The Pittsburgh Riverhounds made a dramatic run to the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup last year by beating two MLS sides, but this year’s tournament will look a lot different.
With only eight MLS teams participating, the Hounds will enter in the round of 32 where they’ll host fellow USL Championship side FC Tulsa at 7 p.m. May 7 at Highmark Stadium.
A draw announcing the pairings was held Thursday.
There’s potential for the Hounds to meet an MLS team in the round of 16 because the winner of the Hounds/Tulsa match will play at the winner of Sporting Kansas City/Union Omaha.
Sporting Kansas City is one of the eight MLS teams participating.
The MLS announced in December that they intended to send reserve sides to the US Open Cup instead of their first teams, but that proposal was shot down by the United States Soccer Federation.
In February, the MLS and the USSF came to an agreement where the league would send some teams to the US Open Cup and the number ended up being eight.
Last year, the Hounds entered the competition in the second round but received a forfeit from Rochester New York FC.
The Hounds’ run included a win over the Maryland Bobcats at home, a 1-0 win at New England Revolution and a 1-0 win over Columbus Crew at home before a 3-1 loss at FC Cincinnati in the quarterfinals.
It was the second time they reached the quarterfinals in team history, the last coming in 2001.
