The Dayton Dutch Lions FC will host the Dearborn Stars in the second round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday, May 21 at 7:00 PM. The game will be played at Miami Valley Hospital Stadium on the grounds of Beavercreek High School.
Dayton advanced to the second round after beating the River City Rovers of the USL Premier Development League last Tuesday night in Beavercreek by a final score of 3-0. A trio of Dutch Lions, Irakli Khutsidze, Joey Madigan, and Tjeerd Westdijk, scored their first goals as members of the Dayton club. The Dutch Lions imposed their will upon the Rovers from the first kick until the final whistle.
The Dearborn Stars, an amateur side affiliated with the United States Adult Soccer Association, punched their ticket to the second round by defeating the Michigan Bucks of the USL PDL in an intrastate matchup. Both Stars goals were scored by Niki Djokic, who at one time was a member of the Bucks roster. The 2-0 result was impressive for the Stars, who are making their first appearance in the U.S. Open Cup.
The winner of this second round match will move on to face the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium in the next round. Soccer fans across the country remember that Dayton upset Columbus by a score of 2-1 in last year’s U.S. Open Cup.
Dutch Lions Head Coach Patrick Bal said, “It’s very big for the club to play in the U.S. Open Cup with the potential to make it to the third round and compete with an MLS club.”
The potential for David to overcome Goliath is part of the allure of the national soccer competition staged annually. It is also the reason that the Dutch Lions will not be looking beyond the Stars toward a potential rematch with the Crew. Dearborn has already proven its ability to fight above its weight class by knocking the Bucks out of the tournament.
“We do not take Dearborn lightly,” said Bal. “A team that beats the Michigan Bucks with a shutout must be a quality team. We are favored to win, but it won’t be easy. There are numerous examples of cup games all over the world where the underdog wins.”
Visit www.ticketlfy.com to purchase tickets for the U.S. Open Cup game against the Dearborn Stars. General admission is $7 for adults and $4 for youth under the age of 14.