Sacramento Republic FC and Reno 1868 FC will square off in the Second Round of the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup after the draw was announced on Wednesday. | Photo courtesy Sacramento Republic FC
CHICAGO – A pair of rivalry clashes between top USL Championship clubs highlighted the draw for the Second Round of the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday afternoon, with Sacramento Republic FC and Reno 1868 FC set to square off at Republic FC’s Papa Murphy’s Park and Phoenix Rising FC to play host to New Mexico United at Casino Arizona Field on either May 14 or 15 for a place in the Third Round.
Republic FC and 1868 FC have had a handful of memorable meetings over the past two seasons, with Reno having won both meetings between the sides on Sacramento’s home turf. That included a 3-2 victory last season that saw 1868 FC rally from a two-goal halftime deficit with current leading scorer Brian Brown among those that found the net in the victory. The Open Cup clash will arrive just days after the first meeting between the clubs this season, scheduled for Saturday, May 11 at Papa Murphy’s Park.
As part of the newly-established Four Corners Cup rivalry series, both New Mexico United and defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Rising FC are currently undefeated this regular season ahead of Phoenix’s game on Wednesday night against Austin Bold FC. Those undefeated records include a memorable 3-3 draw between the clubs when they met at Casino Arizona Field on March 16th when New Mexico led three times only to be pegged back by their hosts each time.
Austin Bold FC and Tulsa Roughnecks FC will meet at Bold Stadium in the remaining all-Championship matchup in the Second Round, which will also serve as the first official meeting between the two clubs before their league encounter on June 1.
Elsewhere, there are intriguing potential draws for other Championship clubs, with the Charleston Battery set to face the winner of the all-League One clash between Greenville Triumph SC and South Georgia Tormenta FC in the First Round. Current Eastern Conference-leader Saint Louis FC could square off with USL League Two’s Des Moines Menace for the first time since their inaugural meeting in the competition in 2015, while the Tampa Bay Rowdies will play host to either the Lakeland Tropics or The Villages SC of USL League Two at Al Lang Stadium.
Two powers from their respective leagues have the possibility to meet as two-time defending USL Cup champion Louisville City FC would welcome League Two’s Reading United AC to Lynn Stadium on the campus of the University of Louisville should Reading advance past Philadelphia Lone Star. Indy Eleven will also remain at home as it heads to the Sellick Bowl on the campus of Butler University, where it could face League One’s Lansing Ignite FC and former player Nathan Lewis, while North Carolina FC could play host to League One’s Richmond Kickers at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Two expansion sides could square off with the Championship’s El Paso Locomotive FC slated to play League One’s Forward Madison FC should Madison advance through its matchup against Bavarian SC, while Las Vegas Lights FC Head Coach Eric Wynalda could lead his new side into a meeting with former club and regional qualifier Cal FC at Cashman Field.
Every game of the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Second Round
Tuesday, May 14
Erie Commodores FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 7 p.m. ET, McConnell Family Stadium, Erie, Pa.
or Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Dayton Dutch Lions FC, 7 p.m. ET, Highmark Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Lakeland Tropics / The Villages SC, 7 p.m. ET, Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Fla.
Charlotte Independence vs. Miami FC / Florida Soccer Soldiers, 7 p.m. ET, Sportsplex at Matthews, Matthews, N.C.
Hartford Athletic vs. New York Cosmos B / Black Rock FC, 7:30 p.m. ET Al-Marzook Field, Hartford, Conn.
Nashville SC vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 / Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, 8:30 p.m. ET, Dean A. Hayes Track & Soccer Stadium, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
OKC Energy FC vs. Little Rock Rangers / NTX Rayados, 8:30 p.m. ET, John Crain Field, Norman, Okla.
Austin Bold FC vs. Tulsa Roughnecks FC, 8:30 p.m. ET, Bold Stadium, Austin, Texas
San Antonio FC vs. Laredo Heat SC / Brazos Valley Cavalry, 8:30 p.m. ET, Toyota Field, San Antonio, Texas
Las Vegas Lights FC vs. Cal FC / FC Mulhouse Portland, 10:30 p.m. ET, Cashman Field, Las Vegas, Nev.
Wednesday, May 15
Indy Eleven vs. Lansing Ignite FC / AFC Ann Arbor, 7 p.m. ET, Sellick Bowl, Indianapolis, Ind.
FC Motown vs. Memphis 901 FC, 7 p.m. ET, Ranger Stadium, Madison, N.J.
or Memphis 901 FC vs. New York Red Bulls U23, 8 p.m. ET, AutoZone Park, Memphis, Tenn.
North Carolina FC vs. Richmond Kickers / Virginia United, 7 p.m. ET, Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, N.C.
Louisville City FC vs. Reading United AC / Philadelphia Lone Star FC, 7 p.m. ET, Lynn Stadium, Louisville, Ky.
Greenville Triumph SC vs. Charleston Battery, 7 p.m. ET, Legacy Early College, Greenville, S.C.
or Charleston Battery vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC, 7 p.m. ET MUSC Health Stadium, Charleston, S.C.
FC Baltimore vs. Birmingham Legion FC, 7:45 p.m. ET, Homewood Field, Baltimore, Md.
or Birmingham Legion FC vs. West Chester Predators, 8 p.m. ET, BBVA Compass Field, Birmingham, Ala.
Des Moines Menace vs. Saint Louis FC, 8:30 p.m. ET, Cownie Soccer Park, Des Moines, Iowa
or Saint Louis FC vs. Duluth FC, 8 p.m. CT, World Wide Technology Soccer Park, Fenton, Mo.
El Paso Locomotive FC vs. Bavarian SC / Forward Madison FC, 9 p.m. ET, Southwest University Ballpark, El Paso, Texas
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Midland-Odessa Sockers FC / FC Denver, 9 p.m. ET, Weidner Field, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Phoenix Rising FC vs. New Mexico United, 10:30 p.m. ET, Casino Arizona Field, Phoenix, Ariz.
Academica SC vs. Fresno FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, Academica Field, Turlock, Calif.
or El Farolito vs. Fresno FC, 5:30 p.m. ET, Boxer Stadium, San Francisco, Calif.
Sacramento Republic FC vs. Reno 1868 FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, Papa Murphy’s Park, Sacramento, Calif.
Orange County SC vs. Orange County FC / FC Golden State Force, 10:30 p.m. ET, Championship Soccer Stadium, Irvine, Calif.
Tag(s): News Nashville SC San Antonio FC CO Spring Switchbacks OKC Energy FC Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC Reno 1868 FC Sacramento Republic FC FC Tulsa Charleston Battery Charlotte Independence Louisville City FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds Saint Louis FC Tampa Bay Rowdies Fresno FC Las Vegas Lights FC Birmingham Legion FC Austin Bold FC North Carolina FC Indy Eleven Memphis 901 FC El Paso Locomotive FC New Mexico United Hartford Athletic