Real Salt Lake To Face LAFC In U.S. Open Cup
May 30, 2019, 4:44 PM
(Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
(Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
SANDY, Utah – For the upcoming U.S. Open Cup, Real Salt Lake has learned its first opponent in this year’s edition of the nation’s oldest soccer tournament. RSL will host LAFC in the first game in the West Pool.
RSL and LAFC will be joined in pool play by the LA Galaxy and Orange County FC.
The U.S. Open Cup is not a part of the Major League Soccer schedule, but the game are played while the league is in season. The Cup is a single-elimination, knock-out style tournament that has been played by the nation’s professional and amateur soccer leagues since 1914.
West Pool:
Real Salt Lake (MLS) @realsaltlake will host Los Angeles FC (MLS) @LAFC
LA Galaxy (MLS) @LAGalaxy will host Orange County FC (NPSL) @ocfcsoccer #USOC2019
— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) May 30, 2019
While the tournament is usually dominated by the MLS clubs, the tournament also includes squads from the USL and amateur teams that have qualified to play in the Cup.
Real Salt Lake’s best finish in the U.S. Open Cup came in 2013, when the team narrowly lost in the championship game. RSL hosted D.C. United in the title game but dropped a 1-0 decision in front of the fans at Rio Tinto Stadium.
This year, RSL may have their work cut out for them. LAFC is at the top of MLS western conference standings by a wide margin and has a goal-differential of plus-25.
The Cup game between RSL and LAFC is scheduled to kick off on June 11 at 8 p.m.
RSL will continue MLS regular season play against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. That game will kick off at 5 p.m. and be streamed live on sports.ksl.com or on the KSL TV app.
