US Open Cup & Canadian Championship previews, May 21-22

The US Open Cup reaches the last sixteen stage this week and even though MLS have treated the competition abysmally, it still throws up some intriguing clashes and the chance for more upsets. The eight games are split over Tuesday and Wednesday, with five ties tonight that  begin in South Carolina as USL Championship pacemakers Charleston Battery host troubled MLS side Atlanta United at Patriots Point. Battery are still undefeated in all competitions this season and have been scoring freely, with Nick Markanich in fine form, while United have won just three league games from thirteen attempts this season and have five players injured for the game, including stars Thiago Almada and Giorgios Giakoumakis. MLS Next Pro's New York City FC II are the sole third-tier club left in the competition and accounted for two USL Championship sides on their way to face a third, New Mexico United, at Belson Stadium in Queens tonight. The baby Pigeons will look to midfielders Jonathan Jimenez and Jonathan Shore but United have been playing some good, attacking soccer this season and did account for ML high-flyers Real Salt Lake in the previous round.

Sporting Kansas City will probably be salivating at the thought of welcoming USL Championship outfit FC Tulsa to Children's Mercy Park tonight, a chance to put aside an MLS season which has seen just two wins in thirteen games so far. They should have too much for the Oklahomans, but Tulsa are an unpredictable lot, winning away in the last round at Pittsburgh Riverhounds but also shipping five goals at Tampa Bay Rowdies at the weekend. The tie of the round probably comes from northern California, where USL Championship powerhouses Sacramento Republic host MLS strugglers San Jose Earthquakes at Heart Health Park. Republic had the weekend off but lead the Western Conference having yet to lose all season, a state of affairs the Quakes - in the 50th anniversary season - can only dream of. That's not to say the visitors haven't had decent spells this season - recent wins over Los Angeles FC and Colorado Rapids show that - but they're in trouble at the bottom of the MLS Western Conference table for a reason.

Tuesday's final game sees the plucky youngsters of Loudoun United get a shot at the big time charlies of Los Angeles FC at BMO Stadium. United have everything to gain and absolutely nothing to lose, especially as LAFC coach Steve Cherundulo is in the habit of playing mostly fringe players in Open Cup matches. The rest of MLS and the combined might of the USL fans will be cheering them on. Wednesday's games start with an all-USL Championship affair between Indy Eleven and Detroit City, two sides who came to the second-tier league from rival competitions. The sides sit level on seventeen points in the table, but City have played three games less than their rivals and have looked a formidable outfit at times under new head coach Danny Dichio. Still, Michael A Carroll Stadium is not an easy place to go and there's sure to be loud crowd on hand.

Tampa Bay Rowdies were cruising at 4-0 with just eight minutes to go against Birmingham Legion in the last round before Legion drew level and forced the game into extra time. They eventually won 6-4, illustrating their potent threat in front of goal that was on show again at the weekend when they beat FC Tulsa 5-0. Visitors FC Dallas are less prolific, averaging just over a goal a game so far, but had a good result in the Copa Tejas derby at Houston Dynamo at the weekend and will feel they should have enough to get past the Rowdies here, although an upset is definitely on the cards. The final game in the round is another cracker in waiting as four-time Open Cup winners Seattle Sounders take on 2023 USL Championship winners Phoenix Rising at Starfire Sports in Tukwila, home of Sounders' reserve side Tacoma Defiance. It's been a tough season so far for the Seattle side but they're showing signs that their undoubtedly capable squad can produce the goods when called upon. Rising lost the player and coach that arguably took them to the title last year but can be tough to beat on their day and are gradually climbing up the Western Conference after a shaky start to the season.

The first legs of the Canadian Championship quarterfinals didn't really throw up much in the way of upsets but there at least a couple of ties delicately poised going into this week's second legs. Toronto FC sit fifth in MLS and can expect to improve on that now Lorenzo Insigne is back to join his compatriot Federico Bernadeschi in the Reds' side, but it's not certain that either will line-up against the semi-professionals of CS Saint-Laurent tonight, especially as the MLS won 3-0 in Montreal in the first leg. Saint-Laurent gave a good account of themselves despite the three-goal loss, though you'd expect the occasion will be the big winner for their players at BMO Field. Tuesday's other game sees Vancouver Whitecaps host Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC at BC Place after winning 2-1 in Calgary two weeks ago. The Cavs drew 2-2 with York United at the weekend and are enjoying a middling season thus far; you'd expect Ryan Gauld, Brian White, and company to have far too much in their lockers for an upset win.

That might not be the case in Montreal, though, as CPL champions Forge FC travel to Stade Saputo to face a CF Montreal team that are struggling in MLS, with the first leg havning finished 1-1 in front of a huge crowd in Hamilton. Forge did lose for the first time in domestic competition this season at the weekend, but are a formidable outfit when they're switched on and will be looking to take advantage of any slips by the Canadiens in front of what is sure to be a demanding crowd. The final quarterfinal tie - an all-CPL affair between Pacific FC and Atletico Ottawa - takes place next week.