Philadelphia Union will play Sporting Kansas City in MLS is Back quarterfinal on Thursday

The Philadelphia Union will have a chance to exorcise some past U.S. Open Cup demons against Sporting Kansas City in the quarterfinals of the MLS is Back Tournament on Thursday night.

The Union learned their opponent for the next round early Monday morning after SKC advanced on penalties over the Vancouver Whitecaps behind three saves from goalkeeper Tim Melia. The game went straight to penalties after a scoreless draw.

There is of course some knockout competition history between the two teams.

Sporting Kansas City won an Open Cup final in Chester on penalties in 2015 and defeated the Union in their only other knockout competition game against the boys in blue in the Open Cup semifinal in 2012. The Union have a 6-6-5 all-time record in league play against SKC, which is coached by Delran, N.J. native Peter Vermes.

Graham Zusi, Matt Besler and Tim Melia were on the SKC team that topped the Union for the Open Cup in 2015. Melia saved penalties against Maurice Edu and Andrew Wenger in that game.

Union defender Aurelien Collin played for SKC in the 2012 semifinal along with Zusi, Besler and Roger Espinoza, who is back with the team. Ray Gaddis is the only Union player still on the team from both knockout games. He started in the 2015 final but was an unused sub in the 2012 semifinal. Andre Blake started and Warren Creavalle was an unused sub in the 2015 final.