Minnesota United FC will face the Portland Timbers in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on Wednesday, hosting the match in its new, impressive Allianz Field home stadium. The team’s been having a solid debut season here; on Sunday, it beat the Timbers in MLS regular season play on a stoppage-time penalty kick to ascend to second (!) in the Western Conference.
Portland, in the meantime, struggled in the early part of the season, taking an extended road trip while the historic, loud Providence Park underwent an expansion and renovation project. The Timbers get to close out the 2019 season with the bulk of their home-stretch matches at home, with midseason acquisition Brian Fernandez emerging as a legitimate future Golden Boot candidate.
Through a scheduling quirk, the teams will face each other twice in three days, with the rematch determining who will be in the U.S. Open Cup finals.
Here’s everything you need to know to watch Minnesota United FC vs. Portland Timbers in the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Minnesota United FC vs. Portland Timbers
- When: 8pm ET, Wednesday, Aug. 7
- Where: Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota
- Streaming: ESPN+
2019 U.S. Open Cup live stream: Watch Minnesota United FC vs. Portland Timbers online
The match is on ESPN+; with its low monthly and annual subscription rate, provides an easy way to stream Minnesota vs. Portland in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal round.
ESPN+
- Cost: $4.99 per month or $49.99 for 12 months
- Devices: Chromecast, Amazon Fire Stick and Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku players and TV, Oculus Go, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Samsung smart TVs, and iOS and Android devices
ESPN+ is a subscription service that extends ESPN’s existing website and app, and it’s essential for soccer fans, in particular, carrying select U.S. Open Cup matches, as well as MLS, USL, Serie A+, Copa America, and FA Cup matches. It encompasses other sporting events as well, including 20 exclusive UFC Fight Night events per year, 180 NHL games, at least one MLB game a day for every day of the season, and a cornucopia of college sports.
ESPN+ also features the network’s sports talk programming, and it features original series starting with the entire 30 for 30 catalog ESPN made its name on. It also unlocks more content and fewer ads on the ESPN site.
Minnesota United FC vs. Portland Timbers in the U.S. Open Cup: What to watch for
Minnesota United FC is still remaking itself in the 2019 season, with Uruguay youth national standout Thomas Chacon reportedly on his way to join Finnish midfielder Robin Lod as a summer transfer window acquisition. Three of the 2019 standouts for the Loons have been in the defensive half of the field, starting with goalkeeper Vito Mannone (a veteran perhaps best known for his time with Arsenal), defensive midfielder Ozzie Alonso (who was a longtime linchpin for the Sounders), and Malagasy international right back Romain Metanire, who has risen to All-Star status.
While Fernandez gives the Timbers a new facet to the offense, it’s still very much Diego Valeri’s team; the veteran and former MVP is still one of the most gifted players in the league. Though Fernandez’s arrival has nudged emerging U.S. national player Jeremy Ebobisse out of the center of the frame, he’s still an impactful player worth watching when he’s on the field.
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