The Fourth Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has been drawn by U.S. Soccer and potential match-ups are in place for Crew SC to play in its first match of the tournament. Crew SC will face the winner of the FC Cincinnati (United Soccer League) against Louisville City FC (United Soccer League) match, with the winner of the Third Round match set to host the Black & Gold for the Fourth Round of the U.S. Open Cup at 7:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 14 at 7 p.m. ET. Per U.S. Soccer, matches in this round may be moved up a day to Tuesday, June 13.
FC Cincinnati and Louisville City will square-off at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio on Wednesday, May 31 in the Third Round of the U.S. Open Cup. Both teams entered the tournament in the Second Round, with FC Cincinnati defeating AFC Cleveland (National Premier Soccer League) 1-0 at home on Wednesday and Louisville City beating the Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (United States Adult Soccer Association) 9-0 on the road that same day.
Both Cincinnati and Louisville are members of the USL and play in the Eastern Conference. FC Cincinnati is in its second year of play in the USL and currently sits in ninth place in its conference with a 2-4-3 record. It is coached by Alan Koch. LouCity is in its third year of play in the USL and currently sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-1-3 record. It is coached by James O’Connor. LouCity has reached the USL Eastern Conference Final the past two seasons.
The winner of the U.S. Open Cup qualifies directly for the CONCACAF Champions League with a chance to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup against world-powers like Real Madrid, Boca Juniors and other regional champions.
Dating back to 1913, the U.S. Open Cup is the oldest cup competition in U.S. soccer. Crew SC holds a 23-16-2 record in the U.S. Open Cup, including a 13-5-1 record in the opening match in the competition dating back to the Black & Gold's tournament debut in 1998. Columbus is 14-6-1 all-time at home in the U.S. Open Cup. The Black & Gold were crowned U.S. Open Cup champions on October 24, 2002, when they topped the LA Galaxy 1-0 at MAPFRE Stadium.
Should Crew SC advance in the tournament and later be chosen to host an Open Cup match at MAPFRE Stadium, all 2017 Crew SC Season Ticket Members are set to receive tickets to all potential Crew SC U.S. Open Cup matches at MAPFRE Stadium through the quarterfinals as part of their memberships.
All Open Cup matches that Columbus is drawn to host will be played as true home matches at MAPFRE Stadium — the site of Crew SC's 2002 U.S. Open Cup Final victory. All 2017 Crew SC Season Ticket Members receive tickets to all Crew SC U.S. Open Cup matches through the quarterfinals as part of their memberships.
Crew SC next visits Toronto FC on May 26.
The Black & Gold return to MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus to host the defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders on May 31.
