Reading United to host, Ocean City will travel for first round of U.S. Open Cup

Reading United will get an early look at the amateur darlings of last year’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup when they host Maryland’s Christos FC in the first round of this year’s Open Cup on May 9.

The match, scheduled for 7 p.m. at Don Thomas Stadium in Exeter Township, is the only first round match that will be played in the region. Reading United’s division rivals Ocean City Nor’easters will travel to Ypsilanti, Michigan to take on NPSL club AFC Ann Arbor.

Christos FC made it all the way to the fourth round of the Open Cup last year, eventually falling to D.C. United 4-1 after knocking off Fredericksburg, Richmond Kickers and Chicago FC United. They were the last remaining amateur squad in last year’s edition of the competition.

Christos qualified for this year’s competition with a 5-1 win over local club Phoenix SC in the third and final round of open division local qualifiers back in November. Landsdowne Bhoys defeated the Junior Lone Star U23s in the same round.

Penn FC will enter the competition with 21 other USL teams for the second round on May 16 while the Philadelphia Union will enter with 19 other MLS teams for the fourth round on June 6. The draw for the fourth round will be held on May 24.

Reading United will be appearing in its 10th straight Open Cup while Ocean City will be making their ninth appearance in the country’s oldest cup competition.

Matthew Ralph

Matthew Ralph is the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now. He's covered soccer at all levels for a decade in the Philadelphia region and has also written for TheCup.us, NPSL, PrepSoccer and other publications. He lives with his wife and two young children in Broomall, Pa., but grew up in South Jersey and is originally from Kansas.

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