Tuesday: 6:30 p.m. at Detroit City FC • Free livestream on Bleacher Report (B/R) app and B/R Football YouTube channel

Preview: The Loons return to U.S. Open Cup play — separate from their MLS schedule — with a game against Detroit City FC, which plays a tier down in the United Soccer League, aka USL Championship. The U.S. Open Cup is the nation's oldest soccer competition, founded in 1914, giving amateur and pro teams alike a chance to win the trophy. This match will be played at Keyworth Stadium, a 7,933-capacity venue, in Hamtramck, Mich. This year's Cup features 99 teams, including 71 professional teams, from four divisions. This is the first time Minnesota has faced Detroit City — a team that stunned the Columbus Crew of the MLS in last season's Open Cup. If avoiding a similar fate isn't enough motivation, the Loons enter Tuesday's game mired in a three-game losing streak in MLS play.

"There's nothing like winning games to install a bit of confidence on in players," United coach Adrian Heath said Monday. But he cautioned: "If you don't approach the game properly, these can become embarrassing for you and become one of those things that you that you regret later."

Bad cup memories: A year ago, Minnesota fell 2-1 at home against Union Omaha of the USL League One in the Round of 16. "We didn't compete, Heath said. "I say this all the time and I'm sure everybody else will be saying it, there are not many teams in the MLS who can actually play professional players of a USL nature at 50, 60 percent of their capabilities, and go and win the game. It's just not that way. This week or next week, a MLS team will go out."

Starters and subs: Heath said Tuesday's lineup will be a mixed team of starters and other first teamers needing game action. The latter group including goalkeeper Clint Irwin, midfielder Emmanuel Iwe plus defenders Britton Fischer and Devin Padelford "will all get involved in some shape or form, I would think, if everything goes the way we would like it to go," Heath said. Brent Kallman, who missed Saturday's loss at Seattle to attend to family matters, was expected by Heath to arrive Monday.