Major Link Soccer: Charity Dribbler Killed, Open Cup Results

The First Round of the Open Cup kicked off last night. One more round before MLS kicks into gear.

Real Colorado Foxes (PDL) 3:4 Georgia Revolution (NPSL)
FC Lehigh Valley United (NPSL) 0:2 Reading United (PDL)
VSI Tampa Bay FC (USL Pro) 1:1 (5:3 PK) Orlando City U23s (PDL)
Chattanooga FC (NPSL) 4:4 (1:4 PK) Carolina Dynamo (PDL)
RWB Adria (USASA) 1:1 (3:5 PK) Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL Pro)
River City Rovers (PDL) 0:3 Dayton Dutch Lions (USL Pro)
New York Red Bulls U23s (NPSL) 0:2 Ocean City Nor'easters (PDL)
Ocala Stampede (PDL) 4:2 Red Force (USASA)
Dearborn Stars SC (USASA) 2:0 Michigan Bucks (PDL)
Mass Premier Soccer (USASA) 0:2 GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL)
Icon FC (USASA) 4:1 Brooklyn Italians (NPSL)
North Texas Rayados (USASA) 0:2 Austin Aztex (PDL)
14 PSA Elite (USASA) 0:2 Laredo Heat (PDL)
FC Hasental (NPSL) 2:3 Ventura County Fusion (PDL)
Doxa Italia (USASA) 1:5 Seattle Sounders U23s (PDL)
Phoenix FC (USL Pro) 1:2 FC Tucson (PDL)
Sacramento Gold (NPSL) 2:3 Portland Timbers U23s (PDL)

That's a lot of road winners. [Ed note: home teams are on the right]

The Seattle Sounders host FC Dallas on Saturday, a team that thus far has been a critical and power ranking darling. Their hope is that they'll be able to return from one of their coming road trips to a newly sponsored stadium. In the meantime, they're going to have to deal with a roster that put four members on MLSsoccer's Team of the Week (a team that also includes three Timbers and two Whitecaps). Lamar Neagle was on that roster, after making the forward equation very difficult for coach Sigi Schmid. Also giving Schmid (good) migraines is Servando Carrasco, who has shot up the midfield depth chart while Shalrie Joseph gains fitness and recovers.

Floundering Chivas USA has made a trade with the Philadelphia Union for the contract of Gabriel Farfan, sending across the country a first round draft pick and allocation money. Having been born in San Diego and played for Club America, Farfan should fit right in with the new look Chivas team.

Can New England break free of their current Misama without a new stadium deal? Read ProSoccerTalk's thoughts on the matter.

CONCACAF has made their Gold Cup championship trophy significantly pointier in the redesign announced Tuesday. Now, players will have to be careful when making sudden turns during their celebration lest someone's eye get poked out.

It's easy to stand up for what you believe in when you have thousands of friends at your back. It's much harder when your group is small. That's why it's so impressive to see a small group with the fortitude to come out and cheer for their team like the Union Ultras. I'll never forget seeing their group at Starfire in the Open Cup Semifinal a few years ago.

Before we get to our tragic headline story, here's an announcement from SB Nation on their new Google+ integration.

Tragedy struck the Northwest soccer scene yesterday as Seattle man Richard Swanson was struck and killed by a vehicle in Lincoln City, Oregon. Swanson had previously been featured in Major Link Soccer after announcing plans to dribble a soccer ball all the way from the Emerald City to Sao Paolo, Brazil, in time for the 2014 World Cup. His journey for charity started May 1, and was to take him through eleven countries.