Orlando City will begin their U.S Open Cup journey on Wednesday, June 14th when they face off against NASL’s Miami FC. Miami is at the top of the table in the NASL, and defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies to earn their trip to Orlando City Stadium. They won’t be an easy team to take down-- but Orlando City is ready.
“It’s easy to see why they are top of the table in the NASL. The best team in the NASL,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said after training on Tuesday. “It’s a team that’s very good with the ball, have some players that are really dangerous-- we know one quite well, in Poku, but the two strikers that play in front of him are both very dangerous strikers. And a team that, as I’ve said before, are really good in possession and use the ball well. So, they will create a very difficult challenge for us.”
“I think they’re a pretty good team,” Defender Rafael Ramos said. “We just had a look this morning to their shape and the way they play. They’re really good with the ball. We’ll try to exploit their spaces behind their backs and behind their midfield, but they’re pretty good. They’re in the first spot in the league in NASL so good competition.”
If Orlando City wins this match, their next opponent will be determined by an open draw. The U.S Open Cup offers another avenue for the Lions to find success, maybe even the opportunity to hoist a trophy. Their first match, and any matches that follow, will come during a hectic MLS schedule. But their taking this seriously-- and they’re ready for the ride.
“It’s very important for us,” Ramos said. “We don’t want to lose, we don’t want to stop now. This is our first game in the U.S Open Cup and it’s in our home. Of course, we want to go as far as we can and I think we can go pretty far.”
Orlando City’s U.S Open Cup match against Miami FC will be on Wednesday, June 14th at 7:30pm. To learn more about Miami FC, click here. For tickets, click here.
