HERRIMAN, Utah (Tuesday, May 7, 2024) – Real Salt Lake (6-2-3 / 21 points / 1st West) embarks on its 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup run with a Wednesday trip to Albuquerque, N.M., to face the USL Championship’s New Mexico United in the Round of 32. Kickoff at Isotopes Stadium is at 7:00 p.m. MT.
All matches in the next two rounds will continue to be streamed live on USOpenCup.com, USLsoccer.com, and MLSSoccer.com. This unparalleled access to the tournament ensures soccer fans across the country can watch every action-packed match – including the entrance of USL Championship and Major League Soccer sides – in the nation's oldest and most prestigious soccer competition. Broadcast details for the Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Final will be announced later in the tournament.
Wednesday’s winner between RSL and New Mexico United will face the winner of the opposite group match – Colorado Springs Switchbacks (USL-C) against New York City FC II (MLS NEXT Pro) – in the Round of 16, to be played on either May 21/22. Due to draw procedures, Real Salt Lake cannot host a potential R16 match.
First-place RSL arrives in Albuquerque riding a seven-game unbeaten run (five wins, two draws) dating back to March 9 at home, a stretch that has seen Major League Soccer’s staunchest defense notch four clean sheets. During the current run, RSL has outscored opponents 13-4, scored first in four of the seven matches and scored four game-winning goals in the final 15 minutes of matches.
RSL travels to Albuquerque / Los Angeles this week boasting a 3-1-2 record / 11 points away from home this year, winning on the road in Vancouver on March 23 and at Chicago / at Philadelphia each of the last two weekends, while settling for draws at St. Louis on Feb. 24 and at Minnesota on April 6, following a season-opening loss at Miami on Feb. 21. A year ago, Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s team amassed 12 road wins and five away draws across all competitions, against just eight losses, by far the most successful road campaign in Club history.
Real Salt Lake @ New Mexico United – 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32
Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 – 7:00p MT
2023 Records: Real Salt Lake (14-12-8, 50 pts, 5th West MLS); 4-1 in 2023 Open Cup;
New Mexico United (13-14-7, 46 pts., 8th West USL-C); 2-1 in 2023 Open Cup
This week, Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni’s team also looks to extend the Club’s active unbeaten streak to eight and nine games, the Claret-and-Cobalt last losing on March 9 at home against Colorado. The weekend’s 1-0 win over rival Kansas City was just one of four America First Field matches for RSL from mid-April to mid-June, the Claret-and-Cobalt potentially playing nine out of 13 away from home during that span, which includes the Wednesday U.S. Open Cup trip to Albuquerque, and a potential May 22 road match with USOC advancement.
Real Salt Lake’s current three-game win streak is the Claret-and-Cobalt’s first in nearly two years – last accomplished in both May and March of 2022; RSL also had three such streaks in the 2019 season. However, RSL has not had a three-game win streak involving two road victories – as the current run does – since August, 2018.
The seven-game unbeaten run is the seventh-longest in RSL’s 20-season history, trailing last year’s 11-game streak across three competitions, as well as a 16-game run from 2013 into 2014, and a Club-record 18-game unbeaten streak from July 2010 to April 2011.
The active run to the top of the Western Conference table places RSL there for its latest first-place bragging rights in the calendar since April 30, 2016, and the latest solo No. 1 in the West since August 2013.
RSL will return home from this week’s Albuquerque / Los Angeles trip for a double-game MLS week on Wed., May 15 & Sat., May 18 looking to improve upon its early-season 3-1-1 / 10-point home record as it hosts two more MLS matches at America First Field this month, against historic rivals Seattle (Wed., May 15) and Colorado (Sat., May 18). Tickets for both expected sellouts are available via www.RSL.com/tickets.
RSL will possibly play on Wed., May 22 away, with Open Cup advancement, prior to a two-game road trip May 25-29 at Dallas and Seattle. Following a June 1 home game against Austin FC, RSL will enjoy a much-needed early June bye weekend prior to again traveling to Montreal and Kansas City on June 15/19 to wrap up the circuitous gauntlet.
CHICHO ON FIRE
When Chicho Arango finds the scoresheet, as he has in nine of 11 matches this year, RSL owns six wins and two draws against one loss, the Claret-and-Cobalt failing to score at Miami Feb. 24 and April 13 v. Columbus, with Chicho’s assist on an Emeka Eneli goal back on March 9 coming in a loss to Colorado …
Chicho provided a three-goal explosion in a 21-minute span in the Utah side’s come-from-behind 3-1 home win over St. Louis on March 30, the Club’s first hat trick since September 17, 2018 (Damir Kreilach). Chicho’sthree-goal performance is just the seventh in RSL’s now 623-game MLS history, the Colombian joining Alvaro Saborio (three hats – two in 2012, one in 2013), along with Robbie Findley (2009), Javier Morales (2014) and Kreilach. Former Captain, head coach and current Club director Jason Kreis also had a hat trick, albeit in the 2005 U.S. Open Cup.
Arango now has two hat tricks in his MLS career – his first was for LAFC in late 2021 against Dallas – and boasts 108 goals as a professional, including 52 goals in 86 games across all competitions since arriving in MLS for LAFC and RSL. Since appearing on the Wasatch Front last July, Chicho boasts 17 goals and nineassists in 29 MLS reg. season appearances for the Claret-and-Cobalt, with those numbers increasing to 19goals and 11 assists in 34 RSL games across all competitions (incl. Leagues Cup, Open Cup, Playoffs).
IRON MEN ALL AROUND THE PARK
Two RSL players – MF Emeka Eneli (990) and FW Chicho Arango (985) – have played nearly every minute of the Club’s 11-game season so far in 2024, with only second-year man Eneli perfect from a minutes standpoint … DF Andrew Brody (902) did not start this season for the only time April 27 in Philadelphia … DF Bode Hidalgo is the fourth player to have appeared in all 11 games, while three RSL players have appeared in 10 matches, missing just one game this year –Anderson Julio, Braian Ojeda and Andrés Gómez …
GK Zac MacMath, Justen Glad, Brayan Vera, Matt Crooks, Diego Luna and Fidel Barajas have each appeared in nine of 11 contests thus far, with a heavily-congested May/June kicking off with Saturday’s 1-0 win against Kansas City …
MISCELLANEOUS RSL / U.S. OPEN CUP NOTES
Back on March 1, Major League Soccer confirmed that Real Salt Lake (at the time, 3-2-3, 12 pts, t-3rd West) would be one of eight MLS teams participating in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup … RSL earned selection as a non-CONCACAF Champions Cup qualifier based on the 2023 MLS Supporters Shield standings, alongside Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, LAFC, San Jose and Seattle … While Houston was engaged in its continental pursuits, as the Open Cup defending champion it will also participate in 2024 …
Last season, RSL advanced to the USOC Semifinal Round with a road-heavy schedule, ultimately losing 3-1 at the Dynamo in 120-minutes of extra time, while previously winning road matches at Las Vegas (3-1 AET in the Round of 64), at Portland (4-3 in the Round of 32) and at Colorado (1-0 in the Round of 16), as well as a home Quarterfinal against LA Galaxy (3-2).
2023 OPEN CUP REVIEW: RSL’s “road warrior” mentality emblematic of the 2023 season was galvanized in part by the Club’s Open Cup run, which saw the team experience various forms of drama: a 120-minute war of attrition in Las Vegas, multiple comebacks on the Portland turf against the rival Timbers, a tense Rocky Mountain Cup victory just three days after a comfortable regular-season win in same venue against the Rapids, all prior to a home win that saw a 3-0 lead with 10 minutes remaining cut not once but twice against the visiting Galaxy …
In the road Semifinal at Houston – with RSL just a result away from hosting Lionel Messi & Inter Miami CF in Sandy for the first time ever in the LHUSOC Final – the Claret-and-Cobalt conceded first and overcame the absence of metronome Pablo Ruiz to get to the 105th minute tied at 1-1 in sweltering Houston, before the final 15 minutes of overtime were marred by two goals conceded and a Brayan Vera red card (rendering him ineligible for Wednesday’s match at Albuquerque) …
Prior to last year’s Open Cup road-heavy run, RSL could claim only one road result (0-9-1, W-L-T) in the Club’s 10 LHUSOC matches played away, winning a shootout at San Jose in 2010 … In that match, RSL led 2-0 in the 68th minute before Chris Leitch and Arturo Alvarez – who signed with RSL 6 months later, critically setting up Javier Morales’ equalizing road goal in CCL Leg One at Monterrey – brought the home ‘Quakes to 2-2 in regulation … San Jose took a 3-2 lead in the 108’ before RSL icon Nat Borchers’ 118th-minute equalizer forced kicks from the penalty mark (KFPM) … Alvarez missed his PK, RSL made its five to advance to a second MLS qualifier, at D.C. United the same week as the Obama White House visit and a reg. season contest in the Nation’s Capital … RSL dropped that match, 2-1, to suffer tourney elimination …
TURNING BACK THE CLOCK ONE YEAR: Last year’s Open Cup Round of 64 trip to Las Vegas, won by RSL 3-1following a 0-0 regulation draw – saw RSL snap a seven-game overall winless streak in the U.S. Open Cup dating back to 2015, and snap a 10-game winless streak on the road in Open Cup play …
Two years ago, a mixed group of RSL / Monarchs dropped a shocking 0-1 home decision to the USL League One expansion Northern Colorado Hailstorm, despite 19,301 fans at what is now America First Field in Sandy … That loss marked the Claret-and-Cobalt’s second home loss to a lower-division squad in its Open Cup annals, RSL’s all-time mark falling to 6-2-1 (W-L-T) against USL/NASL teams on Utah soil, outscoring those visitors 20-12 on aggregate …
In RSL’s last previous Open Cup road trip prior to Las Vegas last year, in June 2017 at Sacramento, a young side guided by Mike Petke lost 4-1 to USL Republic FC in what was RSL Academy Homegrown starlet – and current RSL Academy head coach – Jordan Allen’s last professional game …
RSL’s ALL-TIME OPEN CUP HISTORY: While RSL is 6-2-1 all-time against lower-division sides at home, thanks to last year’s Semifinal run the Club now owns an all-time 34-game, 17-year tourney record of 15-16-3 (W-L-T), including MLS “qualifying” games from 2007-10 … The overall home record at Rice-Eccles Stadium (3-1-0) and the former Rio Tinto Stadium (9-5-2) is 12-6-2, with RSL splitting the penalty-kick tiebreakers in Sandy – both in 2016 …
Starting with the 2016 shootout loss to Seattle, RSL had dropped four consecutive Open Cup contests at home prior to last year’s 3-2 win over the Galaxy; the 0-3-1 mark during that time includes 90-minute home losses before 15,000+ at RioT in 2018 (Sporting KC), 2019 (LAFC), and 2022 (No. Colo.) … The 2020 and 2021 tournaments were canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ending 106 years of consecutive play …
Buoyed by last year’s run, RSL has now advanced to the U.S. Open Cup’s “final four” on three occasions: 2013, 2015 and 2023 … The Club’s five-game 2013 run included every match at home, with three against lower-division USL/NASL sides, prior to a 2-1 home win over MLS rival Portland Timbers FC that enabled RSL to host a three-win D.C. United side in that year’s Final … Despite the imbalance indicated by League performance, RSL squandered that rare opportunity to lift hardware at home, losing 0-1 on a late first-half goal by MF Lewis Neal, who had been in preseason with RSL that fateful year, which also saw RSL drop the MLS Cup final at Kansas City via penalty-kick shootout …
In 2015, RSL rode three home wins – against Seattle’s USL “S2” side and again versus Portland Timbers FC and LA Galaxy – to advance to that year’s semifinal … However, RSL lost 1-3 in that road Semifinal away at Kansas City, despite an early 1-0 lead thanks to an Olmes Garcia goal …
PURSUING MULTIPLE TROPHIES: The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup returns for 2024, with RSL and seven other American sides NOT competing in the CONCACAF Champions Cup this year competing for the nation’s oldest trophy, regardless of sport … 11 MLS NEXT Pro teams in the tourney’s First Round in mid-March, with RSL and the other Round of 32 entrants slated to be drawn into the tourney following the Round of 64 stage (Thu., April 18 pairings draw), with games to be played in the May 7/8 window …
Other key LHUSOC dates (subject to change):
May 7/8 – Round of 32 (April 18 draw)
May 21/22 – Round of 16 (April 18 bracket)
July 8/9 – Quarterfinal (May 23 draw)
August 27/28 – Semifinal (July 10 draw)
Sept. 25 – Final
85 DAYS AWAY FROM LEAGUES CUP OPENER: On August 1, RSL kicks off its participation in the 2024 Leagues Cup, the second year of the 47-team, 78-game tournament, with three CONCACAF Champions Cup berths on the line … RSL is grouped with a road tilt away at Houston Dynamo (MLS) on August 5, with the home opener on August 1 against Atlas CF (MEX) match at America First Field in its West 2 group, with single-elimination knockout games to follow leading up to an August 25 title match …
Based on last year’s fifth-seeded West finish (14W-12L-8T, 50 points, 48 GF / 50 GA), RSL will be grouped with both Houston and Liga MX side Atlas F.C. in Leagues Cup 2024 this July … RSL last faced Atlas in the 2022 Leagues Cup “Showcase” match in Utah, dropping a 1-2 decision despite former DF Aaron Herrera’s wondergoal from 65 yards away over the retreating goalkeeper …
Due to the new for 2024 Leagues Cup seeding formula, RSL will once again travel to Houston for a group stage LC match in addition to its two MLS reg. season games against the Dynamo, with RSL now winless in its last six games against Houston – all last year – across all competitions … Prior to the active six-game streak without a win against the South Texas side, RSL had seen great success against the Dynamo, which defeated RSL for the first time in 11 games dating back to 2017 in last year’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal …
MORE RSL OPEN CUP MISCELLANY
• A total of 152 players have appeared in RSL’s 34-game Open Cup history during the previous 19 years, with 13 players making their USOC debuts for the Club in the 2023 run … Amongst active 2024 players, 20 boast Open Cup experience with RSL, not including current loanees Rubio Rubin, Jaziel Orozco & Delentz Pierre …
• While RSL has lost just twice at home to a lower-division side – April, 2022 to No. Colo. Hailstorm and May, 2012 to Minnesota Stars FC (NASL) – it has dropped three road USOC contests to teams from lower leagues … The Club’s first-ever LHUSOC game was 2005 in the Round of 16, Jason Kreis’ hat trick surpassed by Melvin Tarley’sfour-goal game in a 4-6 (AET) loss for RSL at Minnesota … RSL lost at Atlanta in the 2014 Open Cup, in Jeff Cassar’s LHUSOC coaching debut – and in 2017 at Sacramento in what would be Mike Petke’s lone USOC match with RSL…
• Former RSL DF Tony Beltran – now the Club’s Assistant General Manager – owns the most U.S. Open Cup appearances in team history, playing in 17 games and starting 15 – three more than the runner-up in each category … Beltran – who scored just one goal in his 20,652 Major League Soccer regular-season minutes – scored twice in Open Cup contests – tied for third all-time – to go along with two assists, also third place in RSL’s LHUSOC annals …
• Since May, 2012, RSL has played 23 Open Cup contests … 15 of those have been at home, the Club posting an 8-5-2 (W-L-T) mark in that time, splitting the resultant penalty tiebreakers … Prior to last year’s 3-2 Quarterfinal win over the Galaxy, RSL was winless at home in four consecutive Open Cup matches, the Club’s last prior 90-minute victory in the competition coming on July 14, 2015 in a 1-0 decision, also over LA Galaxy … Former DF Aaron Maund with the 87’ stunner in that one …
About the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Now in its 109th edition, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer's Club Championship – has crowned a champion since 1914 in every year except 2020 and 2021. The history-filled 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 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn $300,000 in prize money, a berth in the Concacaf Champions Cup and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy – one of the oldest nationally-contested trophies in American team sports – now on permanent display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas. The runner-up will earn $100,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home a $25,000 cash prize.
Houston Dynamo are defending Open Cup champions, having earned the club's second tournament title thanks to a 2-1 victory against fellow MLS club Inter Miami CF on September 27, 2023 in a Final played before a capacity crowd at Miami’s Chase Stadium.
USOpencup.com is the official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Fans can also follow the competition on Twitterand Instagram @OpenCup and Facebook @OfficialOpenCup.
