Atlanta United will play Charleston Battery at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw on Wednesday, June 6 in the Fourth Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. A knockout style competition, the U.S. Open Cup (USOC) is the longest-running soccer tournament in America and third-longest in the world. This year’s champion will be automatically placed into 2019 Concacaf Champions League.
The presale for Atlanta United Season Ticket Members will begin Thursday, May 24 at 4 p.m. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday, May 25 at 9 a.m. and can be purchased at atlutd.com. Parking can be pre-purchased along with tickets for $10. In addition, a limited number of indoor and outdoor suites are available and can be purchased by calling (470) 578-7989.
Charleston Battery plays in the United Soccer League as a member of the Eastern Conference. The Battery currently sits in third place in the East (5-2-3, 18 points) and its leading goal scorer is Ataulla Guerra (five). Founded in 1993, Charleston has reached the USL playoffs in each of its last 10 seasons and has qualified for the Open Cup every year since 2003. Charleston was Atlanta’s USL-affiliate in 2016 and 2017 and currently has two players on its roster, homegrown Patrick Okonkwo and MLS SuperDraft pick Gordon Wild, on loan from Atlanta United.
During the 2017 tournament, Atlanta United finally made its USOC debut after nearly a three-hour weather delay at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw. Brandon Vazquez scored a 78th minute goal to lift Atlanta to a 3-2 win over Charleston Battery, sending the club onto the Round of 16. There, Atlanta ultimately lost to Miami FC 3-2 at Riccardo Silva Stadium.
Unlike MLS Regular Season matches, USOC matches cannot end in draws. Should the two teams be level at the conclusion of the 90-minute regulation, they will play two 15-minute sessions. In the event the score is still tied after an additional 30 minutes, the match will head to penalties until a winner is decided.
For more information on the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, click here.
