Indy Eleven celebrates its victory against Atlanta United FC in the Quarterfinals of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Fifth Third Stadium. | Photo courtesy Mark Grainda / Indy Eleven
U.S. Soccer announced on Monday the schedule for the Semifinals of the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with the USL Championship’s Indy Eleven set to visit Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer on Tuesday, August 27 at 8 p.m. ET at Children’s Mercy Park. The game will air live on Apple TV+.
The Boys in Blue advanced to the Semifinals for the first time in their history last Tuesday night with a 2-1 victory against Atlanta United FC, a result that also marked Indy’s first win in the Open Cup against a club from Major League Soccer in its history. Augustine Williams scored for the third consecutive Open Cup contest in the first half before an own goal caused by a teasing cross by Williams delivered the deciding goal before Atlanta pulled back a stoppage-time consolation at Fifth Third Stadium.
Indy will now head to face a Sporting side that is aiming to become the first MLS side to win the Open Cup five times, which would equal the all-time record in the tournament’s history previously achieved by Bethlehem Steel (1915-1926) and Maccabee Los Angeles (1973-1981).
SKC is currently on a 15-game home undefeated streak in the Open Cup which dates to the start of the 2015 tournament. Sporting was twice previously upset by a USL Championship club on its home turf in the Open Cup, however, with the Richmond Kickers taking a 2-0 victory in the 2011 tournament and Orlando City SC taking a 1-0 win in the 2013 tournament.
Should Indy claim victory, it would become the second USL Championship side to reach the U.S. Open Cup Final in the past three seasons, following Sacramento Republic FC’s trip to the final in 2022.