Baltimore MD - This Sunday sees the first regular-season derby between Maryland rivals Crystal Palace FC USA and Real Maryland. The match kicks off at 4:00pm at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds. Palace will be trying to balance the effort needed to win this important league encounter against their local rivals with their upcoming “David and Goliath” game against the New York Red Bulls in the US Open Cup. The Open Cup clash takes place on Tuesday at Lawrence E. Knight Stadium, on the grounds of Broadneck High School in Annapolis.

Sunday’s game is also the first leg of the newly inaugurated DeOrsey Maryland Cup, created in memory of local soccer player Matt DeOrsey who died earlier this year at the age of 30. The cup will be awarded to the aggregate winner of the regular season fixtures between Palace and Real MD each season. Real MD won the a pre-season friendly with Palace- by a score of 1-0 back on April 5th, but this game does not count towards the cup.

Palace will be looking for all three points to help them stay in touch with the two teams currently above them in the USL2 standings, Charlotte and Cleveland, both of whom have two games in hand over the Baltimore side. Apart from their US Open Cup 2nd round win in Harrisburg on Tuesday, Palace are coming off a draw at Wilmington and a home win over Cleveland in the league. Those results followed a three-game losing streak. Real Maryland currently sit in 7th place with three wins, seven losses and no draws. Their most recent league fixture saw them narrowly beaten by league leaders Charlotte, extending Real’s losing skid to four matches. Real MD also played an exhibition match on Friday June 27th against reigning Salvadoran champions, L.A. Firpo. The visitors won 2-0 in front of a capacity crowd of 4,000.

This game also marks the first time Palace will play against one of their former players - Mateus dos Anjos was a regular starter at left back during Palace’s inaugural season last year and is expected to start for Real Maryland on Sunday. Dos Anjos signed for Real earlier this month, making his debut in their 4-0 defeat at Harrisburg on June 14th.

Palace’s next game is in the US Open Cup 3rd round on Tuesday July 1st at 7:30pm at Broadneck High School in Annapolis. Their next league fixture is in Cleveland on Saturday July 12th at 7:00pm.