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Lights FC to participate in 2018 US Open Cup19 April 2018(PRESS RELEASE) -- It's another first for Las Vegas Lights FC in a year that is filled with them. On Wednesday, 16 May, the club will take part for the first time in the oldest ongoing soccer competition in the United States - the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. In the 105th installment of the U.S. Open Cup, Lights FC will host the winner between amateur club La Máquina FC of Santa Ana, California, and FC Tucson of the USL's Premier Developmental League. Those two clubs will meet on Wednesday, 9 May, in Tucson, Arizona. Both clubs earned their way into the field following several months of qualifying play. Lights FC's second round match will be played at 7:30 p.m. on 16 May at UNLV's Peter Johann Soccer Field. U.S. Open Cup tickets are included in all Lights FC Season Ticket packages. Season Ticket members will receive an e-mail with a link to claim tickets for the 16 May U.S. Open Cup match. All tickets unclaimed by Wednesday, 9 May, will go on public sale for $15 apiece. Lights FC is one of 22 United Soccer League (USL) clubs who will enter the field in the second round. 20 Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs enter the field in the fourth round, which is played on Wednesday, 6 June. For more background information on the U.S. Open Cup, and a full look at this year's participants and pairings, go here. "The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the greatest tournament in sports — Where else can a beer league team after multiple rounds of qualifying have the opportunity to ultimately compete against a professional soccer club?" Lights FC Owner and CEO Brett Lashbrook said. "This is the movie 'Hoosiers' on steroids. Every year there are upsets and drama. The amateur clubs are gunning the beat the USL clubs. And USL clubs are gunning to beat MLS clubs. Simply put, our goal is to use this tournament to compete against and beat MLS clubs. Why not us?" For La Máquina FC, this will be the club's third consecutive season qualifying for the U.S. Open Cup. Before losing its first round matchup in 2017, the club made a nice run in 2016 to the fourth round, ultimately falling to MLS's LA Galaxy. FC Tucson has advanced to the PDL Conference Finals in three of the last four years, with a combined record of 39-7-9 in that four-year stretch. In last year's U.S. Open Cup, FC Tucson won its first round matchup before a defeat at the hands of USL's Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. |