FRISCO - U.S. Soccer announced on Wednesday the possible pairings for the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final, to be disputed during the first week of October in Seattle, Wash., or Frisco, Texas. FC Dallas has won the bid to host the U.S. Open Cup final on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 7 pm if the team advances past the semifinal game versus the Seattle Sounders, which will be played on Tuesday, Sept. 4 at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. The semifinal game can be seen live online at www.usllive.com and will also be available live on radio KXEZ 92.1 FM (English) and KZMP 1540 AM (Spanish).
The other tournament semifinal will also be determined on Tuesday, September 4 as the Carolina RailHawks of the USL First Division face the New England Revolution at 6 p.m. CT at Veterans Stadium in New Britain, Conn. The Revs advanced to the semis after a 2-1 win against the Harrisburg City Islanders (USL-2) on August 8 in the quarterfinals. Carolina will be ready for the Revolution, having posted a 1-0 quarterfinal victory against the Richmond Kickers (USL-2).
FC Dallas will travel to Washington State to face the Seattle Sounders after defeating the Charleston Battery (USL-1) 2-1 in overtime at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston, S.C. on Aug. 7. Seattle advanced after a 5-0 thrashing of the Colorado Rapids at Qwest Field in the quarterfinals that same evening.
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 having crowned a champion for 93 consecutive years dating back to 1914. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor long-time soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
2007 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP SEMIFINAL ROUND
Sept. 4: Carolina RailHawks (USL-1) at New England Revolution (MLS); Veterans Stadium; New Britain, Conn. - 6 p.m. CT
Sept. 4: FC Dallas (MLS) at Seattle Sounders (USL-1); Qwest Field; Seattle, Wash. - 9p.m. CT
POSSIBLE CHAMPIONSHIP PAIRINGS
Oct. 2: Carolina RailHawks (USL-1) at Seattle Sounders (USL-1); Qwest Field; Seattle, Wash. - 9 p.m. CT
Oct. 2: New England Revolution (MLS) at Seattle Sounders (USL-1); Qwest Field; Seattle, Wash. - 9 p.m. CT
Oct. 3: Carolina RailHawks (USL-1) at FC Dallas (MLS); Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas - 7 p.m. CT
Oct. 3: New England Revolution (MLS) at FC Dallas (MLS); Pizza Hut Park; Frisco, Texas - 7 p.m. CT
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
