Preview: Minnesota United FC vs. Forward Madison FC in U.S. Open Cup match

Loons Game Day

6 p.m. at Forward Madison FC • Breese Stevens Field • Streamed on ESPN +

Preview: The Loons play a USL League One team in a third-round game of the U.S. Open Cup, the nation's oldest soccer competition founded in 1914 that gives both amateur and pro teams alike a chance to win the trophy.

This one will be played at a 5,000-capacity stadium.

Postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic the past two seasons, this year's Cup features 103 clubs, 71 of them fully professional, from three divisions.

Loons coach Adrian Heath coached Orlando's USL teams in four consecutive Open Cups, reaching the 2013 quarterfinals with a 1-0 upset victory at Sporting Kansas City. His teams also met MLS sides Colorado and Columbus.

"We'll always treat it with the respect it deserves," Heath said. "I always did as a USL manager because I knew how important it was for us as a club to try and develop. I do know if we do not approach the game properly, it will be a really difficult evening for us because that's the nature of this tournament."

Do you remember? The Loons are the U.S. Open Cup's reigning runners-up. They beat Portland Timbers in the 2019 semifinals at Allianz Field and lost at Atlanta in the Cup final.

That's the last time it was played because of COVID.

"Let's hope we can go another step further," Heath said. "It'd be nice. I know we had a great evening in the semi against Portland, nice memories along the way there. Cup competitions, as long as you're entering them, treat them with the respect they deserve and go try to win it. That's what we're going to do."

Starters and subs: Heath said Wednesday's lineup will be a mixed team of starters and other first teamers who need game action.

"Only five or six will be left behind," he said. "The rest, some will start on the bench and bring them on if needed." He said he'll coach with Saturday's home game against Chicago Fire in mind as well. Tyler Miller is set to start in goal and Heath said striker Adrien Hunou — who scored a goal in Sunday's MNUFC2's game — will start up front as well.

"It's another opportunity to get some more minutes into him," Heath said about Hunou. "I think it tells a lot about him that even a week before he wanted to play in the second-team game."

Misc.: Former Loons goalkeeping coach John Pascarella is a Forward Madison FC assistant coach.

JERRY ZGODA