April 6, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Louisville City FC News Release
Louisville City FC huddle
(Louisville City FC, Credit: EM Dash Photography)
The Dirty River Derby will renew for the first time since 2019 when Louisville City FC travels to play its former bitter rival, FC Cincinnati, in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Kickoff it set for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati with tickets on sale to the public Monday through the host club. Any away section ticket details and broadcast information will be communicated via LouCity’s social media channels once available.
From the second-division USL Championship, LouCity advanced through the Second Round earlier this week when defeating new local rival Lexington SC, from the third-division USL League One, by a 1-0 score.
Next up, the Third Round sees first-division MLS clubs enter U.S. Soccer’s annual national championship tournament. Third Round matchups were regionalized, with home or away status set randomly from clubs that applied to host.
LouCity and FC Cincinnati both played in the USL From 2016-2018, with City getting the better of its rival in the all-time series with a 4-3-2 league record. Cincinnati, however, won both prior Open Cup meetings, in 2017 and then again in 2019, its first year as an MLS member.
After winning only 14 MLS games combined over its first three seasons in the league, FC Cincinnati emerged as a contender last year, qualifying for the playoffs. The orange and blue are an unbeaten 4-0-2 early this season to sit atop the Eastern Conference table.
Cincinnati’s roster stars, among others, young Brazilian striker Brenner, emerging American forward Brandon Vazquez and high-profile Argentine midfielder Luciano Acosta.
In its 108th edition, the U.S. Open Cup is conducted on a single-game-knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. The 2023 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn $300,000 in prize money and a berth in the 2024 Concacaf Champions League. The runner-up will earn $100,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home a $25,000 cash prize.
The Open Cup will continue whittling down clubs throughout the summer leading up to a Sept. 27 final.
Images from this story
• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at OurSports Central Outdoor Soccer News…