LAFC vs. Loudoun United - U.S. Open Cup
Tuesday, May 21 at 7:30pm PT
Location: BMO Stadium - Los Angeles, CA 🏟
TV: Free on watch.usopencup.com 🖥, MLSSoccer.com 🖥 and uslsoccer.com 🖥
Radio: 710 AM ESPN 📻, ESPN LA App📱and KFWB 980 AM La Mera Mera 📻
After a professionally executed, 2-0 road win over St. Louis CITY SC last Wednesday, LAFC hosts USL Championship club Loudoun United FC at BMO Stadium on Tuesday night, May 21. The match is a single-elimination affair in the Round of 16 of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Denis Bouanga’s two goals against St. Louis CITY pushed the Black & Gold to 6W-4L-3D in MLS play, and into fifth place in the Western Conference table. Tuesday’s match against Loudoun will not affect LAFC’s MLS standing, as it only pertains to the U.S. Open Cup, the oldest continuous soccer competition in the United States (and the third-oldest in the world).
5 Things To Know - LAFC And The 2024 U.S. Open Cup
The winner on Tuesday night will advance to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on July 9 or 10. The U.S. Open Cup final will be played on September 25.
Loudoun In Depth:
Based in Loudoun County, Virginia, Loudoun United FC was founded in 2018 as the reserve team for MLS club D.C. United. Loudoun head coach Ryan Martin used to oversee youth development at D.C. United and has also served as an assistant coach with FC Cincinnati.
Loudoun has a record of 3W-6L-2D in USL Championship play in 2024. The Red & White broke a five-match winless streak with a home victory over Monterey Bay, 3-0, on Saturday May 18.
This is Loudoun’s second trip to California this year for a U.S. Open Cup match. In the Round of 32, the Red & White defeated Orange County SC, 2-1, in Irvine.
LAFC and Loudoun are both in their seventh seasons of play, and both clubs have a French goalkeeper named Hugo. LAFC’s Hugo Lloris, who won the World Cup with France in 2018, will oppose Loudoun United keeper Hugo Fauroux, a 27-year-old Cannes native who played collegiate soccer in the U.S. at Lake Erie College and Florida International.
Former Stanford All American and New York Red Bulls homegrown Zach Ryan leads Loudoun in goals in USL play, with three. Forward Kalil ElMedkhar, 24, made 11 appearances for FC Dallas in 2021-22, where he was a teammate of Ryan Hollingshead.
Midfielder-defender Kwame Awuah, 28, was drafted by NYCFC and made a few appearances for its senior team in 2017 and 2018, alongside current LAFC defender Maxime Chanot.
The Black & Gold Can Advance If:
It approaches this match earnestly and keeps its focus on Loudoun and not on Saturday’s MLS match in Atlanta. LAFC got off to a somewhat slow start against another USL Championship side, the Las Vegas Lights, in the Open Cup Round of 32, before a second-half surge (and two goals from Cristian Olivera) set up Tuesday’s date with Loudoun.
Loudoun Can Advance If:
LAFC’s rotated starting eleven fails to play cohesively and with tactical soundness. The Red and White repeatedly looked dangerous against Monterey Bay last Saturday, and in its Round-of-32 upset win over Orange County, as well. Coach Martin’s side thrives on transition moments and opportunistic play in the opponents’ penalty area, and will look to neutralize the BMO Stadium crowd by creating early chances.
