The Los Angeles Galaxy’s quest to become the first back-to-back U.S. Open winner since the New York Pancyprian-Freedoms did it in 1982-83 requires a semifinal win Wednesday over the Houston Dynamo at the Home Depot Center. The Dynamo, which was the San Jose Earthquakes before going Texan this season, lost to the Galaxy four times in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals (2005, 2002, 2001 and 2000).
In the other semifinal, MLS’s top team this season, D.C. United, travels to the Chicago Fire on Wednesday. The teams have never met in Open Cup play, but in five MLS postseason games, Chicago has beaten United four times and tied once while outscoring United 10-0.
The U.S. Open Cup winner gets $100,000 and the runner-up $50,000.