A familiar face within an unfamiliar foe will feature at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park later this month, when the Colorado Rapids launch their bid for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup against Oklahoma City Energy FC.
The two teams will meet for the first time, after the USL side edged Colorado Springs Switchbacks 2-1 at Weidner Field on Wednesday night. They will return to Colorado on June 13 (7:00 p.m.) to face Pablo Mastroeni’s men, and their side should include 2010 MLS Cup winner Anthony Wallace.
Wallace made 23 regular season appearances (15 starts) for the Rapids, between 2010 and 2013. He started the championship game against FC Dallas seven years ago, before being replaced by Julien Baudet in stoppage time at the end of the 90 minutes. Since then, Wallace has spent time at Tampa Bay Rowdies, New York Red Bulls, and Jacksonville Armada.
OKC’s head coach is former Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen. Nielsen became the club’s first head coach when he took charge in December 2013, just days after helping Sporting KC claim victory in the MLS Cup.
Now in their fourth season as a club, Energy FC currently sit 13th out of 15 in the Western Conference (3-4-1) of the USL, though they do have games in hand on teams around them. They reached round four of the Open Cup in the past two seasons, before bowing out to FC Dallas on both occasions.
For the past three seasons the Rapids have reached the fifth round stage. Last year they lost 2-1 at eventual winners FC Dallas. The Rapids' best run in the Open Cup came in 1999, when they lost 2-0 in the final to Rochester Rhinos.
This match against OKC will be the Rapids’ first after the international break. For tickets to the U.S. Open Cup encounter, call 303-825-GOAL, or click HERE.
