FRISCO, Texas - FC Dallas takes a short break from MLS action to begin its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign with a trip to GEODIS Park to face Nashville SC Wednesday, May 10 at 7:30PM.
Here's everything you need to know before the game.
How to Watch
The match will be available on the Bleacher Report App and the B/R Football YouTube channel.
How to Listen
English: If you can't watch the match, you can listen to all the action on iHeartMedia 1190AM and the FC Dallas App. Host Sam Hale will provide pregame and postgame coverage beginning at 7PM with FCD broadcasters Owen Newkirk and Steve Davis calling the game.
Spanish: Carlos Alvarado and Rafa Calderon will call the game in Spanish on 1270AM and the FC Dallas App, starting at 7:30PM.
The Open Cup
In case you're new around here, here's a brief overview of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
First played in 1914, the Open Cup is the U.S.'s oldest ongoing national soccer tournament and it's open to any professional or amateur team affiliated with U.S. Soccer. Basically, a team from any league in the country can compete (separate to its respective league play) in hopes of making it all the way through the single-game-knockout competition to reach the final — which will be played on Sept. 27. In all, the Open Cup features eight rounds (First Round, Second Round, Third Round, Round of 32, Round of 16, etc).
Since FC Dallas finished in the top 8 in MLS last year, the club enters this year's Open Cup in the Round of 32 (teams below the top 8 entered in the previous Third Round of the competition). The winners of the Open Cup earn $300,00 in prize money as well as a place in the 2024 Concacaf Champions League.
Note, you may see the term "cupset" in reference to the Open Cup. A cupset refers to when a team from a lower league upsets a team from a higher league in the U.S. soccer pyramid. This year, a notable cupset happened in the previous round when San Jose Earthquakes were upset by Monterey Bay FC of the USL Championship. There won't be any cupsets in the next round for FCD since the club was matched fellow MLS side Nashville SC in the Round of 32 draw on April 27.
FC Dallas in the Open Cup
FC Dallas is one of the most successful MLS teams in U.S. Open Cup history having won the tournament twice (1997 and 2016) and twice finished as runners-up (2005 and 2007). In 1999, the tournament was renamed in honor of Lamar Hunt for his immense contributions to growing soccer in the U.S.
FCD Legend and Club Ambassador Kenny Cooper is the second-top scorer in modern Open Cup history (1995-present) with 13 goals, three behind Sébastien Le Toux's 16.
Homegrown midfielder Paxton Pomykal is the only current FCD player who's won the Open Cup...technically. Pomykal signed his first pro contract on Sept. 8, 2016, five days before FCD defeated the New England Revolution in the 2016 final to lift the Open Cup at Toyota Stadium.
All-Time Open Cup Record: 36-22-6
All-Time Open Cup Home Record: 23-7-3
All-Time Open Cup Away Record: 13-15-3
