FC Cincinnati welcome Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC to TQL Stadium for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round on Tuesday, April 19. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. as the Orange and Blue look to advance in the 107th edition of the U.S. Open Cup, and the first since 2019.
FC CINCINNATI vs. PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC – April 19, 2022 – 7 p.m. ET – TQL STADIUM
HOW TO WATCH
National Stream: ESPN+
Talent: Mike Watts (play-by-play), Ricky Lopez-Espin (analyst)
Be sure to follow @FCCincinnati on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for live updates from the game. Tickets are still available, visit fccincinnati.com/tickets or call 513-977-KICK, that’s 513-977-5425.
HEAD TO WASHINGTON PARK
Fans are encouraged to head over to Washington Park prior to the game to get ready to cheer on the Orange and Blue! Fans can register to win a Juncta Juvant jersey giveaway, while all fans can grab free FC Cincinnati swag and enjoy soccer darts and drink specials at the Porch. The party gets started at 5 p.m.
SCOUTING PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC (4-1-1, 2ND USL CHAMPIONSHIP EASTERN CONFERENCE)
Head Coach Bob Lilley’s squad have started strong in the 2022 USL Championship season, grabbing 13 of a possible 18 points with four wins in six games. The Hounds are coming off their first defeat of the season, a 1-0 loss at Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday.
Pittsburgh’s offense is led by the duo of Dane Kelly and Albert Dikwa, a duo who have each scored four goals this season, tied for third-most in the USL-C. Other regulars in the attack are Russell Cicerone, a member of FC Cincinnati’s final USL-C squad in 2018, and Kenardo Forbes and Hugh Alexander Dixon, a duo who have created 21 chances this season for Pittsburgh.
Mainstays on the backline for the Hounds include former University of Pittsburgh standouts Shane Wiedt, who leads the squad with 19 clearances and 21 interceptions and Arturo Ordoñez who has not missed a minute of game action this season. Kevin Silva and Chase Vosvick have split time as goalkeeper for Pittsburgh, each with a clean sheet to their name.
STORYLINES TO WATCH
BACK IN THE CUP – The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest national soccer competition in the United States, which first began in 1913, and is being held for the first time since 2019. The tournament is conducted on a single-game-knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt, the founder of the Major League Soccer.
The winner of Tuesday’s game will advance to the tournament’s Round of 32, games for which are slated to take place on May 10 or 11. The opponent, date and location of the Round of 32 game will be determined via a draw set to take place on Friday, April 22.
FC CINCINNATI’S HISTORY IN THE CUP – The Orange and Blue are 8-3-2 all-time in the U.S. Open Cup, which most notably FC Cincinnati used a semifinal run in in 2017 to gain national acclaim with a 4-1-1 record, earning wins over AFC Cleveland in the Second Round, Louisville City FC in the Third Round, and the Columbus Crew in the Fourth Round. The club then advanced on penalties against the Chicago Fire in the Round of 16 and topped Miami FC in the Quarterfinals. FCC then lost in extra time to the New York Red Bulls in the Semifinals in front of a then sell-out crowd of 33,250 fans at Nippert Stadium.
In the last U.S. Open Cup held in 2019, FC Cincinnati defeated Louisville City FC 2-1 after extra time in the Fourth Round before falling to Saint Louis FC in the Round of 16.
AGAINST THE SQUAD UP THE OHIO RIVER – FC Cincinnati will meet Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for the first since October 6, 2018 when the clubs were both part of the USL Championship. The Orange and Blue are undefeated all-time against the Riverhounds, holding a 5-0-4 record against their rivals from the Steel City, including 2-0-2 in the Queen City.
The two sides have once met in the U.S. Open Cup, in the 2018 Third Round when FCC won 3-1 in Pittsburgh.
BUSY STRETCH – FC Cincinnati take the field three days removed from Saturday’s scoreless 0-0 result at Atlanta United FC. Key in the club’s second road point at Atlanta was Alec Kann’s season-high six-save performance in goal, as well as his first penalty save of the season.
Tuesday will also be the first of two home games for the Orange and Blue at TQL Stadium this week. LAFC comes to town Sunday, April 24 for a nationally televised game on FS1 and FOX Deportes at 5 p.m. Tickets are still available at fccincinnati.com/tickets or by calling 513-977-KICK, that’s 513-977-5425.