MLS Orlando City SC

Preview: Orlando City Visits D.C. United in U.S. Open Cup Round of 16

Published on June 19, 2018 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Orlando City SC News Release


ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando City SC will continue its 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run in the Round of 16 on Wednesday, June 20, when it visits D.C. United. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Maryland Soccerplex.

The match will be live streamed on OrlandoCitySC.com/LIVE.

"We have to stop leaking goals, first and foremost, because that gives you a platform to then go and do other things," interim head coach Bobby Murphy said. "If you're always playing catch-up and you're always chasing the game a little bit then you always open yourself up and you get exposed. So really just focusing on staying in the game and just not giving up that first goal, staying in it. I think we have enough firepower that we'll get a goal, it's just a matter of making sure that we're in the game when we get that."

This is the 105th edition of the U.S. Open Cup - the oldest cup competition in U.S. soccer. MLS teams enter in the fourth round and the winner earns a berth in the CONCACAF Champions League.

City won its fourth-round match 3-0 over National Premier League Soccer (NPSL) side Miami United FC. Stéfano Pinho, Dillon Powers and PC each scored for the Lions as Sacha Kljestan picked up three assists.

This is the final match of a five-game road trip that saw the Lions travel 12,398 miles over the course of two and a half weeks. Their last match resulted in a 3-0 loss at Montreal.

D.C. United won its fourth-round match in a penalty shootout against United Soccer League (USL) club North Carolina FC. Ian Harkes scored for D.C. in the 25th minute, but a late equalizer from North Carolina forced game into extra time at 1-1. D.C. went on to win the penalty shootout 4-3.

This is the second meeting of 2018 between the clubs. The two opened their 2018 MLS seasons on March 3 with a 1-1 draw. Yamil Asad scored in the 32nd minute for D.C. and the Lions were reduced to 10 men in the 41st when PC was shown a red card. The Lions equalized late when Pinho scored in the 93rd minute.

The winner of Wednesday's match will move on to the quarterfinal to face the Philadelphia Union. Orlando City has not advanced to the quarterfinal since 2015.

City will return home to host the Montreal Impact on June 23 at Orlando City Stadium.

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