The US Open Cup needs to be a big deal again - this week's semis can kickstart an epic revival

Analysis

Tom Weber | Writer

After a four-month break, the US Open Cup returns this week when the Columbus Crew host Orlando City and St. Louis City travel to the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday.

At stake is a place in the final of America's most storied and longest-running soccer competition. In recent years, the Open Cup hasn't received the attention and respect it deserves. This week's semi-finals could finally change that.

For one, none of the four teams will treat this competition as an afterthought. All of them will be desperate to get their hands on the trophy next month. For Orlando City and St. Louis, two of the hottest teams in MLS right now, winning the Open Cup could herald a new era of success.

Yoanne Damet seems to be building something special at St. Louis. The young coach has a clear tactical philosophy, and his team has become increasingly adept at executing his ideas as the season has progressed.

St. Louis will be without new star striker Rafael Navarro, who is cup-tied after, ironically, featuring for Colorado, but they will still be the favourites for their clash with the Rapids. Out of the four teams left, they are perhaps the least desperate to lift the trophy because they are playing like genuine MLS Cup contenders right now, so they may yet have bigger fish to fry this season.

Why the Open Cup matters

Orlando, too, are an in-form side right now, but they are still very much a team in transition and don't yet have as strong a foundation as St. Louis. However, when you have Antoine Griezmann balling out for you, you can beat any team.

The France legend has scored in five consecutive games, with Orlando climbing from 13th in the Eastern Conference to sixth since his arrival this summer. Griezmann never made a secret of his desire to eventually move to MLS, and he is clearly loving life in Florida right now.

Colorado are in a similar boat, although they are searching for consistency. They are building an intriguing project under new coach Matt Wells, but are they still in the process of trying to fit all the pieces in the right spots after a summer of incredible turnover.

The Rapids sold $31.7 million worth of talent, chiefly Lucas Herrington and the aforementioned Navarro, and replaced it with new players to the tune of $25.6m. They were one of the busiest clubs this summer.

The Rapids are unlikely to seriously challenge for MLS Cup this year, so winning the Open Cup would send a message that they could be a force to be reckoned with in 2027 and beyond.

Finally, there's Columbus, whose new-manager bounce has vanished into thin air in recent weeks. Interim boss Laurent Courtois initially got a tune out of this team, but they have now won just once in MLS since late July.

Claiming the Open Cup could provide some positivity for the future in what has otherwise been a terrible season. With the Crew nine points below the playoff line, this will be their only shot at silverware this year.

Obviously, all participants want to win at this stage of any competition, but it is a big deal for the Open Cup to have MLS clubs actually care about the tournament. It is a source of legitimacy for what should be America's premier soccer competition.

The Open Cup has the one thing that soccer in America mostly lacks: history and tradition. Of course, MLS has now been around for 30 years, as has USL in one form or another. But that's nothing compared to the Open Cup, which launched in 1913/1914 and is the third-longest-running cup competition in the world.

Nothing else in the fragmented and fluctuating landscape of soccer in the US even comes close, and this is something that should be cherished and protected. It is the common thread that connects the early immigrant and workers' teams of the early 20th century to the gigantic professional clubs of today.

The fact that MLS pulled many of its teams out earlier this decade to focus on the astroturfed Leagues Cup was scandalous. It is a boon for the sport that this decision will finally be reversed next year. Of course, MLS franchises could still choose to play the kids, but this happens in any cup competition in the world.

It's a matter of principle. Having the first teams in the competition, even if just in name, is better than the Open Cup being reduced to a truncated reserve tournament. Of course, the new-look variant won't be perfect.

MLS teams have won all but one edition since the league's inaugural season in 1996, and this is unlikely to change anytime soon. Naturally, this decreases the competition's attractiveness, but it is nonetheless preferable to have all MLS sides participate.

Imagine if, after winning the FA Cup, the DFB-Pokal or the Coupe de France, a team simply dropped out of the competition the following season. In the US, you don't have to use your imagination - it's reality. Reigning champions Nashville didn't compete this year.

With a more palatable schedule and all MLS teams taking part, the competition could be reinvigorated next year. After all, knockout soccer is always more fun than regular league play - that's why MLS has playoffs - and having people actually care about the Open Cup and engage with its fascinating history can only be good for the development of the sport in the US.

Let's hope Wednesday's games deliver some of that famous Magic of the Cup™ - the US Open Cup's revival starts now.

Written by

Tom Weber | Writer

Tom Weber is an experienced, multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer as part of his freelance work for FootballTransfers.

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