U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals, Atlanta United at Orlando City: Match Thread and How to Watch

I hope you enjoyed Saturday’s 1-1 draw in Orlando… because we’re running it back, baby!

In this rematch, however, a draw is no longer in the cards. The time and place may be the exact same as it was 72 hours ago, but focus is shifting to a whole separate competition. Knockout soccer is on the menu tonight at Inter&Co Stadium for a spot in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals.

Here are some very familiar head-to-head stats by now, courtesy of stats.scarvesandspikes.com:

Both sides trotted out pretty strong lineups over the weekend for their regular season bout, and neither side was able to claim all three points in a back-and-forth affair. Atlanta United worked up until the final whistle, trailing for a majority of the match before Jay Fortune found a late equalizer, his second goal in as many games, to put one of the Five Stripes’ 21 shots in the net.

Despite the grueling 90 minutes on Saturday, Atlanta still have some more rested players available that could be difference makers in tonight’s match. Latte Lath and Stian Gregersen only made 20ish minute appearances, and players like Steven Alzate and Pedro Amador didn’t see the pitch. On the more questionable side is Cooper Sanchez, who was out due to an illness, and Miguel Almiron, listed as questionable before the weekend but still potentially available for this evening.

Orlando City’s path to the quarterfinals isn’t too dissimilar from Atlanta’s own journey so far. Drawn away in their first match to a nearby third division side (USL League One’s FC Naples), Orlando survived and advanced to face an MLS foe in the Round of 16, where they advanced in a barnburner against the New England Revolution, scoring in stoppage to win 4-3 (okay, that part’s a bit different).

Now, both Atlanta and Orlando find themselves in the final four of the eastern side of the bracket, with the winner travelling to face the winner of the Columbus Crew-New York City FC matchup to earn a spot in the final and a chance at some historic silverware and a place in the next Concacaf Champions Cup.

The last time these two sides met in this competition was the only time, all the way back in August of 2019. Atlanta United left Orlando with a 2-0 result and onward to the final the next month, where they’d go on to beat Minnesota United in the Benz for yet another trophy.

Just three more wins away from doing that again. Crazy, right?

We’ll find out if the Five Stripes have what it takes to survive and advance tonight, with broadcast coverage provided through CBS Sports Network and on Paramount+. If you’re going the audio route, 92.9 The Game has you covered there.

No matter where you are, or how things look on the pitch, feel free to chime in on the match down below in our match thread for tonight as Atlanta heads back into the lion’s den for a second time.

Atlanta United’s Lineup:

Orlando City’s Lineup:

How to Watch:

Venue: Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Florida

Kickoff Time: Tuesday, May 19th, 7:30 PM ET

Available TV/Streaming: CBS Sports Network, Paramount+

Available Radio: 92.9 The Game

This thread will be your match thread. We don’t have many rules here. We just ask that you don’t insult each other personally and treat each other with respect. Debates can get heated and that’s fine, but name-calling and petty insults will get you banned. If you see a comment that you feel is out of line, please report it and it will be dealt with.