Crew to host Atlanta United or Charleston Battery in Round of 16 of U.S. Open Cup

Columbus Crew SC will host Atlanta United in the fifth round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The opponent will be determined after Atlanta and the Battery play their postponed match on Thursday evening in suburban Atlanta. Columbus was drawn into the Mideast Region along with the winner of the game between Atlanta and the Battery, St. Louis FC and Hell Is Real rival FC Cincinnati.

After years of disappointment in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, The Crew found its way to the Round of 16 after defeating the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the fourth round at MAPFRE Stadium on Tuesday evening. Winger David Accam provided the difference in the 56th minute to give the Black & Gold the only goal of the game.

Round of 16 games have tentatively been set for June 19th, but U.S. Soccer provides some scheduling flexibility. Games can be played between June 18th and June 23rd on the home team’s preference and the visiting team has three open days on either side of the scheduled date. The scheduled date for the Round of 16 matchup is set for Tuesday June 18 at 7 p.m. ET.

The Crew’s next MLS match is against Sporting Kansas City on June 23.

Either opponent will be familiar for the Black & Gold. Columbus has already played against United once at home, defeating the Five Stripes 2-0 in a waterlogged matchup in March. The Crew won the Carolina Challenge Cup, hosted by the Battery, for the second consecutive year, tying the hosts 1-1 during the tournament with a largely reserved side.

The win against Pittsburgh was the first win in the tournament since the Crew defeated the Tampa Bay Rowdies 4-0 in the Fourth Round in 2016. Since winning in 2002, the Black & Gold have made it past the Round of 16 only once, in 2010 when they reached the final.

Should Columbus advance, they will play the winner of St. Louis FC and FC Cincinnati.