Vermont Green FC will host pro club Westchester SC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Round on Wednesday, April 1 at 7pm on Virtue Field.
The USL1 club from Mount Vernon, New York will make their first ever trip to Burlington after a comfortable 2-0 win over amateur side NY Renegades in the First Round. The Vermonters—still buzzing after upsetting Portland Hearts of Pine 1-0—will have just three training sessions to prepare for the big Second Round test. If the Green are to stare down the in-season pros and pull off another cupset, it will take a unified and disciplined performance from Chris Taylor’s men and the Virtue Field faithful.
The ticket lottery for the match had 9,844 ticket requests.
HISTORY
Wednesday night will mark the first-ever contest between Vermont Green and Westchester SC. Regional pairings are prioritized in the early rounds of the U.S. Open Cup, which means this could be the first of many meetings between the two clubs from neighboring states.
It will be Vermont Green’s fourth-ever U.S. Open Cup match. The Green, who began play in 2022, has only faced pro clubs whose inaugural season came after theirs: Lexington SC (2023), Carolina Core FC (2024), Portland Hearts of Pine (2025), Westchester SC (2025).
WESTCHESTER IN FOCUS
Westchester Soccer Club is based in Westchester County, NY. The team was announced in 2024 and played its inaugural USL1 season in 2025. The “Golden Apple” as the club’s fans refer to them, play home matches at The Stadium at Memorial Field in Mount Vernon, NY.
Westchester SC’s first USL1 campaign didn’t go quite as planned: the team finished in last place and the club parted ways with the entire sporting staff as a result. However, their participation in the 2025 U.S. Open Cup was a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable season: they defeated FC Motown and New York Pancyprian-Freedoms before falling to USL Championship side Detroit City FC in the Third Round.
The upstart club has retooled, and built a 2026 squad with a mix of experienced pros like Conor McGlynn, and young, hungry rookies like Daniel Burko.
McGlynn brings Westchester years of professional experience in the USL Championship, where he amassed over 100 total appearances between Hartford Athletic (2020–2023) and Rhode Island FC (2024) before joining Westchester in 2025. The midfielder comes from accomplished New York soccer stock, and is the brother of U.S. Men’s National team and Houston Dynamo midfielder Jack McGlynn. Connor, the Westchester club captain wearing #6, will look to overwhelm the less-experienced Green.
While Westchester are making their first trip to Vermont, striker Daniel Burko is not. The Norwegian may be woefully familiar to Vermont soccer fans, as he helped orchestrate Hofstra’s first round upset of #1 ranked UVM in the 2025 NCAA tournament in November. Burko is dangerous on the ball, and will understand the Green’s collegiate style and identity. The big #77 scored both goals in Westchester’s First Round win.
COLLEGE BALLERS
Vermont Green’s recent on-field success is a testament to the quality of college soccer’s top talent.
The Green are currently playing in the amateur or “pre-professional” ranks, where clubs source talent from a number of avenues. Some clubs turn to ex-pros whose careers are winding down, while others rely on the products of their youth academy. Some hold open tryouts for locals to show off their stuff. But Sporting Director Adam Pfeifer, a Boston College alum, has built his player recruitment strategy from the source that he himself came through: college soccer.
The Green’s U.S. Open Cup roster is made up entirely of college student-athletes, and—in the belief of the club—future professional soccer players. Pfeifer sees this tournament as an important opportunity to not only put Vermont soccer on the map, but also highlight the level of talent in this country’s colleges and universities.
One such example is the First Round hero aptly named David Ismail. The German forward proved to be a menace for the Portland defense, and his lone goal was enough to slay the Goliath that was Portland Hearts of Pine. Ismail was an integral part of the University of Vermont’s 2024 NCAA national championship, and was a collegiate All-American in 2025. With his towering frame and relentless attacking style, Ismail is likely to lead the line as the Green hope to advance further than they’ve ever gone before.
DREAMING OF A CUP RUN
The Second Round is upon us. As it stands, Vermont Green have matched their longest run in the United States’ oldest cup competition. Each round will prove more difficult than the last.
While the Green must remain laser-focused on the task in front of them, one could not be faulted for being curious about what lies beyond. Should the Green do the improbable on Wednesday night and defeat Westchester, a date with a Major League Soccer club could be waiting in the Third Round.
One must never get ahead of themselves in this game. Goliath can be defeated, and a darling can be completely undone. But what’s the point of the Cup if you won’t let yourself dream?
TICKETS
Tickets to the match are being distributed via lottery. Fans who didn’t win the lottery can watch for free on the hill behind the north goal.
WATCH THE MATCH
The U.S. Open Cup Second Round will be streamed exclusively on Paramount+.
SCRAN
Maharaja Spice, South End Sliders, Jilib Jiblets, Vivid Coffee, and El Gato will be serving on the concourse. Ben & Jerry’s will be serving free ice cream bars. Arrive early to enjoy these local eats.