Rivals Detroit City FC, Michigan Stars to meet in U.S. Open Cup

Detroit City FC’s first date in the 109th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, an annual competition featuring teams from every level of U.S. Soccer, is set.

Le Rouge drew National Independent Soccer Association side Michigan Stars in Thursday’s third round draw and will play the fixture at Keyworth Stadium on April 16 or 17. Official date and time will be announced at a later date.

The second round of the Open Cup concluded Wednesday night. Ninety-six teams entered and 48 remain. Sixteen USL Championship sides, including Detroit City, are entering this year’s tournament in the upcoming round. The Michigan Stars, which has gone to two straight NISA finals (and won the title in 2022), beat Minnesota United II (MLS Next Pro), 2-0, on Tuesday night to reach the third round.

The Open Cup’s 2024 format is drastically different than iterations before it, namely because of Major League Soccer’s decision to send just eight of its 29 teams to the competition. Since MLS’s inception in 1996, a member of the top-flight league has been crowned champion in every season but one. 

For the draw, DCFC was in a region with Indy Eleven (USLC), Chicago Fire II (MLS Next Pro) and the Michigan Stars (NISA). Procedure stipulated that USLC teams entering in the third round had to play a second-round winner, meaning DCFC and Indy, which played in a league competition last weekend, could not play each other.

DCFC’s most notable Open Cup success came in 2022, when it upset MLS side Columbus Crew at Keyworth Stadium and advanced to the Round of 32 before falling to USL Championship’s Louisville City FC in a penalty shootout at Keyworth. DCFC drew another MLS side in the third round last season but was promptly knocked out by Minnesota United FC, 3-1.

DCFC’s path in 2022 also went through the Michigan Stars, an old rival from when both teams played in NISA. Since 2019, the clubs have met seven times, with DCFC owning four wins, two draws and one loss in the matchup’s history. The 2022 Open Cup match — the two teams’ last meeting — was won by DCFC, 3-0.

nbianchi@detroitnews.com

@nolanbianchi