I thought about doing a whole bit about déjà vu to open this preview, but I think I’ve done that before. Is that déjà vu déjà vu? Meta déjà vu? Can that happen? What’s going on? I know we’re playing St. Louis CITY again, and I know this time it’s in the U.S. Open Cup, my favorite sporting competition in the whole wide world. If anything’s going to cure my scrambled brain, it’s a fresh dose of that sweet, sweet USOC nectar. Sure, it’s the same opponent we just beat, but this edition is going to have that extra magic of the cup, baby! LET’S DO THIS!
Minnesota United
Throw league form out the window: I’m not interested in it! This is the U.S. Open Cup, where for 90 minutes (at least), nothing else matters but the cup. Your Loons brought a HEAVILY rotated squad in the Round of 32 against Louisville, including nine MNUFC2 regulars earning short-term call-ups. Six of them made their first-team debuts in the 1-0 win, playing alongside the likes of Sang Bin Jeong, DJ Taylor, Hoyeon Jung, and Devin Padelford. Darius Randell became the youngest debutant and goal scorer in club history that night, writing his name into the record books with everyone’s favorite kind of goal: the game-winning kind. Though we’ve only seen the Black and Blue in USOC action once this season, the early signs were promising.
St. Louis CITY SC
CITY took on Union Omaha in the Round of 32, a USL League One side that Loons fans may remember from USOCs gone by. Their 2-0 win was enough to make it through, but they left it late, failing to score until the 68th and 87th minutes. They utilized more first-teamers than the Loons did to get through this one, which could signal a few things. Either STL is taking the cup extremely seriously and didn't want to take any risks against a club capable of pulling off an upset, or they don’t feel that they have enough reserves to call upon for a competitive match of this nature. One way or another, their USOC form is the same as MNUFC’s: perfect.
Keys to the Match:
The Cup is a Lifeline
Teams struggling in league play are always looking for a way to jumpstart their season. That ideally comes in the form of kicking off a winning streak with a statement win, one that motivates, galvanizes, and refocuses efforts. It can be hard to summon the energy necessary to earn such a win when things aren’t going well, and that’s where cup competitions come in. With a trophy on the line and essentially even footing with your opponent in these single-elimination tournaments, form goes out the window, replaced by desire and willpower. A deep Open Cup run could reverse St. Louis’ fortunes, and it could be the lifeline needed to lift their club out of the hole they find themselves in. Meanwhile, your Loons are playing some wonderful soccer at the moment and have given themselves a platform to compete for multiple trophies this season. Two very different motivations, two very different teams. We’ll have to wait and see which club has the right mix of motivation and quality to earn a spot in the quarterfinals.
Major League Cup (Plus Pittsburgh)
The Round of 32 was (almost) a complete wash. Of the 16 MLS sides that entered the tournament, 15 advanced. The only team to fall prey to a Cupset this year was NYCFC, who couldn’t get past the Riverhounds in Pittsburgh. Why is that relevant for this Wednesday’s match? Well, the current landscape of the tournament has changed every game completely. With MLS sides likely waiting every step of the way from here on out, it’s going to be increasingly difficult to predict what kind of lineup each team will put out on the field. Different teams will have the Open Cup prioritized differently, meaning the kind of squad rotation we saw against Louisville probably won’t be possible again for the remainder of the competition. This doesn’t appear to be the year of the underdog, and that means more regular starters are going to need to take an active role if the Loons want to lift the trophy. Look for something between the lineups against Houston and the last lineup against St. Louis, consisting of some reserve players and a handful of regular faces.
Twice Would be Nice
I know I said that form outside the USOC didn’t matter to me, but I’m making an exception for special circumstances — sue me. I know it’s been a while, but if you can remember just two days back, the Black and Blue hosted the exact same team they’ll be hosting on Wednesday. The messaging has been clear: Regardless of opponent, we take it one game at a time. But playing the same team twice in a row in the span of just five days is an anomaly that deserves at least a little special attention. The Loons clearly took advantage of the wide spaces left in the middle of the pitch by St. Louis this weekend, and one would imagine that if both squads stick to the same game plans, we’ll get a very similar result. Logic tells us that CITY needs to switch something up, but what will that be? Whether it’s a change in personnel or a change in formation, both of which they’ve tried this season, the visitors will likely throw something new out on the field. It’ll be up to Coach Ramsay to decide whether or not he wants to make any preemptive changes as well, or if he wants to stick to what worked the first time before adjusting as needed.
