Kickers Win Home Draw For Quarterfinals
Published on June 26, 2008 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Richmond Kickers News Release
RICHMOND, VA - (Thursday, June 26, 2008) - Should the Richmond Kickers advance to the Quarterfinal Round of the 2008 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, they will host the winner of the New York Red Bulls (MLS) versus Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2) Third Round match, with the potential date for the Quarterfinal to be determined. The Kickers must first sneak by the defending US Open Cup Champions New England Revolution on Tuesday in their Third Round match-up before hopes of hosting the Quarterfinal Round can come to fruition.
The Kickers claimed the U.S. Open Cup title the first year of the "Professional Era" in 1995 and have since made it to the quarterfinal round four times (1995, 2001, 2004, 2007), ousting three Major League Soccer teams along the way (Colorado Rapids 2000, DC United 2004, LA Galaxy 2007).
The next round of this year's tournament kicks off on Tuesday, July 1st with the Kickers taking on the Revolution at Veterans Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut at 7:00 pm. The Kickers received an automatic berth into this year's tournament as the defending USL-2 Regular Season Champions and then cruised by the Fredericksburg Gunners on June 10th with a 3-0, First Round victory. Most recently, the Kickers ousted the Western Mass Pioneers in a hard-fought, 2-1 road win last Tuesday. The Revolution, alongside seven other MLS teams enter the Open Cup in the Third Round.
In total, forty teams participate in this year's tournament, with eight entries per league across Major League Soccer, USL First Division, USL Second Division, Premier Development League (PDL) and United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The 2008 tournament marks the first time each league will have the same number of teams participating.
About the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which is recognized as U.S. Soccer's National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. The tournament has crowned a champion for 94 consecutive years dating back to 1914.
The U.S. Open Cup is a single-elimination tournament, with games tied after regulation being decided in two 15-minute overtime halves. If neither team scores during the overtime period, the winner is decided on penalty kicks. The team that advances the furthest from each level except MLS earns a $10,000 cash prize. The Open Cup runner-up takes home $50,000, while the champion collects $100,000. The winner will have their team's name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, the oldest trophy in American team sports that is housed in the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y.
Richmond Kickers and the Open Cup
The 2008 season marks the 10th time the Richmond Kickers have qualified for the U.S. Open Cup over the past 14 seasons and hold an overall record of 15-8 during tournament play. With 54 total goals scored during the Open Cup, the Kickers set several franchise records as well as a Professional Era U.S. Open Cup record for most goals (12) during the 8-4 rout over the Ocean City Barons in 2005. For all of the up-to-the-minute action, visit www.USOpenCup.com.
United Soccer League Championship Stories from June 26, 2008
- Lady Eagles Host Railhawks Tonight - Charlotte Eagles
- Kickers Play Back-to-Back This Weekend - Richmond Kickers
- Cleveland City Stars and Computers Assisting People, Inc. Come Together to Help Inner-City Children - Cleveland City Stars
- Kickers Win Home Draw For Quarterfinals - Richmond Kickers
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