CINCINNATI, OH --- FC Cincinnati will host Chicago Fire SC in the Round of 16 of the Lamar Hunt Open Cup on Wed., June 28 at 7:30 p.m. at Nippert Stadium.
“Cincinnati and Chicago are two strong major league markets and this could be the start of a new regional soccer rivalry. We had an opportunity to meet the Fire in a friendly in Florida during the preseason and know they have a high-quality squad. The Fire will present a very tough challenge to our group but we look forward to hosting them at our home at Nippert Stadium in front of our tremendous fans who get to see another spirited soccer match,” said FCC President and General Manager Jeff Berding. “Chicago Fire have won the MLS Cup and have a strong history in Open Cup competition, lifting the Trophy four times. We are excited to welcome them and their fans, and hope Chicago fans will turn out in the Queen City as they do for the great regional rivalry between the Cubs and the Reds.”
FCC advanced in Cup action after defeating Columbus Crew SC in the two teams’ first-ever meeting last night, 1-0. Djiby had the game-winning goal, scoring the deciding tally in his third consecutive Cup match. The two sides played in front of 30,160, setting a new record for the fourth round of the Open Cup as well as posting the highest attendance for a non-final tilt in Cup history.
The winner of the match will face either Miami FC of the North American Soccer League or MLS club Atlanta United FC with the date and time to be determined.
Tickets will be available for purchase to the general public on Wed., June 21 at 1:00 p.m. through the FC Cincinnati website at fccincinnati.com/tickets or by calling (513) 977-KICK. Season ticket holders are invited to take advantage of a special pre-sale opportunity to secure their seats beginning Fri., June 16 and are asked to check their email for complete information.
