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Despite no MLS assignment for Orlando City SC until June 26, City supporters can still get their Lions fix via this Wednesday’s 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup fourth round tie at Memphis 901 FC.
With Major League Soccer sides entering at this stage of the competition, James O’Connor‘s Lions travel to Mike Rose Soccer Complex in Memphis, Tennessee for the very first time with the USL side plotting a cup shock.
Heading into the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup break full of optimism and renewed vigour following arguably our finest MLS display to date at Montreal Impact (0-3), you could argue the break from league play falls at the wrong time.
Nevertheless, the spirit, fight and genuine quality displayed at Stade Saputo should put the organisation in good stead for this cup meeting with Memphis 901 FC.
Our Tennessee opposition currently perform in the USL Championship, a new-fangled level of the competition dominated by Orlando City SC between 2011 and 2014, and are coached by a familiar face in Tim Mulqueen.
Mulqueen was formerly goalkeeper coach at Orlando City SC taking over from Stewart Kerr in January 2017. Now a full-time head coach, his Memphis 901 FC side currently sit fifteenth in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings.
Orlando City SC midfielder Cam Lindley has also been enjoying a fruitful loan spell with Memphis 901 FC this season but he will be ineligible to face his parent club.
Not even two-years-old, Memphis 901 FC were established in January 2018 and will relish this opportunity to claim their first ever Major League Soccer scalp having defeated Hartford Athletic 4-0 in round three last month.
Entering the competition at round two, Tim Mulqueen’s side defeated New York Red Bulls U-23 3-1 at that stage ahead of their Hartford Athletic demolition.
Orlando City SC agonisingly exited the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open cup at the quarter-final stage last term after a limp 1-0 defeat at Philadelphia Union with no reply to Alejandro Bedoya’s fourth-minute opener.
With Houston Dynamo winning the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (pictured), there is no doubt that reaching the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs is Orlando City SC‘s primary goal but a decent cup run would only boost morale from this point forth.
Head-to-head stats
This is the first ever meeting between Memphis 901 FC and Orlando City SC with the Tennessee side only established 16 months ago.
An unfamiliar opponent for Orlando City SC staff, players and supporters alike, James O’Connor and his backroom team would’ve been watching tapes of Tim Mulqueen’s side in action in the USL Championship.
With Memphis 901 FC currently struggling in fifteenth place in the Eastern Conference, they will be putting all their efforts into claiming a first ever MLS scalp.
In round three, a goal from Marc Burch, a brace from Jochen Graf and strike from Morgan Hackworth convincingly thrashed fellow USL Championship side and 2019 new boys Hartford Athletic.
Memphis 901 FC 4 Hartford Athletic 0 – Highlights – May 29, 2019 (Credit: Memphis 901 FC)
2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The way in which Orlando City SC exited the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was particularly crushing, especially considering Lions fans had thought we’d turned a corner.
Four days prior to this quarter-final clash at Philadelphia Union, James O’Connor achieved his first ever victory as Orlando City SC head coach as City overcame Toronto FC 2-1 at Orlando City Stadium on July 14.
Not only poignant for the fact it was O’Connor’s first victory, the win arrested a nine-game losing streak in Major League Soccer – a real depressing period that quickly eliminated us from any post-season discussions.
On the night at Talen Energy Stadium, Orlando City SC had no answer to Alejandro Bedoya’s fourth minute strike as the Lions went down 1-0 with the season effectively over in terms of tangible reward.
Philadelphia Union 1 Orlando City SC 0 – Highlights – July 18, 2018 (Credit: Philadelphia Union)
There has been no Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup fixture played at Orlando City Stadium since our shock 1-3 defeat to Miami FC back in June 2017.
With Orlando City SC opting out of hosting the fourth round tie with Miami United FC last season, our three-game cup campaign comprised all three games being played away from home.
Who could forget the fifth round tie with D.C. United in June 2018? Orlando City SC eventually prevailed 2-4 on penalties on the night at Maryland Soccer Complex with the score tied at 1-1 after extra-time.
Then heading to Philadelphia Union for the quarter-final, the less said about that game the better!
As Orlando City SC has grown more desperate to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup appears to have become less of a priority.
Reaching the quarter-finals in 2013, 2015 and 2018, Chicago Fire defeated the Lions on the former two occasions before last season’s disappointment at Philadelphia Union.
Given the fact this fourth round tie falls within the break from MLS play, Orlando City SC can afford to field a stronger team from those not involved in the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup or 2019 Copa América.
Nevertheless, they’ll still have to abide by U.S. Open Cup rules that state teams must not have more than five international players listed on their team sheets.
Orlando City SC form
Approaching the half-way stage of the 2019 Major League Soccer campaign, Orlando City SC has picked up fewer road losses (3) than wins and draws combined (4).
Proving a tougher nut to crack on the road this year, all three Orlando City SC away losses have been by one goal at Real Salt Lake (2-1), Atlanta United (1-0) and Seattle Sounders (2-1).
With no shame in losing at these tough venues, Orlando City SC should draw massive confidence from their 3-0 demolition of Montreal Impact at Stade Saputo on June 1.
Montreal Impact 0 Orlando City SC 3 – Highlights – June 1, 2019 (Credit: Major League Soccer)