Preview

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Winner will host Chicago Fire (MLS) in Round 4

UPDATE: Saint Louis FC capitalize on Michigan Bucks mistakes, hold on for 2-1 win

Former US international Preki will lead Saint Louis FC into a rare indoor US Open Cup match against the PDL’s Michigan Bucks on Tuesday, the first game on the Third Round schedule. Normally, a pro team playing a game against an amateur side, even on the road, wouldn’t be something to worry too much about but the Bucks are without question the best amateur team of the Modern Era (1995-present). Their laundry list of accomplishments is long but the two biggest numbers are most amateur wins (15) and most pro team upsets (10).

After holding off AFC Ann Arbor (NPSL) 1-0 in Round 1, the Bucks added to their Open Cup resume in the last round with a 1-0 home win over the NASL’s Indy Eleven. University of Michigan product Francis Atuahene scored the lone goal and the defense kept a clean sheet in front of their home fans at the Ultimate Soccer Arenas, the site of Tuesday’s match with Saint Louis FC. The regulation-sized field is part of a larger indoor facility in Pontiac, Mich., just north of Detroit. In the 104-year history of the US Open Cup, there has only been 10 games played indoors, and nine of them have been hosted by the Bucks at “the USA”.

The most impressive accomplishment by the Bucks is they are the only amateur club in the Modern Era to have defeated multiple Major League Soccer teams (2000 at New England Revolution, 2012 home vs. Chicago Fire). The winner of Tuesday’s game will host the Chicago Fire in Round 4, which would set up a rematch for the Bucks if they are able to prevail.

For Saint Louis FC, this is just the club’s third appearance in the US Open Cup. They are 3-0-0 against amateur teams, including their last match against FC Wichita where they came from behind to win 4-3 in extra time. If they win, a date with the Fire would be their second meeting with MLS opposition in team history. In their inaugural season in 2015, they dropped a close 1-0 match on that road against Sporting Kansas City.

After winning their league opener against K-W United, the defending PDL champions had what some might call a hangover game against the Dayton Dutch Lions, losing 2-1 on the road a few days after upsetting the Indy Eleven. However, they bounced back in their most recent league game, thrashing the West Virginia Chaos 6-2. Andre Landell had two goal and an assist and Atuahene added two goals in the rout.

On the other side, Saint Louis drew 1-1 in their most recent USL match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. They are currently tied for 7th place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-3-3 record. Jose Angulo, who received strong consideration for TheCup.us Player of the Round for the Second Round, leads the team in scoring with four goals.

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Winner will play at New England Revolution in Round 4

The Rochester Rhinos often play the role of David against the Goliath of MLS teams due to their 1999 title run, but the Rhinos are usually the Goliath against amateur sides in the earlier rounds of the US Open Cup.

Rochester will put its 16-0-0 all-time record against amateur sides to the test this Wednesday when they host GPS Omens (Mass.) of the Bay State Soccer League. The Rhinos entered the competition this year in the Second Round and defeated their opponent, FC Motown of New Jersey, 3-0 at home.

GPS Omens have already played twice in the 2017 edition of the Open Cup, both on the road. Omens defeated PDL side GPS Portland Phoenix 2-0 in the First Round and outlasted Boston City FC of the NPSL 2-1 in the Second Round.

Now GPS Omens travel outside of New England for the first time in this competition and face a professional team in a competitive fixture for the first time in their history. A trip to face the New England Revolution in the Fourth Round looms large on the horizon but neither team can afford to look past Wednesday night’s contest.

The Rhinos have used the Open Cup campaign and some rest, both planned and unplanned, to generate positive momentum after a rocky start to the season. Rochester’s away game in Saint Louis was postponed due to flooding last month and the team then had two of the next three weekend’s without league matches.

Rochester earned just five points from its first four games of the USL season before an 18-day layoff. The Rhinos are undefeated since a devastating blowout on the road in Charleston on April 14, including a 1-0 win over Tampa Bay Rowdies in Rochester in midweek USL action. Wednesday night’s cup match will be the fourth competitive game the Rhinos play in the month of May but the fourth within 14 days.

GPS Omens on the other hand, may be used to the ebb and flow of sporadic and congested scheduling. The amateur side from Boston, that US Soccer described as White Collar Underdogs, has difficulty fitting team training into the busy routines of their players.

The side whose players spend their days in law offices and board rooms, is sitting comfortably near the top of the BSSL table. GPS Omens is in second place but with games in hand and an impressive 24 goals scored over four league games.

The Boston-area club started its cup run with a qualification win over fellow BSSL side Southie FC last fall. Rochester Rhinos defeated Southie heavily in the 2016 US Open Cup and GPS Omens beat them 4-2 on the road in September in qualification. Omens then traveled to Connecticut to brush aside Newtown Pride FC and qualify for the 2017 tournament proper.

History suggests one way Wednesday’s contest will go but as the saying goes, soccer matches aren’t played on paper. GPS Omens will look to make history as the first amateur team to defeat the Rhinos while Rochester will aim for a performance that could carry some drive over into league play.

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Winner will play at Atlanta United (MLS) in Round 4

One of the youngest clubs in American soccer will host one the oldest in this Third Round matchup, a rematch from last year. Both clubs advanced to the Third Round by winning games away from home to NPSL competition. The Armada eliminated Miami United FC 2-1 and Charleston knocked out the Atlanta Silverbacks by the same score line. Jacksonville rallied from an early deficit behind goals from Aaron Pitchkolan and a penalty kick by Jack Blake. Charleston struck twice in the first half with goals from Forrest Lasso and Jeffrey Otoo, before the Silverbacks made it interesting with a 73rd minute penalty scored by Alex Nyarko Harley.

Charleston is celebrating their 25th anniversary season in style, currently in first place in USL’s Eastern Conference with 23 points from 11 games. The Battery are 7-1-3 and had won three of their last five before dropping a 2-1 decision at New York Red Bulls 2 in their most recent match. The Armada are currently contesting their third season and are third in the NASL table with 13 points from eight matches. They are 3-1-4 in league play, with a 2-1-2 record from their last five. Their last league contest was a 2-1 win over North Carolina FC.

The Battery made their Open Cup debut in 1999 and have participated every year since, except for 2003. They were runners-up in 2008, semifinalists in 1999 and 2004, and have reached the Quarterfinals six times, more than any other lower division team in the Modern Era.

In last year’s edition, they advanced to the Third Round following a victory by forfeit over the PDL’s Villages SC before falling 2-1 after extra time to Jacksonville.

This will be the Armada’s third Open Cup campaign, having lost in the Third Round to the Richmond Kickers in 2015 and 1-0 in the Fourth Round to Orlando City SC in 2016.

The two clubs have faced each other just twice in the past, with Jacksonville winning last year’s Cup match and Charleston winning a 2015 friendly, 1-0. The winner of this match will travel to Atlanta United, which has an affiliate relationship with Charleston, in the next round.

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Winner will host Columbus Crew SC (MLS) in Round 4

Just 90 minutes apart by car, these two well-supported USL rivals will play in front of a raucous Nippert Stadium crowd in the Third Round of the US Open Cup.

Both these teams saw their Open Cup runs end at the hands of NASL teams last year, as Cincinnati lost 2-1 to the Tampa Bay Rowdies (they have since moved to the USL) while Louisville were taken down 2-1 by Indy Eleven.

Both teams will also be coming into the match in relatively good league form, as they stand equal on points (though Louisville has played three fewer games) in third place in the USL Eastern Conference. Louisville will be coming into the game relatively fresh, having beaten the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1-0 on the road back on May 20 after a 9-0 trouncing of amateur side Tartan Devils Oak Avalon in Round 2. FC Cincinnati will be coming in with high spirits as well, having nipped Toronto FC 2 1-0 at home on Saturday.

It’ll be the second matchup between Cincinnati and Louisville, as the two drew 1-1 at Nippert on April 22. But this time, the prize will be a home match against the Columbus Crew SC of MLS.

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Winner will play at Philadelphia Union in Round 4

In a matchup of teams the Philadelphia Union have been affiliated with, Harrisburg City Islanders (USL) and Reading United AC (PDL) will play for the right to play the Union.

Reading, a current Union affiliate, is coming off one of the bigger “cupsets” of the Second Round. The amateur side defeated New York Cosmos (NASL) 3-2 with all three goals coming in a six minute stretch near the end of the first half.

Paul Marie, Marco Micaletto and Frantzdy Pierrot scored in the victory to send Reading into the Third Round to match the PDL side’s best Open Cup performance for the third time.

Since defeating New York, Reading has gone 1-1-0 in its league season to find itself in third place of the PDL Mid-Atlantic Division table with six points. Saturday, Reading beat FA Euro 2-0 Saturday with goals coming by Mohammed Conde and Hugo Delhommelle.

Harrisburg, a Union affiliate until the 2016 season, advanced to the Third Round by eliminating Reading’s primary PDL Mid-Atlantic rival, the Ocean City Nor’easters, in penalty kicks (6-5) after a scoreless draw in the Second Round.

The City Islanders are coming off a 3-1 defeat to the Bethlehem Steel Sunday. Danny DiPrima scored the lone goal in the loss, which drops Harrisburg to 13th in the USL Eastern Conference with a 2-4-4 record.

Harrisburg’s Aaron Wheeler, Pedro Riberio and Manolo Sanchez will all being facing their former team. Wheeler won the PDL MVP in 2009 for Reading after scoring 17 goals that season.

Sunday’s game for Harrisburg gave Reading head coach Stephen Hogan an advanced look at his opponent as he is an assistant coach with the Bethlehem Steel.

Side note: Wednesday’s Open Cup game will also be apart of Reading United’s annual Philadelphia Union festival. Typically a friendly, it will instead be for the right to play Philadelphia. Unannounced members of the Union in attendance for the festivities will also get an advanced look at their Open Cup fourth round opponents.

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Winner will host the Houston Dynamo (MLS) in Round 4

The champion of professional soccer in North Carolina will be crowned on Wednesday night as North Carolina FC of the NASL welcomes Charlotte Independence of the USL to WakeMed Soccer Park in the Third Round of the US Open Cup.

Both teams traveled to Florida for their league match, but only Charlotte came back with a win, as they beat Orlando City B 3-1 on Saturday, which pushed them to within a point of a USL playoff spot with several games in hand. Meanwhile, North Carolina FC dropped a 2-1 decision away to Jacksonville Armada, dropping them to third in the NASL.

Brian Shriver, the top scorer of the 2012 US Open Cup, will likely feature again as he, Matt Fondy, and fellow Open Cup standout Ty Shipalane led the front line in a Round 2 win over the Carolina Dynamo.

Enzo Martinez, once a RailHawk, has been leading the way for the Independence in both the Open Cup and in league play. His four goals in just five games sets the pace for the Independence’s league exploits, while his two late goals were enough to complete a comeback against intra-city foe Charlotte Eagles in Round 2 of the Open Cup.

Wednesday will mark the third-consecutive Open Cup bout between the two in-state rivals, with a home game against the formidable but soft-on-the-road Houston Dynamo. The two have split the previous meetings, which were both held in Cary. Ryan Finley scored the lone goal in the 82nd minute to best the RailHawks in 2015, while NCFC poured in five extra-time goals to rout the Independence last year.

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Winner will play at Orlando City SC (MLS) in Round 4

Of all the USL/NASL matchups in Round 3, this may be the most intriguing as it features two in-state rivals who faced each other in the NASL last year.

Tampa Bay claimed its spot in Round 3 with a 3-0 defeat of the NPSL’s Jacksonville Armada U-23s at Al Lang Stadium. The Rowdies’ goals came from Kyle Porter, Alex Morrell, and Martin Paterson, all of whom scored for the first time in their careers in the Open Cup. Miami advanced with a 3-2 victory over the PDL’s South Florida Surf, with Kwadwo Poku and Jaime Chavez providing the first and third goals, with the second being an own goal.

In their first year of play in the USL, the Rowdies currently sit second in the Eastern Conference with 21 points from 12 games. They are 6-3-3 on the year with a 2-1-2 record over the last five league games. Tampa Bay drew their most recent match 1-1, at home vs. St. Louis FC.

Miami FC is currently top of the NASL table with 18 points from nine games, going 5-3-1 overall and have won four of their last five, drawing their most recent match 1-1, a home tilt vs. Puerto Rico FC.

The Rowdies have participated in the Open Cup since 2010 (playing that year as FC Tampa Bay), missing the 2011 competition due to a lack of sanctioning of the NASL by USSF. They have a 6-6 overall record & their most memorable campaign came in 2013 when they entered in the Second Round and advanced to the Fourth Round after upsetting MLS side Seattle Sounders at home in the Third Round. Last year was Miami FC’s first year of competition in the Cup, losing their Third Round match to the Wilmington Hammerheads (then of the USL), 2-1.

In 2010, then-FC Tampa Bay defeated then-Miami FC 2-1 in Open Cup competition. That Miami FC later rebranded as the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The South Florida Surf, Miami FC’s competition in the last round, are coached by former Rowdies assistant Eric Arbuzow and feature former Rowdies players Jeff Michaud & Darwin Espinal, both of whom scored in last week’s game. The Rowdies and Miami FC drew all three games in NASL play last year, while Miami prevailed 3-0 in their most recent matchup, a preseason friendly. The winner of this match will travel to Orlando City SC in the Fourth Round.

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Winner will play at D.C. United (MLS) in Round 4

Two of the biggest underdogs in this year’s US Open Cup will face off in Chicago in the Third Round of the tournament.

Christos FC and Chicago FC United already have taken down USL teams in the last round of the venerable competition. Now they will face off Wednesday for the right to play MLS side D.C. United at the Maryland Soccerplex on June 13.

After cruising past Fredericksburg FC (NPSL) in Round 1, Christos FC knocked off the Richmond Kickers (USL), 1-0, in the second round of the USOC, led by goalkeeper Phil Saunders. Saunders notched seven saves in the Baltimore side’s shutout victory and earned TheCup.us Player of the Round honors.

PDL side Chicago FC United, who were formerly affiliated with the Chicago Fire, started off with a narrow 1-0 win over Grand Rapids FC (NPSL). The game was decided by a 90th minute own goal by a Grand Rapids player. In Round 2, Chicago advanced with a 3-1 home win over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, earning the right to host another USOC game. It was Chicago’s first win over a pro team since they beat the New Hampshire Phantoms of USL-2 back in 2004.

In league play, FC United has played just two games and has a massive layoff before playing their next game in the PDL. They defeated the St. Louis Lions 6-0 on May 23, followed by a 1-1 draw with WSA Winnipeg three days later. They don’t play another league game until June 10.

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If Tulsa wins … they will play at FC Dallas (MLS) in Round 4
If San Antonio wins … they will host FC Dallas (MLS) in Round 4

Two teams looking for their first U.S. Open Cup win against another professional side will square off Wednesday in Tulsa.

Hosts Tulsa Roughnecks FC has lost its two previous USOC matchups against pro competition: falling to OKC Energy FC in 2015 and the Des Moines Menace in last year’s competition. Tulsa advanced to the third round of this year’s tournament with a 5-3 win over OKC Energy U-23.

Visiting San Antonio FC is competing in the Open Cup for the second time. It beat two amateur teams last year before falling to MLS side Houston Dynamo on the road. The Texas team earned a trip to Tulsa by beating Dutch Lions FC, 2-1.

The winner of the Tulsa-San Antonio matchup will advance to face FC Dallas. Tulsa would travel to play the MLS side, while San Antonio would host the 4th round USOC game.

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Winner will play at Colorado Rapids (MLS) in Round 4

Colorado Springs Switchbacks will be trying to match its first two US Open Cup performances on Wednesday when it hosts fellow USL side OKC Energy FC.

Colorado Springs has won two Open Cup games in each of its first two years in the tournament. A win on Wednesday against Energy FC would give them two wins in each of its first three years, which is something only three active lower division pro teams have accomplished (New York Cosmos, North Carolina FC, Sacramento Republic).

The Switchbacks are tied for 4th place in the USL Western Conference with a 3-4-5 record. They are winless in their last four matches (0-2-2) with their last win coming on May 5 against the Tulsa Roughnecks.

In US Open Cup play, they are 3-0-0 all-time at home, including a 2-0 triumph over FC Tucson (PDL) last round.

Visitors OKC Energy FC had won just a single game in its first six league games, so they had been struggling until their US Open Cup Second Round game. But after beating Moreno Valley FC (USASA) 5-1, they have won back-to-back home games over Orange County SC and Portland Timbers 2.

The winner of Wednesday’s match will advance to play at the Colorado Rapids of MLS at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Round 4.

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Winner will play at San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) in Round 4

In a match that was originally scheduled to take place in San Francisco, the Deltas will now instead travel to Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex for this Third Round matchup. The winner will face MLS side, San Jose Earthquakes, at Avaya Stadium in Round 4.

This is the fourth appearance of Phoenix Rising in the tournament. They played 3 previous times in the competition as Arizona United SC. Phoenix Rising features three of the biggest stars in North American soccer: Didier Drogba, Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Omar Bravo. In their three previous runs in the Cup, the best finish they have had was an appearance in the Fourth Round in 2014. In that year, they knocked off their only pro side to date in the competition when they beat fellow USL side, Oklahoma City Energy, 2-1 in Round 3 before falling to MLS side, LA Galaxy. In 2015, they were hit with the upset from amateur side Chula Vista FC, as they fell 3-0 in the Second Round that season.

Phoenix currently finds themselves in 9th place in the 15-team USL Western Conference standings after picking up a 2-1 victory over LA Galaxy 2 this past weekend, but they have games in hand on many of the teams ahead of them in the league.

NASL expansion side, San Francisco Deltas, will be playing their first-ever match against a USL side or any other professional side in the Open Cup. They knocked off a strong PDL side in the Burlingame Dragons in Round 2 with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory. They were led in that match by Canadian international and playmaker, Kyle Bekker, whose two dangerous free kicks resulted in the two goals for the Deltas that night.

The Deltas have made a decent showing in their inaugural NASL season so far as they currently sit in the middle of the pack, in the eight-team league. To date, they have picked up 13 points from their opening nine games after a 0-0 draw against the New York Cosmos this past Saturday in New York. They are led by one of the most experienced coaches in North America, Marc Dos Santos, who is no stranger to dissecting USL and NASL opponents over the years and coaching in big games.

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Winner will play at Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) in Round 4

California sides Orange County SC and the Los Angeles Wolves will face off in the US Open Cup for the second consecutive year.

Last year, in their Open Cup debut, the Wolves earned their first pro upset as they eliminated Orange County 4-2 in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw. For Orange County, it was the fourth time that they had been eliminated by an amateur team. Only the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (5) have been ousted by more amateur teams in the Modern Era (1995-present).

This year, the Wolves needed a pair of wins over amateur clubs to reach Round 3. After a 4-2 win over the PDL’s San Diego Zest to open the competition, they needed extra time to beat Chula Vista FC by the score of 1-0.

Orange County is hoping to earn a measure of revenge against L.A. after snapping a four-match USOC winless streak in the last round, when it beat FC Golden State Force, 5-2.

The winner of this year’s matchup will advance to face MLS power L.A. Galaxy on the road.

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Winner will host Real Salt Lake (MLS) in Round 4

The first official meeting between the Sacramento Republic FC and Reno 1868 FC will take place in the Third Round of the US Open Cup. Located just 130 miles apart, the two clubs met in a pre-season match at Reno’s home stadium, Greater Nevada Field, in a match that finished 3-3. This is the first time that the two clubs will meet at Papa Murphy’s Park in Sacramento. The right to host MLS side, Real Salt Lake, goes to the winner.

This is the Republic’s fourth season, and thus their fourth venture into the US Open Cup. The club has been one of the standard-bearers for all of lower league soccer since they came onto the scene in the 2014 season, winning the USL title in their inaugural season. While they are one of three lower division clubs to win two or more games in each of its first three seasons in the tournament, they have yet to get over the Fourth Round hump. In 2014 and 2015, the Republic reached the Fourth Round twice, falling both times to MLS side, San Jose Earthquakes. Last season, they reached the 3rd round before falling 3-1 to PDL side (now in NPSL), Kitsap Pumas.

They currently hold a 5-1 record against amateur sides in the competition, and an 0-2 record against pro sides. This means that a win against Reno would be the club’s first win against a pro team in the tournament.

The Republic got off to a hot start in league play this year, winning its first three matches. However, they have since picked up just two points in seven matches, with their only win in that time coming against UPSL side, Anahuac FC, in the Second Round of the Open Cup. To this point, Sammy Ochoa has led the team by notching four goals and three assists.

The Republic takes on expansion side and newest rival, Reno 1868 FC. Reno made their debut in the Open Cup in the Second Round when they traveled to Washington to take on NPSL side, OSA FC. This marked the first time a pro team from Nevada had ever taken part in the tournament.

After 120 minutes of play with a score of 1-1, Reno needed penalty kicks to beat the amateur side. Number 10, El Salvadorian international, Junior Burgos, scored the winning PK to help the Nevada side advance to Round 3.

After a slow start in the league, Reno has gotten hot fast. With just two points in their opening five matches in USL play, Reno went on to win their next three matches by a combined total of 14-0. The main man on the team so far this season has been Jamaican international, Dane Kelly. He has scored 10 goals in his first nine matches, and won USL player of the week honors for his first half hat-trick against the Seattle Sounders 2 on May 20.

Kelly has scored seven career US Open Cup goals, which ties him with Paul Conway as the top scorers in Charleston Battery Open Cup history. He ranks third of all Div. 3 players in Open Cup play with seven goals, and he holds the record with two others) for consecutive tournaments with at least one goal (5 from 2011-15). They currently sit 10th out of 15 teams in the USL Western Conference.

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Winner will play … Fort Lauderdale Strikers or Chicago Fire in Semifinals

Philadelphia Union Open Cup records
Overall: 11-3-4 (3-1 PKs) | Home: 10-2-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 1-1-2 (2-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 5-3-3 (2-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (1-1 Draw (7-6 PK loss) vs. Sporting KC of MLS in Final)
Best finish: Runner-up (2014, 2015)

New England Revolution Open Cup records
Overall: 16-11-4 (2-2 PKs) | Home: 10-4-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 5-7-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 4-7-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 vs. Charlotte Independence of USL in Round 4)
Best finish: 2007 US Open Cup champions

By Michael Berton

The 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup has been a series of close affairs for the New England Revolution and the Philadelphia Union. If form holds true, Soldiers Field at Harvard Stadium will host another close event on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

New England advanced to the Open Cup Quarterfinals with two narrow victories over lower-division teams. In the Fourth Round, the Revolution escaped past the Carolina RailHawks 1-0 after extra time. Then in the Fifth Round, the Revs had to come from behind twice against the New York Cosmos before eventually winning 3-2.

Since first entering the tournament in 2012, the Union have enjoyed plenty of home cooking. Out of their 18 all-time matches, 14 of them have been played at home, including the last two US Open Cup Finals. This match will be the first road trip in the 2016 tournament for the Union.

Beginning in the Fourth Round, the Union gave up a two-goal lead over the Harrisburg City Islanders before scoring an extra time free kick winner. In the Fifth Round, Philadelphia was dominated in the first half by the New York Red Bulls but rallied back in the second half for a 2-1 win.

The hosts New England have had a mixed bag of results this season. Currently 5-7-8 in league play, the Revolution are sixth in the MLS Eastern Conference, which is also the final playoff position. Since beating the Cosmos, New England have gone 1-1-2, with their last result being a scoreless draw at Real Salt Lake.

Lee Nguyen is powering the New England with five goals and seven assists this season, while four other players have three goals each. Bobby Shuttleworth mans the net for the Revolution, posting a 1.63 goals against average so far this season in 16 games played.

Playing US Open Cup games away from their home at Gillette Stadium is nothing new for the Revolution. Midweek Open Cup crowds are tough to justify the cost of opening the nearly 70,000-seat NFL stadium, so the team often finds locations in and around New England to host their cup matches. This is the club’s third trip to Harvard University’s Soldiers Field, but prior to that they have played at Brown University, Veterans Memorial Stadium in New Britain, Conn., and Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, Mass. They have only played in Gillette Stadium once since the stadium was built in 2002 and that was a 2007 Quarterfinal match against the Harrisburg City Islanders. Prior to that, they played at Foxboro Stadium during the 2000 and 2001 tournaments.

Farther up the Eastern Conference table sits the Philadelphia Union. In second place with a 8-6-6 record, the Union are vastly improved compared to recent years. Philadelphia is tied for the MLS lead in goals scored with 34 and will provide a tough test for the New England defense. However, the Union have struggled on the road, going just 1-5-3.

Philadelphia features a balanced scoring attack, but Chris Pontius leads the way with seven goals. CJ Sapong and Roland Alberg are close behind with six each. MLS All-Star Andre Blake is the Union’s star goalkeeper. He has played in 19 of the Union’s 20 games, sporting a 1.37 goals against average.

The Revolution and Union have played once so far this season, with the Union coming out 3-0 winners. Sapong scored twice and the leading scorer in the US Open Cup Modern Era, Sebastian Le Toux, added the third.

The only time these two teams have met in US Open Cup play came in the 2014 Quarterfinals, when Le Toux broke the Modern Era scoring record in a 2-0 victory.

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Winner will play … Seattle Sounders or LA Galaxy in Semifinals

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FC Dallas Open Cup records
Overall: 28-16-6 (5-1 PKs) | Home: 17-6-3 (2-1 PKs) | Away: 11-10-2 (2-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 9-11-3 (2-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 6-2 at Sporting KC of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: 1997 US Open Cup champions

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Houston Dynamo Open Cup records
Overall: 11-8-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 9-2-0 | Away: 2-6-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 3-6-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 at Sporting KC of MLS in Quarterfinals)
Best finish: Semifinals (2006, 2009)

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By Adam Uthe

Houston Dynamo will host in-state rivals FC Dallas in a US Open Cup match for the second time in three years on Wednesday night.

The two sides are already familiar enough with each other and have also met twice in league play this season.

Houston and Dallas met in the fifth round of the 2014 Open Cup with Dallas winning a 3-2 extra time thriller at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston. Tesho Akindele scored the winner for the Hoops just eight minutes into extra time and the visitors held on to retain bragging rights, at least in terms of Open Cup play.

The two Texas teams have met three times in the tournament with Dallas winning two. Given the way their 2016 MLS campaigns have gone so far, Dallas would seem to have the upper hand but the two sides have also played twice in league play so far and the Dynamo have outscored their rivals 6-1 over the course of those two games.

The two sides met in the second week of the season back in March down in Houston and the Dynamo scored four in the first 27 minutes en route to a shocking 5-0 victory. Andrew Wenger, who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Philadelphia Union, scored one and assisted on two others. He’s currently tied with Will Bruin and Giles Barnes for team lead in goals this season with four.

The second match, this time in Frisco on June 2, came just before the Copa America break in league play. The match was much more competitive with the two teams playing to a 1-1 draw. Ricardo Clark’s second half goal cancelled out Ryan Hollingshead’s first half tally.

Outside of their head-to-head meetings, it’s pretty obvious FC Dallas has had the better season of the two. They’ve looked like the best team in MLS for several stretches and Oscar Pareja seems to have built a strong core around young, homegrown talent like US youth international Kellyn Acosta and the team’s leading goal scorer Michael Barrios, who has tallied six times this season.

That being said, they have been prone to the occasional bad result like their first meeting with Houston and another 5-0 loss suffered last Wednesday at the hands of Western Conference cellar dwellers Seattle Sounders. But like any good team, Dallas bounced back from that Sounders loss with a 3-1 home win over the Chicago Fire. The win was doubly important as it gave Dallas the best record in MLS heading into Open Cup play and it helped bring the Brimstone Cup (a supporters trophy created in 2001) back to Dallas for the first time in four seasons. Max Urruti, Mauro Diaz and Mauro Rosales all scored to extend the team’s unbeaten streak at home to 16 games.

By contrast, Houston have had a poor season. Things have been so bad, the Dynamo are currently being coached on an interim basis by former player Wade Barrett after Owen Coyle left the club to return to the UK where he now manages English Championship side Blackburn Rovers. They’re coming off a 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy last Friday night via a second half goal from Steven Gerrard. The Open Cup has been the one bright spot for the Dynamo.

Houston got their run started in the fourth round with a comfortable 4-0 win over the USL’s San Antonio FC. Alex Lima provided a goal and an assist with David Rocha also chipping in two assists. In the Round of 16, they beat MLS rivals Sporting Kansas City 3-1 behind a pair of goals from Mauro Manotas and one more from Alex. Former Dynamo captain Brad Davis scored Kansas City’s lone goal. Despite losing the possession battle, the Dynamo were able to outshoot Sporting KC and made the most of their chances.

Houston find themselves in the quarterfinals for the second time in as many seasons and are looking for their third Open Cup semifinal appearance in team history, and the first since 2009.

The road to the quarterfinals has been far more arduous for FC Dallas. After falling behind 1-0 in the first half and then surrendering an 89th minute equalizer, Dallas was able to take down OKC Energy, their USL affiliate, in a penalty shootout by a final tally of 6-5. Colin Bonner scored the winner for the Hoops.

The Round of 16 wasn’t much easier. Dallas dug themselves another early hole as they gave up a first half goal through Dominique Badji of the Colorado Rapids, who have been neck and neck with Dallas at the top of the overall standings in MLS this season. But Dallas turned up the heat in the second half and came away with the 2-1 win thanks to goals from Diaz (assisted by Colombian Fabian Castillo, who raised eyes with his run in the lead up to the goal) and Urruti, who was acquired this past offseason from the MLS Cup champion Portland Timbers.

BROADCAST: YouTube

Winner will play … New England Revolution or Philadelphia Union in Semifinals

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Fort Lauderdale Strikers Open Cup records
Overall: 7-8-4 (3-1 PKs) | Home: 6-3-2 (2-0 PKs) | Away: 1-5-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 1-4-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-2 at Charleston Battery of USL in Round 3)
Best finish: Third Round (2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)

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Chicago Fire Open Cup records
Overall: 38-13-4 (3-1 PKs) | Home: 24-1-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 13-12-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 6-3-2 (2-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Philadelphia Union of MLS in Semifinals)
Best finish: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006 US Open Cup champions

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By Jeff Engelhardt

History will be made Wednesday.

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers will look to continue their role of David after slaying two Goliaths in DC United (MLS) and Orlando City (MLS) in previous rounds. If the Strikers manage to get past the Chicago Fire in the Quarterfinals, they will be the first NASL team to ever make the US Open Cup Semifinals and the first Division II team to advance that far in the tournament since the Charleston Battery appeared in the Final in 2008.

The Chicago Fire have their own chance at history with a victory as it would be a record-setting 12th appearance in the semifinals and their fourth consecutive trip to that round. Only seven teams (including the Chicago Fire from 2003-06) have reached four straight semifinals in tournament history. They would be the first to do it twice.

Getting past the Fire will be no easy task for the Strikers as Chicago is a staggering 24-1-2 (1-1 PKs) at home in Open Cup play. But the Strikers have proven capable of rising to the occasion thanks in part to the efforts of players such as goalkeeper Diego Restrepo, midfielder PC and forward Jose Angulo.

Restrepo has been outstanding during the tournament, winning TheCup.us Player of the Round in Round 3 for his penalty kick heroics against the Richmond Kickers. He followed up that performance with another outstanding performance in penalty kicks against D.C. United (he fell one vote shy of being the first repeat winner of the award) and came up with enough big saves against Orlando City to allow his team take the 2-1 victory in extra time.

PC and Angulo both scored in the 2-1 victory and Angulo is only one of two Strikers with multiple goals in league play. PC also fell a vote shy of winning Player of the Round.

The Fire could be catching the Strikers at the right time though as Fort Lauderdale only has one point in four games during the NASL Fall Season. The Strikers are on a three-game losing streak and have not scored in any of those contests. Adding to their struggles will be the absence of former Fire player Maicon Santos, who was issued a red card in the Orlando City match.

The Fire have gone through their own share of struggles, currently sitting in last place in the MLS Eastern Conference after a 3-1 loss to FC Dallas. With the playoffs a fading possibility for Chicago, the Fire rested some key players in the FC Dallas loss including reigning Player of the Round winner David Accam, who is coming off a brace in the Round of 16 matchup with the Columbus Crew.

Fire coach Veljko Paunovic said the Open Cup is the team’s top priority and the Strikers should expect a full strength and motivated lineup. A new addition to the squad is Dutch midfielder Michael de Leeuw will make his US Open Cup debut and could be the X-factor as he has already showed promise with a goal in his first-ever MLS start.

NASL teams have proven difficult for the Fire in the past, however, including a penalty kick, nail-biter in their Fourth Round match against Indy Eleven this year. The team holds a 6-3-1 (1-0 PKs) record against Division II sides in the Open Cup.

BROADCAST: YouTube

Winner will play … FC Dallas or Houston Dynamo in Semifinals

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Seattle Sounders Open Cup records
Overall: 35-13-6 (4-2 PKs) | Home: 27-3-2 (2-0 PKs) | Away: 8-10-4 (2-2 PKs) | vs. MLS: 18-8-3 (2-1 PKs)
As MLS: 20-2-4 (3-1 PKs) | Home: 16-1-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 4-1-3 (2-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 14-1-2 (1-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 in OT vs. Portland Timbers of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 US Open Cup champions

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Los Angeles Galaxy Open Cup records
Overall: 27-13-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 18-2-0 | Away: 9-11-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 11-9-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Real Salt Lake of MLS in Quarterfinals)
Best finish: 2001, 2005 US Open Cup champions

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By Dennis Pope

The Los Angeles Galaxy and the Seattle Sounders are teams going in seemingly opposite directions.

L.A. has not allowed a goal in five of its last six games, while Seattle cannot shake a horrific league start and continues to sink to new lows.

The two meet Wednesday night at the StubHub Center Track Stadium in Carson (Calif.) in a US Open Cup quarterfinal round game.

The Galaxy are riding a four-game shutout streak after Steven Gerrard’s 66th-minute goal earned a 1-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on Friday night. Gerrard has shown improved form in recent appearances, as the Englishman pounced on a rebound against Houston to notch his third of the 2016 MLS campaign.

L.A. most recently defeated the Sounders, 1-0, in Seattle two weeks ago with Robbie Keane scoring upon his return from Euro 2016 duty.

Keane and Gyasi Zardes returned to a team struggling to find offense in their absence, with the Galaxy having scored just six goals in their last seven games across all competitions.

First-year starting goalkeeper Brian Rowe has received plenty of attention during this recent shutout steak, posting 270 scoreless minutes and inspiring the trending hashtag #RoweRoweRoweYourBoat.

Seattle has had far less to boast this season, and currently is a franchise pondering a massive change.

Sigi Schmid, the only coach in the Sounders’ MLS history, may be out soon as the team — mired near the bottom of the Western Conference — continues to drop points. Schmid also coached the Galaxy to a US Open Cup (2001), CONCACAF Champions Cup (2000), MLS Cup (2002) and a Supporters Shield (2002)

A 3-1 loss to Portland Timbers on Sunday is their most recent stumble, and now the Sounders will be without Osvaldo Alonso due to a suspension for yellow card accumulation.

To get here, the Sounders had a tough 2-0 home win over the PDL’s Kitsap Pumas, followed by a penalty kick win on the road (after a 1-1 draw) with Real Salt Lake.

The Galaxy had their own scare from an amateur team as they needed extra time to eliminate the Santa Ana-based La Maquina. The game was tied in extra time before the Galaxy scored a controversial goal off a set piece which changed the game. L.A. then traveled up to Portland to edge the Timbers 1-0 to clinch their second straight Quarterfinal appearance.

UPDATE: David Accam’s first half brace propels Chicago Fire past Columbus Crew

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will host Fort Lauderdale or Orlando City in Quarterfinals

Columbus Crew Open Cup records
Overall: 22-13-2 (0-2 PKs) | Home: 13-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 7-7-1 (0-1) | vs. MLS: 9-10-1 (0-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-0 at Orlando City SC of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: 2002 US Open Cup champions

Chicago Fire Open Cup records
Overall: 37-13-4 (3-1 PKs) | Home: 23-1-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 13-12-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 19-8-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Philadelphia Union of MLS in Semifinals)
Best finish: 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006 US Open Cup champions

Both teams bring up the bottom of the MLS’s Eastern Conference standings and have a strong Open Cup pedigree. Having battled injuries throughout the season, the Crew, having reached the Open Cup round of 16 for the fourth consecutive year, will look to its depth to see itself through. However, poor road form (0-4-3) and playing its second of three matches over the course of the week won’t help its chances. Ole Kamara leads the Crew with five goals on the season, his fifth coming in dramatic fashion to earn a tie with the New York Red Bulls last weekend, while Federico Higuain – one of the injured – has three goals and Justin Meram has two to go along with five assists. The Crew advanced to this point in the Open Cup after a 4-0 win over the NASL’s Tampa Bay Rowdies, with goalkeeper Brad Stuver earning a clean sheet.

For the Fire, they advanced to the round of 16, topping NASL’s Indy Eleven in penalties. The Fire will have the benefit of playing at home, having not won on the road in MLS play in their last 32 matches. The Fire also have the added advantage of having never lost to the Crew in five previous Open Cup matchups. Chicago is coming off a 4-3 loss to the Philadelphia Union. In league play, the Fire have won just once in their last 10 matches. David Accam and Kennedy Igboananike lead the team with four goals each.

UPDATE: Seattle Sounders advance PK shootout win at Real Salt Lake

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will play at LA Galaxy or Portland Timbers in Quarterfinals

Seattle Sounders Open Cup records
Overall: 35-13-5 (3-2 PKs) | Home: 27-3-2 (2-0 PKs) | Away: 8-10-3 (1-2 PKs) | vs. MLS: 18-8-3 (2-1 PKs)
As MLS: 20-2-3 (2-1 PKs) | Home: 16-1-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 4-1-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 14-1-2 (1-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 in OT vs. Portland Timbers of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2014 US Open Cup champions

Real Salt Lake Open Cup records
Overall: 9-7-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 9-3-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 0-4-0 | vs. MLS: 3-4-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 at Sporting KC of MLS in Semifinals)
Best finish: 2013 Runner-Up

It’s June and that means Major League Soccer (MLS) sides are starting to dominate the fixtures of the US Open Cup. Tuesday night features a Western Conference showdown between the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah. It’s the first ever meeting between the two sides, but Salt Lake did defeat Sounders 2, Seattle’s USL affiliate, last year in the fourth round. RSL will be playing in their 18th Open Cup match and this will be the 14th contest they’ve hosted.

Both teams took down lower division opponents in the fourth round, though they took very different paths to victory. Real Salt Lake fell behind 2-0 in the 58th minute against the United Soccer League’s (USL) Wilmington Hammerheads before second half substitute Joao Plata scored in the 65th minute and then assisted on the 86th minute equalizer scored by Burrito Martinez. Extra time failed to produce any goals so the match had to be decided on penalties and the Utah side would prevail by a final tally of 3-1. Seattle, on the other hand, cruised to a fairly comfortable 2-0 win over Premier Development League (PDL) side Kitsap Pumas. After a scoreless first 70 minutes, Seattle sealed the win with goals from Cristian Roldan and Joevin Jones.

The two teams already met once in league play back in March in the second week of the season. Real Salt Lake won that match 2-1 with goals from Stephen Obayan and Jamison Olave cancelling out Osvaldo Alonso’s 28th minute strike for Seattle. The result was consistent with each side’s respective seasons so far.

Salt Lake currently find themselves in third place in the Western Conference while Seattle are second to last, struggling to find any positives. Both sides returned to league play last week after MLS took a two week break at the beginning of June in observance of the Copa America Centenario tournament being played in the US. Since the break, Salt Lake has drawn 2-2 with Portland Timbers and lost 2-0 away to FC Dallas this past Saturday. Things have been just as bad for Seattle. They’ve lost both games since returning from the break, a pair of 2-0 losses to both the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC. Although his status for Tuesday’s game is uncertain, the Sounders will hope Clint Dempsey’s form with the US at the Copa America tournament can carry over into MLS play and help the Pacific Northwest side make a run in the Open Cup to try and salvage something from a dismal 2016 season.

Both teams have had good runs in the Open Cup in recent years. Real Salt Lake made the final in 2013 before falling 1-0 against DC United while Seattle defeated Philadelphia Union 3-1 in extra time two years ago. The winner of this one will play their quarterfinal match away against the winner of Wednesday’s Los Angeles Galaxy/Portland Timbers game.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will play at New England or NY Cosmos in Quarterfinals

New York Red Bulls Open Cup records
Overall: 18-16-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 8-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 9-10-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 5-8-2 (1-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Drew 1-1, Lost 4-3 in PKs vs. Philadelphia Union of MLS in Quarterfinals)
Best finish: 2003 Runner-up

Philadelphia Union Open Cup records
Overall: 10-3-4 (3-1 PKs) | Home: 9-2-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 1-1-2 (2-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 4-3-3 (2-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Drew 1-1, Lost 7-6 in PKs vs. Sporting KC of MLS in Final)
Best finish: Runner-up (2014, 2015)

The New York Red Bulls are coming off of a 1-1 draw against Columbus Crew, with the Crew getting a late equalizer. The Red Bulls (7-8-2) are 4-1-1 in their last six MLS games and are third in the MLS’s Eastern Conference standings, just three points out of first. The Red Bulls advanced to the round of 16 after a 1-0 win over USL’s Rochester Rhinos and will want revenge from the Union for last season’s Open Cup exit in PKs. Bradley Wright-Phillips leads the Red Bulls with nine goals and Mike Grella has six. Sacha Kljsestan has a team-high 10 assists and scored the game winner against the Rhinos on a PK. Luis Robles had the clean sheet.

The Union (7-5-5) sit in first in the MLS Eastern Conference standings and will face the Red Bulls for the third time in Open Cup history. The Union reached this point in the competition after a 3-2 win over USL’s Harrisburg City Islanders, getting a pair of goals from Roland Alberg, including the match winner. Alberg, most recently named MLS player of the week after four goals in two matches, including a hat-trick against Chicago. He is tied for second on the Union in goals (5) with C.J. Sapong. Chris Pontius leads the team with six.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will host Colorado Rapids or FC Dallas in Quarterfinals

Sporting Kansas City Open Cup records
Overall: 22-12-5 (3-2 PKs) | Home: 16-7-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 6-4-5 (0-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 8-7-2 (2-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Drew 1-1, Won 7-6 in PKs at Philadelphia Union of MLS in Final)
Best finish: US Open Cup Champions (2004, 2012, 2015)

Houston Dynamo Open Cup records
Overall: 10-8-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 8-2-0 | Away: 2-6-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 2-6-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 at Sporting KC of MLS in Quarterfinals)
Best finish: Semifinals (2006, 2009)

Given the preference for geography when determining the draw, the occasional Open Cup rematch is to be expected. Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City met in Kansas City in the quarterfinals of last year’s tournament and this time around the favorites, defending champion Sporting KC, will face off down in southeastern Texas when they meet on Wednesday night.

Last year Houston found themselves a man down early in the first half via a red card issued to Luis Garrido, but Will Bruin managed to put the visitors up 1-0 early into the second half. The disadvantage would prove to be too much though and Kansas City pulled away with three goals in the final twenty minutes to advance. They would eventually go on to win the final in penalty kicks against Philadelphia Union.

The two sides arrived at the Round of 16 via very different paths. Houston dispatched of new United Soccer League (USL) side San Antonio FC by a comfortable score of 4-0 in the fourth round. The Dynamo were led by Alex Lima (one goal, one assist) and David Rocha (two assists). Sporting Kansas City had a more difficult task in Round 4 as they needed extra time to take down North American Soccer League (NASL) side Minnesota United by a score 2-1. In a physical match that featured 43 fouls and 11 yellow cards, Diego Rubio’s extra time goal turned out to be the difference after Benny Feilhaber’s second half penalty kick.

Neither team has had a particularly great start to their respective MLS campaigns. Sporting Kansas City have taken four of six points since returning from their Copa America break, but still find themselves fighting for one of the last playoff spots in the Western Conference. With US international veterans Graham Zusi and Matt Besler on the roster, you’d like their chances of grabbing a playoff spot by the end of the season. Houston, on the other hand, find themselves in last place in the West with the second fewest points in the entire league (just ahead of Chicago Fire in the East). Things in Houston are so bad, former coach Owen Coyle has left the club in just his second season and is now in charge of English side Blackburn Rovers. The team used the Copa America break to name former player Wade Barrett the new coach and give him time to take stock of things before league play resumed. His debut did little to inspire his team as they drew DC United 0-0 last weekend coming out of the extended break.

The two sides have already met once this season back in May when Houston defeated Kansas City 2-0. Giles Barnes and Andrew Wenger each scored a first half goal and that was enough for the Dynamo to earn one of their three wins to date in the 2016 season. That game was played in Houston and the Dynamo will hope that the home crowd helps them again this time around. Houston fans may turn to the Open Cup as a means of consolation for the poor MLS season they’re having, but the men in orange have never advanced to an Open Cup final since they moved to Houston from San Jose in 2005. Kansas City, meanwhile, will be looking to make it back-to-back Open Cup titles after their dramatic penalty kick shootout win over Philadelphia in last year’s final.

The winner of this one will get to host the winner of Wednesday’s Round of 16 matchup the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will host NY Red Bulls or Philadelphia Union in Quarterfinals

New England Revolution Open Cup records
Overall: 15-11-4 (2-2 PKs) | Home: 10-4-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 5-7-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 5-1-2 (1-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 vs. Charlotte Independence of USL in Round 4)
Best finish: 2007 US Open Cup champions

New York Cosmos Open Cup records
Overall: 5-2-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 4-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 1-2-0 | vs. MLS: 2-2-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 4-1 at New York Red Bulls of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: Fifth Round (2014, 2015)

The Cosmos, which finished 6-4-0 in the NASL’s spring season, have already knocked off one MLS team in the Open Cup, dispatching New York City FC 1-0 and have reached the round of 16 of the Open Cup for the third straight season.

Now they’ll get another MLS test in New England, which had a three-game MLS winning streak snapped by DC United and are 4-7-4 in league play.

Juan Arango led the Cosmos with four goals in the spring season. Lee Nguyen leads New England with four goals and six assists. Kelyn Rowe leads active Revolution players with six goals in eight Open Cup appearances.

In his first professional start, Zachary Herivaux scored the game-winning goal in the 103rd minute of the Revolution’s fourth round win against the NASL’s Carolina RailHawks. Kei Kamara and Teal Bunbury each have Open Cup championships to their credit, having been teammates with Sporting Kansas City during its 2012 Open Cup championship.

This marks the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

BROADCAST: NONE
Winner will play at Chicago Fire in Quarterfinals

Fort Lauderdale Strikers Open Cup records
Overall: 17-8-3 (2-1 PKs) | Home: 10-2-3 (2-1 PKs) | Away: 7-6-0 | vs. MLS: 4-5-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 in OT vs. Rochester Rhinos of USL in Round 3)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012)
Leading goalscorer:

Orlando City SC Open Cup records
Overall: 9-3-4 (3-1 PKs) | Home: 8-2-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 1-1-2 (2-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 3-0-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Drew 1-1, Lost 7-6 in PKs vs. Sporting KC of MLS in Final)
Best finish: Runner-up (2014, 2015)
Leading goalscorer:

Orlando City sits mid-table in the MLS Eastern Conference standings at 4-8-3, tied for fifth with D.C. United. The two teams have at least some familiarity with one another, having played in a preseason match.

Orlando City, coming off a 3-2 win over Toronto in MLS play, advanced by defeating another Florida-based NASL team in Jacksonville Armada, 1-0 and has not lost to a non-MLS team in Open Cup play. The Strikers have advanced in their last two Open Cup matches by penalties, over the USL’s Richmond Kickers and MLS’s DC United, the latter match on the road.

Cyle Larin leads OCSC with eight goals, with Kaka leading the assist parade with five. Kevin Molino has six goals and five assists.

For the Strikers, who finished sixth in the NASL’s spring season and who boast a number of players with MLS experience, including two who previously played for Orlando City. Forward Giuseppe Gentile joined Orlando City for their final USL season before entering MLS, while captain Jean-Marc Alexandre also spent some time with Orlando City in 2012 and 2013 when OCSC was in the USL. Maicon Santos led the Strikers with four goals in NASL play and Jose Angulo had two.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will play at Houston Dynamo or Sporting Kansas City in Quarterfinals

Colorado Rapids Open Cup records
Overall: 12-15-0 | Home: 6-1-0 | Away: 5-13-0 | vs. MLS: 4-6-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Houston Dynamo of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: 1999 Runner-up

FC Dallas Open Cup records
Overall: 26-16-6 (5-1 PKs) | Home: 16-6-3 (2-1 PKs) | Away: 11-10-2 (2-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 8-11-3 (2-1 PKs)
Last entry: (Lost 6-2 at Sporting KC of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: US Open Cup Champions (1997)

The MLS Playoffs are still several months away, but the Round of 16 offers us a potential Western Conference final preview as the Colorado Rapids travel south to take on FC Dallas. It’s the first time the two teams have met in the Open Cup since 2004 when a young Eddie Johnson bagged two goals to help his team advance 3-0 at the Cotton Bowl in the fourth round.

Colorado and Dallas find themselves at the top of not only the Western Conference standings, but also the Supporters Shield standings; the Shield is awarded to the team with the best record in the league. Colorado has been spurred on by the acquisition of US international stalwart Jermaine Jones and look forward to the arrival of US goalkeeper Tim Howard in July. FC Dallas continues to rally around a core of young, homegrown talent that helped them get within 90 minutes of last year’s MLS Cup final.

Despite their success in league play, both teams needed late, dramatic victories against United Soccer League (USL) sides in the fourth round to advance to this point in the tournament. Dillon Serna scored off a Marco Pappa corner kick with six minutes left to play to help the Rapids advance past in-state rivals Colorado Springs Switchbacks by a final score of 1-0. FC Dallas, meanwhile, took on their USL affiliate, OKC Energy, and needed a penalty shootout final tally of 6-5 to win after conceding a late second half goal that forced extra time with the score tied at 2-2. Dallas got an excellent performance out of left sided midfielder Coy Craft, who was recalled from his loan with OKC prior to the game, and proceeded to provide the assist on each of Dallas’ normal time goals.

With 32 and 31 points, respectively, Colorado and Dallas have been the top two sides in MLS for just about the entire season. Despite serving a six game suspension upon his arrival from New England, midfielder Jermaine Jones has a team high three goals, tied with Luis Solignac and designated player Kevin Doyle. They’ve also contributions from MLS veteran Marco Pappa and Albanian international Shkëlzen Gashi, who featured for his country at the Euro tournament this month. Overall, it’s been a well-balanced effort from Pablo Mastroeni’s team. FC Dallas, meanwhile, have gotten a lot of production from their youngsters, including former MLS Superdraft first round pick Tesho Akindele who leads the team with five goals. Homegrown standout and US youth international Kellyn Acosta is tied for second on the team with three assists. The Hoops also made a shrewd move for former Portland Timbers forward Max Urruti, who has chipped in three goals and two assists so far this season.

The two sides have not played each other yet this season; their first matchup isn’t until the end of July. Other games in this round may have bigger names/star power, but don’t be surprised if this ends up being the game of the round. The winner will hit the road to take on the winner of Sporting Kansas City/Houston Dynamo.

BROADCAST: ONLINE VIDEO

Winner will host Seattle Sounders in Quarterfinals

Los Angeles Galaxy Open Cup records
Overall: 26-13-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 18-2-0 | Away: 8-11-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 11-8-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Real Salt Lake of MLS in Quarterfinals)
Best finish: US Open Cup Champions (2001, 2005)

Portland Timbers Open Cup records
Overall: 14-10-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 6-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 8-5-0 | vs. MLS: 4-6-1 (0-1 PKs)
As MLS: 7-4-0 | Home: 4-1-0 | Away: 3-3-0 | vs. MLS: 4-3-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-0 at Real Salt Lake of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: 2013 Semifinals

The Los Angeles Galaxy, fresh off their controversial fourth round win over amateur side La Maquina, will visit Providence Park to take on the Portland Timbers in a Wednesday night fifth round showdown. This will be the first Open Cup meeting between the MLS Western Conference foes.

There are some out there in parts unknown (mainly Twitter) who might say the LA Galaxy are fortunate to still be in the Open Cup. Down to 10 men in stoppage time, the Galaxy earned a free kick on the edge of the box after Jose Villareal was fouled. Villareal remained on the ground, with teammate Jack McBean helping him stretch out an apparent ailment. While players from both teams stood and watched Villareal get stretched out, Baggio Husidic stood over the ball and played a quick restart to Dave Romney, who played it past a very confused La Maquina goalkeeper. By rule, Husidic had the right to play the quick restart since the Galaxy did not ask for 10 yeards. LA went on to score two more and won 4-1.

La Maquina filed a protest (which has since been denied; they are appealing) saying their players were told by the referee to wait for the whistle. Barring new evidence surfacing in La Maquina’s appeal, it would seem the matter is resolved and one of the tournament’s last remaining underdogs have exited with a bitter taste in their mouths.

Portland’s fourth round victory over MLS Western Conference rivals San Jose Earthquakes came with no such controversy and was a pretty straightforward result. The Timbers got first half goals from Dairon Asprilla and Jack McInerney six minutes apart and that was all it took for Caleb Porter’s men to advance.

Both teams are still very much in the hunt for a playoff spot, but Los Angeles is much better off at this point than the defending MLS Cup champions. The Galaxy are in fifth place in the Western Conference with 23 points, while Portland sits in eighth, but only three points behind. The Timbers might feel like they have the upper hand after the two teams drew 1-1 earlier this season in Los Angeles. Fanendo Adi’s goal in the 52nd minute gave Portland the lead and an unfortunate own goal from Nat Borchers was all that kept the Timbers from taking all three points. Adi has been a revelation for Portland this season with nine goals to date.

Since returning from the Copa America break, Portland has drawn 2-2 with Real Salt Lake while the Galaxy have taken just two of a possible nine points. The winner of this one will have their work cut out for them as they’ll host the winner of the Colorado Rapids/FC Dallas Round of 16 game.

BROADCAST: CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE
Round of 16 draw to take place June 16

Colorado Springs Switchbacks Open Cup records
Overall: 4-1-0 | Home: 2-0-0 | Away: 2-1-0 | vs. MLS: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 4-1 at Colorado Rapids of MLS in ROund 4)
Best finish: 2015 Fourth Round (Lost 4-1 at Colorado Rapids of MLS)

Colorado Rapids Open Cup records
Overall: 11-15-0 | Home: 5-1-0 | Away: 5-13-0 | vs. Div. 3: 2-2-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Houston Dynamo of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: 1999 US Open Cup runner-up

The two professional teams from the state of Colorado; the Colorado Rapids, currently the top team in MLS, and the Colorado Springs Switchbacks, currently second in the USL’s Western Conference, square off at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park outside of Denver, Colo. This will be the second year in a row the two Centennial State clubs face off in the fourth round, last year the Rapids crushed the USL side 4-1 in last year’s Open Cup.

Colorado Springs returns to Denver this year taking a similar path as last year defeating Boulder, Colo.-based amateur side Harpo’s FC at home. Once again, the Switchbacks are near the top of USL and led by head coach and former Rapids defender Steve Trittschuh. Trittschuh’s squad should feature much of the same starting 11 that should include striker Martin Maybin and midfielders Miguel Gonzalez, Luke Vercollone and Saeed Robinson.

The backline is headlined by goalkeeper Devala Gorrick and defender Christain Ibeagha who have only conceded seven goals in 11 games this year, ranking the second best defense in the league.

This Open Cup matchup falls between two USL league road games for the Switchbacks; after a 0-0 draw at LA Galaxy II and before a trip to San Antonio. The Rapids on the other hand have been out of action since the end of May while team leaders Jermaine Jones and Shkelzen Gashi have been away on international break with the United States and Albanian national teams.
Without Jones or Gashi, Pablo Mastroeni’s Rapids will mostly likely turn to Dillon Serna, Dominique Badji and Luis Solignac who all found the stat sheet with goals or assists against the Switchbacks in last year’s encounter.

The Rapids are the hottest team in MLS these days, boasting the best overall record, least goals allowed and a dominating 6-0-1 record at home. Given the time off the Rapids are itching to get back on the field hoping that this is the year that their unfortunate Modern Era record will be snapped. They have gone 12 consecutive tournaments without multiple victories, far and away the most of any team since 1995. The last time they won more than one game in a US Open Cup? 1999, the year they reached the Final and lost to the Rochester Raging Rhinos of the A-League.

LIVE VIDEO: WILMINGTON AT REAL SALT LAKE

Wilmington Hammerheads Open Cup records
Overall: 16-12-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 14-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 2-7-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. MLS: 2-6-0
Last entry: 2015 (Drew 2-2 (Lost 5-3 in PKs) vs. Chattanooga FC of NPSL in Round 2)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2003, 2009)

Real Salt Lake Open Cup records
Overall: 9-7-0 | Home: 9-3-0 | Away: 0-4-0 | vs. Div. 3: 3-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 at Sporting KC of MLS in Semifinals)
Best finish: 2013 US Open Cup runner-up

Coming off the most one-sided US Open Cup win in club history in Round 2, 6-0 over Miami Fusion FC (NPSL), the Wilmington Hammerheads found a little more competition in Round 3. A late PK save lifted them over Miami FC (NASL) for their first win over a Division 2 team in regulation since 2006. They tied Louisville City, one of the top teams in USL, on Saturday, giving them a bit of momentum going into the match.

Real Salt Lake comes in with a 7-4-2 record which is one of the better records in the MLS. They will host Wilmington coming off a five-game road trip. They went 2-3 on the trip, ending with a win over New York City FC. The offense is certainly coming together, as they’ve scored three goals in each of the last three games.

RSL are still looking for their first US Open Cup title after falling in the championship game in 2013 to DC United and losing to eventual champions Sporting Kansas City in the final four last year.

Wilmington is hot right now, with a reversal of their recent Open Cup form. They had been eliminated by the NPSL’s Chattanooga FC in each of the last two years, but after their first regulation win over a Second Division club since 2006. They’re still the underdogs, and will need a very well played match to take down RSL and upset their first MLS team in seven years.

LIVE VIDEO: SAN JOSE AT PORTLAND

San Jose Earthquakes Open Cup records
Overall: 11-9-6 (3-3 PKs) | Home: 4-5-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 7-4-3 (2-1 PKs) | vs. MLS: 0-6-3 (0-3 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 vs. LA Galaxy of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: 2004 Semifinals

Portland Timbers Open Cup records
Overall: 13-10-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 5-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 8-5-0 | vs. MLS: 3-6-1 (0-1 PKs)
As MLS: 6-4-0 | Home: 3-1-0 | Away: 3-3-0 | vs. MLS: 3-3-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-0 at Real Salt Lake of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: 2013 Semifinals (Lost 2-1 at Real Salt Lake of MLS)

Last year, both the Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes managed to reach the Round of 16, but this year, only one will advance as they meet in a rare all-MLS Fourth Round matchup on Tuesday night at Providence Park in Portland, Ore.

The Timbers were blanked by Real Salt Lake 2-0 in the Fifth Round of last year’s Open Cup while San Jose lost a much closer 1-0 affair against the Los Angeles Galaxy. This time around there will be plenty of unknowns as both teams have been out of action recently while MLS observes a brief break as the Copa Centenario plays out across the country. Both teams are currently right in the thick of things in the Western Conference, but had very different expectations coming into this season based on how 2015 went.

The Timbers seemed to have turned a corner last year as they defeated the Columbus Crew to win the 2015 MLS Cup. Thanks to the rise of new United States international Darlington Nagbe in midfield, the Timbers Army and its supporters expected their team to pick up right where they left off last year and continue to challenge for titles. But it’s been a slow and inconsistent start to the 2016 season for Caleb Porter’s men.

The Earthquakes, meanwhile, are still waiting to see if their team can take a big step forward the way Portland did last year. Two years ago, San Jose had an abysmal season, finishing dead last in the Western Conference. Then last year, they managed to challenge for a playoff spot for most of the season, but faded down the stretch. Now they’re right back in the thick of things thanks, in part, to a breakout performance from US Under-23 midfielder Fatai Alashe, who has contributed a pair of goals so far this season. And, of course, there’s longtime veteran Chris Wondolowski who continues to lead the line with seven goals and two assists.

This is the third all-time meeting between the two clubs, but the first with both teams being members of Major League Soccer. When the Timbers made their US Open Cup debut in 2004 as a member of the USL’s A-League (Div. 2 pro), they were shut out 3-0 in front of their home fans. Ronnie Ekelund, Ramiro Corrales and Dwayne De Rosario all scored for the visitors. The two teams met the following year in a rematch in the Rose City, and once again, it was Earthquakes advancing with a shutout, this time 2-0. Wade Barrett and Brian Mullan connected for the Quakes.

Given the somewhat awkward timing of the break, it’s unclear how both teams will approach this game, but neither will be able to anticipate a potential fifth round opponent as the Round of 16 draw will take place two days after their Round 4 matchup.

LIVE VIDEO: LA MAQUINA AT LA GALAXY

La Maquina Open Cup records
Overall: 3-0-0 | Home: 2-0-0 | Away: 1-0-0 | vs. MLS: 0-0-0
Last entry: First entry
Best finish: First entry

Los Angeles Galaxy Open Cup records
Overall: 25-13-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 17-2-0 | Away: 8-11-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Amateurs: 4-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Real Salt Lake of MLS in Quarterfinals
Best finish: 2001, 2005 US Open Cup champions

One of the two biggest David vs. Goliath matchups of the US Open Cup features La Maquina, a Southern California amateur team making its tournament debut, playing on the road against the two-time US Open Cup champion Los Angeles Galaxy.

La Maquina, who play in the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), have shined in their first trip to the US Open Cup. They are the second team (DC United 1996-97) and the first amateur team of the Modern Era (1995-present) to win their first three tournament games by shutout. However, they have benefited from a favorable draw as they have only had to play amateur clubs. They defeated the Portland Timbers U23s (PDL), Sacramento Gold (NPSL), and fellow UPSL team LA Wolves FC (USASA). Their top scorer, former Chivas de Guadalajara forward Edwin Borboa, leads the tournament in goals with four. If he is able to score a goal against the Galaxy, he will become the first player from an amateur team to score a goal in four consecutive Open Cup games.

La Maquina, who are known most recently as a team that was suspended for an entire UPSL season for a post-game brawl, will have their first professional test against the Galaxy, a team that has won 12 US Soccer Majors (5 MLS Cups, 4 Supporters’ Shields, 2 US Open Cups, 1 CONCACAF Champions Cup).

The Galaxy have won plenty of trophies in recent years, but their form in the US Open Cup has left a lot to be desired. Last year, they won multiple games in the tournament for the first time since 2006 when they dispatched another Southern California amateur team, PSA Elite, by the score of 6-1 and edged their rival San Jose Earthquakes, 1-0.

In league play they are sitting middle of the table in the Western Conference with a 5-2-6 record. However, the most important record is their undefeated record (4-0-3) at home where Tuesday night’s game will be played. They have been dominant at home in the Open Cup over the years, boasting a 17-2-0 record. They haven’t lost at home since the 2000 Semifinals when they fell to the eventual champion Chicago Fire. Another record leaning the Galaxy’s way is a 4-0-0 record against amateur teams (14 goals for, 3 goals against).

Fort Lauderdale Strikers Open Cup records
Overall: 6-8-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 6-3-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 0-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-2 at Charleston Battery of USL in Round 3)
Best finish: Third Round (2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)

Richmond Strikers Open Cup records
Overall: 29-15-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 22-6-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 6-9-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 4-2-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 vs. Columbus Crew of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 1995 US Open Cup champions

Do not adjust your screen: this Round 3 fixture does, in fact, kickoff at 11 a.m. ET. Indeed, a special set of circumstances led to this decision. Fort Lauderdale’s ownership group scheduled an international friendly between Guatemala and Venezuela at Lockhart Stadium, where the Strikers play their NASL home games for the evening of June 1. Ownership say they did this intentionally, citing a “business decision”, and attempted to reschedule with the Kickers before ultimately settling on the current date and time because they did not want to lose their hosting rights.

On the field, the Strikers are in a bit of better form lately. They’ve taken 10 of a possible 12 points in the month of May, though that has been in response to a slow start to league play. They currently sit in seventh place in the NASL standings. If the Strikers are going to win this one, they’ll need their veterans to step up and that means former MLS journeymen Julius James and Maicon Santos. Santos, in particular, will be critical as he leads the team with four goals in seven league games this season; no other player has more than one.

The Richmond Kickers also find themselves currently in seventh place in their own league (USL Eastern Conference) standings. Their recent league form has been more inconsistent but they did comfortably dispose of amateur Cinderella side Aromas Café 4-0 in the second round of the Open Cup two weeks ago. While USL sides are typically populated former American college soccer standouts (like Kickers’ striker Brian Ownby, a Richmond native), the catalyst so far this season for Richmond has been Japanese international Yudai Imura. The Tokyo native played collegiate soccer in Japan and leads the team with three goals. He was quiet in the Kickers’ Open Cup victory over Aromas Café, but he does lead the team in corner kicks taken and could be an X-factor against a Fort Lauderdale side currently conceding 1.1 goals per game.

The winner of this one will head to Boyds, Maryland to take on DC United of MLS.

LIVE VIDEO: CHARLESTON BATTERY AT JACKSONVILLE ARMADA

Charleston Battery Open Cup records
Overall: 29-13-6 (3-3 PKs) | Home: 24-6-5 (2-3 PKs) | Away: 5-6-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 6-0-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Draw 4-4, Lost 8-7 in PKs vs. Orlando City SC of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2008 Runner-Up (Lost 2-1 at DC United of MLS in Final)

Jacksonville Armada Open Cup records
Overall: 0-1-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-1-0 | vs. Div. 3: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-0 at Richmond Kickers of USL in Round 3)
Best finish: 2015 Third Round (Lost 3-0 at Richmond Kickers of USL)

The Battery caught a break in their second round matchup. After losing to The Villages SC in penalty kicks, it was later discovered that The Villages used an ineligible player. The Battery filed a protest and the US Open Cup committee ruled in their favor, allowing the Battery to advance. This avoided Charleston getting eliminated three years in a row by a team from Florida in penalties.Charleston is doing well in league play, currently sitting in fourth place in the USL East at 5-3-3. They’ve won three of their last four USL matches, despite a home loss to Louisville City FC on Saturday.

The Battery are one of the most successful lower division teams when it comes to US Open Cup play, having finished runner-up in 2008 and reaching the Quarterfinals six times, which is more than any other lower division team in the Modern Era. The club’s 29 Open Cup wins rank fifth among all clubs in the Modern Era (they trail only Chicago Fire, Seattle Sounders, Rochester Rhinos and DC United).On the other end of table is Jacksonville Armada, who have had a disappointing season to say the least. They enter The Cup with a 1-5-2 record in the NASL, putting them in last place. Scoring has been an issue for Jacksonville, they’ve been shut out in four of their five losses.

This is the second year for the Armada who were one-and-done in their inaugural cup run last year. Jacksonville traveled to Richmond and lost to the USL’s Kickers 3-0.

If momentum has anything to do with it, Charleston would appear to have the advantage. But of course in the Open Cup setting, anything can happen.

Lansdowne Bhoys Open Cup records
Overall: 2-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 2-0-0 | vs. Div. 3: 1-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Rochester Rhinos Open Cup records
Overall: 35-16-6 (3-3 PKs) | Home: 29-7-4 (2-2 PKs) | Away: 4-9-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. Amateur: 15-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Drew 0-0, Lost 3-1 in PKs at Philadelphia Union of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 1999 US Open Cup champions

Quite possibly the biggest David vs. Goliath matchup of the Third Round as 1999 US Open Cup champion Rochester Rhinos will host the Lansdowne Bhoys, an amateur club from the Cosmopolitan League in New York City.

The Rhinos have the second-most wins of any club in the Modern Era and have a championship under their belt. While the Bhoys, who have become a powerhouse in the fabled Cosmopolitan League in recent years, are making their first-ever appearance in the tournament.

The Rhinos are the defending USL champions but are 4-2-3 and are sitting nine points clear of first place currently. Rochester already dismantled an amateur side from the East Coast with a 7-0 win over Southie FC (Boston). Lansdowne Bhoys needed victories over the Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) in Round 1 and then pulled off an upset on the road by shutting out the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 2-0.

Harrisburg City Islanders Open Cup records
Overall: 16-8-3 (2-1 PKs) | Home: 10-2-3 (2-1 PKs) | Away: 6-6-0 | vs. Amateur: 12-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 in OT vs. Rochester Rhinos of USL in Round 3)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2007, 2009, 2010, 2012)

Chattanooga FC Open Cup records
Overall: 1-3-4 (3-1 PKs) | Home: 1-2-2 (2-0 PKs | Away: 0-1-2 (1-1 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 1-1-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-1 in OT vs. Atlanta Silverbacks of NASL in Round 3)
Best finish: Third Round (2014, 2015)

The Harrisburg City Islanders are one of the giant killers among the lower division teams of the Modern Era. They have advanced far enough to play a MLS team 10 times and five of those times, they have eliminated their opponents. Their list of victims include DC United (2007), New England Revolution (2009, 2012), and the New York Red Bulls (2010, 2012).

As a USL side, the Harrisburg City Islanders entered the Cup in the second round and squared off against West Chester United. City was able to down United on their own turf by a score of 2-0, with one of the goals coming from offseason addition Bobby Warshaw. The goal was the first one for Warshaw in a Harrisburg uniform, as he is normally a defensive midfielder, but was able to find the back of the net on this one.As an amateur team from the NPSL, Chattanooga FC received a rare bye into the Second Round. They managed to escape Round 2 with a hard-fought penalty kick victory after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer with the PDL’s Reading United AC. However, once it got to the penalty kicks, it was smooth sailing, as Chattanooga won those by a 4-1 margin.

Though Chattanooga gets to host the Islanders, Harrisburg has to be considered the favorites going against an amateur side, but it’s worth noting that Chattanooga’a claim to fame is that they are the only NPSL team in history to eliminate a professional team. They eliminated the Wilmington Hammerheads (USL) in back-to-back years in 2014 and 2015.

LIVE VIDEO: JERSEY EXPRESS AT NEW YORK COSMOS

Jersey Express Open Cup records
Overall: 4-2-0 | Home: 2-1-0 | Away: 2-1-0 | vs. Amateur: 3-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-0 at New York Cosmos of NASL in Round 3)
Best finish: 2015 Third Round (Lost 3-0 at New York Cosmos of NASL)

New York Cosmos Open Cup records
Overall: 3-2-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 3-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 0-2-0 | vs. Amateur: 2-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 4-1 at NY Red Bulls of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: Fifth Round (2014, 2015)

It’s right back to Jamaica (New York) for Jersey Express as they look to take down another high profile New York side.The Express played at Belson Stadium, home of St. John’s University, and defeated three-time US Open Cup champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms in Round 2. They’ve only played two PDL games so far this season, but they’ve taken four points and former pro Chris Karcz has two goals in as many games. The Jersey Express may have been a bit fortunate against the Freedoms as some felt the amateur side deserved a penalty kick late in the match, but the PDL side got the result and know it will take more than luck to advance this time around.

Last year, the Express their first appearance in the tournament and they made quite an impression. They defeated four-time Open Cup champion New York Greek American SC, and upset the New York Red Bulls 2 (USL) 1-0 before falling to the New York Cosmos in Round 3. They will get another crack at the Cosmos this year at the very same stadium that they fell 3-0 to the NASL powerhouse.

The Cosmos currently find themselves atop the NASL league standings and you don’t have to spend much time sifting through the stats sheet to know why. Venezuelan international and former Borussia Monchengladbach playmaker Juan Arango has three goals and three assists in nine starts this season. His favorite target has been former Columbus Crew striker Jairo Arrieta, who has tallied two goals and two assists of his own in eight league starts. But perhaps the biggest name on this Cosmos roster is former Tottenham midfielder Niko Kranjcar. He’s only notched one goal and one assist so far but he’s been a rock in the middle of the field, allowing Arango to venture forward more often and act as the team’s main creator.

The Cosmos have pulled off two signature wins in their first two Open Cup runs. They dominated the New York Red Bulls 3-0 in 2014 and eliminated New York City FC in a dramatic match that ended in penalty kicks last year. However, after each of those games, they were unable to take the next step, falling to a MLS opponent in Round 5.

The winner of this match will travel to Fordham University in the Bronx for a showdown with star-studded New York City FC.

LIVE VIDEO: CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE AT CAROLINA RAILHAWKS

Charlotte Independence Open Cup records
Overall: 4-1-0 | Home: 1-0-0 | Away: 3-1-0 | vs. Div. 2: 1-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-1 at Chicago Fire of MLS in Round 5)
Best finish: 2015 Fifth Round (Lost 3-1 at Chicago Fire of MLS)

Carolina RailHawks Open Cup records
Overall: 15-7-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 15-4-2 (1-1 PKs) | Away: 0-3-0 | vs. Div. 3: 5-2-1 (0-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 vs. Charlotte Independence of USL in Round 3)
Best finish: 2007 Semifinals (Lost 2-1 in OT at New England Revolution of MLS)

The Independence faired well in their first Open Cup matchup against their cross-town opponent, Charlotte Eagles. Their easy 2-0 win came in the middle of a tough stretch for Charlotte. After starting league play 5-2, they have since fallen to 5-3-2.Charlotte made a big splash in their first Open Cup run last year. They won three games, including one over the RailHawks on the road. They also became the only lower division team to defeat a MLS team in regulation when they beat the New England Revolution 1-0 in Round 4.

They’ll match up against a team that’s had a lot of success in previous Open Cup, the Carolina RailHawks. The RailHawks reached the Semifinals in their inaugural season in 2007 and later made the Quarterfinals in 2013 and 2014 before suffering a 1-0 loss to the Independence in the Third Round last year. Carolina is currently in fifth place in NASL with a 4-3-1 record, and the RailHawks need a win badly. Since starting the year 4-0, they haven’t won a match since April 23 and getting some revenge for last year’s loss could help the club get back on track.

LIVE VIDEO: FC CINCINNATI AT TAMPA BAY ROWDIES

FC Cincinnati Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | Home: 1-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Div. 2: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Tampa Bay Rowdies Open Cup records
Overall: 4-5-0 | Home: 1-1-0 | Away: 3-4-0 | vs. Div. 3: 1-2-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds of USL in Round 3)
Best finish: 2013 Fourth Round (Lost 2-0 at Portland Timbers of MLS)

The US Soccer Federation tries its best to seed the Open Cup by geography, but there will always been the occasional odd team out. A team that is forced to travel a long distance when there is an odd number of teams in their region. Case in point: USL side FC Cincinnati will make the trek down to Florida to take on the NASL’s Tampa Bay Rowdies.

In the words of Cincinnati.com: FC Cincinnati has become an American soccer outlier. The team is playing in its inaugural season and is already averaging just over 17,000 fans per game in Nippert Stadium, the home of the University of Cincinnati’s college football team. The team is dominating local and regional media coverage and its merchandise can be found all over the greater Cincinnati area; they’ve even “earned” a friendly next month with 2016 FA Cup runner-up Crystal Palace. They’re backing it up on the field as well, currently in third place in the USL’s Eastern Conference with 16 goals in 10 league games so far this season.

FC Cincinnati kicked off its inaugural US Open Cup run with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Indy Eleven’s NPSL team. With the win, FC Cincy became the first professional team from the city to win a Open Cup game in the 103-year history of the tournament.

Tampa Bay has made headlines recently as well, but for a different reason. The Rowdies signed former English Premier League star Joe Cole this spring, who has notched an assist in each of his first three games with the club. He’s the reigning NASL Player of the Week after scoring in the Tampa Bay’s 2-0 win over Minnesota this past weekend. Rowdies supporters will be hoping his form continues to hold as the club looks to lift itself up out of sixth place in the standings.

The winner of this match earns a date with the Columbus Crew of MLS in the next round, a mouthwatering prospect for the orange and blue supporters of FC Cincinnati in particular.

LIVE AUDIO: LOUISVILLE CITY AT INDY ELEVEN

Louisville City FC Open Cup records
Overall: 2-1-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 0-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 2-1-0 | vs. Div. 2: 1-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 in OT at Chicago Fire of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2015 Fourth Round (Lost 1-0 in OT at Chicago Fire of MLS)

Indy Eleven Open Cup records
Overall: 1-2-0 | Home: 1-1-0 | Away: 0-1-0 | vs. Div. 3: 1-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-0 in OT vs. Louisville City FC of USL in Round 3)
Best finish: 2014 Fourth Round (Lost 2-1 in OT at Columbus Crew of MLS)

Indy Eleven will be playing in their first Cup game of the season, as this is the round where NASL teams enter the competition. Their partner team, Indy Eleven NPSL, bowed out in the last round in a 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati. Indy is in second place in the NASL, and sport an undefeated record with three wins and five draws. They will look to continue those winning ways when they host USL side Louisville City.Louisville, a USL team, won a dramatic game against Detroit City FC which saw a player from each side get a red card and the Detroit head coach get dismissed. If that wasn’t enough drama for a game, the score after 120 minutes was 1-1, and kicks from the mark saw Louisville advance, 3-1.

Indiana vs. Kentucky is a strong college basketball rivalry, but the Open Cup could plant the seeds for a soccer version. This is a revenge game for the Eleven as Louisville eliminated them 2-0 in extra time in last year’s Third Round. Louisville has the most points in the USL currently and could be on track for a second straight win. But Indy have fresher legs and will be hosting again, though with two teams at the tops of their respective tables, it will be hard to call this one an upset no matter who wins.

LIVE VIDEO: MINNESOTA UNITED FC AT SAINT LOUIS FC

Minnesota United FC Open Cup records
Overall: 4-4-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 1-2-0 | Away: 3-2-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 0-0-1 (0-1 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Drew 1-1, Lost 3-1 in PKs at Saint Louis FC of USL in Round 3)
Best finish: Fourth Round (2012, 2014)

Saint Louis FC Open Cup records
Overall: 2-1-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 2-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 0-1-0 | vs. Div. 2: 0-0-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 1-0 at Sporting KC of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2015 Fourth Round (Lost 1-0 at Sporting KC of MLS)

Minnesota United will be playing in their first Cup game of the season, as this is the round where NASL teams begin. This is expected to be the club’s last season in the NASL as they are planning to make the jump to MLS next year. With a host of former MLS players, including Jeb Brovsky, Bernardo Anor, and Ben Speas, they should prove a formidable challenge for Saint Louis FC.United are looking to build on the club’s only signature win: a 3-1 road win over Real Salt Lake (MLS) in 2012. They have failed to beat any professional teams aside from that RSL contest, but then again, this is just their sixth trip to the tournament.

Saint Louis, of the USL, had an easy home win in the second round as they faced amateur side AFC Cleveland and topped them by a final of 2-0. Jamiel Hardware and Jordan Roberts were the goalscorers. A fairly successful tournament last year saw Saint Louis losing to the eventual champions, Sporting Kansas City, but not before beating this very same Minnesota team. Though the rosters are very different now, Minnesota will be pushing to avenge last year’s cup loss.

LIVE VIDEO: WILMINGTON HAMMERHEADS AT MIAMI FC

Wilmington Hammerheads Open Cup records
Overall: 15-12-2 (1-1 PKs) | Home: 14-5-1 (0-1 PKs) | Away: 1-7-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 2: 2-3-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Drew 1-1, Lost 5-3 in PKs vs. Chattanooga FC of NPSL in Round 2)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2003, 2009)

Miami FC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Wilmington has had a feast-or-famine kind of season with their scoring. They hold a 3-4-3 record, but in games where they score more than two goals, they are 4-0. The rest of the year has been filled with low scoring losses and draws.This trend has been on full display in the last two weeks, with their 1-0 loss to Charleston bookended by a 6-0 Open Cup win over Miami Fusion FC (NPSL) and a 3-1 win at Toronto FC II. It sounds obvious, but Wilmington really needs to get their offense going if they want to advance. The Hammerheads are a team that haven’t had a solid in cup run in a few years. The last time they won multiple games in a tournament was in 2011. Then they were eliminated by amateur teams in 2012 (Cal FC), 2014 (Chattanooga FC) and 2015 (Chattanooga FC).

Miami FC has struggled in NASL play, posting a 1-4-3 record. Earlier in the year, defense was the struggle for this team. They went through a stretch where they allowed two or more goals in four straight games. The last few weeks have been kinder to Miami, with a 0-0 draw followed by a 1-0 win over FC Edmonton last week.This is Miami’s first trip to the tournament. There was a Miami FC in the USL from 2006-2010, but they were re-branded as the Fort Lauderdale Strikers prior to the 2011 season.

LIVE VIDEO: OKC ENERGY AT RAYO OKC

Oklahoma City Energy Open Cup records
Overall: 3-2-1 (1-0) | Home: 3-2-1 (1-0) | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Div. 2: 0-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 4-1 at FC Dallas of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2015 Fourth Round (Lost 4-1 at FC Dallas of MLS)

Rayo OKC Open Cup records
Overall: 0-0-0 | Home: 0-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 0-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL) take on Rayo OKC (NASL) on Wednesday at Yukon Miller Stadium in Yukon, OK, just west of Oklahoma City. It’s a matchup that fans have been waiting for as the two OKC teams, that play in rival leagues will finally face off in a game that matters. Some additional fuel was added to the rivalry fire when Rayo OKC announced on Twitter that they would not be reserving a section for away supporters.

@TheGridOKC @chrisbrannick85 pic.twitter.com/9XHretdkqU

— RayoOKC (@RayoOKC) May 26, 2016

The Energy are coming off a great run of form, winning their last three league matches. They look to go into the Rayo’s home stadium and secure a win. The Rayos, on the other hand, have had a difficult run of form, heading into the match with a draw and two losses in their last three league matches.

This is the first US Open Cup match for Rayo OKC, while this is the third trip to the tournament for the Energy. The only highlight in the Energy’s brief Open Cup history was a narrow 1-0 win over the Tulsa Roughnecks, a fellow USL side in last year’s tournament.

The winner of this match will face FC Dallas (MLS) in the next round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on June 15. The Rayos would host that match if they win, while the Energy would travel to Frisco to play.

LIVE VIDEO: SAN ANTONIO FC AT DES MOINES MENACE

San Antonio FC Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-0 | Home: 1-0-0 | Away: 0-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 1-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

Des Moines Menace Open Cup records
Overall: 12-9-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 7-3-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 5-5-0 | vs. Div. 3: 2-1-1 (1-0 PKs)
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 2-1 in OT at Saint Louis FC of USL in Round 2)
Best finish: 2005 Fourth Round (Lost 6-1 at Kansas City Wizards of MLS)

San Antonio FC (USL) are heading to West Des Moines, Iowa to take on the red-hot Des Moines Menace (PDL) in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The Menace have not yet lost a match this season in all competitions. In the three league matches leading up to this tie, the Menace have outscored their opponents 8-1, while recording two shutouts in that span.

San Antonio has struggled to find results in the month of May, recording two losses and two draws in that time and are 2-4-4 overall.

Normally, one wouldn’t consider a PDL vs. USL matchup to be a dangerous one, but the Menace aren’t your average PDL team. They are coming off a 2-0 win over the USL’s Tulsa Roughnecks which is the seventh time that they have eliminated a pro team in their club’s history. Only the Michigan Bucks (9) have more among all of the amateur teams in the Modern Era (1995-present).

San Antonio FC, playing in their first Open Cup tournament, picked up a 3-1 home win over fellow San Antonio side Corinthians in Round 2.The winner advances to a June 15 match at Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, TX.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks Open Cup records
Overall: 3-1-0 | Home: 2-0-0 | Away: 1-1-0 | vs. Div. 3: 1-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 4-1 at Colorado Rapids of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: 2015 Fourth Round (Lost 4-1 at Colorado Rapids of MLS)

Arizona United Open Cup records
Overall: 3-2-0 | Home: 1-2-0 | Away: 2-0-0 | vs. Div. 3: 1-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 3-0 vs. Chula Vista FC of USASA in Round 2)
Best finish: 2014 Fourth Round (Lost 2-1 vs. LA Galaxy of MLS)

Arizona United moved into the third round of the tournament with a bang, crushing in-state rivals FC Tucson 5-0 on the road. Long Tan netted a goal in each half as United rolled, even after Gibson Bardsley’s second-half ejection required them to play with 10 men for the final 35 minutes of the match. It was a nice rebound for the club after suffering an embarrassing 3-0 loss at home to Southern California amateur side Chula Vista FC last year.

Colorado Springs will present a bigger challenge, having already beaten Arizona twice in USL play this season. United may need to rely on their defense to keep the game tight and change their fortunes against their Rocky Mountain rivals. Only twice in 12 games (all competitions) this season has Arizona scored more than two goals in a game, and they have just seven goals in ten matches against USL opponents.

The Switchbacks started their second Open Cup run the same way they started their first a year ago. They picked up a one-goal win over Boulder, Colo. amateur side Harpo’s FC. Just like last year, Colorado Springs are matched up with a USL side in Round 3 (last year they defeated the Real Monarchs 1-0) and if they win, they will earn a road date with the Colorado Rapids. Last year, the Rapids got the best of them, winning 4-1.

Colorado Springs called on their depth to knock off Harpo’s FC in the second round. They’ll need to do so again to defeat Arizona United on Wednesday for the third time this year.

At a minimum, they’ll be missing their head coach Steve Trittschuh. Assistant coach Wolde Harris will be helming the team in Arizona.

The Switchbacks very well could opt to rest starters again, as they are off to a flying 6-2-1 start in league play and may prioritize Saturday’s match against Saint Louis FC. At least one or two members of their solid attacking trio – forwards Miguel Gonzalez, Martin Maybin and Saeed Robinson – will likely start, giving Colorado Springs a still-dangerous attack.

Los Angeles Wolves Open Cup records
Overall: 1-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 0-0-1 (1-0 PKs) | Away: 1-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 1-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

La Maquina Open Cup records
Overall: 2-0-0 | Home: 1-0-0 | Away: 1-0-0 | vs. Amateur: 2-0-0
Last entry: N/A (First entry)
Best finish: N/A (First entry)

It’s very rare to have a pair of amateur clubs meeting in the Third Round of the US Open Cup with a game against a Major League Soccer team on the line. What’s even more rare is that two amateur teams from the same league will square off. La Maquina and the Los Angeles Wolves FC, both of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) will battle at Westminster High School in Westminster, Calif. for the right to play the mighty Los Angeles Galaxy in Round 4 on June 15.

Despite playing in the same league, this will be the first-ever official meeting between the two clubs. The two met in a friendly last year with the Wolves coming away with a 2-0 win. They did not have a league meeting because they played in different conferences.

The Wolves lost their First Round game to the Ventura County Fusion (PDL), but it was discovered that the Fusion fielded an ineligible player and were disqualified. LA followed that up with a 4-2 penalty kick win over the USL’s Orange County Blues after a 1-1 draw.

La Maquina has benefited from a favorable draw. Not so much in the way of travel, but in terms of opponents. The club has yet to play a professional opponent. They traveled to Portland, Ore. and defeated the Timbers U23s (PDL) 2-0 and then returned home a week later and shut out the Sacramento Gold (NPSL) by the same scoreline.

Read about both clubs in our Meet the Underdogs series: La Maquina | LA Wolves FC

Kitsap Pumas Open Cup records
Overall: 4-5-1 (1-0 PKs) | Home: 3-3-0 | Away: 1-2-1 (1-0 PKs) | vs. Div. 3: 0-1-0
Last entry: 2015 (Lost 4-2 in OT at Seattle Sounders 2 of USL in Round 2)
Best finish: 2011 Third Round (Lost 2-1 at Seattle Sounders of MLS)

Sacramento Republic Open Cup records
Overall: 5-1-1 (0-1 PKs) | Home: 5-0-0 | Away: 0-1-1 (0-1 PKs) | vs. Amateur: 5-0-0
Last entry: 2015 (Drew 2-2, Lost 6-5 in PKs at San Jose Earthquakes of MLS in Round 4)
Best finish: Fourth Round (2014, 2015)

The Kitsap Pumas organization has made no secret about their desire to eventually move their club up from the PDL into the third-division USL. They’ll get a chance to prove they can compete with that higher quality of opponent on Wednesday night against the Sacramento Republic of the USL.Keeping it close will be key for Kitsap. The defense is on a bit of a roll recently, having conceded just one goal in the last three games (two wins and a draw). Captain and defender Corey Keitz will be in charge of keeping his back line calm. If Kitsap are going to spring the upset, playing for a shutout may be necessary, because Kitsap’s still-developing attack could find it hard to create many chances against a stingy Sacramento defense.Kitsap has been a regular in the Open Cup since their inaugural season in 2009. They have qualified six of their eight seasons. While they have proven to be one of the best amateur teams, holding a 4-1-1 (1-0 PKs) since 2009, they are 0-4-0 against professional teams during that time. A win would be a welcome addition to their Open Cup resume.

Similar to Kitsap, Sacramento are desperate to show the soccer world that they can compete at a higher level. For them, the level is MLS, and with a third-round win, they would get that chance by setting up their first-ever meeting with four-time US Open Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC.Sacramento has found success in 2016 by simply not allowing many goals. Veteran goalkeeper Dominik Jakubek, 36, is the only member of the Republic older than 30 and has been a rock for them all season. But backup Evan Newton started in Sacramento’s 5-0 blowout of CD Aguiluchos USA in the second round of the tournament, so he may get the call again against Kitsap.

This is the fourth Open Cup run for the Republic and they are still seeking a signature win in the competition. They have fallen short of beating the San Jose Earthquakes (MLS), losing 2-1 in 2014 and losing a penalty kick shootout last year. They’ve proven they can handle the amateur clubs (5-0-0, 24 goals for, 6 goals against), but they need a signature win to put on their young Open Cup resume.