UNO’s Al F. Caniglia Field.
Sports Editor
UNO’s Al F. Caniglia Field.
In a bizarre twist of events, fans will pack into UNO’s Caniglia Field Wednesday night for a high-stakes U.S. Open Cup soccer matchup between Union Omaha and MLS club Sporting K.C.
The U.S. Open Cup is an annual tournament that pits teams of all levels against each other, giving lower-tiered squads a chance to knock off some of the premier clubs in the country. Union Omaha, who plays in USL League One (Division III) won three consecutive matches to open the tournament and now must down Sporting K.C. in order to advance.
Though the home team faces long odds against its Division I counterparts, they’re as well-positioned as any USL1 team to take down an MLS squad. This season, Omaha is unbeaten through its first eight matches, tying a USL League One record for longest unbeaten run to start a season in all competitions.
In 2022, Union Omaha became the first USL1 team to beat an MLS team in the U.S. Open Cup when they downed the Chicago Fire before also knocking off Minnesota United, a team favored to win the cup. Their improbable run was ended by Kansas City in the quarterfinals that year, so Omaha will undoubtedly be looking for revenge.
Union Omaha has recently played their home matches at Werner Park in Papillion while a new 7,000-seat downtown stadium is being developed. However, with the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, hosting a home series against Jacksonville this weekend, the Cup matchup was forced to relocate. Luckily, UNO boasts the highest-rated pitch of any college facility in the country, receiving a FIFA four-star rating after a series of tests such as product composition and weather resistance. Nevertheless, the 3,000-seat Caniglia Field will certainly be overflowing with passionate fans from both Omaha and Kansas City.
Sports Editor
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