On Tuesday night, both Atlanta United and Orlando City will match up in their first ever Open Cup semi-final. See which three players are key to watch as these regional rivals face off.
On Tuesday night, Atlanta United travel down to Orlando City for the U.S. Open Cup semifinal. Both teams will play in their first Open Cup semi-final, with neither making it farther than the quarter-final round prior to this season. Orlando are seeking their first trophy in club history while Atlanta are chasing their second in as many years.
Both squads are fresh off shutout wins this weekend in MLS. Atlanta defeated LA Galaxy 3-0 in front of a record home crowd, while Orlando took care of business at home in a 2-0 win over FC Dallas. Following the weekend’s results, Atlanta sit second in the Eastern Conference and Orlando down in ninth place, just four points below the playoff line.
With Atlanta and Orlando facing an uphill task to win the MLS Cup this season (let’s face it, the West is stronger overall and LAFC are near unstoppable), and even more unlikely to win the Supporters’ Shield, that leaves the U.S. Open Cup as the main chance for a trophy. Of course, Atlanta already have one after winning MLS Cup last season but Orlando are still itching to win their first. Plus, an Open Cup win will result in a CONCACAF Champions League berth for next season’s tournament.
See which three players to watch on Tuesday’s semi-final showdown.
3. Ezequiel Barco
There have been good and bad moments under new coach Frank de Boer this season. Some players have struggled in his systems (Pity Martinez, Hector Villalba) while others have thrived (Miles Robinson, Darlington Nagbe). One player that has thrived this season is Ezequiel Barco, and he is going to be an integral part in whether or not Atlanta wins on Tuesday night.
Barco is having a strong season. His box score numbers don’t jump off the page (four goals and one assist) but his importance to this team is impossible to ignore. He showed his irreplaceability on Saturday in the team’s 3-0 win over LA. He didn’t score or assist, but his passing and link-up play with his teammates stood out. Whether it was a cheeky back-heel pass or a shot off the crossbar, Barco was dangerous in his first league start since May 5.
Now that he is almost back to full fitness, expect Barco to start and go a full 90 minutes on Tuesday night in Orlando. Not only is he an important asset to this team; he has a strong history in his few appearances against Orlando. Although he missed the Orlando game earlier this year, he started all three matches against the Lions in 2018. In those three matches, he scored two goals, half of his 2018 season total. Expect Barco to start and have a good game against Orlando, regardless of if he scores or assists. His importance to this year’s squad cannot be overstated and he will have an impact on the result on Tuesday night.