The dark rain clouds that circled Fleetwood’s Ray Buss Stadium on Tuesday night were generally associated with the dark and ominous, something the United had gotten used to in their previous U.S. Open Cup experiences. Losing a lead late against Harrisburg last year, losing in double overtime to Real Maryland FC, such has been the recent track record of the United in the Cup. Five years, five losses. But Ryan Finley’s goal and assist kept history from repeating itself in Reading’s 2-1 victory against the New York Greek American Atlas on Tuesday night.

Naoyas Aizawa sandwiched an assist between two goals, and while it wasn't quite a feast for the El Paso Patriots, a 3-1 win against the North Texas Rayados was satisfying enough to whet their appetite for more in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. They'll get all they can handle next Tuesday, May 22nd, when the Charlotte Eagles of USL PRO come calling. Until then, Patriots' fans can feel satisfied after watching Aizawa and fellow forwards David Salas and Michael Griego take bite after bite of the North Texas defense.

The Chicago Fire PDL team advanced past the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the second straight year Tuesday night, surviving a late onslaught to squeak out a 1-0 victory over Milwaukee-based Croatian Eagles (USASA) on the Toyota Park Practice Field. With the win, the team moves on to host USL PRO’s Dayton Dutch Lions next Tuesday, May 22 at Toyota Park. “It was a tough win,” said Fire PDL head coach Mark Spooner post-game. “I don’t think we played particularly well but pros find ways to win games and that’s what we did.”

The Des Moines Menace’s long-awaited return to the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup came at the end of a delay-filled Tuesday night that concluded with a 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Bavarians. For the first time since 2006, the Menace advances past the national tournament’s opening round. Des Moines hosts the Minnesota Stars FC next Tuesday, May 22 at Valley Stadium – the site of back-to-back 1-0 losses in the first round of the 2010 and 2011 Open Cup.

A brace by forward Davis Paul guided the PSA Elite to a 3-1 win over the Portland Timbers U-23s in a first-round match of the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday night, before 1,524 fans at JELD-WEN Field. PSA Elite, from the U.S. Adult Soccer Association, took a 2-0 lead into halftime on the opening goal by Paul and a strike by forward Christian Ramirez. The Timbers U-23s pulled one back in the early stages of the second half on a goal by midfielder Eric Miller in his team debut to cut the deficit 2-1.

Desmond Armstrong distinguished himself as a player with his air-tight man-marking of Italian strikers Salvatore Schillachi and Gianluca Vialli in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Hassled by Armstrong throughout, neither found the back of the net in the United States’ narrow 1-0 Group A defeat. In an 11-year professional career, Armstrong also held his own against other international legends such as Roberto Baggio, Bebeto and Junior. Today, he still owns a jersey from Marco Van Basten after swapping uniforms with the former A.C. Milan offensive wizard.