Duluth FC, the 2017 North Conference champions and 2018 Midwest Regional champions, will start their second ever U.S. Open Cup campaign tonight, when they visit the Des Moines Menace in the first round of the tournament.
Des Moines are a historied club in the Open Cup, with a history of knocking out names above their pay grade, including the Minnesota Thunder in 2006 and Minnesota United in 2013. Their most recent cup upset was a 2016 second round victory over the Tulsa Roughnecks of the USL.