The Houston Dynamo will travel to face the winner of North Carolina FC vs. Charlotte Independence on June 14 in the Lamar Hunt U.S Open Cup Fourth Round, U.S. Soccer announced today via a coin flip.
North Carolina FC hosts Charlotte at Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park on May 31 at 6:30 p.m. CT in the Third Round to determine who advances to face the Dynamo. North Carolina (NASL) routed the Carolina Dynamo (PDL) 6-1 on Wednesday night in the Second Round. The Independence (USL) defeated the Charlotte Eagles (PDL) 3-2 in their Second Round matchup.
The Dynamo are 11-10-1 all-time in U.S Open Cup competition, and have won their opening match of the tournament in each of the last four years. The club’s best runs came in 2006 and 2009 when it advanced to the semifinals. Houston has never faced either team in the competition.
Dating back to 1914, the U.S. Open Cup is the oldest cup competition in United States soccer and is among the oldest in the world. Open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams in the United States, the annual U.S. Open Cup is a 100-plus-year-old single-elimination tournament. In 1999, the U.S. Open Cup was renamed the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup to honor the long-time soccer supporter and pioneer. Hunt, who died in 2006, was one of the sport’s first major ownership figures in the United States and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
