Orlando City SC will face North American Soccer League (NASL) side Miami FC in the Fourth Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, June 14. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Orlando City Stadium.
Wednesday and Saturday's First Team matches will both be dedicated to the memory of the Pulse victims. The matches will include special presentations and themes to recap City's tribute efforts.
Tickets start at just $17 and can be purchased by calling 855-ORL-CITY or at www.OrlandoCitySC.com/tickets. Fans can also stream the match through the LionNation app for free. Members can log in using their existing account, while non-members must download the app and create a free account to watch the stream.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest soccer competition in the United States and the third longest-running open soccer competition in the world. The single-elimination tournament features teams from every level of the U.S. soccer pyramid. Major League Soccer (MLS) teams enter the tournament in the fourth round. The winner of the tournament automatically qualifies for the CONCACAF Champions League, the North American, Caribbean and Central American continental tournament for the chance to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.
“It’s easy to see why [Miami is] at the top of the table in the NASL. It’s the best team in the NASL. It’s a team that’s very good with the ball and has some players that are really dangerous,” Lions Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “It’s a team that is really good in possession and moves the ball well. I’m sure it’s going to be a very difficult challenge for us. ”
The match marks Orlando City SC’s 18th all-time U.S. Open Cup match, dating to the Club’s move to Orlando in 2011. Orlando City SC has made it past the tournament’s first round each year and made it to the quarterfinals in 2013 and 2015. In the fifth round of last year’s tournament, City fell to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in extra time after then-Striker and current Lions defender PC scored in the 120th minute.
City’s technical team also has a history of success in the Open Cup. As a coach, Kreis led Real Salt Lake to the U.S. Open Cup Final in 2013. As a player for the Dallas Burn, Kreis won the 1997 tournament, converting in the penalty kick shootout in the Final. Orlando City assistant coach C.J. Brown won four U.S. Open Cups (1998, 2000, 2003, 2006) as a defender for the Chicago Fire, and was a runner-up in 2004.
The Lions are currently tied for third in the Eastern Conference and have only lost one match at Orlando City Stadium. Most recently, Orlando City was reduced to nine men and battled for a hard-earned scoreless draw on June 4 against Chicago. It was Joe Bendik’s fifth clean sheet of the season, which tied his own Club MLS era single-season record.
Miami FC sits atop the NASL and is five points clear of second place. Miami is owned by legendary AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini and is coached by Alessandro Nesta. The two were teammates with City captain Kaká at AC Milan and, with them, Milan won Serie A titles, Italian Supercoppas, UEFA Champions League and the 2007 FIFA Club World Cup. Miami goalkeeper Daniel Vega leads the NASL with five clean sheets and forward Vincenzo Rennella has five goals and three assists. Miami FC defender Brad Rusin made 25 appearances for Orlando City in 2014.
