The U.S. Soccer Federation confirmed today that FC Dallas will host the Atlanta Silverbacks of the United Soccer League (Division 1) in the Third Round of the 2007 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Monday, July 9 at Pizza Hut Park (7:30 pm CT). Atlanta advanced to the third round by defeating the Charlotte Eagles (USL -D2) 1-0 in Atlanta on Tuesday, June 26. FC Dallas, which won the Open Cup in 1997, is one of eight teams from Major League Soccer that will enter the 2007 Open Cup in the third round. Click here for the complete Third Round schedule.
FC Dallas full-season ticket holders should use Bonus Game D for the game. Ticket prices range from $12 in the Supporter Section, $16 - endline, $24 - Sideline East, $28 - Sideline West and Midfield East, $32 - Plaza Terrace, and $45 - Midfield Club West. Special discounted group pricing is available for groups of 10 or more by calling 888.FCD.GOAL. Tickets are also available through all Ticketmaster outlets. Parking at Pizza Hut Park for the Open Cup is free.
Dallas and Atlanta have met once before in the Open Cup - also in the Third Round - and almost five years from the date they'll meet again. On July 17, 2002, Dallas defeated the Silverbacks 2-1 in overtime at DeKalb Memorial Stadium in Clarkson, Georgia with two goals from Antonio Martinez.
ABOUT THE U.S. OPEN CUP
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.
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 tournament initially kicked off on June 12, with 32 teams from the United Soccer Leagues First Division, USL Second Division, Premier Development League and United States Adult Soccer Association ranks. The final match of the Open Cup will be played on Tuesday, October 2.
Geographical pairings and host proposals received from each club determined third round Open Cup match-ups, as they will through the quarterfinals of the tournament.
