Washington, D.C. (July 2, 2009) - U.S. Soccer today announced the possible semifinal pairings for the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Should D.C. United advance past USL-2 side Harrisburg City Islanders in the quarterfinal round of the competition, the Black-and-Red would host the semifinal match against the winner of the Rochester Rhinos (USL-1)-Wilmington Hammerheads (USL-2) match on Tuesday, July 21 at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, MD. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Following Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over the Ocean City Barons (PDL), D.C. United is set to host the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open Cup. The game will be held at the Maryland SoccerPlex July 7 at 7:30 p.m. Harrisburg advanced to the round of eight courtesy of a 2-1 overtime win over the New England Revolution. United and Harrisburg have faced each other one other time in Open Cup play, a 1-0 Islanders victory in Pennsylvania.
Tickets to the match are now on sale via www.dcunited.com and all TicketMaster outlets. All tickets for the match will be available for $25 (including parking), while groups of 10 or more can purchase at the $22 price level. Season ticket holders will receive a special ticket discount and should contact D.C. United at 202-587-5000 for additional information.
Last year, D.C. United won the U.S. Open Cup for the second time in club history by defeating the Charleston Battery of the USL First Division, 2-1, in front of the home fans at RFK Stadium on Sept. 3. United began their title defense this year with play-in victories against MLS rivals FC Dallas and the New York Red Bulls. United recorded a 2-0 victory over FC Dallas on April 22, before defeating New York 5-3 on May 20 at RFK to earn a spot in the Open Cup field.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an annual national competition that is open to all amateur and professional soccer teams that are affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest tournament in the U.S., beginning in 1914 when Brooklyn Field Club took home the very first title. MLS teams were first included in the tournament in the inaugural 1996 season, with D.C. United taking home the title.
The tournament bracket is formed by teams from the USL First Division, USL Second Division, USL Premier Development League, and United States Adult Soccer Association. Teams compete in single elimination play, adding MLS teams to the mix in the third round, and continue on towards the championship game.
Broadcasting and P.A. Request: When speaking of the organization, please refer to the team as either “D.C. United” or “United,” but not “the D.C. United” or “the United.” We appreciate your cooperation.
Doug Hicks,
dhicks@dcunited.com
, (202) 587-5448,
Boris Flores,
bflores@dcunited.com
, (202) 587-5452,
Kyle Sheldon,
ksheldon@dcunited.com
, (202) 587-5450 or
Cristina Cruz,
ccruz@dcunited.com
, (202) 587-5440
