After a month and a half of soccer that featured clean sheets, hat tricks and last-minute goals, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup field has dwindled down to 16 remaining teams. The teams are made up of 13 MLS teams, two USL teams and one NASL team. The action begins Tuesday night with FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids, and all matches will stream live on ussoccer.com.
The Kickoff
The Round of 16 begins with FC Dallas hosting Colorado Rapids at Toyota Stadium. Despite going winless on a recent two-game road trip, FC Dallas is looking to retain its recent home-field advantage, scoring eight goals in its last two home matches.
Colorado comes in as the underdog, hoping to get its first road win of the season. The Rapids are looking to ride their momentum following their last Open Cup match, when a Dennis Castillo header found the back of the net in the 89th minute to steal a 3-2 win against Oklahoma City Energy FC. The match kicks off in Frisco, Texas, at 7 p.m. CT.
Heavyweight Battle
One of the headlining matches of the Round of 16 will take place in Houston at BBVA Compass Stadium as Houston Dynamo hosts Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday.
As the top two teams in the Western Conference standings, this matchup features a powerful Houston offense against a stifling Kansas City defense. Sporting KC has allowed opponents to score only 12 times this season, which remains the fewest goals allowed in MLS. Houston, on the other hand, is one of only six MLS teams that have managed to net 30 goals on the season.
This explosive offense is led by forward Erick Torres, who has 11 goals this season, good for second most in Major League Soccer. Tim Melia, the goalkeeper for Sporting KC, will be the one attempting to slow down Torres and the rest of the Dynamo offense. Melia boasts a league-leading nine shutouts and is averaging an eye-opening 0.67 goals allowed per game. The match kicks off in Houston at 5:30 p.m. CT on SportingKC.com.
The Face of the League
As the lone remaining representative from NASL, Miami FC looks to continue its aggressive run deep into the heart of the U.S. Open Cup.
During its Open Cup stretch, Miami FC has scored at least two goals in every game. The team’s last Open Cup win came at the hand of Stéfano Pinho, who tallied a hat trick to lead Miami FC to a 3-1 victory over a strong Orlando City team.
Now, Miami will attempt to knock off yet another MLS team in Atlanta United FC. Atlanta may prove as a more challenging task, as its 33 goals lead all MLS teams. Kickoff on Wednesday in Miami at Riccardo Silva Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
Same State, Different Leagues
A California showdown features LA Galaxy playing host to Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday at StubHub Center in Carson.
Despite being one of only two remaining USL teams, Sacramento has been plowing through the tournament field, showcasing tremendous offensive power. In its three games through this Open Cup tournament, Sacramento is averaging over three goals per game, including a dominating 4-1 win over Real Salt Lake.
One of the headlining performers for Sacramento is Harry Williams, whose three goals are tied for most in the tournament. Sacramento’s offensive firepower, combined with the Galaxy coming off of a home loss to Sporting KC, make this match a must-watch. Kickoff is at 9:30 p.m. CT.
Battle in the Midwest
The other remaining USL team is FC Cincinnati, whose timely goals and tight-knit defense have resulted in clean sheets for all three U.S. Open Cup games the squad has played.
Chicago, on the other hand, will look to maintain its hot streak to prevent Cincinnati from moving on. The Fire are in the midst of a 10-game unbeaten streak and sit at second in the week 17 MLS power rankings.
The match takes place at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati and is set for a 7 p.m. CT kickoff. ESPN2 will showcase the battle, marking the first U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match to be nationally televised.
