed on Tuesday. After that point, there will be a straightforward bracket.

Here is the complete list of third round fixtures. It's noteworthy that not every MLS team is guaranteed a home game. In fact, some MLS teams could have considerable travel to undertake depending on what their matchups are.

All times listed are Eastern. Games involving local teams are italicized.

And there's one more thing to keep in mind: The winner of the U.S. Open Cup receives a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League. So the Union currently stand five wins from North American club soccer's biggest stage.

Just saying.

MLS Eastern Conference Teams' Matchups

1. Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) or Rochester Rhinos (USL Pro) at Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m.

2a. Reading United AC (PDL) at New York Red Bulls, 7:00 p.m.
or 2b. New York Red Bulls at Charleston Battery (USL Pro), 7:30 p.m.

3a. New England Revolution at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL Pro), 7:00 p.m.
or 3b. Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) at New England Revolution, time TBD

4a. D.C. United at Richmond Kickers (USL Pro), 7:00 p.m.
or 4b. Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (USASA) at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.

5. Dayton Dutch Lions (USL Pro) or Chicago Fire PDL (PDL) at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.

6a. Chicago Fire at Michigan Bucks (PDL), 7:30 p.m.
or 6b. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL Pro) at Chicago Fire, 8:30 p.m.

7. Kansas City Athletics (USASA) or Orlando City Soccer Club (USL Pro) at Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m.

8. Houston Dynamo at Laredo Heat (PDL) or San Antonio Scorpions (NASL), 8:30 p.m.

MLS Western Conference Teams' Matchups

1. Charlotte Eagles (USL Pro) or El Paso Patriots (PDL) at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

2. Fresno Fuego (PDL) or Fort Lauderdale Strikers (NASL) at San Jose Earthquakes, 10:30 p.m.

3a. Ventura County Fusion (PDL) at Chivas USA, time TBD
or 3b. Chivas USA at Los Angeles Blues (USL Pro), 10 p.m.

4a. PSA Elite (USASA) at Los Angeles Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
or 4b. LA Galaxy at Carolina RailHawks (NASL): WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.; 7:07 p.m. ET

5a. Colorado Rapids at Tampa Bay Rowdies (NASL), 7:30 p.m. ET
or 5b. Jacksonville United (NPSL) at Colorado Rapids, 9:00 p.m.

6a. Cal FC (USASA) at Portland Timbers, 10:30 p.m.
or 6b. Portland Timbers at Wilmington Hammerheads (USL Pro), 7:00 p.m.

7a. Seattle Sounders at Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL), 7:30 p.m.
or 7b. Georgia Revolution (NPSL) at Seattle Sounders, 10:00 p.m.

8a. Real Salt Lake at Minnesota Stars FC (NASL), 8:30 p.m
or 8b. Des Moines Menace (PDL) at Real Salt Lake, 9:00 p.m.

Reading United AC, the Philadelphia Union's PDL affiliate, advanced to the second round of the U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday with a 2-1 win over New York Greek-American Atlas.

It was Reading's first ever victory in the tournament.

The game was played at Fleetwood Area High School in Fleetwood, Pa. It was suspended due to severe weather in the 66th minute, then resumed an hour and a quarter later.

I don't have a team sheet for the game, but I got the names of the Reading goal scorers and assist-providers. Since most of them have ties to the Philadelphia area, let's give them their due:

37': Goal scored by Pedro Ribeiro, Coastal Carolina/Belo Horizonte, Brazil; assist by Ryan Finley, Notre Dame/Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley H.S.

55': Goal scored by Finley; assist by Steve Neumann, Georgetown/New Hope, Pa./Council Rock North.

The winning goal was originally credited to Olutolani Ibikunle (Wake Forest/Wynnewood, Pa./St. Joe's Prep), but it was changed at 12:25 a.m. Wednesday morning after an official review.

That was well past the Inquirer and Daily News' print deadlines, which is why it says in the papers that Ibikunle scored the winner.

New York's goal came in the 64th minute, in case you're wondering.

In the second round, Reading will play at the Charleston Battery of USL PRO, the third division. That game and all other second-round games will take place next Tuesday, May 22. Kickoff at famed Blackbaud Stadium is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

There were two other Open Cup first-round games involving local teams. The results were:

Long Island Rough Riders 2 at FC Sonic 0

The game was played at Whitehall High School in Whitehall, Pa. Sonic usually plays at Lehigh University's Ulrich Sports Complex in Bethlehem.

Long Island will play the Harrisburg City Islanders, the Union's USL PRO affiliate, at the Skyline Sports Complex on May 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Jersey Shore Boca 0 at Michigan Bucks 6

The game was game played at the Ultimate Soccer complex in Pontiac, Michigan. Jersey Shore is based at Ocean County College in Toms River, N.J.

Although all three games involving local teams went according to hierarchy of league, there were quite a few upsets elsewhere in the first round. Seven of the 16 games finished with a Premier Development League (fourth division) team losing to a team from a league below it - either the National Premier Soccer League or the U.S. Adult Soccer Association.

(I've gotten a number of questions about whether the NPSL is really below the PDL in the American soccer pyramid. Although the NPSL's technical level is above the USASA, the PDL is demonstrably better in organization, resources and prestige. I've asked a number of close observers of the tournament and it's clear to me that a NPSL team beating a PDL team is an upset.)

1. The Aegean Hawks of the USASA took down the Carolina Dynamo of the PDL, 3-1. There was quite a bit of drama late in the game. An old friend of mine, Aaron Stollar, was on site at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, outside D.C. You can read his live-tweeting of the game here.

2. Orlando City Under-23s (the senior squad plays in the second-division North American Soccer League) lost at home to Jacksonville United of the NPSL, 2-1.

3. The Portland (Maine) Phoenix lost at home to the NPSL's Brooklyn Italians, 3-2. 

4. The Mississippi Bulldogs lost on the road to the NPSL's Georgia Revolution, 1-0, in extra time. Rest assured that the extra time was not played with alternating possessions starting from the 25-yard-line.

5. Real Colorado Foxes lost at home to the USASA's Kansas City Athletics, 3-1. Unfortunately, the game was not played at the Foxes' usual home, which happens to be called Shea Stadium. If it had been, the punchline would have been easy. Though the fact that a soccer team exists called the Kansas City Athletics might catch your attention anyway. 

6. The Kitsap Pumas, which play across Puget Sound from downtown Seattle, lost at home to Cal FC (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) of the USASA, 2-1. Cal's manager is former U.S. national team star Eric Wynalda, though he wasn't at the game - he's in Germany preparing for Fox's broadcast of the UEFA Champions League final. Make of that what you will.

7. Finally, in the upset that has the biggest immediate MLS ramifications, the Portland Timbers' Under-23s lost at JELD-WEN Field (yes, the senior team's home stadium) to PSA Elite (Irvine, Calif.) of the USASA, 3-1

Portland made a big deal of this game by billing it as a doubleheader with the senior team's game at Houston. That game was shown on the stadium video screen before the Open Cup match. It ended up as a scoreless draw. So much for a night's entertainment.

On the whole, the various Portlands combined 0-1-2 record on the night. Not good news if you're a seafood fan.

But while the coasts suffered, the heartland rejoiced. The night's best game was in Wisconsin, of all places on the soccer landscape.

The Des Moines Menace held off the NPSL's Milwaukee Bavarians on the road, 3-1 in extra time. As former Chicago Fire president Peter Wilt tweeted during the game, the night featured "3 red cards, 2 goals called back, 1 missed PK, 2 lightning delays, [and the] sprinklers [going] off" at the end of regulation.

Ah, the magic of cup competition.

There's a complete U.S. Open Cup bracket at TheCup.us, an unofficial site that does a great job channeling game updates into a live chat during each round. You can read the first round chat transcript here (and yes, I made a guest appearance).

For background on on all the local teams and the competition as a whole, check out this post I wrote earlier this month when the draw came out. 

The Union will enter the competition in the third round on March 29. As of the time I'm writing this, it's not yet known whether they'll host a game or not. That's in part because MLS teams cannot play against their minor-league affiliates. We should know later this week, though, so stay tuned.