Dynamo travel to North Carolina in US Open Cup

In their first game since early this month due to the international break, the Houston Dynamo will travel to play NASL side North Carolina FC in the US Open Cup fourth round on Wednesday at 6:30pm CT.

Given that the Dynamo have to travel to LA to face the Galaxy three days after the USOC game, it’s not great timing for the Orange. Wilmer Cabrera, as will many other MLS managers, will heavily rotate the squad on Wednesday. He called up seven RGVFC players to possibly play in North Carolina:

That’s Jorginho James, Ruben Luna, Charlie Ward, Eric Bird, Camilo Monroy, Kai Greene, and Kyle Murphy.

DaMarcus Beasley, Romell Quioto, Alberth Elis, and Adolfo Machado will be out due to international duty, so that looks like a pretty weakened roster.

If you’re curious, North Carolina FC were previously the Carolina Railhawks prior to a team makeover that saw them create an NWSL team, the North Carolina Courage. Through 11 NASL games, NCFC are in fifth. Their goalkeeper is former Union backstop Brian Sylvestre, and one of their defenders, Christian Ibeagha, is the brother of former Dynamo player Sebastian Ibeagha.

MLS teams won’t take the early rounds of the US Open Cup too seriously, considering most are facing lower-league clubs with matches coming up on the weekend. There are, though, some very good USOC games, which (shameless plug alert) I wrote about here for FanSided.

I would recommend catching some of Columbus-Cincinnati and San Jose-San Francisco if you’re looking for some new local MLS vs. second division rivalries. Seattle-Portland and NYRB-NYCFC are some really good MLS rivalries that will basically be reserve team vs. reserve team. D.C. United are playing amateur adult league team Christos FC, which should be very fun.

The Dynamo’s game against LA is on Saturday at 10:00pm CT on, sorry to break it to you, Unimas. Houston are third in the Western Conference after 15 games, ahead of FC Dallas on goals scored and one point behind second-place Portland.