U.S. Open Cup championship preview: Minnesota United at Atlanta United
The championship match — which is only available on ESPN Plus — pits the two 2017 MLS expansion teams against each other.
August 27, 2019 at 3:52AM
Preview: The game's only available televised coverage is on the streaming ESPN Plus package. Jon Champion and Taylor Twellman will be on the call. ... Both teams are playing for their first U.S. Open Cup title in a final that pits two 2017 MLS expansion teams against each other. United is the first Minnesota team to reach an Open Cup final; it defeated Sporting Kansas City, defending Cup champion Houston, New Mexico United and Portland to get there. The Loons' minor-league predecessor, the Thunder, reached the tournament's semifinals in 2005. The Loons beat three MLS teams and one USL Championship team to reach the final while Atlanta beat two MLS teams (Columbus and Orlando City) and two USL Championship teams (Charleston, S.C., and St. Louis FC).
By the numbers: Loons midfielder Darwin Quintero leads this season's Cup tournament in scoring with six goals. His team has outscored opponents 15-5 in the four games, but Atlanta has lost just once (10-1-3) at home. … Atlanta already has won a trophy this season, beating Club America for the Campeones Cup 3-2 this month.
Injuries: Loons coach Adrian Heath called striker Angelo Rodriguez's hamstring injury condition better than questionable, but the bigger question is whether he will earn one of five international player slots to which each team is limited. Atlanta's Brek Shea (knee) and Franco Escobar (leg) are out.
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Minnesota started only two strikers against Seattle, leaving Sang Bin Jeong and Joseph Rosales to provide the width behind Teemu Pukki and Kelvin Yeboah.
