The 1998 U.S. Open Cup ran from June through October, 1998, open to all soccer teams in the United States.
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Chicago Fire (1st title) |
| Runner-up | Columbus Crew |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Jason Acres (4 goals) |
The first-year Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire won the Cup with a 2–1 overtime victory over the Columbus Crew at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.
In the early rounds of the tournament, only one MLS team lost to a minor-league side, when the A-League's Nashville Metros beat the Kansas City Wizards 3–1.
Open Cup Bracket edit
Home teams listed on top of bracket
First round edit
Eight D3 Pro, four PDL, and four USASA teams start.
| June 9, 1998 | San Nicholas S.C. (USASA Region IV) | 1-2 | Austin Lone Stars (USISL D3-Pro) | House Park Austin, Texas |
|
(Report) |
|
Attendance: 824 |
| June 10, 1998 | Detroit Dynamite (USISL PDSL) | 1-2 (a.e.t.) | Delaware Wizards (USISL D3-Pro) | Randy White Alumni Stadium Wilmington, Delaware |
Dan Savich  8' |
(Report) |
|
| June 11, 1998 | S.A.C. Wisla (USASA Region II) | 0-8 | Chicago Stingers (USISL D3-Pro) | Forest View Park Arlington Heights, Illinois |
| (Report) |
|
| June 12, 1998 | Los Lobos (USASA Region III) | 3-4 | Charlotte Eagles (USISL D3-Pro) | Davidson College Davidson, North Carolina |
|
(Report) |
|
| June 12, 1998 | San Gabriel Valley Highlanders (USISL PDSL) | 1-2 | Arizona Sahuaros (USISL D3-Pro) | Dobson High School Mesa, Arizona |
| Sarkis Banyan 86' |
(Report) |
|
Attendance: 5816 |
| June 13, 1998 | Kansas City Brass (USISL PDSL) | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Central Jersey Riptide (USISL D3-Pro) | Memorial Stadium New Brunswick, New Jersey |
| Sean Walker 11' |
(Report) |
|
| June 16, 1998 | Jackson Chargers (USISL PDSL) | 1–2 | Orlando Nighthawks (USISL D3-Pro) | Frank E. Lough Stadium Orlando, Florida |
| Jeremy Shortt 21' |
(Report) |
|
Attendance: 150 |
| June 21, 1998 | Western Massachusetts Pioneers (USISL D3-Pro) | 2-0 (forfeit) | New York Greek American Atlas (USASA Region I) | |
| (Report) | ||||
| Note: New York Greek American Atlas was forced to forfeit the match (originally a 1-0) win due to the use of six players who had not obtained international clearance. | ||||
Second round edit
Eight A-League enter.
| June 23, 1998 | Charlotte Eagles (USISL D3-Pro) | 0–2 | Worcester Wildfire (USISL A-League) | Natick High School Natick, Massachusetts |
|
| June 23, 1998 | Chicago Stingers (USISL D3-Pro) | 3-2 (a.e.t.) | Hershey Wildcats (USISL A-League) | Hersheypark Stadium Hershey, Pennsylvania |
|
(Report) |
|
Referee: Nate Clement |
| June 23, 1998 | Orlando Nighthawks (USISL D3-Pro) | 2–1 | Milwaukee Rampage (USISL A-League) | |
|
(Report) | ???' |
| June 23, 1998 | Austin Lone Stars (USISL D3-Pro) | 1–2 | Orange County Zodiac (USISL A-League) | Anteater Stadium Irvine, California |
| Randy Holland 62' |
(Report) |
|
| June 24, 1998 | Arizona Sahuaros (USISL D3-Pro) | 1–9 | El Paso Patriots (USISL A-League) | SISD Student Activities Complex Socorro, Texas |
| Attendance: 921 |
| June 24, 1998 | Delaware Wizards (USISL D3-Pro) | 1–7 | Nashville Metros (USISL A-League) | HCA Columbia Soccer Stadium Nashville, Tennessee |
| Tarik Walker 68' |
(Report) |
|
Attendance: 469 |
| June 30, 1998 | Central Jersey Riptide (USISL D3-Pro) | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (2-3 p) | Hampton Roads Mariners (USISL A-League) |
| July 1, 1998 | Rochester Raging Rhinos (USISL A-League) | 3–1 | Western Massachusetts Pioneers (USISL D3-Pro) | Lusitano Stadium Ludlow, Massachusetts |
|
(Report) | Mike Butler 62' |
Attendance: 2156 |
Third round edit
Eight MLS enter.
| July 6, 1998 | Chicago Fire (MLS) | 3–1 | Chicago Stingers (USISL D3-Pro) | Forest View Park Stadium Arlington Heights, Illinois |
|
(Report) | Joe Carver 22' |
Attendance: 4216 |
| July 7, 1998 | Columbus Crew (MLS) | 2-1 (a.e.t.) | Rochester Raging Rhinos (USISL A-League) | Frontier Field Rochester, New York |
|
(Report) |
|
Attendance: 9287 |
| July 7, 1998 | San Jose Clash (MLS) | 2-0 | El Paso Patriots (USISL A-League) | SISD Student Activities Complex Socorro, Texas |
| John Doyle 38', 78' |
(Report) | Attendance: 3275 |
| July 8, 1998 | Hampton Roads Mariners (USISL A-League) | 0–1 (a.e.t.) | MetroStars (MLS) | Kean Alumni Stadium Union, New Jersey |
| (Report) | Eduardo Hurtado 98' |
Attendance: 462 |
| July 8, 1998 | Orlando Nighthawks (USISL D3-Pro) | 0–3 | Miami Fusion F.C. (MLS) | Lockhart Stadium Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
|
(Report) |
|
| July 8, 1998 | Worcester Wildfire (USISL A-League) | 2-2 (a.e.t.) (4-5 p) | Tampa Bay Mutiny (MLS) | USF Soccer and Track Stadium Tampa, Florida |
|
(Report) |
|
| July 8, 1998 | Orange County Zodiac (USISL A-League) | 0-4 | Dallas Burn (MLS) | Old Panther Field Duncanville, Texas |
| July 8, 1998 | Kansas City Wizards (MLS) | 1-3 | Nashville Metros (USISL A-League) | HCA Columbia Soccer Stadium Nashville, Tennessee |
| Paul Rideout 24' |
(Report) |
|
Attendance: 1248 |
Quarterfinals edit
| Columbus Crew (MLS) | 3–0 | Miami Fusion (MLS) |
|---|---|---|
| Jeff Cunningham 12' Brian McBride 36', 44' |
(Report) |
| MetroStars (MLS) | 4–0 | Tampa Bay Mutiny (MLS) |
|---|---|---|
| Giovanni Savarese 33', 35' Jim Rooney 75' Mike Sorber 77' |
(Report) |
| Chicago Fire (MLS) | 1–1 (AET) 4-3 PSO | San Jose Clash (MLS) |
|---|---|---|
| Lubos Kubik 55' | (Report) | Jeff Baicher 65' |
| Nashville Metros (A-League) | 1–5 | Dallas Burn (MLS) |
|---|---|---|
| John Jones 87' | (Report) | Dante Washington 9', 53' Mickey Trotman 48' Temoc Suarez 78' Richard Farrer 81' |
Semifinals edit
| Chicago Fire (MLS) | 3–2 | Dallas Burn (MLS) |
|---|---|---|
| Ante Razov 11' Roman Kosecki 56' Lubos Kubik 74' |
(Report) | Mickey Trotman 23' Leonel Álvarez 83' (pen) |
| Columbus Crew (MLS) | 1–0 | MetroStars (MLS) |
|---|---|---|
| Ricardo Iribarren 5' | (Report) |
Final edit
| Chicago Fire | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Columbus Crew |
|---|---|---|
| Podbrożny 45' (pen.) Klopas 99' |
Report | John 53' |
      Chicago Fire
|
     Columbus Crew
|
Top scorers edit
| Position | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jason Acres | Chicago Stingers | 4 |
| 2 | Kirk Wilson | El Paso Patriots | 3 |
| Brian McBride | Columbus Crew | 3 | |
| Joe Carver | Chicago Stingers | 3 | |
| James Wellington | Charlotte Eagles | 3 |