Following a winter in which many North American Soccer League clubs appeared to improve on paper, Wednesday's results in the US Open Cup were massively disappointing to fans of most clubs in the league. Just two NASL sides advanced to the fourth round, the New York Cosmos, and the Atlanta Silverbacks.
Those two surviving sides will both face MLS competition from New York, with the Cosmos set to host NYCFC, while Atlanta will travel to New Jersey to take on the Red Bulls.
The league currently has seven other American clubs, all of whom were drawn against USL opposition, and all of whom lost their matches on Wednesday. The results were as follows:
Richmond Kickers 3 - Jacksonville Armada 0
Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1 - Tampa Bay Rowdies 0
Carolina RailHawks 0 - Charlotte Independence 1
Charleston Battery 3 - Fort Lauderdale Strikers 2
St. Louis FC 1 - Minnesota United 1 (3-1 on penalties)
Indy Eleven 0 - Louisville City FC 2
San Antonio Scorpions 0 - Austin Aztex 2
All in all, it was a great night for the USL, while it may have been the worst day in the NASL's brief history, between the awful showings on the pitch, and the news of Aaron Davidson's arrest. It will be back to the spring season grind on Saturday, when the Cosmos could clinch the spring season title with a win, or a draw and some help.