The 4th Round draw for the 2019 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup has once again paired D.C. United with the Philadelphia Union. The Black-and-Red will host their nearest geographical MLS rival, with venues and the official date to be announced later. The 4th Round is scheduled to take place on June 11th-12th.
Steve Goff of the Washington Post is reporting that United will host the game at Audi Field rather than at the Maryland SoccerPlex, which in the past has virtually always hosted D.C.’s early Open Cup matches. This is the first time since Audi Field opened that United has had an Open Cup game to host, as they were already eliminated before the venue opened in July of last year.
United’s history with the Union in this tournament is colorful to say the least. While the two sides haven’t met in cup play since 2015, they have played three different USOC games against each other in the Union’s short history, plus an Open Cup qualifier back when MLS went through that bizarre process. Those games included four red cards, 3 Union goals scored while playing with 10, two trips to extra time, a Dwayne De Rosario hat trick, and a coach ejection.
Elsewhere in the tournament draw, Orange County FC — the last remaining non-professional team, who eliminated Las Vegas Lights FC in a wild 5-3 game last night — will travel to take on the LA Galaxy. Only three USL Championship clubs will host MLS opposition, while geography has once again obliged a Seattle-Portland Cascadia clash.
The rest of the draw is as follows (hosting teams listed first):
New York Red Bulls (MLS) vs. New England Revolution (MLS)
New York City FC (MLS) vs. North Carolina FC (USL Championship)
D.C. United (MLS) vs. Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC (MLS) vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USL Championship)
Memphis 901 FC (USL Championship) vs. Orlando City SC (MLS)
Charleston Battery (USL Championship) vs. Atlanta United FC (MLS)
Saint Louis FC (USL Championship) vs. Chicago Fire SC (MLS)
FC Cincinnati (MLS) vs. Louisville City FC (USL Championship)
Colorado Rapids (MLS) vs. New Mexico United (USL Championship)
Minnesota United FC (MLS) vs. Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Houston Dynamo (MLS) vs. Austin Bold FC (USL Championship)
FC Dallas (MLS) vs. OKC Energy FC (USL Championship)
Real Salt Lake (MLS) vs. Los Angeles FC (MLS)
LA Galaxy (MLS) vs. Orange County FC (UPSL)
San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) vs. Sacramento Republic FC (USL Championship)
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS) vs. Portland Timbers FC (MLS)