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2024 US Open Cup Semifinals: Tim Melia of Sporting KC voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

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tim melia sporting kansas city
Photo by Sporting Kansas City | Graphic by Phil Naegely

After a stellar performance where he made four saves on his way to a clean sheet and a spot in the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final, Tim Melia of Sporting Kansas City has been voted TheCup.us Player of the Round.

The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel of from the North American Soccer Reporters, and select backers from TheCup.us’ Patreon. Anyone interested in voting for this award in future rounds may consider pledging $10 or more and help us with the continuing coverage of the US Open Cup and research on the tournament’s storied history. 

Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC finished as the runner-up with his game winning goal from the penalty spot on the road against the Seattle Sounders FC, and Melia’s Sporting KC teammate and goalscorer Johnny Russell finished third.

Melia’s four saves against USL side Indy Eleven came spread out as it seemed every time they had possession, they pushed forward quickly to try and test the 38-year-old. 

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "We Want The Cup" shirt in your team's colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP
Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

Melia now has two straight games with at least four saves, the other match being against FC Dallas in the Quarterfinals where he made seven saves including a late diving save in the 122nd minute on a close range Sebastian Llegget shot that would have been the equalizer.

TheCup.us has been awarding a Player of the Round award since 2006. During that time, Melia has won the award three times, which is more than anyone during that span. Melia has won this award two times (2015 Final, 2017 Final) during his time at Sporting KC, and once as a member of the Charleston Battery in 2010.

In addition, he also won TheCup.us Player of the Tournament in 2017 where he led his club to their fourth US Open Cup title where they defeated New York Red Bulls 2-1 in the Final. He kept three shutouts en route to the title, only allowing two goals in five matches.

Melia’s road to this stage has been arduous. Before arriving at Sporting KC in 2015 he served as Chivas USA’s backup keeper in 2013. During his time there, he made six appearances where he conceded 11 goals. But when Chivas USA dissolved in 2014, he ended up in the MLS goalkeeper pool, which seemed like a black hole for someone at the age of 28. But in 2015, Sporting KC had a goalkeeper sized hole as all three of their first team keepers were hurt, and Melia took the opportunity as quick as he could and proved he still had it. He went on to win 2015 MLS Comeback Player of the Year along with two US Open Cup titles in 2015 and 2017, along with the latter years MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award.

He looks to help bring home Sporting KC’s fifth US Open Cup title on Wednesday September 25 when he faces LAFC in the final, where he will possibly play his last final for the club he spent the majority of his career at.

 

2024 US Open Cup Semifinals: Who should be voted TheCup.us Player of the Round?

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Photo by LAFC Communications | Graphic by Phil Naegely

The Semifinals of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup are complete with Sporting Kansas City and Los Angeles FC punching their ticket to the Final.

Sporting Kansas City are seeking to win a record-tying fifth US Open Cup title, and they got there with a 2-0 home win over Indy Eleven (USL Championship) on Tuesday night. The day after, Los Angeles FC needed just a single goal to get past Seattle Sounders FC. With a 1-0 win at Starfire Soccer Complex, LAFC will play in the club’s first-ever Open Cup Final.

There were some key players that propelled both teams into the tournament’s 109th championship game and are being considered for TheCup.us Player of the Round.

The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters, and select backers from TheCup.us’ Patreon. If you’d like to vote in this, or upcoming rounds, consider pledging $10 or more and help us continue to cover the US Open Cup and research its long history. If you did have a vote, which player do YOU think should win?

Here are the finalists (in alphabetical order):

Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC): Bouanga started, played all 90 minutes and scored the lone goal from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute in LAFC’s 1-0 road win over Seattle Sounders FC (MLS).

Tim Melia (Sporting Kansas City): Melia started, played all 90 minutes, made five saves and earned a clean sheet in a 2-0 home win over Indy Eleven (USL-C).

Johnny Russell (Sporting Kansas City): Russell started, played 88 minutes and scored opening goal (14th min.) in Sporting KC’s 2-0 home win over Indy Eleven (USL-C).

2024 US Open Cup Round 5: Sporting KC show no mercy, dominate FC Tulsa

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Sporting Kansas City players celebrate after scoring a goal against FC Tulsa in the Round of 16 of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting Kansas City
Sporting Kansas City players celebrate after scoring a goal against FC Tulsa in the Round of 16 of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting Kansas City

With the help of a brace from Felipe Hernández and goals from Stephen Afrifa and Marinos Tzionis, Sporting KC cruised past FC Tulsa and into the Quarterfinals of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Tuesday night in Kansas City.

With the 4-0 win, Sporting advanced to the Quarterfinals for the 13th time in their history, which is the fifth most in the history of the tournament (1913-present). Kansas City, who hasn’t won the Open Cup since 2017, is seeking a record-tying fifth title.

They will know their next opponent after the draw for the next round will take place at 10 p.m. ET on Wednesday night. Due to the geographic reasons, the club is expected to be placed in a group with Atlanta United, the winner of Indy Eleven and Detroit City FC and the winner of FC Dallas and the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

Sporting came out with a strong lineup featuring starters from last round’s Open Cup game vs Omaha and usual starters, as well as rotational players like Hernandez, Tzionis, and Afrifa starting. Four players who played at the weekend, and also John Pulskamp who is looked at as their “cup keeper” as he has only started one MLS game in the last year. Dany Rosero also made his return to the pitch, after he missed time due to a quad injury. Sporting’s stars came off the bench with Alan Pulido, Daniel Salloi, and Johnny Russell making late contributions.

Tulsa also rotated as they made five changes from their weekend defeat to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Michael Creek was between the sticks as Tulsa likes to rotate him and Joey Roggeveen. Owen Damm saw his first start as an FC Tulsa player, after recently joining from Louisville City. Sebastian Sanchez and Alexander Dalou also appeared in the lineup for the first time since their first-round matchup vs Northern Colorado. Six players started from the weekend, rounded out by captain Phillip Goodrum. 

Sporting kicked off to begin the half, and their dominance began right away. KC controlled possession for the first three minutes of the game. They seemed to lean toward attacking on the left side as Stephen Afrifa became involved early and often. In addition, the antics began quickly for both teams as Philip Goodrum kicked the ball away in the 8th minute while Dany Rosero was on the ground. Rosero responded quickly as he fouled Goodrum and they began to attack only 30 seconds later. 

FULL MATCH VIDEO: Sporting KC vs. FC Tulsa

The first big chance for either team came at the 10-minute mark. Erik Thommy hit a quick shot that ricocheted off Afrifa and back to Thommy. He then curled a shot that was saved by Michael Creek, his first of many. That then fell to Jake Davis whose shot hit a sea of bodies and was cleared back to Sporting’s half. Another few big chances came soon after, with Creek saving a Thommy curler in the 17 minutes, and a close-range chance from Fontas was put over the bar at the 20-minute mark. The Sporting chances continue as a low-driven Thommy cross is put in the box and is cleared out at the last second. Just past the 25th minute, Afrifa swung a curling shot that hit exactly in the upper 90, easily the best chance up until then. Sporting attack continued as Camilo Ponce chopped down Jake Davis, leading to a yellow card for him, and for Patrick Seagrist, who was booked for dissent. 

Finally, in the 32nd minute, Camilo Ponce created the first chance for Tulsa as his header was just pushed wide by Pulskamp. However, it didn’t take long for Sporting to push right back, as Thommy dribbled past his defender and drew a foul right on the edge of the bottom left of the box. The ensuing free-kick was hit right in the danger area, deflected off of defender Rashid Tetteh, and into the left side of the net. 

Sporting continued to pile on the pressure as quickly after, in the 1st minute of added time, Hernandez whipped in a corner that was headed off the post by WIlly Agada and fell to the alert Afrifa who slotted home the second goal of the night. This was Stephen’s first goal for the first team and the first Canadian to score for the club this decade.

Going into halftime, Sporting out-shot Tulsa 15-1 and held 80 percent possession. Felipe Hernandez had created five chances and also had shown a lot of promise taking set pieces. Thommy dominated the ball too as he won eight duels in the first half alone. On the other side, Michael Creek did his best at controlling damage as he made five saves during the half.

Sporting brought off some key players as Thommy and the returning Rosero came for Memo Rodriguez and Robert Castellanos. Tulsa, on the other hand, needed to catch up and brought on Stefan Stojanovic and Edwin Laszo to bolster their attack, though this quickly became futile. Almost immediately, Patrick Seagrist dove recklessly into Jake Davis causing him to earn his second yellow and be sent off. Sporting used this advantage and it didn’t take long to begin to push forward yet again. Agada hit the post three minutes after the red and had another chance grabbed up by Creek and minutes after that.

Tulsa seemed to get back in it as a free kick that was headed toward goal by Stojanovic was saved by Pulskamp and rebounded out to Camilo Ponce who put the ball in the back of the net, but Stojanovic had fouled Pulskamp in the process, disallowing the goal in the 60th minute. Tulsa continued to try and put on pressure but it wasn’t enough. In the 63rd minute, Agada led a breakaway in which he played Hernandez through, where he finished and scored his second goal of the game, and Sporting’s 3rd.

Not too long after, in the 65th minute, a similar breakaway began as Afrifa played through Marinos Tzionis who finished into the far left side of the goal and made it 4-0, and gave him his second goal in two Open Cup games. By this point, Sporting was outshooting Tulsa 21-1. Tulsa had another great chance as Pacheco was played through and Pulskamp was just able to get his body in the way of the shot, maintaining the clean sheet.

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "We Want The Cup" shirt in your team's colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP
Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

Sporting surprisingly brought on more firepower as the game went on with Johnny Russell and Alan Pulido being brought on for Tzionis and Afrifa in the 76th minute.

“It’s always good when an attacking player gets a goal because it’s a little bit of a confidence builder,” Sporting head coach Peter Vermes said about Afrifa’s performance.

For Afrifa, he was happy to finally get on the scoresheet.

“I’ve been looking for this goal for a long time, and I’m finally glad that it’s here,” said Afrifa. “It feels good.”

Then, Tulsa seemed to wave the white flag as they brought off captain Philip Goodrum for another striker Santiago Sanchez. Sporting continued to press in the last 10 minutes getting chances from Pulido and Salloi back to back that forced a double save from Creek. 

No added time was added and Sporting KC convincingly defeated FC Tulsa 4-0. 

This was Felipe Hernandez’s 2nd brace for the club, his first came in 2022 vs Union Omaha in the Open Cup as well. Afrifa also recorded his first assist along with his first goal for the club.

“The intensity, the aggressiveness, the front footedness to go and take the game to them was there, I think that ruled the day,” said Sporting head coach Peter Vermes.

2024 US Open Cup Round 4: Sporting KC escapes PKs with 120th min. winner vs. Union Omaha

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Alan Pulido of Sporting KC dribbles the ball against Union Omaha in the Fourth Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting Kansas City
Alan Pulido of Sporting KC dribbles the ball against Union Omaha in the Fourth Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Kansas City delivered history and heartbreak to Union Omaha as a 120th minute Alan Pulido strike pushed four-time Open Cup champions to a 2-1 victory on Wednesday night.

The match, which saw an MLS team play in Omaha for the first time, turned out to be physical and fast-paced as the hosts were not intimidated by the side in front of them. A first-half goal from Lagos Kunga was cancelled out by a second-half Marinos Tzionis tally, and the game appeared to be heading for another penalty shootout. A moment of chaos and brilliance from the Mexican forward, though, would deny the Owls the chance to take down another giant in PKs.

Coach Peter Vermes, in pregame comments, anticipated that this would “be a very tough game for us, and we’re not going to take it lightly.”

True to his word, the four-time Open Cup champions rolled out a strong lineup, with even more firepower on the bench. As expected, the opening minutes belonged to the visitors with several runs, pace up the wings, and some well-worked possession that left the Owls scrambling at the back at times. Despite this, Omaha’s back line found a way to divert the most dangerous attacks by staying compact and disciplined in front of keeper Rashid Nuhu. Despite the initial onslaught, Sporting was rarely able to get a clean look at goal for the first few minutes—a marked change from the clubs’ first meeting in the Open Cup two years ago when Sporting scored the first of six goals in the 10th minute.

In fact, it was the defense-minded hosts that would get into a dangerous position early on as in the 12th minute Union Omaha’s Pedro Dolabella sent a long ball in from midfield toward the box. With Aaròn Gòmez streaking past his man to get on the ball, Khiry Shelton made a challenge that clattered Gòmez and immediately drew shouts from the players and supporters for a penalty. Referee Nabil Bensalah would waive off those pleas, but the passage of play showed that Omaha was ready to counter quickly and decisively when the opportunities arose.

But Sporting continued to dominate possession, passing, and positioning as they forced Nuhu into action. The keeper was able to get a dive in on a shot from Filipe Hernandez before turning away a rocket from the club’s leading goalscorer Erik Thommy just a couple of minutes later.

The Owls would finally show their talons despite being on the back foot for most of the first half.  In the 31st minute, Dion Acoff took on Robert Voloder down the right side and managed to skip past him into the box. Cutting inside, Acoff attempted to center the ball for either Marco Milanese or Joe Gallardo, both waiting in the area. The play seemed broken when Gallardo couldn’t get a good touch on the ball, but it fell to Lagos Kunga who lasered a shot off of Sporting’s Kayden Pierre. The deflection left John Pulskamp no chance at a save, and Union Omaha took a very unlikely 1-0 lead.

Sporting would continue their own attacks, getting an open header from William Agada as well as a dangerous chance from Zorfan Bassong, but Union Omaha stayed disciplined at the back and had an answer for every question asked of them until halftime.

That would change not three minutes after the break as Marianos Tzionis would find an equalizer off a forced turnover in the attacking half.  Pedro Dolabella was trying to find an outlet pass when Tzionis managed to turn the midfielder and take the ball off him. A darting run put the Cyprus international at the top of the box with an opening to shoot. Though he didn’t get the ball cleanly, he’d done just enough to put Nuhu off and unable to recover. The scuffed shot went off the post and rolled in over the line to even the score.

Sporting would continue to turn up the heat, keeping the ball for long stretches and forcing the compact defense into playing the counter. That almost worked for the Owls once or twice, including a 1-on-1 from Aàron Gòmez whose attempt to chip Pulskamp went just high of the goal. However, the more dangerous opportunities continue to go Kansas City’s way as the Union Omaha backline tried to hold on.

As Coach Vermes could sense the advantage, he continued to bring on more of his reserve firepower to try to find a breakthrough. One of those subs, Johnny Russell, had two great opportunities to put Sporting ahead in regulation. In the 84th minute he was able to whip a free kick in around the Omaha wall, but Nuhu was in perfect position to cover it up. Just a few minutes later, Russell would get the ball in almost the exact same position and unleash a left-footed shot that prompted Nuhu’s best save of the night. A quick dive, and the fingertips of his glove, were all that kept the scoreline knotted heading into extra time.

The extra period would go pretty much the same way the rest of the match went.  Russell saw an effort beat Nuhu, but not the post, while Ryen Jiba had an open look from the left side of the box that went just wide. Sporting were still in dominance, and toward the end of extra time, looked to have Omaha playing counter and just trying to get to penalties.

Those penalties wouldn’t come, however, as Alan Pulido would finally come up with the breakthrough. After a back and forth bit of play in the defensive half, Marinos Tzionis would recover the ball on the left side of the box. Holding off his defender, Tzionis managed to find Pulido open at the top of the box. A quick touch was all he needed to find space between the oncoming defenders and put a shot into the bottom left corner, just out of Nuhu’s reach.

Commenting on his goal, Pulido said “Normally this is my shot when I put the ball behind the defender and I try to score in between the legs because normally the goalkeeper goes a little bit to the left. This happened in this game and I scored.”

As the final whistle blew, cheers of celebration and relief erupted from the traveling Kansas City supporters. Meanwhile the Union Omaha supporters started cheers of their own for a valiant effort that fell just short.

With the win, Sporting Kansas City will move on to host FC Tulsa of USL Championship in the Round of 16 the week of May 21-22.

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Shorthanded Houston Dynamo gives “complete effort” to edge Sporting KC

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Thor Ulfarsson and Sebastian Ferreira of the Houston Dynamo celebrate after Ulfarsson's goal against Sporting KC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Houston Dynamo
Thor Ulfarsson and Sebastian Ferreira of the Houston Dynamo celebrate after Ulfarsson’s goal against Sporting KC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Houston Dynamo

The Houston Dynamo in the Round of 32 looking to continue the magic at home for the 2023 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup match struck first against Sporting Kansas City and never looked back.

Houston Dynamo We Want The Cup shirt US Open Cup
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The Dynamo playing much like 2018 when they found magic in a bottle and won their first US Open Cup title, Houston moved on to the Round of 16 with a 1-0 win despite playing a man down for 55 minutes.

Thor Uhlfarrson, the Icelander looking to claim more playing time in the regular season, put Houston on top in the 12th minute of play with a left footed banger from 25 yards out. Kansas City had made the initial clearance off a quick counter but the ball landed right at the feet of Houston’s second year forward. A quick switch to the left foot and Uhlfarrson put it inside the near post past a diving John Puhlskamp.

The goal came just moments after SKC forward Stephen Afrifa missed from the doorstep. Sporting had other opportunities to level the match but could not find the equalizer against Dynamo keeper Andrew Tarbell who was peppered with 17 shots. Conversely, the shorthanded Dynamo only managed two shots and the only one that was on target was the one that went in.

In the 55th minute, Khiry Shelton knocked one off the post for Sporting. It was the second time in the match that the frame saved Houston. Chris Rindov’s header went off the crossbar in the opening half.

Neither side played a majority their top players yet Houston was able to secure their seventh clean sheet of the season across all competitions including six at home where they remain unbeaten in 2023 and have not been scored on. Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen was happy about the effort.

“Overall, super pleased with the result and we are moving on in the tournament. More so than that, it is just amazing what you can do when everybody is selfless and gives a complete effort,” described Olsen. “It’s a lot of guys that have not gotten a lot of minutes, not only up until this point, but also collectively. So the rhythms are off. I put them in a new structure from the get-go, that we worked on for a few days, and that wasn’t ever going to be perfect. So, at the end of all this kind of craziness, and in the game, somehow, we got through it.”

This matchup between Houston and Kansas City is becoming an Open Cup tradition in recent years. This was the sixth meeting between the two MLS sides, and those games have taken place in the last seven tournaments. With Wednesday’s win, the Dynamo have evened up the Open Cup series with the four-time Open Cup champions at 3-3. Only three sets of rivals in the Modern Era of the tournament had played more often than these two teams. (Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers FC top the list with eight meetings)

They now await the draw for the Round of 16 that takes place tomorrow at 1:00pm CT on the B/R Football YouTube Channel.

2023 US Open Cup Round 3: Sporting KC blanks Tulsa Athletic to earn first win of 2023

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Daniel Salloi of Sporting Kansas City fires a shot against Tulsa Athletic in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC
Daniel Salloi of Sporting Kansas City fires a shot against Tulsa Athletic in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City withstood an early error by goalkeeper John Pulskamp and won their first competitive game of 2023, defeating Tulsa Athletic 3-0 in front of 9,912 at Children’s Mercy Park.

Sporting KC equaled their MLS goal total for the season in the win, with Daniel Salloi, Alan Pulido, and Marinos Tzionis putting their names on the score sheet. Pulido’s goal was his first since 2021, having missed all of last season due to a knee injury.

In the 17th minute, Tulsa forward Jordan Watson latched onto a long ball over the top that put him in alone on Pulskamp, who brought Watson down in the penalty area. Referee Jose Lara immediately pointed to the penalty spot. Defender Chris Taylor stepped up to take the penalty, but his attempt was blocked by a good save from Pulskamp to keep the game scoreless.

Sporting KC drew first blood in the 33rd minute. Salloi dispossessed midfielder Roman Torres and unleashed a shot from just outside the 18. Tulsa goalkeeper Bryson Reed got a hand to the shot, but the ball went off the post and into the back of the net.

The hosts doubled their lead in the 54th minute through Pulido, making his U.S. Open Cup debut. Salloi received a pass on the left side of the penalty area from Sporting KC II loanee Ethan Bryant. Salloi then drove toward the end line and crossed it toward the back post. Pulido was waiting and redirected the ball past Reed for his first goal since 2021, having missed the entire 2022 season due to a knee injury.

When asked about Pulido’s goal after the match, Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said, ?I’ll give a lot of credit to him because after the game on Saturday, on the plane he came to me right away and he said, ?isten, I really want to play on Tuesday. I have got to keep increasing not just my minutes, but I?e got to keep getting around the ball and be in the game and be around 11v11.?At the time, I was not even considering him for the game.?

Tzionis finished the scoring in the 68th minute. The Cypriot international ran onto the penetrating pass of midfielder Erik Thommy and put a low shot just past the near post from a sharp angle for his third career goal for the club.

Asked whether or not the confidence gained from the win will carry over to league play, Vermes said, ?ell, I hope it does. We had to change the team up again. That? normal; other teams are doing the same thing. You lose some continuity. We haven’t had a lot of that as well. But it was good for those guys, like I said, to hit the back of the net. I think that part was important.?

Sporting KC resumes league play on Saturday with a home match against CF Montreal. They will learn their next US Open Cup opponent on Thursday during the 4th round draw.

2022 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: Previewing three intriguing matchups this week

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The Sacramento Republic celebrate after the club's 2-0 home win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16 of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC
The Sacramento Republic celebrate after the club’s 2-0 home win over the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16 of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sacramento Republic FC

UPDATE: Sacramento Republic upset the LA Galaxy on Tuesday night

Three of the four matches for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Quarterfinals will take place this week and feature some intriguing drama. 

#USOC2022 Essentials

2022 USOC Results/Schedule
2022 USOC Statistical Leaders
2022 USOC Qualifying Results
USOC rule changes since 2019

TheCup.us Player of the Round winners
Round 5: Joseph Brito (Union Omaha)

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Tuesday night will see a Northern California vs. Southern California matchup with the LA Galaxy hosting the Sacramento Republic of the USL Championshup. 

Wednesday’s doubleheader will kick off with a Hudson River Derby at Red Bull Arena as the New York Red Bulls will host their rival New York City FC. After that, the lone USL League One (Div. 3 pro) team left, Union Omaha, will travel to Kansas to take on four-time champion Sporting Kansas City. 

The hosting scenarios for the Semifinals and the Final are scheduled to take place on June 23, then the final Quarterfinal match will be played on Wednesday, June 29 when Nashville SC heads south to face Orlando City SC.

All games this round, and the rest of the tournament, will be streamed on ESPN+.

As always, TheCup.us will have reporters at every game and will be providing in-game updates on Twitter (@USOpenCup) and as we have done for more than a decade, the hashtag we recommend is #USOC2022

Below you will find a brief preview of this week’s three Quarterfinals with links to each broadcast:

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez of LA Galaxy celebrates during the club's 2022 US Open Cup Fifth Round match against LAFC. Photo: LA Galaxy
Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez of LA Galaxy celebrates during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup Fifth Round match against LAFC. Photo: LA Galaxy

Tuesday, June 21
Sacramento Republic (USL-C) at LA Galaxy (MLS)
Dignity Health Sports Park; Carson, CA
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN+

UPDATE: Sacramento Republic upset the LA Galaxy on Tuesday night to reach the Semifinals

The two-time US Open Cup champion LA Galaxy, one of the most decorated MLS clubs of all time, will host the Sacramento Republic FC, the last remaining USL Championship (Div. 2 pro) club. 

After a bit of an up-and-down start to the season, Sacramento has a 4-3-1 record in their last eight games. After their upset of the San Jose Earthquakes on May 25, Sacramento are unbeaten in their last four, including winning three straight. That momentum has carried them into a four-way tie for third place in the competitive Western Conference. 

Meanwhile, the Galaxy are also in the top half of their league’s Western Conference table with a 7-5-3 record. Since their last Open Cup game (a 3-1 home win over LAFC), the Galaxy have picked up a pair of results in league play, a 4-1 win over Austin FC and a 1-1 draw against the Portland Timbers this past Saturday.  

How they got to the Round of 16

Sacramento had no trouble beating the Portland Timbers U-23s 6-0 in the Second Round. Sacramento held a 6-0 lead at halftime and eased up in the second half so as not to run up the score on the youngsters. 

In the Fourth Round Sacramento hosted a battle of USL Championship Western Conference rivals, facing off with Phoenix Rising. Republic added to their outstanding home Open Cup record with a 2-0 win, Luis Felipe scoring in the first half and Douglas Martinez adding the second in the 88th minute.

In the Round of 16, Sacramento broke through the San Jose blockade, beating the Earthquakes for the first time in Open Cup play in four tries. Over 11,000 packed Heart Health Park in Sacramento on a sweltering night. Luis Felipe opened the scoring in the 28th minute on a Rodrigo Lopez assist, and then Lopez closed out the game with a fantastic shot in the 84th minute to propel Sacramento to the Quarterfinals for the first time.

The Galaxy began their Open Cup run by welcoming former club legend and San Diego Loyal manager Landon Donovan to Dignity Health Sports Park in the Third Round. Los Angeles came away with a 1-0 win as Kevin Cabral scored the lone goal.

In the Fourth Round, the Galaxy got by the stubborn California United Strikers of NISA, 3-2. Cal United grabbed a shocking 1-0 lead in the 19th minute on a goal by Shinya Kadono, but Dejan Joveljic evened things up with the first of his two penalties for the Galaxy. The game stayed level until the 80th minute when Owen Lambe put the Galaxy ahead, and three minutes later Joveljic converted his second penalty to seal the win. Cal United created some late drama with an 88th minute goal from Kevin Garcia-Lopez.

In the Round of 16 the Galaxy faced off with cross town rivals Los Angeles FC in the first ever Open Cup version of “El Traffico” in front of 24,174 fans at the Galaxy’s Dignity Health Sports Park. After a scoreless first half, Kevin Cabral put the Galaxy ahead in the 51st minute, and Chicharito doubled the lead seven minutes later. Dejan Joveljic made it 3-0 in the 81st minute, and LAFC’s Ryan Hollingshead scored the visitors lone goal four minutes later.

The lone Open Cup meeting between the two clubs came in the 2017 Round of 16. Sacramento began in the Second Round that year, and in the prior round they rolled over Real Salt Lake 4-1 in front of 11,569 in Sacramento. In front of a sparse crowd of 2,672 at the StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium, LA’s Ariel Lassiter and Bradford Jamieson scored early in the second half to give the MLS club a 2-0 win. At the time, it was the furthest Sacramento had gone in the Open Cup.

The Galaxy will look to avenge their reserve club LA Galaxy II after Sacramento beadt them in USL Championship play 2-0 on June 18. Luther Archimede and Rafael Jauregui scored midway through the second half for the winners.

Sacramento Republic FC (USL Championship)
7th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 17-5-1 (0-1 PKs)
Away: 1-4-1 (0-1 PKs)
vs. MLS: 3-4-1 (0-1 PKs)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2022)

Current Season
7-3-4 25 Pts., 17 GF 11 GA, 5th in USL Championship Western Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Douglas Martinez, 3
Assists Leader: Douglas Martinez, Luther Archimede, 2
Goalkeeping Leader: Daniel Vitiello, 10 games, 0.80 GAA / 3 clean sheets

Last Three Games
6/4 – USL-C – 1-0 win vs. San Antonio FC
6/11 – USL-C – 2-0 vs. at Detroit City FC
6/18 – USL-C 0 2-0 win vs. LA Galaxy II

LA Galaxy (MLS)
17th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 35-17-1 (1-0 PKs)
Home: 25-3-0
vs. Div. 2: 11-4-0
Best finish: U.S. Open Cup Champions (2001, 2005)

Current Season
7-5-3 24 Pts., 18 GF 16 GA, 5th in MLS Western Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Chicharito, 6
Assists Leader: Raheem Edwards, 5
Goalkeeping Leader: Jonathan Bond, 15 games, 1.07 GAA / 5 clean sheets

Last Three Games
5/22 – MLS – 3-0 loss vs. Houston Dynamo
5/29 – MLS – 4-1 win vs. Austin FC
6/18 – MLS – 1-1 draw vs. Portland Timbers

Union Omaha celebrate in the locker room after a 2-1 upset win over Minnesota United FC in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Union Omaha
Union Omaha celebrate in the locker room after a 2-1 upset win over Minnesota United FC in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Union Omaha

June 22

Union Omaha (USL-1) at Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Children’s Mercy Park; Kansas City, KS
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m. ET
Broadcast: ESPN+

Union Omaha are the last remaining third division club in the tournament, representing USL League One. They are trying to become just the third team from a third division league to reach the Semifinals. The other two are the San Francisco Bay Seals (D3 Pro League) in 1997 and the Richmond Kickers (USL) in 2011.

Much like their opponents on Wednesday, Union Omaha are struggling in league play with a 3-2-4 record. However, there is still plenty of time for the defending USL League One champions to get back on track. It looked like they were headed that way with a six-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, until this past weekend when they fell 2-0 at home to the Greenville Triumph, the team they defeated in the league championship game last year.

Sporting Kansas City are attempting to join some elite company in 2022. The MLS side has four US Open Cup trophies and adding a fifth would tie the tournament’s all-time record (Bethlehem Steel, Maccabee AC, Fall River Marksmen/New Bedford Whalers). Sporting might have extra motivation because they have struggled in league play. They enter Wednesday’s match one point from the bottom of the Western Conference with a 4-9-4 record. Last weekend, they snapped a three-game winless streak (0-2-1) with a 2-1 road win over Nashville SC. Teams using the Open Cup to get their league season back on track, or to save a season would not be unheard of.

How they got to the Round of 16

Union Omaha began their inaugural Open Cup run in the Second Round when they edged USL League Two powerhouse Des Moines Menace 2-1 in Omaha, Neb. The game was decided on an 81st minute own goal by Des Moines.

With no Open Cup experience, Omaha received a major test with their first professional opponent: Chicago Fire of MLS. Noe Meza scored the tying goal midway through the second half, and in extra time Alex Touche sent the game to penalties with a 120th minute stoppage time goal. Rashid Nuhu saved Chicago’s final penalty to give Omaha the upset.

Omaha’s found USL League One rivals Northern Colorado Hailstorm (who pulled off an MLS upset of their own in the previous round) waiting in the Fourth Round, and came away with a 2-0 victory. Goals from Noe Meza and Conor Doyle in the second half powered the Union to the win and the tournament’s $25,000 prize money as the last remaining third division club.

In the Round of 16, Omaha claimed another MLS upset on the road as they traveled north and knocked off Minnesota United FC, 2-1. The Sportscenter-worthy winning goal was scored by Joseph Brito in the 51st minute. That goal was enough to earn him a narrow win in TheCup.us Player of the Round voting. The win also made history for the state of the Nebraska as Omaha became the first club from the Cornhusker State to reach the Quarterfinals.

Sporting KC began their Open Cup journey in dramatic fashion. The four-time champs overcame a 2-0 halftime deficit to FC Dallas, scored an equalizer deep into second half stoppage time, and then tacked on two more goals in extra time to prevail 4-2. Marinos Tzionis scored the late equalizer for his first goal for Sporting KC. Four minutes into extra time an own goal from Edwin Cerrillo put KC up for good, and Khiry Shelton made it 4-2 in the 113th minute.

SKC would reach the Quarterfinals for the 12th time with a 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo. Their 12 Quarterfinal appearances are tied for fifth-most in the tournament’s 107-year history. Johnny Russell scored both goals for Sporting, who was playing Houston for the fifth time in the last six tournaments.

Johnny Russell of Sporting KC talks to his teammates in the huddle before the club's 2022 US Open Cup Fifth Round match against the Houston Dynamo. Photo: Sporting KC
Johnny Russell of Sporting KC talks to his teammates in the huddle before the club’s 2022 US Open Cup Fifth Round match against the Houston Dynamo. Photo: Sporting KC

Union Omaha (USL League One)
1st US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 4-0-0
Away: 2-0-0
vs. MLS: 1-0-1 (1-0 PKs)
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2002)

Current Season
3-4-2 13 Pts., 10 GF 8 GA, 7th in USL League One
Goal Scoring Leader: Noe Meza, 3
Assists Leader: Noe Meza, 3
Goalkeeping Leader: Rashid Nuhu, 8 games, 0.80 GAA / 4 clean sheets

Last Three Games
6/4 – USL1 – 1-0 win at Chattanooga Red Wolves
6/11 – USL1 – 2-1 win at FC Tucson
6/18 – USL1 – 0-2 loss vs. Greenville Triumph

Sporting Kansas City (Major League Soccer)
22nd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 30-15-6 (4-2 PKs)
Home: 22-7-2 (2-0 PKs)
vs. Division 3: 3-3-0
Best finish: U.S. Open Cup Champions (2004, 2012, 2015, 2017)

Current Season
4-9-4 16 Pts., 16 GF 29 GA, 12th in MLS Western Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Johnny Russell, 5
Assists Leader: Cameron Duke, Felipe Hernandez, 3
Goalkeeping Leader: Tim Melia, 17games, 1.71 GAA / 4 clean sheets

Last Three Games
5/28 – MLS – 0-1 loss vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
6/12 – MLS – 1-2 loss vs. New England Revolution
6/19 – MLS – 2-1 win at Nashville SC

Luquinhas of the New York Red Bulls battles for the ball against Charlotte FC in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: New York Red Bulls
Luquinhas of the New York Red Bulls battles for the ball against Charlotte FC in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: New York Red Bulls

Wednesday, June 22

New York City FC (MLS) at New York Red Bulls (MLS)
Red Bull Arena; Harrison, NJ
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
Broadcast: ESPN+

It doesn’t get much better when two league rivals square off in the US Open Cup. It makes it even more meaningful because the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC have both never won the US Open Cup. But adding a little more spice to the matchup at Red Bull Arena is the fact that these two rivals neck-and-neck in the Eastern Conference standings with NYCFC on top of the Eastern Conference with Red Bulls one point behind them.

The Red Bulls are a two-time finalist (2003, 2017) but have never been able to get to the top of the mountain. After four consecutive opening round defeats in their first four tournament entries, NYCFC won a couple games in 2019 before falling in PKs to Orlando City in the Quarterfinals. This year, NYCFC needed home wins over Rochester NY FC (formerly Rochester Rhinos) and the New England Revolution to punch their ticket to the Quarterfinals.

NYCFC haven’t lost a game in any competition since early April, going 12 games without a loss. Their last outing on Sunday saw them finish with a 1-1 draw the Colorado Rapids. Similarly, the Red Bulls have only lost one game since mid-April in all competitions.

How they got to the Round of 16

The Red Bulls reached the Fourth Round with a 2-1 win over Hartford Athletic of the USL Championship. Early goals from Lewis Morgan and Aaron Long was all NYRB needed while out-shooting Hartford, 30-4.

The Red Bulls had no trouble with their Fifth Round encounter with rivals D.C. United, leaving D.C’s Audi Field with a 3-0 win. Luquinhas opened the scoring in first half stoppage time, and John Tolkin added another just after halftime. Zach Ryan put the game to bed with his 68th-minute goal.

NYCFC had a bit of a tougher task with Rochester New York FC, beating the MLS Next Pro club 3-1 in the Fourth Round. Thiago Andrade started the scoring for NYCFC in the 23rd minute, and eight minutes later Heber took advantage of a goalkeeping mistake to double the lead. Jesus Baitz got Rochester back into the game in first half stoppage time, but Maxime Chanot’s goal midway through the second half gave the MLSers a comfortable lead.

Then, in the Round of 16, it was a battle between two major trophy winners from last season with NYCFC lifting MLS Cup and the New England Revolution winning the Supporters’ Shield. Santiago Rodriguez scored the lone goal of the game in the 94th minute of extra time as New York City advanced.

New York City FC (Major League Soccer)
6th US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 4-3-2 (0-2 PKs)
Away: 1-2-2 (0-2 PKs)
vs. MLS: 1-2-1 (0-1 PKs)

Best finish: Quarterfinals (2019)

Current Season

8-3-3 27 Pts., 26 GF 11 GA 1st in MLS Eastern Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Valentin Castellanos, 7
Assists Leader: Santiago Rodriguez, 7
Goalkeeping Leader: Sean Johnson, 14 games, 0.79 GAA / 8 clean sheets

Last Three Games
5/22 – MLS – 1-0 win vs. Chicago Fire
5/28 – MLS – 1-0 win at Minnesota United
6/19 – MLS – 1-1 draw vs. Colorado Rapids

New York Red Bulls (Major League Soccer)
22nd US Open Cup appearance
Overall: 25-20-3 (2-1 PKs)
Home: 11-6-2 (1-1 PKs)
vs. MLS: 10-12-3 (2-1 PKs)
Best finish: Final (2003, 2017)

Current Season
7-4-5 26 Pts., 26 GF 17 GA, 2nd in MLS Eastern Conference
Goal Scoring Leader: Lewis Morgan, 7
Assists Leader: Omir Fernandez, 6
Goalkeeping Leader: Carlos Coronel, 15 games, 1.00 GAA, 4 clean sheets

Last Three Games
5/28 – MLS – 4-1 win vs. D.C. United
6/11 – MLS – 0-2 loss at Charlotte FC
6/18 – MLS – 2-0 win vs. Toronto FC

Santiago Rodriguez of NYCFC celebrates after scoring a goal against the New England Revolution in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: NYCFC
Santiago Rodriguez of NYCFC celebrates after scoring a goal against the New England Revolution in the Fifth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: NYCFC

June 29, 2022
Nashville SC (MLS) at Orlando City SC (MLS)
Exploria Stadium; Orlando, FL
Kickoff – 7 PM
Broadcast: ESPN+

Preview coming soon …

2022 US Open Cup Round 4: Sporting KC’s historic equalizer sparks OT comeback over FC Dallas

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Players from Sporting Kansas City celebrate after scoring a goal against FC Dallas in the Fourth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC
Players from Sporting Kansas City celebrate after scoring a goal against FC Dallas in the Fourth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC

A red card. A saved free kick. A corner.

It all happened late in second-half stoppage time for Sporting Kansas City, trailing by a goal. Remi Walter lined up the perfect corner, all Marinos Tzionis needed to do was get a piece of it.

He did. Jimmy Maurer didn’t have a chance in the FC Dallas net. That came in the eighth minute of second half stoppage time.

It was his first goal for his new club.

Sporting Kansas City, in front of 14,922 at Children’s Mercy Park, came back from a two-goal deficit to force extra time before winning 4-2 in Round 4 of the US Open Cup. It was the latest regulation goal in Sporting Kansas City history.

That two-goal deficit after the first half wasn’t for nothing.

Sporting was miserable in the first half and unplayable in the second. The hosts did not have a shot until deep into first-half stoppage time and it was nowhere near challenging Jimmy Maurer in the east-side net. After getting outshot 8-2 in the first half, Sporting outshot Dallas 23-12 by the time the match finished.

SKC looked left for dead after Edwin Munjoma made it 2-0 for Dallas, especially after the visitors’ opening goal came off a wrong-team assist from goalkeeper John Pulskamp to Franco Jara.

After the half-time whistle, though, Dallas’s collapse began.

“The first half was my fault,” Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes said. “I think that we weren’t prepared to play in the system that we put together; we just didn’t feel comfortable. 

“We made a change in that first half, we went back to a 4-3-3, then all the sudden the guys started to get a little more comfortable.”

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Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

The win comes at an important time for Kansas City, as its last victory in all competitions came March 26 against Real Salt Lake. It also extends the club’s unbeaten run in home matches in the Open Cup to 10, which is tied for the second-longest active streak with Chicago Fire. Philadelphia Union’s 11-match home unbeaten streak is the longest.

It was the fifth time the two clubs have met in the tournament — all SKC wins, all in Kansas City.

Tuesday was the third time in the past four Open Cups that the two had faced each other.

“We’ve been working hard,” SKC forward Khiry Shelton said. “We needed this. We needed to be lifted a little bit because we didn’t have the start we wanted this season, but the effort’s been there … It’s not like a team has actually beat us, it’s been our own mistakes.”

Two-goal comeback wins are not common in US Open Cup play. Tuesday’s rally by Sporting Kansas City was just the 17th time that a team overcame a two-goal deficit in the Modern Era (1995-present). It was the third time that Kansas City were the comeback kids.

Both teams had a completely different starting lineup from their most recent match.

Sporting’s revitalization was clear from the second-half kickoff. Fifteen minutes later, Nikola Vujnovic’s first goal for his new club, a rifle into the roof of the net, set off the comeback. Shelton’s shot deflected off Dallas defender Edwin Cerillo for an own goal to ice the match for the win for Sporting Kansas City.

“That was pretty funny actually,” Shelton said. “Sometimes you need some luck. That’s what happened on the first goal.”

Cerillo’s turnover in his own box in the second half of extra time led to Sporting’s insurance goal from Shelton, who needed to do nothing more than simply pass it into the open net.

“I’m big on energy, and I kinda took a peek over to their bench and everyone’s head is down. They’re kind of exhausted,” Shelton said. “We’re like, ‘Come on, this is ours. This is for us right now.’”

The story of the match lies on one coin — one side showing the comeback, the other showing the collapse.

Marinos Tzionis of Sporting Kansas City celebrates his equalizing goal with Remi Walter in the eighth minute of second half stoppage time against FC Dallas in the Fourth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC
Marinos Tzionis of Sporting Kansas City celebrates his equalizing goal with Remi Walter in the eighth minute of second half stoppage time against FC Dallas in the Fourth Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Sporting KC

Leading 2-0, FC Dallas should never have let that lead slip. Sporting Kansas City only made one substitution prior to its opening goal — a forced move in the 18th minute as Ozzie Cisneros made way for Cam Duke after an apparent injury. 

“I believe that we’ve been building towards this for a while,” Vermes said. “I think we’ve had really good performances… It has a lot to do with the fight of the guys.”

Dallas’ collapse began long before Jose Martinez’s red card in the 97th minute. The visitors came out flat in the second half, allowing Sporting Kansas City to dictate the match. From there, the chances piled up and the defense began to buckle.

It was only a matter of time. 

After Vujnovic scored Sporting’s first, it appeared that there would only be one winner.

“I was so happy for myself and for (the fans),” Vujnovic said. “For a second, I thought I would score a second one but then I got subbed out.”

2019 US Open Cup Round 4: Minnesota United hand Sporting KC first opening round loss in 16 years

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Angelo Rodriguez of Minnesota United celebrates against Sporting Kansas City in the Fourth Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Minnesota United
Angelo Rodriguez of Minnesota United celebrates against Sporting Kansas City in the Fourth Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Minnesota United

The Colombian connection offered a potent punch Wednesday at Allianz Field.

Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a "We Want The Cup" shirt in your team's colors. Visit <a href="https://shop.thecup.us/">THECUP.US SHOP</a>
Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

Combining for three of Minnesota’s goals in the 4-1 win, Darwin Quintero and Angelo Rodriguez propelled the Loons to their first victory in four tries against Sporting KC.

“Both of us just try to work harder on understanding each other better,” Rodriguez said. “Fortunately today, it went our way for us and we just want to try to keep playing well, see if we advance in this tournament.”

It was the first regulation Open Cup win for Minnesota United since making their Major League Soccer debut in 2017. 

The loss was significant for the four-time champion Sporting Kansas City as it snapped the club’s 13-game opening round unbeaten streak. The last time Kansas City crashed out of the tournament after their first game was in 2003 when they lost to the Colorado Rapids on a John Spencer game-winning goal.

The hot start for the Loons came in the second minute when the forward broke his scoreless drought of 730 minutes. With Quintero knocking him through into empty space, Rodriguez slotted home his fifth goal of the season through the legs of Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas.

Coming out of the locker room level at one after Gerso Fernandes’ volley in the 27th minute, the Loons regained the lead almost immediately from kick off. Hassani Dotson, the 31st overall pick in the MLS expansion draft this year, made the individual effort to keep possession through the midfield. His pass through the Kansas City’s backline found Ethan Finlay ready to put away his fourth career U.S. Open Cup goal.

“When you’re defending deep in your own half, the first pass is always the most important,” said Minnesota head coach Adrian Heath. “We did that well tonight. It was probably the third pass before the goal, but it was up, back and through and we started to get runners.”

The next 20 minutes saw the Colombian duo link up again, both times with Rodriguez setting up Quintero to put a stamp on United’s win.

Following his sliding effort in the 56th minute to double the Loons’ lead, Quintero had a bit of fun with his last of the evening. After taking the through ball from Rodriguez towards his left, the midfielder dribbled around Zendejas and stopped near the end line, allowing KC defender Graham Smith to slide into his own net. With Smith on the ground, Quintero popped the ball over the defender’s head for the game’s final tally.

The win is just the second for the Loons against Sporting in all competitions. A win in the inaugural MLS meeting between these two teams in 2017 had been the lone victory for Minnesota coming into Wednesday’s match. Before United’s jump to MLS, KC had ousted the Loons in all three Cup ties dating back to 2014 – including a 4-0 drubbing on the way to the 2017 Championship.

“I always take a load of satisfaction if I can take a result again Peter Vermes’ team,” Heath said. “I have enormous respect for him and that club. They’re probably one of the best role models for clubs in the league.”

The Loons will take on the defending US Open Cup champions on the road in the next round on June 18. The winner will host either FC Dallas or New Mexico United (USL Championship). 

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