Complete U.S. Open Cup Coverage

2018 US Open Cup

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: Nashville SC’s first MLS upset adds to Colorado Rapids’ misery

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USOC-COL-NVL-FINALNashville SC advanced to the Fifth Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids at Vanderbilt Stadium on Wednesday night.

Ropapa Mensah’s 78th minute goal propelled the upstart USL squad to its first-ever competitive win over an MLS franchise and extended an unbeaten run to nine games across all competitions.

The loss extends Colorado’s winless run to eight games, but it also added to a pair of unfortunate records they already hold. This marked the 15th consecutive tournament that the Rapids have failed to win multiple games in a tournament, and this was the tenth time that a lower division team knocked them out of the competition. Both of those are Modern Era (1995-present) records.

Mensah wasted little time finding the net after being subbed on for Brandon Allen just one minute prior. Liam Doyle’s cross found Mensah near the back post and the attacker rose above Colorado’s Deklan Wynne, finishing the chance with a header to the lower right corner to beat keeper Zach MacMath and send the Nashville crowd into a frenzy.

Nashville coach Gary Smith praised Mensah’s immediate energy and awareness off the bench.

“He comes onto the pitch like a crazy person,” Smith said. “He’s so keen to make a mark.
“I’ve got good players on the line that can either help us win a game or change a game and the second goal was key.

“To score the second goal at that time really deflated them and the writing was on the wall from that moment,” Smith added.

The Rapids controlled nearly 60 percent of possession, yet totaled just three shots on the night.
The lone true threat to Nashville’s goal was a 26th-minute scramble that was cleared near the line by Nashville’s Justin Davis.

“It was a tough one,” said Rapids forward Dominique Badji. “We were on top of it for most of it but we just didn’t create enough quality chances and didn’t put away the few chances we had.”

Nashville goalkeeper Matt Pickens, who helped Colorado hoist the MLS Cup in 2010, said it was more of the same for one of the USL’s best defensive teams.

“Probably the easiest game of the year for me,” Pickens said. “I just tried to keep guys tuned in. They held the possession but the guys put in the work and also played smart. We didn’t give up any stupid fouls around the box and we kept everything in front of us. It’s good see we’re staying disciplined to that.”
Nashville drew first blood in the 38th minute when Rapids defender Michael Azira turned in a Justin Davis cross into his own net.

“I was just trying to put it in a difficult spot for them,” Davis said. “Playing on this turf it’s not ideal for a back line so when facing their own goal stuff like that happens.”

Smith said he felt his squad turning up the heat on the visitors before the eventual breakthrough.

“We had started to turn the screw a little bit,” Smith said. “It’s about putting players under pressure. If you can deliver to good areas and you can build some pressure and get bodies in dangerous areas, defenders are concerned and they do strange things.”

The own goal coupled with Nashville’s stingy defense held until Mensah’s goal gave the hosts the final winning edge. But Smith, who coached that 2010 MLS Cup-winning Rapids team before being relieved of his duties just a season later, hinted the edge may have come well before the match kicked off.

“You’ve got guys in that locker room who have, at certain times, been passed up at the MLS level,” he said. “You’ve got guys that have achieved something at that level and you’ve got guys that want to be at that level. Any way you look at it, you’ve got a group of guys out there that were going to give absolutely everything from where they were at tonight.”

The win by Nashville SC was made even more impressive by the fact that it was the first time that a Tennessee-based club defeated a Major League Soccer team since 1998. Twenty years ago, the Nashville Metros eliminated the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting Kansas City), 3-1.

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: FC Dallas edge San Antonio FC in Texas-sized MLS vs. USL battle

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FC Dallas and San Antonio FC met in the Fourth Round of the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Darren Abate | USL
FC Dallas and San Antonio FC met in the Fourth Round of the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Darren Abate | USL

FC Dallas (MLS) advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Wednesday night with a 1-0 win over San Antonio FC (USL) in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio has never advanced further than the Fourth Round while FC Dallas, four-time finalists and two-time winners of the tournament, advance again to the Round of 16.

The first half featured quality chances by both squads. The first dangerous chance came in the 26th minute when San Antonio’s Omar Gordon juked Dallas’ keeper, but his shot was stopped just in front of goal by defender Jordan Cano to keep it scoreless.

Dallas’ Emmanuel Twumasi took a chance for the visitors in the 34th, but SAFC’s GK Matt Cardone handled it easily.

San Antonio nearly scored the opener in first half stoppage time but was cleared off the line again. The match went into halftime with nothing between the two sides.

The second half had barely gotten underway when FC Dallas’ Tesho Akindele, fed by Michael Barrios, slotted home the opening goal in the 46th minute. Dallas then focused their defensive efforts mainly on San Antonio FC’s Omar Gordon, who was the most dangerous man on the pitch in the first half. Gordon had all three of SAFC’s shots on target and four overall coming out of halftime.

Instead of sitting on their one-goal lead, the visitors continued pushing for an insurance goal, forcing San Antonio’s Matt Cardone to make a few point-blank saves, keeping the home side within striking distance. Gordon had San Antonio’s best second-half chance in the 80th minute as he danced around the Jimmy Mauer’s box, but his shot just went over the crossbar. Dallas nearly iced the match in the 87th minute as Michael Barrios’ effort bounced off the upright and rattled in front of San Antonio’s goal before being cleared.

The match ended 1-0 in favor of visiting FC Dallas who extend their opening round winning streak to six games. will find out their Round of 16 opponent on June 7.

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: Houston Dynamo take over in 2nd half, eliminate amateurs from NTX Rayados

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Players from the Houston Dynamo (orange) and NTX Rayados battle for the ball in their Fourth Round match in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Jose Castellanos | Prost Amerika
Players from the Houston Dynamo (orange) and NTX Rayados battle for the ball in their Fourth Round match in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Jose Castellanos | Prost Amerika

How do you prepare for a team you’ve never seen play?

“It’s complicated because you don’t know what to expect,” said Houston Dynamo coach Wilmer Cabrera after a 5-0 win against NTX Rayados, an amateur team from the Dallas area, in the Fourth Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Cabrera added that even though the team had some video of Rayados, “we didn’t want to show them (the Dynamo players) because it’s really blurry, at grass level.”

“We didn’t want to feel comfortable,” he said. “We told them, if they are here it’s because they won each of their games. They deserve to be here.”

NTX showed they more than belonged as the two teams struggled through a sluggish first half in the 90-plus degree Houston heat. Rayados also had a couple of opportunities on the counter attack. In the 23rd minute, forward Mohamed Sesay received a got on the end of a long pass but his shot was stopped by Dynamo goalkeeper Chris Seitz.

Arturo Alvarez’s header over the bar as the first half came to an end was the best chance for the home side.

Houston got its breakthrough in the 55th minute when defender Alejandro Fuenmayor whipped a cross into the box. Dynamo midfielder Memo Rodriguez converted on his second attempt to give Houston a 1-0 lead.

The Dynamo doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Luis Gil put recent signing Aldo Quintanilla through on goal. The former RGVFC Toro made no mistake to put Houston up 2-0.
Moments later, the Open Cup dream for NTX was all but dashed when a turnover led to defender Jose Luis Burciaga taking Rodriguez down in the box. Burciaga received his marching orders as he was given his second yellow of the match.

The 22-year-old former Dynamo Academy product converted from the penalty spot for his brace to put Houston on top 3-0. Rodriguez said the penalty “was always mine, but Arturo (Alvarez) asked if I wanted and he gives me that confidence that I’m gonna step up and take the opportunity and score.”

Arturo Alvarez added two assists late, one to Matias Zaldivar (another RGVFC product) in the 88th minute and one to Quintanilla in the second half of stoppage time.

NTX may have suffered a lopsided defeat but you wouldn’t tell by looking at their faces as they walked off the BBVA Compass Stadium Field. This was a team of teachers and friends who went toe-to-toe with a MLS team, a memory they’ll never forget.

With the win over NTX, the the first competitive match against an amateur team in Dynamo history, Houston advances in the Cup and sets up a likely date with in-state rivals FC Dallas, who beat San Antonio 1-0 Wednesday night.

While not yet official, Cabrera and Dynamo players were already discussing the anticipated match up after the win.

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: PK shootout decided by goalkeepers as Chicago Fire oust Crew SC again

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Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew players battle for the ball in their Fourth Round match in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Columbus Crew SC.
Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew players battle for the ball in their Fourth Round match in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Columbus Crew SC.

For the second year in a row, the Chicago Fire had to go to a shootout to determine a winner against an Ohio team. This year things were different. After falling to FC Cincinnati in their magical cup run, the Fire were able to come out on top against league rivals Columbus Crew SC, a 10-9 penalty kicks win after a 2-2 draw in the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup.

Chicago started many of their offensive starters, while Crew SC opted for a lineup full of reserve players. Still, it was Columbus who struck first in an sloppy — but even — first half. After a bad turnover, Niko Hansen was able to feed Cristian Martinez for an open look that the Panamanian buried. Columbus came close to taking a lead into the half, but Nemanja Nikolic found the back of the net at the buzzer after a perfect cross from Rafeal Ramos.

The deadlock would hold until extra time, when Nikolic again found the net in the 109th minute. Crew SC keeper Logan Ketterer parried a shot away, but the ball dropped right at Nikolic’s feet for an easy goal. Somehow, Columbus was able to strike again just five minutes later with Adam Jahn powering a shot past Richard Sanchez. That brought the game to a shootout.

Nikolic took the first kick and missed, giving Crew SC the advantage. But Hector Jimenez missed the second attempt for Columbus, and Chicago wouldn’t miss again. It came all the way down to the keepers, and Sanchez scored on Ketterer and was able to then stop his Crew SC counterpart to advance Chicago into the round of 16.

“If you told me my first game was going to be 120 minutes and 11 rounds of PKs I’d tell you that you were crazy,” Ketterer said. “It was a great experience, tons of credit to the guys, for battling for that long, getting that goal. Going until the end, just like that Toronto game last weekend. It shows a lot of the character that is in this locker room.”

“I don’t recall taking a PK in these circumstances, but you do train for them,” Sanchez said. “You train for them during practice and I myself train them, so it feels good. It gives me confidence. I think it gives the players confidence as well for the ones that made it and we just continue to build from this.”

Head Coach Veljko Paunovic was pleased with his squad.

“I think it was important to advance to the next round,” he said. “I think it was a huge effort from the team. Both teams I think did a huge effort today. I think we both tried until the end. It literally decided the small detail, with the PK spot. The last player had to take it, the goalkeepers in this case. I think it is good for us to get this win in the Open Cup and it’s very important for our club.

This very important competition gives us more confidence to move on. Not only in the next round, but in the next couple of games, the next stretch of games we have at home and on road.”

With the win, the Fire remain unbeaten (5-0-1, 1-0 PKs) all-time against the Crew in US Open Cup play. The four-time champions also maintain their unbeaten record (8-0-2, 2-0 PKs) in Fourth Round games.

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: NY Red Bulls keep NYCFC winless in tournament with dominate win

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Vincent Bezecourt of the New York Red Bulls celebrates a goal scored against New York City FC in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson | TheCup.us
Vincent Bezecourt of the New York Red Bulls celebrates a goal scored against New York City FC in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson | TheCup.us

The New York Red Bulls didn’t have superstar attackers Bradley Wright-Phillips or Kaku, but the Major League Soccer power cruised to a 4-0 win over rivals New York City FC in the Fourth Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

NYCFC has yet to win a match in its four seasons involved in the competition, and fell at Red Bull Arena for the second year in a row without scoring a goal after manager Patrick Vieira made nine changes to the team’s starting XI.

The Red Bulls, who finished as the runner-up in last year’s tournament, were forced to tinker with their lineup as well because of a tight MLS schedule and various players away on international duty.

With Wright-Phillips on the bench to start for the Red Bulls, Vincent Bezecourt wasted no time providing the team with an attacking spark, and broke the deadlock in the third minute with a powerful strike to the bottom right corner.

NYCFC was tested again when Patrick Vieira turned to Sebastien Ibeagha in the sixth minute to replace defender Cedric Hountondji, who was forced out of the match with a leg injury.

NYCFC managed to get more involved in the flow of play as the first half progressed, and nearly found an equalizer in the 37th minute when David Villa’s shot at the near post trickled under goalkeeper Ryan Meara. However, center back Hassan Ndam was in the proper position to clear the ball off the line.

Red Bulls continued to push in the second stanza, and quickly found themselves with a second goal in the 52nd minute after Aaron Long headed home a corner kick.

“First, really good performance from Aaron ,” said manager Jesse Marsch. “Nights like this when it’s the full team isn’t here gives these young guys a chance to develop further. Aaron has become a leader, but it’s important to use these moments to help these guys build and challenge the players to get better and grow.

“When Aaron first came here we knew he was talented and gifted. But if we find talented guys with the right mentality then we feel they can become true Red Bull players.”

In the dying moments, Daniel Royer stamped his way onto the score sheet twice in a span of two minutes, giving Red Bulls their second 4-0 win over their cross-river rivals of this season.

“It’s one of the big positives on the night,” Marsch said. “Danny played a huge role for us tonight. From a confidence standpoint it was really good to see him get back on the scoresheet tonight.”

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: Atlanta United win rematch with Charleston Battery, 3-0

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Ezequiel Barco of Atlanta United dribbles past a Charleston Battery defender in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Eric Rossitch | Atlanta United
Ezequiel Barco of Atlanta United dribbles past a Charleston Battery defender in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Eric Rossitch | Atlanta United

Atlanta United struggled with the Charleston Battery in the two teams’ Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Fourth Round matchup last year. In their rematch on Wednesday, it was much more straightforward as Atlanta blanked its former USL affiliate 3-0 in front of a sold-out Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga. to move on to the Round of 16 for the second year in as many tries.

As expected, Atlanta went with some fresh faces with Brandon Vazquez, Romario Williams and homegrown player Andrew Carleton getting the call in place of players like Michael Parkhurst, Josef Martinez and Jeff Larentowicz, while a few regulars like Ezequiel Barco and Leandro Gonzalez Pirez started as well. Miguel Almiron and Darlington Nagbe didn’t start but were part of an 18 with youngsters Chris Goslin and Yosef Samuel, while Martinez was left off the team sheet altogether.

After a relatively even first quarter of the match, Atlanta opened the scoring in the 14th on a laser of a goal by Carleton that found its way past a diving Odisnel Cooper – the first goal for the Atlanta-area native in first team action.

Things began to get a little physical as the game went on, with Charleston seeking to equalize in front of a partisan Atlanta crowd, but the match remained 1-0 at the break.

Atlanta, though, doubled its margin very early in the second. After Williams drew a penalty in the box, Barco stepped up and banked it off the crossbar and behind Cooper to make it 2-0. In the 65th minute, it was Williams with Atlanta’s third goal on the match on a perfect strike that beat the outstretched Cooper.

“I think we played well,” Atlanta United coach Tata Martino said afterwards. “I think we controlled the majority of the match and were able to win. It was important tonight that we were able to win it without (Martinez and Almiron) and with players like Brandon, Romario, Andrew, Miles (Robinson), Goslin and , just getting the young guys a lot of minutes.”

“I think my performance was solid,” said Williams. “I’m pleased with the performance. I could have been better with my touches on a couple of occasions, but for the most part it was good to get out there and get 90 minutes under my belt.”

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: Brian Ownby’s wonderstrike gives Louisville City upset of New England Revolution

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Oscar Jimenez of Louisville City celebrates an equalizing goal against the New England Revolution in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: EM Dash Photography
Oscar Jimenez of Louisville City celebrates an equalizing goal against the New England Revolution in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: EM Dash Photography

Louisville City FC notched another massive win in the club’s short history as it took down its first MLS team in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

Louisville came back from a goal down on two occasions to knock off the New England Revolution, 3-2, in the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup Tuesday evening at Lynn Stadium, on the campus of the University of Louisville. Former Houston Dynamo winger Brian Ownby was a threat all night and he capped an impressive performance with an absolute laser into the upper 90 midway through the second half that helped give LouCity the win.

“You could see the juice out there,” Ownby said with a smile, referring to the high emotional energy on display for Louisville City. “We had everyone buzzing around. Everyone had each other’s backs regardless of a mistake here or there. We always believe in the process … and I think that’s showed today.”

In fact, had you shown up at Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn Stadium and not known which team was in MLS, you could be mistaken for believing it was Louisville City, which took the game to New England for nearly 70 minutes before sitting back and defending its lead.

A raucous crowd at kickoff was silenced just five minutes into the match when Louisville City goalkeeper Tim Dobrowolski misplayed a ball and Revolution winger Mark Segbers was able to tap the ball in for a quick 1-0 lead.

It didn’t take long for Louisville City to find its answer. Ownby, who sent the Revolution defense into fits all game, cut inside with the ball in the 11th minute and sent a chip towards the left side of the box. Wing back Oscar Jimenez arrived and slotted home just under the dive of Revolution goalkeeper Brad Knighton to tie the game.

Ownby finished the match with 12 duels, putting his body on the line, where he won seven of those against the Revolution. When he did have a chance to run against the defense, he wound up with three key passes, three crosses and three shots. “We broke a very important rule: When you go and play teams that are in lower divisions than you … you have to at least match their work rate,” Revolution head coach Brad Friedel said. “It’s a very simple thing. We spoke about it for the past two days.” “Fair play to Louisville,” Friedel added. “They deserved to win today. Absolutely. No issues with them advancing with the type of performance that we put out.” Once again, another Louisville City error gave the Revolution another lifeline. A long-ball into the box was shanked by Femi Hollinger-Janzen towards goal. But after Dobrowolski missed handling it, Louisville City defender Pat McMahon knocked the ball into the net. Following the goal, Louisville City pushed forward and were rewarded. George Davis IV found Tottenham product – and onetime teammate of Friedel with Spurs – Cameron Lancaster at the top of the box. The Englishman swerved and fired a low strike that may have taken a deflection before finding the back of the net to tie the game at 2-2 in the 37th minute.

After a chance for both teams to regroup at halftime, Louisville City once again came out the more aggressive team in the second half, and it finally paid off with Ownby. The 27-year-old star brushed off a challenge from Revs midfielder Scott Caldwell that left Caldwell on his back before charging up and unleashing a strike that had eyes for the upper 90. Knighton dove to save it but was only able to get fingertips on the singing strike.

Louisville City held off a handful of attacks from New England late, still managing to force turnovers with its press. Juan Agudelo and Kelyn Rowe each earned shoutouts from Friedel but neither were able to find the equalizer.

As the final whistle neared, fans in the packed crowd of 5,196 chanted “USL,” showing their support for the league which Louisville City lives.

“Incredible from the guys to have that mentality, not just to win but to win in that manner. It’s very, very pleasing,” Louisville City coach James O’Connor said.

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: D.C. United survive North Carolina FC in PK shootout

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David Ousted of D.C. United celebrates during the penalty kick shootout against the Richmond Kickers in the Fourth Round of the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: D.C. United
David Ousted of D.C. United celebrates during the penalty kick shootout against the Richmond Kickers in the Fourth Round of the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: D.C. United

D.C. United supporters got their third chance to watch their local side at home this season. And then some. After a very long road trip United returned ‘home’ to the Maryland SoccerPlex on Tuesday night, were held to a 1-1 draw before defeating North Carolina FC of the USL 4-3 in penalties in their first match in the 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

With a match on the road against the Seattle Sounders on Saturday and another road test against Toronto FC on Wednesday, United coach Ben Olsen opted to go with a mix of starters and reserves to start the contest. Holdover midfielders Chris Durkin and Paul Arriola gave the side some shape along the spine, allowing them to move the ball some through the midfield. They made gradual progressions against a North Carolina defense that was bullish on ceding any territory.

Eventually D.C. did get an attacking chance off with Arriola ripping a shot from just inside the eighteen yard box in the 11th minute. But goalkeeper Alex Tambakis was there to make the stop, diving right to keep things level.

North Carolina were not so lucky in the 25th minute, when United midfielder Ian Harkes picked up his own rebound and slotted it into the back of the net to give D.C. the 1-0 advantage. It was his second career US Open Cup goal, two more than his dad, Hall of Famer John Harkes.

In the second half, North Carolina’s attack came alive. Using their speed on the outside, NCFC started to force United’s compact defense to break ranks. That allowed for additional space inside for NCFC to exploit. In the 70th minute, substitute Marcel Kandziora took a header off of a cross into United’s box. Although his chance initially looked to be on target it would go wide. While they were unsuccessful, North Carolina would equalize. In the 83rd minute, after a corner kick into the box was headed away by a D.C. defender, NCFC forward Marios Lomis snared the rebound. After a clever controlled touch he delivered an impressive volley past United goalkeeper David Ousted to tie things up at one. The goal was Lomis’ third of the tournament.

After extra time did not produce a winner, the two sides went into penalty kicks. The two sides traded goals in the first round with both Daniel Rios and Yamil Asad scoring for NCFC and D.C. respectively. The second round was a different story as Kyle Bekker of North Carolina saw his chance parried away by Ousted. United forward Darren Mattocks seized the opportunity for his side’s next chance, scoring the go-ahead goal. While Harkes missed his chance in round number four, the blow was lessened as NCFC’s Peabo Doue saw his own shot go wide of the mark. In the fifth and final round, United sealed the win with Bruno Miranda doing the honors.

“I only walked through but I try to read the player when he comes up,” said Ousted. “I try to read what he wants to do, what kind of player he is, what kind of foot he has on him. You see that in the strikes in the game. It’s just about trusting that gut feeling and getting a little bit of luck.”

For United, it was their first time eliminating a professional team since their improbable US Open Cup championship in 2013.

“First of all, means a lot for the club. Secondly, it means a lot for me to be able to win a  and win a trophy,” said Ousted. “I think it’s five games, then you’re with a trophy. That’s a short way to get a trophy so we definitely want to win it. I want to win it so we’re going to go full out.”

2018 US Open Cup Round 4: Philadelphia Union extend unbeaten streak, 5-0 over Richmond Kickers

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Philadelphia Union celebrate a goal against the Richmond Kickers in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Greg Carroccio - Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union celebrate a goal against the Richmond Kickers in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Greg Carroccio – Philadelphia Union

The Philadelphia Union are used to crazy Lamar Hunt US Open Cup matches. The only crazy aspect of Tuesday’s Fourth Round victory against the Richmond Kickers ended up being the 5-0 scoreline.

The Union are one of the few teams in MLS who have never lost their opening round game. It was their seventh straight opening round win, dating back to their US Open Cup debut in 2012. It also extended their tournament unbeaten streak to 11 games (6-0-5, 2-3 PKs), the second-longest in the Modern Era (1995-present) of the competition. (Penalty kicks are officially listed as draws)

In the midst of a busy stretch of games, the Union blended a group of young players with regular starters. One of those regulars, Haris Medunjanin, sparked the scoring in the 4th minute. His corner kick found the feet of defender Jack Elliott, who easily snuck the ball past Richmond goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg to give the Union a 1-0 lead.

Philadelphia coach Jim Curtin said, “Getting the goal early in these kinds of games settles things down.”

The Union did indeed settle into a rhythm and dominated possession in the early stages. However, Spangenberg seemed determined to keep his team in the game, making several point-blank saves to keep his MLS opponents from going up by two goals.

Despite Spangenberg’s heroics, the USL side could only hold out until the 27th minute. Union forward Cory Burke got in behind the Richmond defense and was taken down by Spangenberg in the penalty box. His teammate David Accam scored his first-ever Union goal by converting the penalty kick. For Accam, it was his sixth career US Open Cup goal. His previous five all came in the 2016 tournament for the Chicago Fire when he was tied for the tournament lead in goals with La Maquina FC’s Edwin Borboa.

The home side was not done there, scoring twice more at the end of the first half to put the game out of reach. First, Union homegrown player Anthony Fontana stole the ball at the top of the Richmond box and fired it home for a 3-0 lead.

Marcus Epps of the Philadelphia Union battles for the ball with the Richmond Kickers in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Greg Carroccio - Philadelphia Union
Marcus Epps of the Philadelphia Union battles for the ball with the Richmond Kickers in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Greg Carroccio – Philadelphia Union

Then, as first half stoppage time was winding down, Burke made a beautiful flick pass from near midfield to Marcus Epps. The Union midfielder blazed past Richmond’s defense and struck the ball past Spangenberg to put his team up 4-0.

At halftime, the Union subbed Jay Simpson in for Burke, and he made an immediate impact. Three minutes into the half, Derrick Jones entered the Richmond penalty area from the right, faked out one defender, then played it on the ground to Simpson. The Englishman made no mistake and scored an easy goal — his first since March 2017.

From there, Philadelphia took its foot off the gas and calmly saw out the match. Union keeper John McCarthy was finally called into action in the 88th minute, when Richmond hit the post, then fired another shot that he was able to save — the only save he was required to make all game.

“I’m very happy with the professionalism of the group, even with young face on the field,” Curtin said. “Credit to our players–there were a bunch of homegrown players out there. It’s a special night to reflect back on.”

The five goals scored by the Union ties a club record set back in the 2012 Quarterfinals when they beat the Harrisburg City Islanders (now Penn FC), 5-2. The victory was also the team’s first against the Kickers, who they were playing for the first time.

Philadelphia now advance to the Round of 16 of the Open Cup. They will find out their opponent on Thursday, June 7 at 11 a.m. ET.

2018 US Open Cup Round 4 preview: MLS teams join the competition (video links)

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The 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup features 97 teams from a Modern Era record 33 different states. Graphic by: Gilberto Hernandez | @GilbertoHdz200
The 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup features 97 teams from a Modern Era record 33 different states. Graphic by: Gilberto Hernandez | @GilbertoHdz200

Outside of the Final, one could argue that the highest-profile round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is the Fourth Round. The round when Major League Soccer’s 20 US-based teams joining the competition creates several “David vs. Goliath” matchups, which have been at the heart of this competition since it first launched in 1913.

Most of the matchups are United Soccer League teams against MLS teams, but the three highlights of Round 4 are the three open division teams that have reached this level. NTX Rayados, an amateur team from the North Texas Premier Soccer Association will travel south to take on the Houston Dynamo (MLS), while another amateur side FC Golden State Force (PDL) will play at the Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS). Miami United FC are the first National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) team to reach the Fourth Round, they will host Orlando City SC (MLS). While Miami United are a pro team, the fact that they are the first NPSL team to reach Round 4 makes the achievement all the more impressive.

The Fourth Round kicks off with three games on Tuesday, June 5, followed by 13 games on Wednesday, June 6. The winners will advance to the Round of 16. The matchups for that round will be announced on June 7.

Click below for links of our coverage and scroll down for a preview and live video links for each game.

Preview contributors include: Joshua Taylor, Craig Tower, Sean Maslin, Tom Arnison, Sydney Hunte, Ian Foster, Thomas Hodul and Michael Stewart Allen.

#USOC2018 coverage:
* 2018 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup schedule, results
* 2018 US Open Cup statistical leaders
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1 review
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Round 2 review
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Round 3 review

News
* USSF allows NY Cosmos B, Miami FC 2, Jacksonville Armada into 2018 US Open Cup
* El Farolito, 1993 US Open Cup champions, disqualified from 2018 tournament
* Why is it against the rules to change leagues during the US Open Cup?
* FC Cincinnati at Gettler Stadium: “Like Metallica playing a small venue”

2018 Meet the Underdogs series
* Christos FC
* FC Denver
* FC Kendall
* Kendall Wanderers
* La Maquina FC
* Los Angeles Wolves FC
* NTX Rayados
* Red Force FC
* Rochester River Dogz
* Santa Ana Winds
* Sporting AZ FC

Qualifying
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying results
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Win & You’re In review
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Round 1 review
* 2018 US Open Cup qualifying Round 2 review

* Things you should know about the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup (Modern Era)

* Support TheCup.us: Special “TheCup.us” Del Rey City jerseys available for purchase
* Appreciate what we do at TheCup.us? Donate here
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Tuesday, June 5
FULL MATCH REPORT
The 1995 US Open Cup champion Richmond Kickers are coming into this match against the Union on a two-game win streak in the 2018 US Open Cup by defeating Reading United AC in penalties on the road in the Second Round. They followed that performance up by defeating league rivals Penn FC in the third round of the US Open Cup with a 3-2 win in Richmond.

The Kickers’ league form in the USL is near the bottom of the Eastern Conference sitting in 14th place (3-6-1) on 10 points but a player to watch for is Forward Luiz Fernando, who had two goals in their last cup match. He also came off the bench and scored a goal in their league match this past weekend in a 2-1 defeat to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.Forward Brian Shriver is the team’s leading goal scorer with three goals during the 2018 USL season. Shriver is one of the top lower division scorers in the Modern Era of the US Open Cup with eight career goals.In 2012, during his time with North Carolina FC, he lead the tournament with five goals.

The Philadelphia Union are coming into this match (5-6-3) with 18 points in MLS play this season and are battling for a playoff spot in the MLS Eastern Conference and currently sit in seventh place. Midfielders Boreck Dockal and IIlsinho are tied as the Union’s top goal scorers in MLS with three goals each. The Union will look to bounce back from a 3-1 defeat to Atlanta United this past weekend. This is the first time these two teams will meet in the US Open Cup. For the Union, they hope to get back to the US Open Cup Final where they haven’t been since reaching in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015.If you are a fan of penalty kicks, history would tell you the odds are pretty good. In the last four years, the Union have had nine of their 15 Open Cup matches go to extra time and six of them went to penalty kicks.

The Kickers are aiming for a third win in a single US Open Cup tournament for the first time since they reached the Semifinals in 2011.
Tuesday, June 5
FULL MATCH REPORT
The defending USL Cup champions, Louisville City FC, comes into the Fourth Round of the 2018 US Open Cup for the second time after back-to-back wins. The Boys in Purple had two shutout performances so far with a 1-0 win over St. Louis FC in the Third Round and a 5-0 win over the Long Island Rough Riders in the Second Round respectively.

Louisville City FC comes into this match in great shape having won three out of five games in USL play. Forward Cameron Lancaster, is leading the team in the USL with six goals this season. In the tournament, they’ve had six different goal scorers with Lancaster getting one of them. Louisville City FC is currently in second place in the USL Eastern Conference (7-2-1) with 22 points and will be well-rested as the team had no games this past weekend.

The New England Revolution is coming in the US Open Cup after a huge 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls this past weekend in MLS with Teal Bunbury getting the winning goal. The Revs are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference in MLS with a record of (6-4-4) with 22 points holding a playoff spot. Teal Bunbury is the team’s leading goal scorer with eight goals for the Revs this season.

Louisville City FC is looking at finally getting its first win against an MLS opponent in their brief Open Cup history while the Revs want to get back to the Final like they did in their 2016 run when they finished runners up losing to FC Dallas. The 2007 US Open Cup champions got to the Quarterfinals last year, falling to the New York Red Bulls, 1-0 at Harvard University after finishing with 10 men.This is the first meeting between these two teams.
Tuesday, June 5
FULL MATCH REPORT
North Carolina FC is coming into Round 4 of the 2018 US Open Cup after a dominating 4-1 win in the previous round over the Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL). NCFC also shutout Lansdowne Bhoys FC 3-0 in the Second Round of the tournament. Since Ocean City pulled off an upset over the Charlotte Independence (USL) in Round 2, NCFC has yet to play a pro team in the tournament so their first professional test will be against the three-time Open Cup champion D.C. United.

North Carolina FC’s league form has been in the middle of the pack with a 3-5-2 record. Their last time out they suffered a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat at home against the Bethlehem Steel FC who scored a pair of goals in the final two minutes of the game to get the win over NCFC this past weekend. North Carolina FC is in 12th place in the USL Eastern Conference. Forward Daniel Rios is NCFC’s leading goal scorer in league play with five goals. Forward Mario Lomis also has two  goals in the US Open Cup for NCFC as the team has outscored their opponents 7-1 in the US Open Cup. He is also second on the team in goals for NCFC with three tallies so far in the USL this season.

D.C. United is currently dead last in the MLS Eastern Conference (2-5-3) with nine points as they enter the tournament. They will be well-rested as United had no league games this past weekend and hope to bring some grit in this game like they did in their last match in a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Los Angeles FC. Their leading goal scorer is forward Darren Mattocks with five goals in MLS this season with Midfielder Yamil Assad right behind him with three goals in league play.Making a deep run in the US Open Cup despite their poor league form is not a foreign concept for United. In 2013, they won their third US Open Cup title despite finishing as the worst team in MLS, upsetting a very talented Real Salt Lake team on the road. According to TheCup.us research, they are the worst team to lift the trophy in the 105-year history of the tournament. So, there’s always a chance.

This will be the first time North Carolina FC goes on the road in the tournament after playing their first two Open Cup games at home looking to advance in three straight games for the first time since reaching the Quarterfinals in 2014. NCFC (under the name Carolina RailHawks) are one of the more accomplished lower division teams in the tournament. They have reached the Quarterfinals three times, and they advanced to the Semifinals in their inaugural season in 2007. They have also eliminated six different MLS teams in their club history, with their last win coming in the 2014 Fifth Round against the Los Angeles Galaxy.

This is the battle of two teams that have played most of their Open Cup games at home. Out of the 31 tournament games they have played, North Carolina FC have only played four road games. They are 1-3-0 in those games. D.C. United have played 50 games in the US Open Cup and 30 of them have been played at home and they are 23-5-2 (2-0 in PKs) all-time in front of their home fans.
LIVE VIDEO (USSoccer.com)
Based on league standings and recent form, hosts Columbus Crew would seem likely to best the Chicago Fire in their Fourth Round US Open Cup matchup on Wednesday night. While the two teams traded wins in Columbus in 2018 MLS action, the Fire’s win came in an early April game 1-0, which the Crew avenged in May with a comprehensive 3-0 scoreline. Columbus is healthy and has momentum, while the Fire are struggling to recover from offseason moves and injuries that have made mincemeat of general manager Nelson Rodriguez’s three-year plan for the club’s reconstruction.

While the specter of a move to Austin under the leadership of owner Anthony Precourt looms over the Crew’s 2018 season, the team’s performance has been positive during the first half of 2018. Columbus recently saw the return of talismanic Argentinian central defender Gaston Sauro, whose support of the team never wavered during his 18-month absence even as his posterior knee ligament recovery floundered. While the team has been anticipating his return which finally happened against Kansas City on May 27, they sit third in the Eastern Conference as of June 3 with a 15-7-3 record overall. Columbus also boasts a 5-1-2 home record and enters their Open Cup matchup with Chicago unbeaten since a mid-April away loss to D.C. United. The Crew are 4-0-4 since then, with ties away against Western Conference powerhouse Sporting Kansas City and at home against last year’s MLS Cup winner Toronto FC during the past two weeks. While Gyasi Zardes sits third in the Golden Boot standings on nine goals and Fernando Higuain is 3rd place in assists (tied with 6 others players) with six helpers on the season, Columbus’ strength is in the back. Before the Toronto game Columbus led the league in goals conceded with 9. At that time goalie Zach Steffen had a .69% goals against average, which at the time was tied for first in the league among keepers with 900 or more minutes in the net in 2018 MLS action.

Columbus has had success in the US Open Cup since their first entry in 1998, winning the tourney in 2002 and reaching the final in 1998 and 2010. Overall the Crew have a 22-15-2 (0-2 PKs) record in US Open Cup play and a home record of 14-6-1. Since their runner-up finish in 2010, however, they are 4-7 in USOC play, with three losses in the Fourth Round, all to lower-division opponents. During that time they have accumulated a 3-3 home record. They have never played an MLS team before the Round of 16 prior to this year’s matchup with the Fire.

While Crew fans curse owner Precourt for threatening to move the Crew from Columbus after 22 years in MLS, Fire fans have had plenty to complain about under owner Andrew Hauptmann since he took over in 2008. Signing 2014 German Word Cup captain Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2017 seemed to indicate a slight loosening of Hauptmann’s purse strings, but the team under Rodriguez failed to make any signature signings heading into the 2018 season in spite of injuries to offensive midfielder Michael DeLeeuw, defender Matt Polster, and local prodigy Djordje Mihailovic, a budding midfield creator. The Fire sit on a record of 5-7-2 (2-3-1 away), with a minus-5 goal differential and a 3-4 record since the beginning of May.

Golden Boot winner Nemanja Nikolic has seen his production ebb as a result of flagging midfield service, though offseason acquisition Alan Gordon has netted three times in three games prior to the Fire’s Open Cup opener. At 36 years old, Gordon is best as a supersub, but given the seven injuries to Chicago’s lineup, including midfield engine Dax McCarty, he may see his time stretched to cover the holes. Schweinsteiger has a fluid role and has played this season everywhere from central defense to offensive midfield, sometimes within a single game. Defensively the Fire have struggled to establish continuity, switching from ‘keeper Richard Sanchez to Patrick McClain in mid-May, only to see McClain go down against San Jose on June 2nd with no word on his availability vs Columbus.

If Columbus fans are encouraged and Fire fans are discouraged by the teams’ 2018 MLS results, their attitudes will change after considering USOC form.

There’s no question that the Fire are the more successful of the two teams in the Open Cup with a 40-14-5 (3-2 PKs) record overall, having reached the semifinal round 11 out of 17 times and the final six times. The Fire have won the Dewar Cup four times, in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006. The team takes the tournament very seriously and since 2010 has reached the semifinals four times (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016) and were runners up in 2011. The most notable recent blemish in their record was a loss in 2012 to the PDL’s Michigan Bucks.

In head-to-head USOC action, the Fire have a distinct advantage, leading the series 5-0 since the two teams first met in the final of the 1998 edition – a 2-1 Fire win at Soldier Field. In fact, the Crew are the Fire’s most frequent foe in US Open Cup action, and suffer from the greatest goal differential (minus-7 on 15 Fire and 8 Crew goals) among all 36 historic USOC opponents. This is the second most common Open Cup matchup in the Modern Era.

Crew fans can take some cold comfort in knowing that there has never been a shutout in series history, and four of the six games have been decided in extra time (none in penalties). Given that this could be the last meeting of the two teams in Columbus, history suggests that fans of both sides can look forward to a goal, and maybe more, in this classic USOC matchup.
LIVE VIDEO (USSoccer.com)
The Cup has not been kind to New York City FC in the club’s brief history with the team crashing out in the first game in each of its first three years. They lost to the New York Cosmos in the first two years and then last year to the New York Red Bulls. Patrick Vieira will try to turn that streak around with a new revamped team this year. Red Bulls have faired better in past seasons making the Final of the tournament on two occasions (2000, 2017) but never winning the whole thing. They have the motivation to move forward again this year and try to improve on last years successes.Both teams are in excellent form in MLS. NYCFC sit second in the Eastern conference and can jump into first this weekend with a win over top place Atlanta.

Red Bulls are currently in fourth place but have several games in hand against the other teams because of the CONCACAF Champions run earlier this season.This should be a very entertaining match up with both sides having players to watch. Ismael Tajouri-Shradi has been red hot this season for NYCFC scoring a brace against Orlando this last weekend. Look for Vieira to play youngster Jonathan Lewis as part of the rotation for the Open Cup as well. Lewis has not seen much playing time this season but looked hungry and very talented off the bench this last weekend. If you throw David Villa into the mix then NYCFC will be quite formidable indeed.Don’t look for Marsch to pull his line up for this game either. Bradley Wright Phillips is one of the most prolific strikers in the league and the new addition of Kaku has paid off in spades for the club. Both are dangerous and very talented on the attack and have been combining well in recent weeks.

Make no mistake this game is a rivalry match. The last meeting at Red Bull Arena was all red. Marsch’s squad put up four goals against an NYCFC team that looked out of sorts and surprised from the first minute. Alexander Ring said “After the result in the last game, we don’t need any motivation.”

NYCFC have something to prove with this game to themselves and to fans. Don’t look for them to back off or not come ready to play. Both teams see this match as another derby game.

There is no love lost between these two teams or their fans. This is a battle for NYC and bragging rights. It is a chance for NYCFC to regain some dignity after the last lopsided loss. Both teams may rest some players, but make no mistake the people coming off the bench will be ready to play and prove themselves. Both teams want to win not just to advance in the Cup but also to be able to gloat to rival New Yorkers. It will be a battle from start to finish.
LIVE VIDEO (USSoccer.com)
Of the three open division sides to advance to Round 4 of the 2018 Open Cup, only Miami United FC of the NPSL will have the honor to host an MLS team in Orlando City SC.

This will be the first meeting between the two sides. Orlando will travel to Miami looking to turn around a four-match losing streak in MLS, while Miami currently sit atop the NPSL Sunshine Conference Division. Miami are on their best Open Cup run in their short history, having ousted local side FC Kendall and pro sides from the NPSL (and former NASL teams) Jacksonville Armada and Miami FC 2 on their journey to the MLS round.

Orlando have been entering this tournament since their Austin Aztex days in 2009 and have reached the Quarterfinals twice (2013, 2015). History is on the side of Orlando as they have never lost to an open division team in team history (8-0-0).Leading the way for Miami will be their No. 10 David Ochoa, currently the leading scorer in the 2018 tournament with five goals, including this beauty from Round 1.

MLS rookie Chris Mueller will likely feature for Orlando. The winger has quickly become a fan favorite, having netted three goals and three assists in league play.Also of note, Orlando players PC and Stefano Pinho were both acquired by the club from Miami FC after having scored game-winning goals against the Lions in the 2016 and 2017 tournaments, respectively. Miami United FC will be hoping for a sellout crowd of 10,000 at Ted Hendricks Stadium.
LIVE VIDEO (USSoccer.com)
The Charleston Battery will be out to punch their ticket to the US Open Cup’s Round of 16 on Wednesday. They’ll need to knock off one of MLS’ top sides to make that happen. Charleston will visit Atlanta United for the second straight year in a US Open Cup Fourth Round matchup in Kennesaw, Ga. Atlanta will open their portion of the competition this week, along with the 19 other US-based MLS teams.

The Battery – a former USL affiliate of Atlanta United – kicked off their USOC run with a 1-0 victory over PDL side South Georgia Tormenta FC on May 16 before another 1-0 result against the NPSL’s Elm City Express a week later. They currently sit at 20 points, three points clear of USL Eastern Conference leader Louisville City FC, and are unbeaten in its last 11 matches across all competitions. Ataullah Guerra is tied for second in the USL in scoring with seven goals, while Atlanta loanee Gordon Wild (three league goals) should feature in the attack.Charleston are one of the top lower division teams in the US Open Cup’s Modern Era. No lower division team has more appearances in the Quarterfinals (six), and they, along with the Rochester Rhinos, have three Semifinal appearances. The Battery are the only lower division team not named “Rhinos” to reach an Open Cup Final. They lost 2-1 to D.C. United at RFK Stadium back in 2008.

Atlanta United are coming off a 3-1 victory against the Philadelphia Union in a match that saw a pair of Philadelphia players sent off in the opening 20 minutes. Thanks to a Josef Martinez hat trick, his record-tying fifth of his career, Atlanta maintained its spot atop of the MLS’ Supporter Shield standings with 29 points despite a relatively uneven performance considering the circumstances. Martinez currently leads MLS with 12 goals – three clear of the New York Red Bulls’ Bradley Wright-Phillips – while Miguel Almiron is tied with five other players for third in the league with six assists.

Last season, Atlanta topped Charleston 3-2 in a comeback win during the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup. Atlanta would fall in their Round of 16 match that followed, as they were upset 3-2 in extra time by Miami FC of the NASL. The two sides also met in the Battery’s annual preseason Carolinas Challenge Cup in February and played to a scoreless draw.
LIVE VIDEO (USSoccer.com)
The Clerical Error Clasico will help kick off the second night of US Open Cup Fourth Round action as Minnesota United FC travels to Nippert Stadium to take on the newest members of the Major League Soccer family, FC Cincinnati.

While having the match-up in Cincinnati a week after MLS announced that they would be joining in 2019 seems like fantastic planning, it almost never came to be. Due to a clerical error on the part of US Soccer, Minnesota was originally supposed to host to match. There’s only one issue with that: The Loons management never asked to host a Fourth Round match but instead had asked to host a Fifth or a Quarterfinal match at TCF Bank Stadium. US Soccer reviewed the original application and made the adjustment, giving the hosting rights to FC Cincinnati.

This will be the first meeting between the two sides and really the first time that many of these players have ever played with or against one another. Cincinnati winger Lance Laing played for Minnesota in their final season in the NASL in 2016. Other than that it is very much a blank slate which should make for an interesting Cup match. Historically speaking, Cincinnati may feel like they have the edge, with their well-documented Cup run to the Semifinals last season. Minnesota have never advanced beyond the Fourth Round dating back to their time as the Minnesota Stars in the D2 Pro league.Current results also tend to favor Cincinnati. Head coach Alan Koch currently has the USL side in first place in the Eastern Conference (7-2-3, 24 points) and coming off of a 2-1 win on Saturday over New York Red Bulls II. While they lead the Conference in goals (22) it is not one particular player that is scoring more than any other. Their leading goalscorers are Danni Konig and Emmanuel Ledesma, each with five. Ledesma and fellow midfielder Richie Ryan like to hold possession for long stretches and to use a variety of teammates when creating attacking chances. That gave the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC immense problems in their 3-1 loss in the last round of the Cup. Look for Koch to employ a similar strategy against a Minnesota side that will be without Francisco Calvo who is currently in training with Costa Rica for the 2018 World Cup.

Minnesota, meanwhile, are currently in ninth place in MLS’ Western Conference standings (5-7-1, 16 points) coming off of a two game stretch in which they have secured four points in their last three matches. Although they did lose to Sporting Kansas City 3-1 on Sunday they did hold their own against After an incredibly challenging 2017 season, head coach Adrian Heath has The Loons playing at least more with consistency this season. The addition of Darwin Quintero has helped as well. Since joining the club in March from America of Mexico the Ecuadorean international has scored three goals and helped give Christian Ramirez and Miguel Ibarra the chance to rekindle their famous partnership that saw them win silverware in the NASL. Cincinnati has struggled a bit on the defensive front, allowing 16 goals. If Ibarra can find space to create chances for Quintero and Ramirez deep inside Cincy territory they might just get their first Open Cup win.

One other small note: Minnesota midfielder Maximiano was sent off in Sunday’s match. Barring a quick appeal process from the MLS Disciplinary Committee he will likely be out for Saturday’s match. However he is available for Wednesday’s match against Cincinnati.
LIVE VIDEO (USSoccer.com)
In two years, these teams will meet each other in the depths of the MLS regular season. But first, they meet for the first time ever in their Fourth Round tilt on Wednesday in Tennessee. Nashville has taken care of business in their maiden Open Cup voyage, dispatching amateur sides Inter Nashville FC and Mississippi Brilla 2-0 and 3-1, respectively. They’ll be hosting a Rapids side looking for their first Open Cup quarterfinal berth since 2006.

While the Rapids were recently good enough to qualify for CONCACAF Champions’ League (in which they lost a two-leg series to Toronto FC this past February), they’ve fallen on some hard times in MLS, finishing second-to-last in the Western Conference in 2017 and managing a mere eight points from 12 games so far in 2018.As far as the Open Cup goes, the Rapids have struggled since their best finish in 1999. Colorado advanced to the championship game in 1999, famously falling to the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the A-League as they became the first non-MLS team to win the tournament since 1996. Since that loss in the 1999 Final, the Rapids have not won multiple games in a single tournament and they have been eliminated six times by lower division competition. Their streak of 14 consecutive tournaments without multiple wins is an unfortunate Modern Era record. They actually have a losing record against Division 2 pro teams (6-7-0).They have defeated USL teams in their opening match in each of the last three years, only to be eliminated by a Texas-based MLS team in the following round (Houston Dynamo in 2015, FC Dallas in 2016, 2017).

With MLS on the horizon, Nashville has assembled a team largely composed of hopefuls for the next level and it has showed. They are fifth in the league in points per game in the 16-team USL Eastern Conference. Powered by Red Bulls Academy product Brandon Allen and backstopped by MLS veteran Matt Pickens, Nashville arguably already has a similar level of talent as the Rapids without taking into account if the latter will bring a reserve squad.

Colorado last won a major trophy in 2010, when they beat FC Dallas in extra time to win the last neutral-site MLS Cup. Pickens and midfielder Kosuke Kimura, both now starters for Nashville, played 120 minutes in that MLS Cup, with Pickens making a crucial first-minute save.

Another fun fact about this match is that this is the first time a MLS team has played a game in Tennessee since 1998 when the Nashville Metros upset the Kansas City Wizards (Sporting KC) in the Third Round.
LIVE VIDEO (USSoccer.com)
Before this year, the Rayados were first-round mainstays, having qualified for seven straight tournament but only once playing more than one game (2014, where they took out the Austin Aztex in penalties before falling to the San Antonio Scorpions). Needless to say, 2018 has been different. After dispatching DFW neighbors Fort Worth Vaqueros, the Rayados took the OKC Energy to extra time before pouring it on and winning 5-2. NTX then took out FC Wichita (NPSL), who had just upset a USL team of their own in the previous round.

Now the Rayados face their biggest challenge: A road game against the Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.

The Rayados are just the seventh local open division team (non-PDL, non-NPSL) to reach the Fourth Round and they have gotten there largely with the help of their super sub Christian Okeke. Okeke has scored the game-winning goal in every win by NTX Rayados during this Open Cup run. He scored the game-winning goal in the 115th minute against the Vaqueros in Round 1 and earned TheCup.us Player of the Round honors for scoring the 90th minute equalizer and the game-winning goal in extra time against OKC Energy. Okeke scored his fourth goal of the tournament in the 86th minute in the win over FC Wichita.

Though they’ve been to MLS Cup four times and won it twice, the Dynamo have never made it to the US Open Cup Final. With CONCACAF Champions League qualification limited to just MLS Cup and the Open Cup this year and Houston on a relative upswing, the Dynamo will hope to break that streak behind their electric Honduran attacking duo of Alberth Elis and Mauro Manotas. The Dynamo are sitting middle of the table in the MLS Western Conference with a 5-5-3 record. They have lost their last two games — both on the road — against Real Salt Lake and last weekend against the Montreal Impact, 1-0.The Dynamo reached the Round of 16 last year, but lost to the eventual champions Sporting Kansas City 2-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium.

The Dynamo have reached the Semifinals twice (2006, 2009) but haven’t reached beyond the Quarterfinals since 2009. A more regional draw hasn’t helped with the variety of Houston’s opponents in recent years. Over the last five years, they have been eliminated by FC Dallas three times, and Sporting Kansas City twice. This will be the first meeting against an amateur team for the Dynamo since they defeated the Laredo Heat (PDL) in the 2014 Fourth Round. They have never lost to an amateur team (3-0-0).
LIVE VIDEO (USSoccer.com)
Wednesday night will see the first-ever meeting between Texas neighbors (a very relative term in this case) San Antonio FC and FC Dallas. San Antonio’s path to the Fourth Round started even deeper in the heart of Texas, where they routed the Midland-Odessa Sockers 4-0. They then returned home to take out fellow USL Western Conferencer Colorado Springs in penalties. On Wednesday night, SAFC will hope to advance further in the Open Cup than they have in their first three years of existence.

Meanwhile, San Antonio is off to a relatively middling start to the USL season. They’re straddling the playoff line through 12 games (4-3-5) after earning the No. 2 seed in last year’s USL Western Conference playoffs. In their last game, they defeated the Portland Timbers 2 by the score of 2-1 to snap a three-game winless streak (0-1-2).

After a 2016 that saw them snap a 19-year trophy drought with a US Open Cup title and winning the Supporters’ Shield, FC Dallas was in the hunt for a Supporters’ Shield but went into a massive and inexplicable tailspin in the second half of 2017, and missed out on the playoffs entirely. That seems to be firmly in the rear-view mirror now, as FC Dallas currently sits second in the MLS Western Conference as the league’s lone one-loss team (7-1-5). They are currently in the midst of a six-game unbeaten streak (4-0-2).

The two-time champion FC Dallas are one of the most successful teams in the Modern Era of the US Open Cup. They have reached the Final four times (1997, 2005, 2007, 2016), and no team in the history of the tournament has more Quarterfinal appearances (16) and only three teams have more Semifinal appearances than FC Dallas’ nine.
USOC KC-RSL
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Sporting Kansas City’s quest to defend their 2017 Open Cup title starts in Salt Lake. With Real Salt Lake having joined MLS in 2005, the two Western Conference franchises have nearly split in their all-time regular season meetings, with SKC taking one more W at 8-7-5. Their first and only meeting in the Open Cup came in 2015 when Kansas City topped RSL 3-1 in the Semifinal before going on to beat the Philadelphia Union in the Final.

After that 2015 loss, RSL won a penalty kick shootout against the Wilmington Hammerheads (USL) and then lost a PK shootout against the Seattle Sounders before losing 4-1 against the Sacramento Republic in their opening match last year. Since penalty kick shootouts are officially listed as draws, they bring a four-game winless streak into this year’s tournament.Sporting has seen much more success in the historic tournament, having lifted the cup a total of four times (2004, 2012, 2015, 2017). RSL came close during in the 2013 Open Cup (the 100th edition of the tournament), when they lost 1-0 at home to D.C. United.  Two months later, RSL would fall to Sporting KC in the MLS Cup Final after 10 rounds of penalties.

The one to watch for Sporting Kansas City will be 21-year-old striker Daniel Salloi. The Homegrown Hungarian finished the 2017 tournament tied for fourth on goals scored, including the game-winner in the Final. Wednesday’s match could also see brothers Matt Besler, of SKC, and Nick Besler, of RSL, face off against one another.  It would mark the first time the two face each other in a competitive match at any level.

This will be a battle of two of the top teams in the MLS Western Conference as Sporting Kansas City holds the second-best record in the entire league (8-2-4). Real Salt Lake is in third place (7-6-1), six points behind Kansas City. Sporting defeated Minnesota United 4-1 last Sunday to extend the club’s unbeaten streak to five games (3-0-2). RSL is on a hot streak of their own after defeating the Seattle Sounders 2-0 to extend their winning streak to three games.
USOC FFC-LAFC
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This match up pits two expansion sides against each other as the Fresno Foxes from the USL travels to first-year MLS side Los Angeles FC.

Fresno FC survived a scare in Round 3 to earn the right to play a MLS side in the Fourth Round. The Foxes needed extra time to knock off UPSL underdogs Sporting AZ FC by the score of 2-1 after falling behind 1-0 in the 66th minute. They also pushed it to extra time in Round 2 to get past NPSL side Orange County FC. Fresno has been led, to this point, in Open Cup play by Renato Bustamante, who has scored in each overtime for the club.

The Foxes currently sit in 11th place in the 17-team USL Western Conference standings and are coming off a 4-0 thumping of the Seattle Sounders II in league play over the weekend.Their opponents, LAFC, have made a big splash in their inaugural MLS campaign. The club is led by head coach Bob Bradley who is no stranger to the Open Cup. Bradley has twice won this tournament both in 1998 and in 2000 with the Chicago Fire. When he won the Cup with Chicago in 1998 they were an expansion side much like his current LAFC team. He is assisted by Ante Razov, who has lifted the Cup three times as a player, as well as Marc Dos Santos, who has managed his share of lower league sides through the tournament, and knows the USL well.

LAFC is currently riding high in fourth place in the MLS Western Conference standings even though they are coming off a tough 2-1 loss to Dallas at the weekend. The club will also be without a handful of players who have already left for the World Cup.
USOC GSF-LAG
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FC Golden State Force has been one of the top stories of the 2018 US Open Cup Tournament so far. The PDL side from Whittier, Calif. earned the right to play the Los Angeles Galaxy after upsetting two USL teams in the last two rounds. After getting by the LA Wolves in Round 1, the Force knocked off Orange County Soccer Club in the Second Round by a score of 4-2 before going on to a 2-1 upset of the Las Vegas Lights in Round 3.Allisson Faramillo has led the Force. He was named TheCup.us Player of the Round after scoring two goals in the win over Las Vegas. The Brazilian has scored at least one goal in all three rounds so far and is tied for second in the tournament with four goals.The Force currently sit a top the PDL’s Southwest Conference, dominating most of their league opponents, including a 3-0 win over the Santa Cruz Breakers this past Sunday. This is Golden State’s second trip to the US Open Cup as they reached the Second Round last season where they fell to Orange County SC.The Force will now get to face off against one of the more successful teams in the US Open Cup’s Modern Era.

Their opponent, the five-time MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy, have twice won the US Open Cup, but haven’t lifted the trophy since 2005. Since then, the Galaxy have struggled to find consistency in this tournament, having been knocked off by lower league opponents on more than one occasion. They also received a scare from amateur side La Maquina in 2016 before winning that Fourth Round match in extra time. Last season, the Galaxy reached the Quarterfinals before being knocked out by their rivals from Northern California, the San Jose Earthquakes. The Galaxy have struggled to start this season as they currently sit in eighth place in the MLS Western Conference standings following a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers this past weekend.

With a tough start to the league season, their biggest headline has been the signing of international sensation Zlatan Ibrahimovic. It’s unlikely that Ibrahimovic will play against the amateur side, but this is Zlatan we’re talking about and he’s very tough to predict.
USOC SJE-PDX
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The San Jose Earthquakes and the Portland Timbers are two MLS sides that have not had the best success when it comes to Open Cup performance, as neither side has ever been able to reach the Final of the Tournament.The Earthquakes tied their best US Open Cup performance last season as they reached the Semifinals of the US Open Cup before falling on penalty kicks to the eventual champions, Sporting Kansas City. The Quakes have reached the Semifinal on one other occasion back in 2004, but have really struggled for results in the Cup since then. They did not qualify four times (2008-11) and only reached the Quarterfinals twice during that span.

San Jose has gotten off to a really slow start in league play this season under new head coach Mikael Stahre, as they currently sit in 10th place in the MLS Western Conference with just nine points through 13 matches. This includes a 2-1 loss this past weekend to the Chicago Fire.The Timbers boasts one of the best fan bases in the league that would surely like to add a US Open Cup to their trophy cabinet. The Timbers have been competing in the tournament since they made their debut in 2004 as an A-League (USL) team. Their best run in the Cup came in 2013 when they reached the Semifinal before falling on the road to Real Salt Lake, 2-1. Outside of that run to the final four, only three of their 13 Open Cup appearances have seen them win multiple games in a single competition.

Last season, their Cascadia rivals from Seattle bounced the Timbers out of the tournament in the Fourth Round by a score of 2-1. The club has had a decent start to their MLS campaign with new head coach Giovanni Savarese who has some experience in the Open Cup with the New York Cosmos where he upset multiple MLS clubs as coach in New York. The Timbers currently sit in fifth place in the MLS Western Conference after coming off of a 1-1 home draw with the LA Galaxy this past weekend.
USOC SEA-SAC
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The Seattle Sounders will begin another attempt to tie the all-time record with a fifth US Open Cup title as they travel away to USL West Coast powerhouse, Sacramento Republic.The last time the Republic hosted a MLS side in the Open Cup they knocked off Real Salt Lake in a dominant 4-1 victory last season. In the following round, the LA Galaxy knocked Sacramento out of the competition, causing Sacramento to leave their best Open Cup run in the Fifth Round.The Republic reached the Fourth Round of this year’s competition by first dispatching PDL side San Francisco City FC In Round 2 before traveling to Nevada to knock out Reno 1868 FC in the Third Round, 1-0.Currently, Sacramento is off to a strong start in league play as they sit in third place in the USL’s Western Conference behind Phoenix on goal differential. They have won four of their last five games after defeating Orange County SC, 1-0 last Saturday.

The Sounders have a rich history in the US Open Cup dating back to their USL days. They reached the Semifinals in 2007 and 2008 before joining MLS and winning three straight tournaments from 2009-11. They lost in the 2012 Final to Sporting Kansas City in penalty kicks and after their first one-and-done experience in 2013, they came back to win the 2014 tournament over the Philadelphia Union in extra time. The Sounders always take the Open Cup seriously and with great pride.

The reigning MLS Western Conference champions have had a really slow start to the MLS season however as they currently sit in 11th place in the Western Conference table, only eight points ahead of last place Colorado on goal differential. The team’s problems this season are from their inability to score as they currently have found the back of the net on just seven occasions through 11 games. They most recently were shut out once again by Real Salt Lake this past weekend by a score of 2-0. They could use a good Open Cup run to give them some momentum to help them out of the bottom of the league.

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