The U.S. Open Cup fourth round draw was completed on Thursday with a pair of Cascadia Cup rivals set to duke it out.
The Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders will meet in one of five All-MLS ties in the fourth round. Brian Schmetzer’s side will host the visiting Timbers at Cheney Stadium.
Also on the docket is a clash between D.C. United and the Philadelphia Union at Audi Field. Both teams are currently in the top-two in the Eastern Conference.
The New York Red Bulls host the New England Revolution, Sporting KC visits Minnesota United, and LAFC pays Real Salt Lake a visit in the next round.
Atlanta United, Orlando City, and the Chicago Fire will all face road trips to lower-league competition.
The fourth round games will be played on June 11th and 12th, with the draw for the Round of 16 occurring the day after it concludes on June 13.
Here’s the full schedule of the fourth-round matchups:
• New York Red Bulls (MLS) vs. New England Revolution (MLS)
• NYCFC (MLS) vs. North Carolina FC (USLC)
• D.C. United (MLS) vs. Philadelphia Union (MLS)
• Columbus Crew SC (MLS) vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USLC)
• Memphis 901 FC (USLC) vs. Orlando City SC (MLS)
• Charleston Battery (USLC) vs. Atlanta United (MLS)
• Saint Louis FC (USLC) vs. Chicago Fire (MLS)
• FC Cincinnati (MLS) vs. Louisville City FC (USLC)
• Colorado Rapids (MLS) vs. New Mexico United (USLC)
• Minnesota United FC (MLS) vs. Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
• Houston Dynamo (MLS) vs. Austin Bold FC (USLC)
• FC Dallas (MLS) vs. OKC Energy FC (USLC)
• Real Salt Lake (MLS) vs. Los Angeles FC (MLS)
• LA Galaxy (MLS) vs. Orange County FC (NPSL)
• San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) vs. Sacramento Republic FC (USLC)
• Seattle Sounders (MLS) vs. Portland Timbers (MLS)
Cant decide if I like the regional aspect of the early MLS portion of the USOC. Timbers-Sounders is becoming an annual great event.
OR hate the repetition.
I was going back and forth on this recently as well. I decided in the end it’s a good thing. The Cup games are like playoff games in that they are a little more special, and the more of those you can get against a rival the better.
Only 3 of 11 lower division teams are playing at home? That’s a shame. I know it would not exactly be in the spirit of competitive balance, but the lower division teams would be so much more enthusiastic about hosting, making it so much more entertaining for the neutral. I wish they would just give them the option of hosting MLS teams.
I think it is random no?