Three NASL Clubs Face MLS Opposition In Fourth-Round U.S. Open Cup Action

On Wednesday night, a trio of NASL clubs will look to continue their run in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. All three sides will square off against clubs from Major League Soccer (MLS) in hopes of securing a spot in the fifth round of the competition, which will be played on June 28.

North Carolina FC will host the Houston Dynamo at Sahlen’s Stadium, while Miami FC and the San Francisco Deltas hit the road to face Orlando City SC and the San Jose Earthquakes, respectively. 

A preview of each fourth-round clash involving NASL sides can be found below:

North Carolina FC vs. Houston Dynamo (MLS)
7:30 p.m. ET | Wednesday, June 14
Sahlen’s Stadium | Cary, N.C.

North Carolina FC’s Cup run has produced a lot of scoring so far, with the club finding the back of the net 10 times in two games. Most recently, North Carolina downed USL side – and local rival – Charlotte Independence, 4-1. Nazmi Albadawi scored twice, while Connor Tobin and James Marcelin also put their names on the scoresheet. North Carolina’s roster features plenty of experience in the tournament. Brian Shriver, who has scored eight goals – the most by an NASL player in the Cup – and Tiyi Shipalane, who has found the back of the net in six different editions of the tournament, know exactly how to approach these games. In league play, the club is coming off a 2-2 draw with the New York Cosmos.

The Houston Dynamo enters into its first game in the Cup in 2017 sitting in a strong position in the MLS Western Conference. The club is currently in third place, but lost its last game, 1-0, to the Seattle Sounders. Houston boasts several names that are familiar in North American soccer circles, including U.S. men’s national team veteran DaMarcus Beasley and Mexican international Cubo Torres, who has scored 10 times in league play so far this year.   

Orlando City SC (MLS) vs. Miami FC
7:30 p.m. ET | Wednesday, June 14
Orlando City Stadium | Orlando, Fla.

Orlando City SC plays host to Miami FC on Wednesday night for the first competitive meeting between the Florida sides. Orlando City currently sits in fourth place in the MLS Eastern Conference and recently played to a scoreless draw with the Chicago Fire. Ironically, one of the current Lions players, PC, helped knock the club out of the Cup last year, scoring in extra time in a 2-1 win for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

Miami FC enters Wednesday’s contest on a 10-game unbeaten streak (in all competitions) that includes eight wins. In the Open Cup, Miami defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies of USL, 2-0, in the last round. Vincenzo Rennella, who has scored six goals in his last eight games overall, got Miami off the mark when he converted a penalty kick. Jaime Chávez added the second goal of the night for Miami, tallying his seventh career goal in the competition. Miami, which currently sits in first place in the NASL Spring Season Standings, is coming off a 1-0 road win against FC Edmonton as Rennella scored the game’s lone goal.

San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) vs. San Francisco Deltas
10:30 p.m. ET | Wednesday, June 14
Avaya Stadium | San Jose, Calif.

The San Jose Earthquakes get started in the Cup with a matchup against the San Francisco Deltas. The Earthquakes are in seventh place in the Western Conference and recently lost, 2-0, to the Portland Timbers, which ended San Jose’s run in the Open Cup in the fourth round a year ago. The Earthquakes boast veteran U.S. men’s national team forward Chris Wondolowski, who has scored six goals in MLS this season.

In their first ever Open Cup run, the Deltas have been led by veteran Tommy Heinemann. The forward has scored the winning goal in back-to-back Cup games, most recently scoring in stoppage time to defeat the USL’s Phoenix Rising, 2-1. In 2017, the Deltas also have yet to lose on the road in seven games. San Francisco earned a 3-1 win in Puerto Rico in the club’s last league game. San Jose and San Francisco meet in the 101 Derby for a place in the fifth round, having faced off in preseason in a testy 1-0 win for the Deltas.