The Charleston Battery will travel to face Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF on Tues., May 9, in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, announced during U.S. Soccer’s Round of 32 Draw on Thursday. Kickoff at DRV PNK Stadium is set for 7 p.m. ET.
The fixture is the first-ever official match between Charleston and Miami. They previously met in an exhibition game during the 2022 Carolina Challenge Cup.
Tuesday’s match will stream live via the Bleacher Report (B/R) app and the B/R Football YouTube page. Fans traveling to the match can purchase their tickets now via Ticketmaster, starting at $23 for away supporters.
To get to the Round of 32, Charleston defeated USL League One side Charlotte Independence, 1-0, thanks to Nick Markanich’s extra-time winner. Inter Miami were forced to go to penalties against USL Championship side Miami FC in their previous round, winning 3-5 on spot attempts.
Charleston will look to add another chapter to their storied history of slaying the giants in MLS in Open Cup play. The Battery were 2008 Open Cup finalists, defeating Houston Dynamo FC and FC Dallas along the way, and have also taken down Chicago Fire, Chivas USA and San Jose Earthquakes in the tournament since then.
“Any time we put the badge on, we represent something special,” said Coach Pirmann. “We’ve gone two-for-two in the Cup, now we’ll play an even tougher opponent.
“Any time you play against a team in [MLS], they’re geared up. We know that we’ll have extra motivation because we want to prove to them that we belong. But, we’re also going to have to be mature and be able to perform.”
Pirmann is well aware of the club’s past success in the Open Cup and the significance of that history to the fans.
“In regard to what [this match] means to our club, our community and our supporters, as a USL Championship club, the Charleston Battery have such a historic significance with this tournament,” said Coach Pirmann. “When that game gets here in May, we’ll be ready and fired up, and hopefully be able to push and advance to the Round of 16.”
