3rd Round U.S. Open Cup Potential Pairings Announced

US Soccer announced today the potential pairings of the 3rd round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the US Soccer Federation’s National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with US 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.

The schedule shows that if Minnesota were to win next Tuesday evening’s game against the Chicago Fire PDL team, then the Thunder would play the Kansas City Wizards at the National Sports Center on Tuesday, June 30 at 7:05 p.m.

This is great motivation for the Thunder and great motivation for Thunder supporters to get out to to the NSC next Tuesday and cheer your team on to a win and a 3rd round home matchup against the Kansas City Wizards of  MLS.

Below are the possible pairings for round three:

Date    Potential Matchups in Group 1    Venue    Location    Time (local)
June 30     Harrisburg City Islanders (USL2) at New England Revolution (MLS)    Willowbrook Park    New Britain, Conn.    7 p.m.
June 30     Western Mass. Pioneers (USL2) at New England Revolution (MLS)    Willowbrook Park    New Britain, Conn.     7 p.m.
Date    Potential Matchups in Group 2    Venue    Location    Time (local)
June 30    Ocean City Barons (PDL) at DC United (MLS)    Maryland Soccerplex    Boyds, Md.    7:30 p.m.
June 30    Real Maryland FC (USL2) at DC United (MLS)    Maryland Soccerplex    Boyds, Md.    7:30 p.m.
Date    Potential Matchups in Group 3    Venue    Location    Time (local)
June 30    Chicago Fire (MLS) at Carolina RailHawks (USL1)    WakeMed Soccer Park    Cary, N.C.    7 p.m.
June 30    Chicago Fire (MLS) at Wilmington Hammerheads    Legion Stadium    Wilmington, N.C.    7 p.m.
Date    Potential Matchups in Group 4    Venue    Location    Time (local)
June 30    Chivas USA (MLS) at Charleston Battery (USL1)    Blackbaud Stadium    Charleston, S.C.    7:30 p.m.
June 30    Chivas USA (MLS) at Miami FC (USL1)    Lockhart Stadium    Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.    8 p.m.
Date    Potential Matchups in Group 5    Venue    Location    Time (local)
June 30    Columbus Crew (MLS) at Rochester Rhinos (USL1)    Rochester Rhinos Stadium    Rochester, N.Y.    7 p.m.
June 30    Cleveland City Stars (USL1) at Columbus Crew (MLS)    Crew Stadium    Columbus, Ohio    7:30 p.m.
Date    Potential Matchups in Group 6    Venue    Location    Time (local)
June 30    Kansas City Wizards (MLS) at Minnesota Thunder (USL1)    National Sports Center    Blaine, Minn.    7:05 p.m.
June 30    Chicago Fire PDL (PDL) at Kansas City Wizards (MLS)    Shawnee Mission North H.S.    Overland Park, Kan.    7:30 p.m.
Date    Potential Matchups in Group 7    Venue    Location    Time (local)
June 30    Houston Dynamo (MLS) at Austin Aztex (USL1)    Nelson Field    Austin, Texas    7:30 p.m.
June 30    Houston Dynamo (MLS) at El Paso Patriots (PDL)    Patriot Stadium    El Paso, Texas    8 p.m.
Date    Potential Matchups in Group 8    Venue    Location    Time (local)
June 30    Sonoma County Sol (USASA-Calif.) at Seattle Sounders (MLS)    Starfire Sports Complex    Tukwila, Wash.    7 p.m.
June 30    Seattle Sounders (MLS) at Portland Timbers (USL1)    PGE Park    Portland, Ore.    7 p.m.

2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Round Matchups (Games Scheduled for next week)

No. Date    Matchup    Venue    Location    Time (local)
17    June 16    Western Mass. Pioneers (USL2) at Harrisburg City Islanders (USL2)    Skyline Sports Complex    Harrisburg, Pa.    7:05 p.m.
18    June 16    Real Maryland FC (USL2) at Ocean City Barons (PDL)    Carey Stadium    Ocean City, N.J.    7 p.m.
19    June 16    Wilmington Hammerheads (USL2) at Carolina RailHawks (USL1)    WakeMed Soccer Park    Cary, N.C.    7 p.m.
20    June 16    Charleston Battery (USL1) at Miami FC (USL1)    Tropical Park    Miami, Fla.    8 p.m.
21    June 16    Cleveland City Stars (USL2) at Rochester Rhinos (USL1)    Rochester Rhinos Stadium    Rochester, N.Y.    7 p.m.
22    June 16    Chicago Fire PDL (PDL) at Minnesota Thunder (USL1)    National Sports Center    Blaine, Minn.    7:05 p.m.
23    June 16    El Paso Patriots (PDL) at Austin Aztex (USL1)    Nelson Field    Austin, Texas    7:30 p.m.
24    June 16    Portland Timbers (USL1) at Sonoma County Sol (USASA-Calif.)    Santa Rosa High School    Santa Rosa, Calif.    7 p.m.
Composition of participating teams:
8 Major League Soccer
8 United Soccer Leagues First Division
8 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

2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Schedule
June 9    First Round                     32 lower division teams enter tournament
June 16    Second Round             16 Round 1 winners face off
June 30    Third Round                  Round 2 winners face eight MLS teams
July 7        Quarterfinals                 Round 3 winners
July 21/22 Semifinals                    Quarterfinal winners
Sept. 2       Final                           Semifinal winners