CHICAGO (May 29, 2007) – U.S. Soccer has announced the first round pairings for the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The first round features 32 teams from the United Soccer Leagues First Division, USL Second Division, Premier Development League and United States Adult Soccer Association ranks. Pairings for the opening round were determined by blind draw for the first time since the 2001 tournament. The first round will be played on Tuesday, June 12, with the winners facing off in the second round on June 26.

Eight USASA squads will participate in the first round of the Open Cup, with the Aegean Hawks FC (Arlington, Va.) facing the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2), Danbury United (Conn.) hosting the Western Mass Pioneers (USL-2) and the Azzurri from Dallas, Texas, traveling to take on the Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1). The Milwaukee Bavarians will host the Cincinnati Kings (USL-2) and Lynch’s Irish Pub FC (Jacksonville, Fla.) will travel to North Carolina to take on the Charlotte Eagles (USL-2). Open Cup newcomer RWB Adria (Chicago, Ill.) will also visit the Tar Heel state to battle first-year club Carolina RailHawks (USL-1). The El Paso Indios USA (Texas) take on the Minnesota Thunder (USL-1) and Banat Arsenal (Phoenix, Ariz.) travels to Washington State to face the Seattle Sounders (USL-1).

There are also eight PDL squads in the first round as the Ocean City Barons host Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2), the Long Island Rough Riders take on the Rochester Rhinos (USL-1), the Michigan Bucks face the Richmond Kickers (USL-2) and the Kansas City Brass host the Cleveland City Stars (USL-2). In South Carolina, the Central Florida Kraze will battle the Charleston Battery (USL-1) while Miami FC (USL-1) heads to Texas to face the El Paso Patriots, the California Victory (USL-1) takes on the BYU Cougars and the Portland Timbers (USL-1) meet the Bakersfield Brigade. 

2007 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP FIRST ROUND

No.	Date	Teams	Venue; Location	Result
1	June 12	Aegean Hawks FC (Arlington, Va.) (USASA) at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2)	Skyline Sports Complex; Harrisburg, Pa.	0-4
2	June 12	Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) at Ocean City Barons (PDL)	Carey Stadium; Ocean City, N.J.	0-1
3	June 12	Long Island Rough Riders (PDL) at Rochester Rhinos (USL-1)	PAETEC Park; Rochester, N.Y.	0-1
4	June 12	Western Mass Pioneers (USL-2) at Danbury United (USASA)	Portuguese Cultural Center; Danbury, Conn.	3-2
5	June 12	Michigan Bucks (PDL) at Richmond Kickers (USL-2)	UR Stadium; Richmond, Va.	2-4
6	June 12	Cleveland City Stars (USL-2) at Kansas City Brass (PDL)	William Jewell College; Liberty, Mo.	4-0
7	June 12	RWB Adria (Chicago, Ill.) (USASA) at Carolina Rail Hawks (USL-1)	SAS Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.	1-4
8	June 12	Cincinnati Kings (USL-2) at Milwaukee Bavarians (USASA)	Bavarian Soccer Park; Glendale, Wis.	0-1
9	June 12	Azzurri (Dallas, Texas) (USASA) at Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1)	Remax Greater Atlanta Stadium; Atlanta, Ga.	0-10
10	June 13	Lynch’s Irish Pub FC (Jacksonville, Fla.) (USASA) at Charlotte Eagles (USL-2)	UNCC Transamerica Field; Charlotte, N.C.	0-2
11	June 12	Central Florida Kraze (PDL) at Charleston Battery (USL-1)	Blackbaud Stadium; Charleston, S.C.	0-3
12	June 12	Miami FC (USL-1) at El Paso Patriots (PDL)	Patriots Stadium; El Paso, Texas	2-2 (3-4 pk)
13	June 12	El Paso Indios USA (USASA) at Minnesota Thunder (USL-1)	James Griffin Stadium; St. Paul, Minn.	2-3
14	June 12	California Victory (USL-1) at BYU Cougars (PDL)	BYU South Stadium; Provo, Utah	2-1
15	June 12	Banat Arsenal (Phoenix, Ariz.) (USASA) at Seattle Sounders (USL-1)	Starfire Sports Complex; Tukwila, Wash.	1-4
16	June 12	Portland Timbers (USL-1) at Bakersfield Brigade (PDL)	Bakersfield Christian H.S.; Bakersfield, Calif.	2-0

 

Applications to host and hosting proposals received from each club determined Open Cup home teams, as they will through the quarterfinals of the tournament. Possible venue sites for the second round will be announced next week. The eight MLS clubs qualifying for the 2007 Open Cup proper enter the competition in the third round to face the winners from the second round. The Division I teams will be added to the tournament bracket based on geographical considerations after the first round is completed.

At stake in the tournament is $180,000 in prize money broken down as follows: $100,000 to the champion, $50,000 to the runner up and $10,000 to the team which advances deepest in the tournament from each of the Division II, Division III and amateur levels.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation’s National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest annual team tournament in U.S. sports history and among the oldest soccer tournaments of its type in the world. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor long-time soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.

2007 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP SECOND ROUND MATCHES
(Venues and times TBD)
#       Date           Teams
17    June 26      Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
18    June 26      Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
19    June 26      Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6
20    June 26      Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8
21    June 26      Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10
22    June 26      Winner Game 11 vs. Winner Game 12
23    June 26      Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14
24    June 26      Winner Game 15 vs. Winner Game 16

2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Schedule
June 12    First Round 32 lower division teams enter tournament
June 26    Second Round 16 Round 1 winners face off
July 10      Third Round Round 2 winners face eight MLS teams
Aug. 7        Quarterfinals Round 3 winners
Sept. 4      Semifinals Quarterfinal winners
Oct. 2         Final Semifinal winners

Composition of participating teams:
8 Major League Soccer
9 United Soccer Leagues First Division
7 United Soccer Leagues Second Division
16 Amateur (8 USL Premier Development League, 8 USASA regional qualifiers)
Total Number of Teams: 40
Total Number of Games: 39