Carolina Challenge Cup Opens Saturday
Published on March 11, 2010 under United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release
CHARLESTON, SC -- The seventh edition of the Carolina Challenge Cup kicks off Saturday night at Blackbaud Stadium with a doubleheader pitting Major League Soccer Champions Real Salt Lake against MLS's most successful franchise DC United, and Toronto FC versus tournament host, the Charleston Battery. The round robin format opens with Real Salt Lake facing DC at 5 p.m., followed by the Battery and Toronto at 7:15 p.m.
Carolina Challenge Cup and MLS success There is a remarkable correlation between success in the Carolina Challenge Cup and success in Major League Soccer. Each year, excluding 2008, the winner of the Carolina Challenge Cup has gone on to win either that season's MLS Supporters Shield (regular season championship) or MLS Cup.
Despite not creating an MLS champion in 2008, two of that year's participants came very close to winning a major trophy as the Charleston Battery lost to DC United in the final of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup and the New York Red Bulls lost to the Columbus Crew in the MLS Cup final.
Carolina Challenge Cup past winners
2004 - Columbus Crew (MLS)
2005 - San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
2006 - Houston Dynamo (MLS)
2007 - Houston Dynamo (MLS)
2008 - San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
2009 - Real Salt Lake (MLS)
United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 11, 2010
- Kickers And RoomStore World Team Up - Richmond Kickers
- Eagles Vs. Ne Revolution Reminder - Charlotte Eagles
- Carolina Challenge Cup Opens Saturday - USL
- MLS Champs Real Salt Lake, DC United And Toronto Join Battery For Cup - Charleston Battery
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
