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Winner will play … Seattle Sounders or LA Galaxy in Semifinals

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

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)

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.