Four USL Championship clubs will take on opponents from Major League Soccer on Tuesday night as the Round of 32 in the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup commences with eight games throughout the night. Current Eastern and Western Conference leaders the Charleston Battery and Sacramento Republic FC are among those in action, with the latter aiming to progress on home turf after last year’s historic run to reach the Final.

Here's a look ahead at the action.

Inter Miami CF vs. Charleston Battery

Venue: DRV PNK Stadium
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Stream: B/R Football

The Lowdown: The Charleston Battery will try to continue their run in this year’s Open Cup as they head to face Inter Miami CF with both teams coming off victories this past weekend. The Battery regained top spot in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference as Augustine Williams scored the only goal and goalkeeper Trey Muse delivered a six-save shutout in a 1-0 win on the road at Las Vegas Lights FC. The visitors will face MLS opposition in the Open Cup for the first time since 2019 when it took Atlanta United FC to extra time before falling 3-1 in Georgia, but the Battery have a history of success as an underdog in the tournament, including reaching the Final in 2008 and subsequent upsets of top-flight opposition. Inter Miami took a 2-1 win on Saturday night at home to Atlanta United FC as Josef Martinez scored twice against his former club to reach 100 regular season goals in Major League Soccer, and the hosts will be hoping to avoid another scare after needing to rally twice against the USL Championship’s Miami FC in the last round before advancing in a penalty shootout. Consecutive league wins have righted the ship for the South Florida club since then, but Charleston and Head Coach Ben Pirmann will be eager to get on the front foot early and cause a surprise.

Spotlight Players
Inter Miami CF – Ben Cremaschi: The talented 18-year-old has moved into the starting lineup recently after injuries in the squad and could be a player the Battery need to pay close attention to in the attacking half.

Charleston Battery – Fidel Barajas: The Mexico U-17 international notched three assists in the early going of the Championship regular season and should get the opportunity to make his mark here in the attacking third for the visitors.

New England Revolution vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Venue: Gillette Stadium
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Stream: U.S. Soccer

The Lowdown: The all-time winningest head coaches in Major League Soccer and USL Championship history will be on opposing sidelines as the New England Revolution and Bruce Arena host Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Bob Lilley at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution have made a stellar start to the 2023 season, and sit on top of the MLS Eastern Conference standings having lost only once so far this season after a 2-0 victory against Toronto FC on Saturday night. New England earned a 2-1 victory against the USL Championship’s Hartford Athletic in the prior round as David Romney scored the decisive goal in the second half, but he hosts could get another test from the Hounds, who boast current Championship co-leading goalscorer Albert Dikwa in their ranks as they head to Massachusetts. The Cameroonian bagged his sixth and seventh goals of the regular season on Friday night, but the Hounds were unable to come away with victory as a late equalizer saw them settle for a 2-2 draw with Monterey Bay F.C. Tuesday night will be a chance for Pittsburgh to make history, with the club looking for its first Open Cup win against an MLS side in 22 years, when it defeated the Colorado Rapids on the way to a place in the Quarterfinals in 2001. If the Hounds are to do so, they’ll have to get past one of the best sides in the top flight to accomplish it.  

Spotlight Players
New England Revolution – Justin Rennicks: The 24-year-old scored the opening goal in New England’s victory against Hartford in the prior round and could get the start again with seven appearances overall in MLS this season.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – Kenardo Forbes: The veteran Jamaican midfielder notched his first assist of the season in Monterey Bay and will have a key role to play in the center of the park if the Hounds are to have success.

Monterey Bay F.C. vs. Los Angeles FC

Venue: Cardinale Stadium
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET
Stream: CBS Sports Golazo Network

The Lowdown: Monterey Bay F.C. will try to add to a seven-game undefeated streak in all competitions and claim its second victory against an opponent from Major League Soccer on home turf when it welcomes Los Angeles FC, which is coming off the high of earning a place in the Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Final last week but also its first league setback of the season over the past weekend. Monterey Bay grabbed a dramatic 2-2 draw against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Friday night as Christian Volesky scored in second-half stoppage time for his fourth goal of the regular season, and Volesky provided the difference when Monterey Bay defeated the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 in the Third Round of the tournament two weeks ago. San Jose, meanwhile, became the first team to defeat LAFC on Saturday night with a 2-1 win thanks to a pair of goals by Cristian Espinoza, with Dennis Boanga scoring the goal for the visitors at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. After earning a place in the SCCL Final against the Philadelphia Union last week, LAFC remains one of the top clubs in MLS, but could feature a rotated lineup after its busy recent schedule. That could provide an opportunity for Monterey Bay to spring another surprise on its home turf.

Spotlight Players
Monterey Bay F.C. – Alex Dixon: The veteran forward is tied for the USL Championship goalscoring lead with seven tallies this campaign and has been influential otherwise in the final third for his new club.

Los Angeles FC – Danny Crisostomo: A former standout at Las Vegas Lights FC, Crisostomo could be deputized here after making a pair of brief appearances in MLS and the SCCL so far this season.

Sacramento Republic FC vs. Colorado Rapids

Venue: Heart Health Park
Kickoff: 10:30 p.m. ET
Stream: B/R Football

The Lowdown: Sacramento Republic FC will look to continue its remarkable home record in the Open Cup across recent seasons as it plays host to a Colorado Rapids side that has caught a hot run of form in recent weeks as it returns to California after a weekend victory. 2022 Open Cup Finalist Sacramento is coming off a bye week and stands as the last undefeated team in the USL Championship this season while sitting on top of the Western Conference. Republic FC played to a 1-1 draw with FC Tulsa in its last outing on April 29, breaking a shutout streak of 594 minutes in league play, and will be well rested as it looks to continue a 15-game undefeated streak at Heart Health Park in the Open Cup that dates to 2018. The Rapids will try to break that run as they try to avoid falling at this stage for a second consecutive year, having lost 2-1 to Minnesota United FC last season. Colorado defeated USL League One’s Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC in the prior round, and is coming off a 3-1 victory on the road against the LA Galaxy that saw Lalas Abubakar, Kevin Cabral and Jonathan Lewis find the net. On an eight-game undefeated streak, the Rapids will be hoping to avoid the fate of the San Jose Earthquakes and Sporting Kansas City a season ago, both of which fell in Sacramento during Republic FC’s historic run to the Open Cup Final.  

Spotlight Players
Sacramento Republic FC – Luis Felipe Fernandes: The central midfield has recorded four goals this season and proved a crucial performer in Sacramento’s run a season ago, delivering three game-winning goals.

Colorado Rapids – Jonathan Lewis: The 25-year-old winger scored twice for the Rapids against Northern Colorado in the past round before bagging his first league goal of the season this past weekend.