In a rare occurrence for this competition, all participants in the Quarterfinals have yet to win the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Major League Soccer still has six teams left in this competition, but will face the challenge from the two remaining USL Championship teams that advanced over MLS teams for two rounds in a row. All four matches will be played on Wednesday, July 10.

The winners will advance to the Semifinals, which is scheduled to take place the week of August 7.

Every game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

Since 2003, fans who wanted to follow the opening round of the second-oldest, continually-operating soccer tournament in the world, would have to rely on updates from this site, or, in later years, the occasional live audio or video stream. Now, fans who are unable to attend a match in person, can watch every game from the comfort of their home, or through their favorite mobile device.

A bracket has been set for the competition with four regions. The East region winner will play the Mideast region winner in the Semifinals. The Midwest region winner will play the West region winner in the Semifinals. The draw to determine hosts for the Semifinals and the Final will be held on July 11.

Below is a preview (with video links) of all four of the games scheduled this week:

#USOC2019 ESSENTIALS

2019 US Open Cup Schedule/Results (with links to every match report

2019 US Open Cup statistical leaders (Goals, Assists, GKs)

2019 US Open Cup bracket (TheCup.us)

2019 US Open Cup Round 1: Game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Round 2: Game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Round 3: Game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Round 4: Game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Round of 16: Game-by-game review

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Every US Open Cup game to stream on ESPN+ in multi-year media rights deal

THECUP.US PLAYER OF THE ROUND

Round 1: Charles Boateng – Richmond Kickers

Round 2: Bryant Martin – Florida Soccer Soldiers

Round 3: Blake Frischknecht – Orange County FC

Round 4: Teal Bunbury – New England Revolution

Round of 16: Sam Fink – Saint Louis FC

#USOC2019 QUALIFYING

2019 US Open Cup qualifying schedule/results

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 1 game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2 game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 3 game-by-game review

2019 US Open Cup Qualifying Final Round game-by-game review

Florida Soccer Soldiers qualify for first time after America SC withdraws

More pros, less amateurs, an extra sub in 2019 US Open Cup format

Chattanooga FC qualifies for 2019 US Open Cup, but opts out

Bavarian SC qualify for 2019 US Open Cup by winning Amateur Cup title

MEET THE UNDERDOGS SERIES

Milwaukee’s Bavarian Soccer Club, proudly amateur since 1929

West Chester United battle tested from long journey back to US Open Cup

NTX Rayados grooming “new generation” to keep qualifying streak going

Academica SC earns first US Open Cup berth after more than 40 years as a club

FC Denver using US Open Cup to build to “higher level”

First year Florida Soccer Soldiers winning with “respect, pride and commitment”

New York City FC (MLS) at Orlando City SC (MLS)

Exploria Stadium – Orlando, FL

Kickoff: July 10 – 7:30 p.m. ET

BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Joshua Taylor

New York City FC (7-8-2) comes into Wednesday’s match coming off a 1-0 loss to the Portland Timbers over the weekend in league play and are currently in 5th place in the Eastern Conference. NYCFC will now turn their attention on the road against Orlando City SC (6-9-4) who is coming off a 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union this past weekend and are currently in 9th place in the Eastern Conference.

For NYCFC, Heber and Maximiliano Moralez are the top goal scorers for NYCFC in MLS play both leading the team with six goals but Keaton Parks is the team’s leading goalscorer with two goals during their two-game run in the tournament. Both of those goals came in the team’s 4-0 Fourth Round win at home (at St. John’s University) against North Carolina FC (USL Championship).

The win was a big one for NYCFC as it was the first time the club had tasted victory in the tournament after four previous unsuccessful attempts. The Pigeons followed up their first-ever Open Cup win with a 2-1 road win over D.C. United where they overcame a first half goal by Wayne Rooney. Alexandru Mitria and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi answered with a goal each before halftime and the defense held strong to knock off United and become the first New York City-based club to reach the Quarterfinals since the 1999 Staten Island Vipers (A-League, Div. 2 pro).

New York City has a chance to make some history of their own as a win over Orlando would make them the first New York City-based club to reach the Semifinals since the 1991 Brooklyn Italians not only reached the final four, but they were the last Big Apple team to lift the trophy.

For Orlando City SC, Nani is the team’s leading goal scorer with eight goals in MLS play but in Open Cup play Sacha Kljestan leads the team with two goals in their two-game run with both of his goals coming in a tough 3-1 road win over Memphis 901 FC (USL Championship). Orlando returned home to take on the New England Revolution and it took until extra time for the goals to start flying in.

Two goals in five minutes by Benjo Michel and Tesho Akindele (96th and 101st minutes) was the difference as Orlando punched their ticket to the Quarterfinals for the second year in a row and the fourth time in club history. A win by Orlando City on Wednesday would make them the first Florida-based club to reach the Semifinals since the Miami Fusion (MLS) made a run to the championship game in 2000.

Orlando City SC will have to play this game on one day of rest as their previous match against the Philadelphia Union was postponed due to severe weather this past Saturday and had played their match the next day. This matchup will be the first time the 2015 expansion rivals meet at this stage in the Quarterfinals of the US Open Cup.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

New York City FC (MLS)

5th US Open Cup appearance

Overall: 2-3-1 (0-1 PK)

Away: 1-2-1 (0-1 PK)

vs. MLS: 1-2-0

Best finish: TBD (2019)

Orlando City SC (MLS)

11th US Open Cup appearance (5th as MLS team)

Overall: 17-10-2 (2-0 PK) | 5-4-2 (2-0 PK) as MLS team

Home: 11-3-0 | 2-2-0 as MLS team

vs. MLS: 4-8-1 (1-0 PK) | 2-2-1 (1-0 PK) as MLS team

Best finish: Quarterfinals (2013*, 2015, 2018, 2019)

* as USL PRO team (Div. 3 pro)

Saint Louis FC (USL-C) at Atlanta United FC (MLS)

Fifth Third Bank Stadium (Kennesaw State Univ.) – Kennesaw, GA

Kickoff: July 10 – 7:30 p.m. ET

BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Michael Battista

Separated by only two years and 555 miles, Saint Louis FC and Atlanta United FC are set to face off for the first time in the Quarterfinals of the US Open Cup. For both cities, starved of major sports titles until only recently, the opportunity to continue playing means different things. Saint Louis, in the midst of stadium planning and a proposed bid for an MLS franchise, is looking to continue to prove it is a major soccer hub with World Wide Technology Soccer Park regularly sold out. For Atlanta, the idea that proving the team’s 2018 MLS Cup title was no fluke and that the team can continue to compete remains steadfast as United makes its deepest run at the cup in its short history and try to bring the trophy to the state of Georgia for the first time in history.

USL Championship side Saint Louis FC had never defeated a MLS team in the US Open Cup competition up until this year. Heading into the 2019 Quarterfinals it has vanquished two in the Chicago Fire and FC Cincinnati. The first win, 2-1 over the Fire in Round 4, brought the team into the Fifth Round for the first time in club history as Saint Louis outlasted an early onslaught attack by their former MLS affiliate. Taking advantage of a counter attack and free kick respectively, both Austin Martz and Guy Abend were able to head in long balls during the first half to put their team up by two within four minutes of one-another as the St. Louligans watched on. Tomas Gomez made eight saves in goal as the Fire outshot the home side 20-6 en route to their first-ever elimination in the Fourth Round despite a successful late-game penalty putting the team within one.

In the group’s most recent challenge, they faced off against FC Cincinnati for the first time since the latter integrated into MLS. Prior to this meeting, FCC had never been beaten by Saint Louis holding a record of 4-0-1 dating back to 2016 in USL Championship play. The first-ever US Open Cup match between the two sides was a completely different tale as the home team looked in control against the recently struggling expansion side. Cincy’s goalkeeper Przemysław Tytoń and the backline held their former USL brethren for 90 minutes and 15 shots, including five saves, but a corner kick in the third minute of second half stoppage time by Lewis Hilton found the head of a leaping Sam Fink for the late game-winner as he and the rest of his team jumped into the ecstatic crowd as the game finished 1-0 for the home team. For his game-winner and a strong defensive performance on the backline for Saint Louis FC, Fink was voted TheCup.us Player of the Round.

Following their two earlier competition wins against USL League Two’s Des Moines Menace and USL League One’s Forward Madison FC, the team has struggled in regular season play in a steep contrast to the tournament performance. Prior to their May 15 penalty kick win in Des Moines, the group was 5-1-3 in USL Championship play and securely in the upper echelons of the Eastern Conference. Since then, St. Louis has gone on a six-game winless streak (0-3-3), including a come from-behind draw on July 6 against expansion side Loudoun United FC. Sam Fink, a defender, is tied for the team lead in scoring with four but has only scored twice since April 13 and both came on penalties while Austin Martz announced his retirement from professional soccer on June 28 as his contract was terminated with the club. A team already weak on the offensive front but whose backline has kept it in the league playoff hunt and in the competition is about to face its biggest challenge of the year.

In only its third year of existence, Atlanta United FC has become one of the most successful and trendsetting clubs in Major League Soccer after winning MLS Cup last season and regularly selling out the Atlanta Falcons’ Mercedes Benz Stadium which seats more than 70,000 fans. This year, the club has already advanced farther than ever before in the US Open Cup after falling in the Round of 16 in its two previous endeavors while also rebounding in league play following a rocky start to the 2019 season.

In its first match, United defeated USL Championship side Charleston Battery, 3-1 in extra time, for the third straight year. Last season’s MLS MVP, Golden Boot winner, and regular season goalscoring record holder Josef Martinez was held out of the lineup as Atlanta struggled early in the closed-door, rescheduled match-up at Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia. An error by Atlanta’s Franco Escobar allowed AJ Paterson to jump on the ball and feed Ian Svantesson for the low, right corner go-ahead goal in the 20th minute. The defending MLS champs struggled to find an equalizer for most of the game despite holding a majority of possession until the 79th minute where a Pity Martinez corner kick pinballed its way off the head of Miles Robinson and the foot of Romario Williams to slowly dribble into the net. Both teams, tired in the humid Georgian evening, pushed on into extra time but Atlanta’s Brandon Vázquez came up in both 15 minute halves, both assisted by Justin Meram, to secure the win into the next round.

While rain delayed the team’s first match to another day and venue, Atlanta’s next game against the Columbus Crew was also affected by the weather as a 49-minute weather delay late in the second half. Vázquez once again came up big for his club by scoring the opening goal five minutes in as well as the game winner during torrential rain in the 65th minute. He nearly scored his second goal earlier in the game as well as a back-pass towards Brad Guzan was intercepted with the latter out of goal as the shot on the empty net rolled from the left side off the right post and back into play. His team was challenged heavily by the 2002 Open Cup winners as a serious of chances in the box led to the Crew’s first goal in the 40th minute by David Accam while a Guzan error allowed the team to come within one not long after Vázquez scored a second after a Waylon Francis shot deflected off the goalkeeper and into the net in the 71st. A controversial no-call on a possible Atlanta foul in the box caused controversy as the game clock ran out and Atlanta advanced to the elite eight.

United this season looked to be in the midst of the championship hangover in the early part of the year. A sloppy start in the CONCACAF Champions League against Costa Rican side Herediano, which needed a second leg four-goal clean sheet and penalty kicks to advance, and subsequent loss to Mexican side Monterrey were precursors to the first few MLS matches. In the first two months, the side went 2-3-2 as the once explosive offense of last season struggled under new head coach Frank de Boer. Since the start of May, the group has rebounded with J. Martinez surging back up to fourth place in league goals scored this season while the team itself sits in fourth in the highly-competitive Eastern Conference. With this match sandwiched in between two tough league games, a home affair against unexpected rival side New York Red Bulls on July 7, which the team drew 3-3, and a road game on the west coast against the Seattle Sounders, Atlanta will need to tread carefully with its roster rotation as it continues the two front war between league and cup.

If they are able to get past Saint Louis FC, they would be just the third Georgia-based club to reach the Semifinals, and the first since Datagraphics lost in the final four in 1981. Saint Louis are trying to become the first team from their city to reach the semis since Busch SC won the tournament in 1988.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Saint Louis FC (USL-C)

5th US Open Cup appearance

Overall: 8-4-2 (2-0 PK)

Away: 3-2-1 (1-0 PK)

vs. MLS: 2-2-0

Best finish: Fourth Round (2015, 2017)

Atlanta United FC (MLS)

3rd US Open Cup appearance

Overall: 4-2-0

Home: 3-1-0

vs. Div. 2: 3-1-0

Best finish: Fifth Round (2017, 2018)

New Mexico United (USL-C) at Minnesota United FC (MLS)

Allianz Field – St. Paul, MN

Kickoff: July 10 – 8 p.m. ET

BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Tim Abbott

New Mexico United are sizing up a third MLS victim and are expecting strong away support after a flight North sold out within minutes. NMU have made history with every step of the way and it began in Round 2 with a penalty kick shootout win against fellow USL Championship side Phoenix Rising FC. Devon Sandoval scored a 79th minute equalizer and added another in extra time. They became the first New Mexico club in the Modern Era (1995-present) to advance in the tournament. Kevaughn Frater was the star of the team’s Third Round road win over leaguemates Colorado Springs Switchbacks. Frater assisted on Christopher Wehan’s 87th minute equalizer and Frater scored a penalty kick in the 99th minute to give United a 2-1 extra time win. That made United the first New Mexico team to win a game in the Modern Era.

When MLS sides entered the tournament in Round 4, NMU faced the Colorado Rapids and Frater was again key, scoring a 90th minute equalizer against a side which was, by then, down to 10 men. A scoreless extra time led to another penalty shootout and the lower division club advanced 4-2 to become the first New Mexico team to upset a MLS team.

Like their opponents, their last Open Cup match was in Texas, with New Mexico facing FC Dallas. Brandon Servania put the MLS side ahead but Frater provided the equalizer and Sam Hamilton scored what would prove to be the game-winner in the 64th minute to make United the first New Mexico club to reach the Quarterfinals since the New Mexico Chiles in 1991.

They currently sit in 7th place in the USL Championship’s Western Conference with a record of 6-4-8, nine points off the top spot. The club is struggling in league play as they are in the midst of a five-game winless streak (0-3-2). The club’s last win came back on May 25 when they defeated a shorthanded Austin Bold team, 3-1.

Minnesota United entered the 2019 tournament with very little success in the competition, even dating back to the club’s NASL days. Prior to this year, the United had only won multiple games in a single tournament once (They won two games in 2012 as an NASL team). To reach the Quartefinals for the first time, Minnesota would have to go through the last two US Open Cup champions. They began in the Fourth Round with a 4-1 home win over the four-time champion Sporting Kansas City. Darwin Quintero led the way with a pair of second half goals and an assist as Sporting suffered its first opening round loss in 16 years.

In the Round of 16, United hit the road with a Dylan Wolpers Derby victory against defending champion Houston Dynamo. United found themselves down 2-0 at halftime and scored three unanswered goals, the first two of them by Quintero. 2018 Superdraftee Mason Toye would complete the comeback with the winning goal in the 90th minute to send United into the Quarterfinals for the first time in club history. They are just the second Minnesota club to reach the round of eight, and the first since the Minnesota Thunder (USL First Division, Div. 2 pro) made a run to the Semifinals in 2005.

Led by Toye, Minnesota is making a charge up the table of the MLS Western Conference at present, currently sitting fourth in the table with a record of 9-7-3, albeit substantially behind the division leading LAFC’s record-setting attack. United have won three straight games in league play, including last Saturday’s 3-2 comeback win on the road against the Montreal Impact. Toye scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner early in the second half.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

New Mexico United (USL-C)

1st US Open Cup appearance

Overall: 2-0-2 (2-0 PK)

Away: 2-0-2 (2-0 PK)

MLS: 1-0-1 (1-0 PK)

Best finish: First entry

Minnesota United FC (MLS)

10th US Open Cup appearance

Overall: 7-7-2 (1-1 PK) | 2-2-1 (1-0 PK) as MLS team

Home: 2-3-0 | 1-0-0 as MLS team

Div. 2 Pro: 0-1-1 (1-0 PK) | 0-0-1 (1-0 PK)

Best finish: 2018 Fifth Round

Graphic by Dallas Kreil | IG: @dak_design

Portland Timbers (MLS) at Los Angeles FC (MLS)

Banc of California Stadium – Los Angeles, CA

Kickoff: July 10 – 10:30 pm ET

BROADCAST: ESPN+

By Jeremiah Braeback

The Portland Timbers head down the Pacific Coast, as they take on Los Angeles FC at Banc of California Stadium in the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Quarterfinals on Wednesday, July 10.

The Timbers come in to the match having defeated the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy in the Fourth Round and the Round of 16, respectively. In Round 4, they met their rivals from Seattle for the eighth time in Open Cup play, the most common matchup of the Modern Era (1995-present). Brian Fernandez scored both goals that day to eliminate the four-time champions from the Emerald City, 2-1.

Fernandez would score his third goal of the tournament as the Timbers would cruise in the Round of 16 with a 4-0 home win over the Galaxy to reach the Quarterfinals for the second year in a row. Fernandez has nine goals across all competitions this year for the Timbers, who have managed to field a mostly first-team lineup in their first two Open Cup matches. Portland also received goals from Sebastian Blanco and Jorge Moreira, in the win over the Galaxy, in addition to an own goal.

In MLS play, the Timbers currently sit at 23 points (7-8-2) but have started to turn the corner after a slow start, winning five of their last six matches in all competitions dating back to the middle of June. In addition to the 9 goals by Fernandez, Jeremy Ebobisse has added five goals, while Diego Valeri has added three goals and dished out 10 assists, while Steve Clark has solidified his claim as the No. 1 goalkeeper with four consecutive clean sheets in all competitions.

The Timbers have been competing in the US Open Cup since 2004 when they qualified as an A-League team (Div. 2 pro). They qualified seven times as a USL team, but never advanced beyond the Fourth Round, and never upset a MLS team in four attempts (2 vs. San Jose, 2 vs. Seattle). Since joining MLS, their best finish was when they became the first Oregon-based club to ever reach the Semifinals in 2013. They would lose a close road game to Real Salt Lake, 2-1. This is the club’s fourth trip to the Quarterfinals as they are attempting to be the first Oregon club to lift the trophy.

Los Angeles FC are hoping their league form continues to carry over into the US Open Cup as they enter Wednesday’s game as the best team in MLS. The second-year franchise is back in the Quarterfinals for the second straight year having defeated a pair of MLS opponents in their opening two matches.

In Round 4, they cruised to a 3-0 victory at Real Salt Lake. Carlos Vela struck early, Lee Nguyen scored early in the second half and Adama Diomande scored in stoppage time to lead LAFC to their first tournament road win. In the Round of 16, they hosted the San Jose Earthquakes and found themselves down 1-0 after seven minutes on a goal from Valeri Qazaishvili. They would bounce back as last year’s TheCup.us Player of the Tournament finalist Diego Rossi pulled LAFC level in the 35th minute and Diomande and Vela each scored their second goals of the tournament in the second half to advance. Pablo Sisniega started both matches in US Open Cup play, recording a clean sheet and nine saves.

In MLS play, LAFC lead MLS with 43 points and are 4-1-0 over their last five. Vela leads the team with 19 goals and 12 assists, while Rossi has 10 goals and five assists.

A win for LAFC on Wednesday night would move Bob Bradley, who has two US Open Cup titles under his belt while in charge of the Chicago Fire (1998, 2000), into third place in the Modern Era’s coaching wins list.

This will be the second year in a row that the two clubs have met in the US Open Cup Quarterfinals. Last year’s match saw LAFC defeat the Timbers 3-2 at Banc Of California Stadium in front of the biggest quarterfinal crowd of the Modern Era (17,989). The home team received goals from Carlos Vela and Marco Urena as well as a Portland own goal. However, controversy followed as the Timbers filled a protest claiming that LAFC exceeded the limit of five foreign players on a US Open Cup gameday roster. The player in question was Mark-Anthony Kaye, a Canadian. The Timbers were correct because by US Soccer standards, Kaye is a Canadian player, but according to Major League Soccer’s rules, he is listed as a domestic player. However, it appeared to be a mistake and the Timbers accepted the result and withdrew their protest.

LAFC have won both league meetings with the Timbers so far this year. They won 4-1 back on March 10 and 3-2 on June 1.

While the Timbers and LAFC have only played each other five times in their history, there is the feeling of a rivalry each time they take the pitch against the other. In their most recent meeting, a long scuffle occurred toward the end of the match, resulting in yellow cards to Fernandez and Diomande, and fines later being issued by MLS to both sides.

US OPEN CUP HISTORY

Portland Timbers (MLS)

15th US Open Cup appearance (8th as MLS team)

Overall: 18-13-1 (0-1 PK) | 11-7-0 as MLS team

Away: 9-7-0 | 4-5-0 as MLS team

vs. MLS: 8-9-1 (0-1 PK) | 8-6-0 as MLS team

Best finish: 2013 Semifinals

Los Angeles FC (MLS)

2nd US Open Cup appearance

Overall: 5-0-1 (0-1 PK)

Home: 4-0-0

MLS: 3-0-1 (0-1 PK)

Best finish: 2018 Semifinals