Affiliation over, Rochester Rhinos and New England Revolution square off in Open Cup match

Jeff DiVeronica | Democrat and Chronicle

Show Caption Hide Caption Showdown: Rhinos face New England Revolution in the U.S. Open Cup Rochester and its former MLS affiliate square off at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Providence College.

The Rochester Rhinos are 5-2 all-time in championship matches, games with a trophy on the line that are clearly some of the most important in the franchise's 22-year history. The other important matches are every time Rochester lines up against a Major League Soccer team.

It happens again Wednesday when the Rhinos play the New England Revolution in a fourth-round U.S. Open Cup match. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at Providence College. Fans catch watch a live stream at www.ussoccer.com.

In their infancy, the Rhinos developed a reputation throughout North American pro soccer as a giant-killer. Two wins against America's top division in 1996 and then four straight in their remarkable Cup title run in 1999 will do that.

Nearly two decades later, Rochester remains the only non-MLS team to hoist the Cup since MLS started in 1996. The Rhinos are 8-15-5 all-time against MLS opponents. They're only 1-4-1 in coach Bob Lilley's five seasons, but each match was a one-goal game.

Lilley's squads have always played the big boys tough.

"I think because of Rochester's history in the Open Cup teams take us seriously," Lilley said before Tuesday's practice in New England, where the temperature was a stifling 93 degrees.

The Revs are 5-5-5 in MLS play but on a 3-1-1 uptick. Cup runners-up last year to FC Dallas, they'll be well-rested unlike Rochester, which will be playing its third match in seven days. New England hasn't played since June 3, a 3-0 win over Eastern Conference leader Toronto, because MLS took a break to let players join their national teams for international friendlies and 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

"The lower-division teams coming into this tournament, they’ve got nothing to lose and everything to prove,” Revs goalkeeper Brad Knighton said. “For us (the objective is) taking care of business on Wednesday night.”

Juan Agudelo leads the Revs with seven goals and midfielder Lee Nguyen has six goals and a team-best seven assists. Whether coach Jay Heaps trots out a handful of regulars to get them a run before resuming MLS play this weekend is anyone's guess.

But Lilley knows this. "They don’t want to lose the game, so we expect to get a strong lineup against us," he said. "Heaps isn’t going to play all his guys, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see more than a few. He may want some of them to be sharper for the weekend."

Rochester is 4-1-5 in the USL, tied for fourth in the East. Its unbeaten in five straight (3-0-2) and played solid in a pair of 1-1 ties on the road last week at Orlando and Tampa Bay.

"It would have been nice to win one but we created good chances. We’re making progress," said Lilley, who used 18 different starters last week in an effort to keep guys fresh. "We’re mixing and matching our lineups every game. It's good. That’s how you grow."

Defenders Joe Farrell and Ryan Felix and midfielder Ryan James have played every minute of the past three matches.

This will be the seventh time the Rhinos and Revs have squared off in a Cup match. New England holds a 4-0-2 record, but Rochester did advance when one of those draws went to penalty kicks (2004). Their last meeting was 2014, a 2-1 Rochester loss.

There's one more twist to the match. It's the first since Rochester and New England ended their affiliation, which started in 2013 and ceased sometime last off-season.

"To me, that’s behind us now. It’s important that we focus on the game," Lilley said.

But if you read between the lines, the Rhinos weren't happy with the players the Revs had loaned to them on a full-season basis. Most, if not all, are no longer with New England, proving Rochester's point.

"Both sides saw it a little bit different. I'll leave it at that," Lilley said, but he didn't, adding that he has "respect for what New England does as an organization. They have to take care of their business but we also have a responsibility to our fans and our market to make sure we're doing the right things for Rochester."

JDIVERON@Gannett.com

Rhinos vs. Revolution

Matchup: Rochester (4-1-5 USL) vs. the New England Revolution (5-5-5 MLS) in a fourth round U.S. Open Cup match.

When/where: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday/Providence, Rhode Island.

Watch live: www.ussoccer.com.

Rhinos vs. MLS: Rochester is 8-15-5 all-time in Cup play vs. America's top division.

Rhinos vs. Revs: 0-4-2 (Rhinos advanced on PKs in 2004).

Next: Ottawa (4-3-4) at Rhinos, 6:05 p.m. Saturday.