The Weekend Before - Second Round

Nearly all of the lower division professional league clubs are in action the weekend before their entry into the 99th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Still unbeaten in league play are 3-0-3 Minnesota Stars of the NASL and the USL Pro duo of defending champion Orlando City (6-0-1) and Rochester Rhinos (6-0-0).

Minnesota is on a trip to Florida to face the 2-2-3 Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The Rhinos are playing host to the 0-3-2 Dayton Dutch Lions while Orlando City is idle. Also off this weekend in USL Pro are the Charleston Battery and LA Blues.

In addition to Dayton, the Atlanta Silverbacks (0-3-4) and Carolina Railhawks (0-4-4) are looking for their first wins of the league campaign. Atlanta hosts Tampa Bay Rowdies and Carolina is at home against the league-leading Puerto Rico Islanders.

In the PDL and NPSL, there had been only one meeting between two Open Cup entrants prior to the First Round (Des Moines vs Real Colorado), but this week along there are three. In the PDL, the Texas duo of the 1-0-1 El Paso Patriots square off against the 0-1-0 Laredo Heat Friday evening. On Saturday, the 0-0-1 Reading United AC face Mid Atlantic Division foes Long Islander Rough Riders, who are kicking off their league campaign. Also on Saturday, the NPSL rivals Georgia Revolution and Jacksonville United meet up.

Also finally kicking off their league campaign are the Michigan Bucks, who play host to the expansion Chicago Inferno Saturday. The Chicago Fire will not play their first PDL game until the night following the Second Round fixture, playing host to River City Rovers.

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THIS WEEK*

Friday, May 18
Richmond Kickers @ Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Dayton Dutch Lions @ Rochester Rhinos
El Paso Patriots @ Laredo Heat
Fresno Fuego vs Orange County
Ventura County Fusion vs Ogden

Saturday, May 19
Puerto Rico Islanders @ Carolina RailHawks
Tampa Bay Rowdies @ Atlanta Silverbacks
Minnesota Stars @ Fort Lauderdale Strikers
FC Edmonton @ San Antonio Scorpions
Dayton Dutch Lions @ Harrisburg City Islanders
Charlotte Eagles @ Wilmington Hammerheads
Reading United AC @ Long Island Rough Riders
Michigan Bucks vs Chicago Inferno
El Paso Patriots @ Austin
Des Moines Menace vs Kansas City
Brooklyn Italians @ NY AC
Georgia Revolution @ Jacksonville United

Sunday, May 20
Ventura County Fusion vs Pali

*Open Cup PDL/NPSL clubs included, listed first &/or bold